Members are encouraged to accept speaking engagements and public appearances that will help to inform the people of North Carolina about the State prison system. Compensation for participating in public information programs related to the State prison system shall not be accepted by members of the State Correction Service, but they may accept donations to the Inmate Welfare Fund. Visits to our prisons by interested individuals, groups, and media representatives should be permitted and encouraged to the maximum extent possible without jeopardizing security, disrupting routine, and unduly burdening personnel. Arrangements should be made in advance, but the officer in charge may allow visits without prior arrangements if there are sufficient personnel present and conditions are otherwise appropriate for the requested visit. All visitors are to be treated courteously, but they shall be required to agree to abide by unit rules and staff instructions as a condition for entry.
Visits are to be conducted in such manner as to assure protection and control of the visitor.
Each visitor shall be properly identified and registered before admission. The time, place, and manner of such conversations shall be subject to restrictions appropriate to the parties and circumstances. No greater restrictions shall be imposed than are required by applicable security and correctional considerations. Media representatives may be permitted to interview inmates of the State prison system who consent in writing to be interviewed for a stated purpose and without compensation. When an inmate is known to be represented by a particular attorney in pending litigation, that attorney should be notified of a media representatives request for an interview with his client and afforded an opportunity to react to this request before it is granted.