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Tips for Staying Connected with Incarcerated Loved Ones During COVID-19 Crisis

We are pleased to provide helpful information and ways to support your loved ones during this crisis.

General Information

What’s happened with ADC visitation?

  • On March 13, 2020, the Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC) released a statement suspending in-person visitation at all prison complexes due to concerns of spreading Coronavirus (COVID-19).
  • Video visitation will be “explored” by ADC but is not available at this time.

How long will visitations be suspended?

Staying Connected While Visitations are Suspended

Letter Writing

  • Sending letters acts not only as a way to communicate, but also gives the person something to look forward to and hold onto as a keepsake.
  • You can make your own post cards, find low-cost greeting cards at thrift stores, and use postcard apps like Flikshop.
  • PACKAGES CANNOT BE MAILED. If you would like to send a package, you must use the SecurePak system. Review DO 914 Inmate Mail if you have any questions.
  • CDs and books can still be mailed through approved vendors.

Phone Calls

On March 18, ADC announced that phone provider CenturyLink began providing two free 15-minute phone calls per week.

Email

In September 2019, a tablet program was offered to many ADC facilities under Director’s Instruction 380. It is unclear who does and does not have a tablet.

Ideas for Children with an Incarcerated Loved Ones

  • Create a self-mailing letter by folding your letter into an envelope to mail inside! Instructions here!
  • Create a storybook! Start a story with just one paragraph and mail it to your loved one. Have the person inside write the next paragraph and mail it back. Continue this pattern, until a full story is written!
    • You can also add art/drawings into this project by drawing the story as it is written.
  • Make your own Mad-Libs to be exchanged, and then mail them back for review!

If you have any concerns or issues with visitation protocols, please contact us and let us know!

Categories: Blog

1 reply »

  1. It’s fantastic to learn that you can’t have 10 or more people visiting a loved one in jail because of COVID-19. My wife and I are wanting to visit her brother that could go to jail and we were wondering how many people could visit him. I’ll be sure to tell her that with the new system, only 10 people can visit him at once.

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