Visiting White County Jail with Children: Plan for the First & Third Weekend Rule

At White County Jail, children are only allowed to visit on the 1st and 3rd weekends of the month. If you show up with kids on another weekend, you should expect the visit to be denied - so it’s worth circling those weekends early and planning around them. That rule is the big planning hurdle for families, especially if you’re juggling school schedules, long drives, or multiple caregivers. Start by identifying the 1st and 3rd weekends on your calendar, then build the rest of your visit plan (who’s coming and when) from there.

On regular visits (when it’s just adults), the jail allows one 20-minute visit with up to three adult visitors. “Adult” here means 18 years of age and older. That limit can help you decide who should go if you have more than three adults who want to visit. It also means you’ll want to be ready to make the most of a short 20-minute window.

On the 1st and 3rd weekends - when children are allowed - the group-size rules change. Instead of three adults, the visit may include up to two adults and three children. So if you’re planning a child visit, count heads before you leave the house. A group that fits the “adult-only” limit might not fit the “child weekend” limit once kids are included.

White County Jail also ties visitation to an inmate’s visitor list, and timing matters: any changes to the visitor list are made on the first of each month. That means last-minute swaps can be tricky if you’re trying to line up a specific weekend - especially one of the child-visit weekends. If you’re coordinating multiple adults (parents, grandparents, guardians) or trying to make sure the right adult can accompany the kids, plan ahead of the month change. The smoothest setup is when the visitor list is already correct before the 1st rolls around.

• ✓ Mark the 1st and 3rd weekends of the month as your only child-visit options.
• ✓ Build your group around the child-weekend cap: up to 2 adults and 3 children during the visit.
• ✓ If you’re visiting on a non-child weekend, plan for the usual limit: up to 3 adults (18+).
• ✓ If different adults need to rotate visits (work schedules, transportation, custody/guardianship needs), try to sort that out before the first of the month, since visitor-list changes are made then.
• ✓ Decide ahead of time which two adults will attend on child weekends so you’re not making hard choices in the parking lot.

White County Jail does not allow contact visitation. For kids, that usually means no hugging, sitting together, or hand-holding during the visit - there will be a physical separation while you talk. It can help to tell children that the visit is still a real visit, just with “no touching” rules. Setting that expectation upfront can prevent a tough moment when they see their loved one and reach out automatically.

Visits are short: inmates are allowed one 20-minute visit. If you’re bringing children, plan around that time limit - both emotionally and practically. A simple way to frame it for kids is: “We’ll have about 20 minutes to talk, and then we’ll say goodbye until next time.” Knowing the endpoint ahead of time makes the ending feel less abrupt.

• ✓ Explain “no touching” in advance, since contact visitation isn’t allowed.
• ✓ Practice what it’s like to talk without being right next to the person (speaking clearly, taking turns).
• ✓ Keep a short list of “must-say” messages so you can fit them into a 20-minute visit.
• ✓ Prepare children for the goodbye: remind them the visit ends on a schedule, not because anyone is in trouble.
• ✓ If kids will be waiting their turn to speak, rehearse quiet ways to stay engaged during a brief, structured visit.

Practical Checklist

• ✓ Confirm your visit falls on the 1st or 3rd weekend of the month if children are coming.
• ✓ Count your group the way the jail counts it on child weekends: no more than 2 adults and 3 children.
• ✓ If you’re going without kids, plan for the adult-only limit: up to 3 adults (18+) for the 20-minute visit.
• ✓ Make sure the correct people are on the inmate’s visitor list before the first of the month, since changes are made then.
• ✓ Plan ID ahead of time: the jail’s public visitation summary doesn’t spell out specific ID requirements, so bring what you normally use for official check-in and keep it accessible.