Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 103 CMR - DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION › Title 103 CMR 483.00 - Visiting procedures › Section 483.10 - Visitor Approval Process

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
Each Superintendent shall develop institution procedures to
				ensure a systematic approach to the requests and approval process of
				visitors.
It is the Department's policy not to restrict visiting to
				prescribed classes of persons such as inmates' relatives or friends, or prior
				acquaintances. Each inmate shall, however, only be allowed a maximum of ten
				pre-approved adult visitors, as outlined in 103 CMR 483.10(1). Although minors
				do not require pre-approval, the guidelines outlined in 103 CMR 483.10(10) must
				be met prior to the allowance of minor visitation. The preapproved visitors may
				consist of a combination of immediate family members and/or friends. This list
				may be revised upon an inmate's request twice per year. Requests for changes
				shall be submitted on the Inmate Visitor Listing Form available at each inmate
				library, and attached as Attachment 3 to 103 CMR 483.000 at each facility.
				Requests for changes shall be submitted to the Director of Security for
				processing.
NOTE
: If an inmate's immediate family
				exceeds ten and the inmate only has immediate family on his or her list, then
				exceptions may be made to exceed this number, upon the written approval of the
				Superintendent.
(1)
Authorized Number
. An inmate shall be authorized to
			 place up to the following number of approved visitors on the pre-approved
			 visiting list:
Level of Facility
Number Authorized
Maximum
5
Medium
8
Minimum/Pre-release
10
(2) The
			 following restrictions on who may visit do apply:
(a) By statute (M.G.L. c. 127, § 36), no
			 person except the Governor, a Member of the Governor's Council, a Member of the
			 General Court, a Justice of the Supreme Judicial, Superior or District Court,
			 the Attorney General, a District Attorney, the Commissioner, a Deputy
			 Commissioner of Correction, a Member of the Parole Board, or a Parole or
			 Probation Officer may visit a state correctional institution without the
			 permission of the Superintendent or the Commissioner.
(b) By statute (M.G.L. c. 127, § 37),
			 the Superintendent may refuse admission to a person who has permission to visit
			 if, in the Superintendent's opinion, such admission would be injurious to the
			 best interests of the institution.
(c) Generally, no one may visit an inmate who
			 is temporarily confined in an outside hospital (other than the Lemuel Shattuck
			 Hospital Correctional Unit, which shall maintain its own visiting procedures).
			 Inmates who are medically determined to be in critical condition or in imminent
			 danger of death may be allowed to have visits if the Superintendent of the
			 parent institution has provided written authorization.
(d) Except for the officials listed in 103
			 CMR 483.10(l)(a), and except as provided by
			 103 CMR 486.00:
Attorney Access at Massachusetts Correctional Institutions,
persons wishing to visit a correctional institution to provide services to
			 inmates or to examine or report on inmates or conditions must obtain prior
			 permission to visit. Unless a Department regulation
(e.g.,
103 CMR
			 131.00:
News Media Relations;
485.00:
Volunteers and Volunteer Programs;
486.00:
Attorney
			 Access at Massachusetts Correctional Institutions)
establishes a
			 particular procedure for obtaining permission, such visitors shall apply to the
			 Superintendent.
(e)
Special Visits
. Exceptions to the visiting schedule,
			 duration of visits, the number of people allowed to visit at one time, and/or
			 other requests, may be considered under special circumstances
(e.g.,
visitors who have traveled over 100 miles one-way).
			 Such requests must be submitted in writing to the Superintendent or a designee.
			 Special visit approval shall be documented in writing and a copy shall be sent
			 to the requesting visitor, the inmate, the visitor processing area and outer
			 control. Consideration for a special visit shall be at the Superintendent's
			 discretion. All visitors approved through such requests shall be subject to the
			 preapproval process outlined in 103 CMR 483.10(2)(e) prior to entry into a
			 Department facility.
Upon commitment to a Department institution, an inmate shall be
				allowed to have two visitors and a reasonable number of visiting children
				pending the visitor preapproval process. Inmates shall submit an Inmate Visitor
				Listing within 30 days of admission to the Department. However, visitors who
				are added to any subsequent Inmate Visitor Lists shall not be allowed to visit
				until approved.
The two visitors allowed to visit pending the approval process
				shall become inactive after 40 business days if not properly approved through
				the application process.