inaccurate information, wasted trips annoy visitors CCSO JAIL VISITS POLICY CLARIFIED, MAYBE ? - One 20-minute visit on Thurs evening; two 20s or one 40-min on Saturday and Sunday mornings - Up to 3 persons visiting at the same time [20-min] with one inmate ======= Family and friends who visit inmates in the primary Cochise County jail [Bisbee] are frequently frustrated, angry and sometimes burst into tears when they find they are not allowed to visit for one reason or another. Most visitors travel from Sierra Vista, but many from farther away - Willcox, Pearce, Benson, Tucson, etc spending significant time and money to visit for a very brief time. There are dress codes, limitations on whats in the pockets of visitors, identification requirements, relationship questions, restrictions on previously incarcerated visitors. But most commonly the problem is scheduling. Last Thursday at 8pm, as I left the inmate visitation room and returned to the lobby, the mother of the inmate I had just seen was waiting and annoyed. She had driven from Sierra Vista but would not be able to see her son because I had just used his only allowed visitation for the evening. Of course, neither of us had known to consult with the other. We did not understand the policies/restrictions. CCSO Detention Officer Olson handed her [and myself] the explanation shown below. [In two years of making such visits, generally one or twice weekly, it was the first time Id ever seen the policy explanation in writing.] Had we known, we could have coordinated and met together with the inmate. But, in some cases that would not be possible or appropriate. The visitation limits on hours and frequency do not include inmate visits by law enforcement [in official capacity], defense attorneys, and clergy. The rules for maximum security prisoners are different - Saturdays and Sundays only, 1pm until 1:40pm only. And visits with juvenile inmates, different still. The phone number at the jail is 520-432-7540 ======= There is no bus service between Bisbee and Sierra Vista [or Willcox, etc] and the local Bisbee Bus [which does not run in the evening, nor on Sundays] does not service the jail area. The closest bus stop is about a 30-min walk from the CCSO facility east of Bisbee. ======= There were 197 inmates in the [3] Cochise County jails this morning. Most have not yet been to trial, have not been found guilty, but have been unable to post bond for release. About 4,200 local citizens will be booked by the Cochise County Sheriffs Office this year. Valerie Zing, 25, [of Douglas] booked yesterday, was number 2,721 so far this year. Here is the current list: cochise.az.gov/content/sheriff/Inmate_List.pdf Perhaps half will spend at least one night in jail, many will spend weeks or months. ======= The Cochise County Sheriffs Office policy manual [as last updated in 2012, during the administration of the late Sheriff Larry Dever] is here: tinyurl/po46b3y There is evidently a separate manual for detention/jail operations. And another handed out to incoming inmates.
Posted on: Sun, 31 Aug 2014 04:37:16 +0000
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