Reception Status Visiting Restrictions at Missouri Prisons (applies to WRDCC): Why Reception Offenders Often Get Only One Visit Per Month

In Missouri DOC, “reception and orientation” is the temporary intake period when someone is still being processed and is waiting to be assigned to a permanent institution or treatment center. Because it’s a holding phase (not their long-term placement), visiting is commonly more restricted during this time than it will be after they’re moved to their permanent location.

Missouri DOC policy allows offenders on reception and orientation status to receive only one visit per month while they’re awaiting assignment to a permanent institution or treatment center. If you’re used to a more regular visiting routine, this is the main reason you may be told you can’t schedule additional visits yet - your person is still in that reception window, and the once-a-month limit applies until they’re assigned elsewhere.

Before you plan a visit, check the Missouri Department of Corrections Offender Web Search. That application provides information about offenders supervised by the department, and it’s one of the quickest ways to confirm where someone is currently assigned before you take time off work, arrange childcare, or drive across the state.

If the Offender Web Search (or your paperwork) shows your loved one is at WRDCC, the facility’s street address is 3401 Faraon St, Joseph, MO 64506. Having the exact address handy also helps if you’re comparing locations while they’re still in reception and could be moved to a permanent institution later.

WRDCC visiting (institution) hours are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with two visiting blocks each day: 9:30am–1:30pm and 2:30pm–6:30pm. If you’re trying to plan around work or a long drive, those windows are the ones to aim for - then confirm the one-visit-per-month reception limit (and your loved one’s current status) before you head out.