Inmate Communication/Visitation
Shelby County Division of Correction requires all visitors to fill out an application and provide a valid email address prior to your visiting an inmate.
The required photo can be taken for free at the facility.
Shelby County Division of Corrections, IRC Building, 961 Sycamore View Memphis, TN 38134
General Rules
- Every visitor regardless of age shall have an approved application on file.
- No more than two (2) adults and three (3) children shall be allowed to visit at any given time.
- Visitors are prohibited from visiting with more than one (1) inmate during visitation unless the other inmate is an immediate family member.
- Visitors under eighteen (18) years of age must be accompanied by an approved visitor who is the child’s parent, legal guardian, or guardian.
- Visitors shall be responsible for keeping children under their control and within the bounds of the visitation area.
- Visitors age eighteen (18) and older must have a verifiable form of identification to visit. The following are forms that can be used: (Driver’s license State Issued Photo ID; Passport; or Military ID).
- Inmates shall be allowed the opportunity for physical contact such as a brief kiss and embrace at the beginning and end of the visit unless the inmate has a non-contact visit.
- Visitors shall not be allowed to deliver any items to inmates during visitation.
- Visitors and inmates shall be required to sit in an upright position with their shoes on. There shall be no:
- Lying down across two (2) or more chairs.
- Leaning or lying across inmates or visitors.
- Engaging in cuddling activities or massaging one another.
- Exposing genitals or breasts.
- Fondling and/or touching the breasts, buttocks, and/or genital area of another person in any manner.
- Using hostile, vulgar, or profane language, unruly behavior, engaging in activities that disrupt or disturb others, creating loud noises, or creating unsanitary conditions.
- Sitting between another person’s legs; or placing of feet in the lap of another individual.
Dress Code
- Visitors entering SCDC should be encouraged to dress comfortably and in casual attire; however, they shall be expected to comply with the following basic dress requirements:
- Appropriate footwear to provide basic foot protection shall be required while on SCDC property. Open toe shoes and sandals are permitted. Protective toed shoes (i.e., steel or fiberglass), shower shoes, and flip-flops are prohibited.
- Clothing shall fit in an appropriate manner. Clothing appearing to be too large or too small for the wearer, which creates obvious gaps or exposure, or would present a hazard to the wearer shall be rejected by the Visitation Supervisor.
- Visitors must wear undergarments; (examples of undergarments deemed inappropriate are thongs and water brassieres).
- Visitors may wear only one (1) ring, one (1) watch and one (1) a pair of quarter size earrings.
- Shorts or skirts shall be permitted provided the leg is covered to within three (3) inches above the knee in a standing position with the garment worn in the position in which it is intended to be worn.
| The clothing listed below are specifically prohibited throughout the year |
| Garments manufactured from spandex or spandex fabrics | Hats, scarves (worn on the head), and bandannas |
| Clothing that is transparent or translucent | Large removable belt buckles |
| Clothing identical to clothing worn by inmates; (same colored scrubs, chambray tops with blue jeans) | Camouflage attire |
| Sleeveless shirts or dresses or clothing exposing a bare chest or midriff | Worn or tattered clothing with holes |
| Outer jackets worn as the primary upper garment | Clothing with logos that contains: Pictures, Slogans, Vulgarity, Tobacco/alcohol references
Signs or symbols of security threat group. |
| Clothing with metal studs or chains sewn to the garment | Visitors may not wear excessive clothing such as two (2) pairs of pants or an extra shirt under their top layer of clothing (excluding t-shirts and tank tops) |
2. No special considerations (i.e., extended visitation periods, etc.) shall be applied for visitors required to return due to non-compliance with Visitor Dress Code regulations.
3. In order to qualify for a visit on that day, visitors shall be required to return to SCDC within thirty (30) minutes or less. A minimum of forty-five (45) minutes must be remaining on the scheduled visitation period in order for SCDC to facilitate the visit.
4. Visitors who repeatedly violate SCDC Visitor Dress Code requirements (i.e., is warned about attire weekly) may be removed from the inmate’s approved visitation list.
