Before Your First Visit to Trenton: What to Bring, What to Leave Behind, and the Pat/Frisk Search
A smooth visit starts before you leave home. This guide covers the right documents for kids, what you can't bring onto SCDC property, and what to expect during the required search procedures.
Children age 10 and older need a government-issued photo ID to visit Trenton. If your child just turned 10, get their ID sorted before you go. Showing up without it means they won't get in.
Kids nine and younger need a certified long-form birth certificate. Bring the official version you'd use for a passport or school enrollment, not a decorative keepsake copy.
Note: Each inmate can have up to 15 approved visitors. The inmate sends the "Request for Visiting Privileges" paperwork (SCDC Form 19-127) to you, so make sure that step is done before you make the trip.
Prohibited Items
- ✓ Smartwatches
- ✓ Activity/fitness trackers
- ✓ Any other personal device that communicates wirelessly
SCDC is completely tobacco-free. No cigarettes, vapes, chewing tobacco, rolling papers, or lighters allowed anywhere on the property. If you bring any of these items, they'll be treated as contraband.
Expect a hands-on search. All visitors 18 and older entering Level II and Level III institutions must submit to a pat/frisk search on top of standard screening. Dress simply and leave bulky items behind so you can move through quickly.
Note: Female visitors are searched by female employees only.
Practical Tips
- ✓ If you are bringing a child age 10 or older, pack their government-issued photo ID where you can reach it quickly.
- ✓ If you are bringing a child age nine or younger, pack their certified long-form birth certificate (do not leave it in the bottom of a bag).
- Check your wrist before you leave. Take off smartwatches and activity/fitness trackers.
- Store it off SCDC property. Leave it at home or secured in your vehicle so you do not bring it into the institution.
- Do a quick pocket and bag check. Wireless devices are prohibited, even if you are only using them as a watch or step counter.
At Level II and Level III institutions, everyone 18 and older goes through a pat/frisk search. Cooperate and the line moves faster. Female visitors are always searched by female staff.
Reminder: Leave tobacco, tobacco-related products, paraphernalia, and lighters off SCDC property. SCDC treats these items as contraband on agency grounds.
Before you drive out, confirm you're actually on the approved visitor list. Each inmate can have up to 15 approved visitors, and the process starts with them. Your loved one needs to send you a "Request for Visiting Privileges" form (SCDC Form 19-127). Haven't received it? Get that sorted first.
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