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CJ 140 Project One Scenario
Family Visit to Jail
A female enters a correctional facility with her three minor children, ages three, five, and nine, to visit
her husband, who is incarcerated. When she enters the facility, she signs in and follows the procedures
to prepare for her visit. As she signs a form in which she acknowledges that she is in a correctional
facility and therefore her person, property, and vehicle are all subject to search at any time, and that
audio and video recordings are taking place throughout her visit, she frowns and shushes her children.
Her husband is brought to a visitation room. A sign advises all visitors and inmates that audio and video
recording is taking place. The design of the room prevents the inmates from having any physical contact
with their visitors. The room and each visitor are actively monitored via closed-circuit (CCTV)
surveillance by facility officials. The inmate and visitor speak with each other via handset using an
internal phone system. Their conversation is recorded.
During the visit, the corrections officer watching the interaction believes that a form of nonverbal
communication is taking place between the female and her husband. The husband and wife are not
speaking English, and the corrections officer listening does not understand the language they are
speaking. It also appears as if the husband is tapping the plexiglass in a pattern, and then the female
responds with a similar tapping. The corrections officer also believes that the female removed an object
from her mouth and placed it in a small gap between the plexiglass and the desk. The corrections officer
observing the situation silently signals to the corrections officer at the exit. The facility continues to
monitor the interaction, without intervening, and the female repeats this action one more time.
While this interaction is taking place, the corrections officer also notes that the female continually
bounces her leg, the children all sit silently against the wall with slouched shoulders, and the inmate
nods his head any time he is not tapping on the glass.
After they conclude their visit, the female leaves the area silently. The corrections officer opens the door
for her and walks alongside her, creating a space between her and her children.
As a matter of procedure, after each visit, all visitors and inmates are removed from the visitation room,
the room is cleared by a prison official, and the room is then cleaned by a trustee-inmate in preparation
for the next group. Before the trustee-inmate gains access to the room, prison officials tell him to wait.
The trustee-inmate raises his eyebrow when told not to enter the area, but he silently complies with the
corrections officer’s order. A corrections officer goes in and closely inspects the area where the female
appeared to place the object. They find contraband.
The corrections officers direct the female to a waiting room and kneel down to address her children
before they leave the prison. The situation begins to escalate as the female and her children are
separated by the corrections officers.
- CJ 140 Project One Scenario Family Visit to Jail
