Current through September 24, 2024
1.
Facility Contraband
Warnings
A. In accordance with
each MDOC facilitys physical layout, signs will be posted at facility entrances
specifying those items deemed to be contraband by agency security and the
subsequent penalty for violating said prohibitions. The signs will contain the
following information:
Attention all Visitors and Vendors
B. At all times while on the grounds of the
Mississippi Department of Corrections, you are subject to search of your
person, vehicles, personal property, or any/all items you may have in your
possession. Guns, knives, ammunition, alcohol, drugs, weapons, or any
instrument or tool that may be used as a weapon or any other items declared by
this institution to be contraband are strictly forbidden. Contraband will be
confiscated and violators will be prosecuted.
2.
Facility Ingress
All visitors entering any MDOC facility will be subject
to vehicle, person and personal effects searches by the Canine (K-9) Tactical
Unit, Emergency Response Team and/or other security designations by the
facilitys controlling authority or designee. These searches may include the
coordinated efforts of K-9 dogs trained in the detection of drugs, weapons and
other contraband.
3.
Visitor Refusal of Search
When a visitor refuses an initial search or screening by
a scanning device, the visitor will:
A. Not be allowed to enter the
facility
B. Have their visit
terminated
C. Have their visitors
privileges suspended
4.
Strip Searches and/or Body Cavity Searches of Visitors
A. When any visitor is believed, upon
reasonable suspicion, to be carrying contraband, they will be asked to consent
to a strip search and/or body cavity search. Such searches must have the
approval of the facility Superintendent, Warden and/or other controlling
authority or designees.
B. Any
visitor who refuses to consent to a strip search or body cavity search will be
denied visitation access and will be escorted off MDOC property. The Senior
Duty Officer will forward an incident report to the facility Superintendent,
Warden and/or other controlling authority or designees
C. Strip searches of visitors will always be
conducted by a supervisory employee of the same sex as the visitor being
searched. The Institutional Duty Warden will forward a strip search incident
report to the facility Superintendent, Warden and/or other controlling
authority or designees.
D. Medical
personnel at institutions will always conduct the same sex body cavity searches
of all visitors. The results of a body cavity search and subsequent incident
report will be forwarded to the facility Superintendent, Warden and/or other
controlling authority or designees by the Senior Duty Officer.
5.
Investigative
Protocols for Visitor Contraband
A. Upon confiscation of contraband as
specified by statutes 47-5-193 through 47-5-198, contraband item(s) will be
handled by the least number of persons possible in order to ensure evidential
integrity.
B. Any person(s)
handling evidence will wear latex gloves.
C. Contraband will be secured in an evidence
bag in order to establish a chain of custody.
D. Institutional staff will notify and
debrief the on-call Corrections Investigation Division (CID) Investigator who
will then recommend disposition of the contraband.
E. Private prisons, County Regional
facilities and Community Work Centers will notify local law enforcement
authorities.
F. Involved staff will
detain and isolate suspect(s) without questioning them.
G. When more than one suspect is involved,
the suspects will be isolated in separate locations.
H. Suspects will never be left
unattended.
I. Upon arrival of CID
or the law enforcement authorities, suspects and evidence will be surrendered
to the investigating officer.
J. An
interview with the confiscating staff member(s) will either follow immediately
or be scheduled shortly thereafter.
6.
Handicapped
Visitors
Under extraordinary circumstances, handicapped visitors
will be escorted to and from offender housing units for visits and will be
searched by Visitation staff and by staff assigned to those units.
Extraordinary circumstances may include, but not be limited to:
A. Visitors wheelchair is too large to fit on
a lift
B. Visitor is in need of
breathing equipment
C. Visitor
cannot enter through the Visitation Center
Miss. Code Ann.
§
47-5-193,
47-5-194,
47-5-195,
47-5-198.
