Visiting a jail to see someone that you love isn’t ideal. In fact it’s pretty far from ideal. If you have never had the wonderful opportunity (sarcasm here) let me tell you how it goes. First there are assigned visiting hours usually at pretty inconvenient hours for working people. They are usually twice a week for 45 minutes, sometimes one is on a weekend. First you have to go and have an ID made that costs a nominal fee but bring your drivers license with you and be prepared to answer questions, you also must already be listed on their visitor list. No surprise parties here.
Now you can visit. Please arrive 15 minutes before your visitation time as you will need to put everything in a locker before presenting your ID and going through metal detectors. I’d advise against wearing boots since you’ll need to remove them and have them screened so you’ll be in you barefeet or socks walking on the floor. Then you sit in the waiting area. At the start time the metal door you walked through will shut and another door will open leading you to a hallway that you will follow to another sealed door. The door behind you has now closed too.

Another guard will open the door and read your name directing you to a room with cubicles and your assigned number. You will then be locked into this room. There is usually sanitizing clothes available for you to wipe down all the surfaces that you might touch. Use it, wipe the phone, receiver, counter, chair, glass window and whatever else might be touched by you. You will have a stool or chair to sit in and a large window in front of you. You will talk with your loved one by phone. Not always easy to hear but you are free to talk for whatever the time limit is. I get 45 minutes. They will arrive through a door into the room opposite you and sit in your cubicle so you can speak via phone. Always remember that your conversations are monitored so don’t bring up anything that you don’t want used against them.

The time goes by surprisingly quickly. Of course you are catching them up on the outside world. You can talk to them about their recovery and what they plan to do to stay sober once they are released. Remember they really can’t get mad at you without getting themselves into trouble. This could be the perfect time to be heard. I have suggested that my son get a notebook and start writing anything about his recovery that pops into his mind. Write down triggers and ideas that he will use to handle them. List things he know that he needs to do each and everyday. Write in pencil and scratch out if need be but make a conscious decision to think hard about his life. Now is the time for him to do this when his head is clear.

Ok so the guard will open the door and say times up. You will say goodbye and again go through the series of doors as your loved one goes back to his cell you are able to proceed to freedom. It really is sad and heartbreaking but in my eyes it is not as heartbreaking as visiting his grave. This I can live with.

I bought this Bible for my son and he has had positive results and feedback. He has a workbook that the prison chaplain gave him to go along with it. This is a good buy.