Photo: North Dakota Department of Corrections
JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Correctional facilities statewide in North Dakota will be moving to Phase II Visitation on June 1st.
This comes as part of the plans to help combat COVID-19 spread among staff and inmates. Facilities restricted visitation for most of 2020 and 2021. The new plan will offer more options for visitation at correctional centers.
The James River Correctional Center (JRCC) is encouraging visitation by family, friends, and community groups to maintain the morale of the population and to continue pro-social relationships. As part of the institution’s continued mitigation efforts during the global pandemic, the following phase 2 visitation regulations will be implemented and maintained until phase 3 implementation or phase 2 being rescinded. Transition of phases is established by DOCR protocol.
The following protocols will be implemented at the JRCC for Phase II:
• All approved visits will be pre-scheduled by the JRCC visitation officer.
• All visitors will be required to call and pre-schedule their visit 48 hours in
advance.
• All visitors, including minors 6 years and older, will be subject to a BinaxNOW test. Verbal consent to test a minor is required by the legal guardian. The legal guardian will be responsible to conduct the nasal swabbing on the minor.
• Only 1 approved adult visitor and a maximum of 3 approved minors will be
authorized during phase 2.
• Only 32 visitors and 8 residents will be authorized in the visitation room at a
time.
• All visits will be scheduled for 1 hour.
• To ensure visitation equity among the population, each resident will be
allowed 1 hour of visitation per week.
• Visitors will be escorted into the visitation room as a group. Visitors should arrive ½ hour before the scheduled visit to ensure time for processing.
• One brief embrace per visitor will be authorized at the beginning and end of the visitation period.
• Kissing is not authorized.
• Hand sanitizer will be provided in the visitation room.
• Neither resident nor visitor will be authorized to move any piece of furniture.
• Residents will be required to wear masks and goggles at all times.
• Minor visitors 6 years and older are required to wear masks at all times.
• Upon completion of the 1-hour visitation, the visiting room will be cleared and sanitized.
The James River Correctional Center was opened in 1998 on the grounds of the State Hospital in Jamestown, and is designed to hold medium-security men. Those with questions can contact the JRCC at 701-253-3660 or visit docr.nd.gov.