prison visit

Prison Fellowship

How to Prepare for a Prison Visit

Visiting a family member in prison presents its own bundle of challenges. Just knowing what to expect can reduce stress. Being prepared can raise the bar for positive visitation experiences, possibly snowballing into more visits, and hopefully, improved relationships.

Since studies point to lower recidivism rates for prisoners who stay connected to supportive family members, positive prison visits end up benefiting everyone: prisoners, families, and the community. For the 1.5 million children and youth who have at least one incarcerated parent, visiting their parent(s) can strengthen family bonds.

To be prepared, consider the following information the first time visiting someone in prison. Please keep in mind that rules vary among prisons.

BEFORE VISITING PRISON

Be approved.

Be sure your name is on the prisoner's pre-approved visiting list for people age 18 and older. Information on the form allows officials to do background checks to approve or deny visitation. Most facilities require this form, but verify with the facility to be sure. Some facilities also require an authorization form for children.

Check the facility's visitation hours, which are typically weekends and holidays, and possibly additional days depending on the facility and security level. Visit the Federal Bureau of Prisons'  website to see a list of federal prisons; for state or private prisons, directly contact the facility.

BE AWARE OF WHAT YOU CAN BRING

Check the facility's policy for what is allowed in the visiting room. Generally, visitors can only bring in identification (such as a driver's license), a single car key, eyeglasses, small bills, or change for vending machines (if applicable) in visitation rooms.

No medications, tobacco products, or any illegal substances are allowed. Cell phones or other electronic devices are also not permitted.

Other restrictions might include rules about bringing in food or gifts.

DURING THE PRISON VISIT

Dress appropriately.

Wear appropriate clothing. Avoid provocative, revealing items and anything similar to prison clothing such as khaki or green military-type. Visitors may be denied access if dress code policies are violated.

ARRIVE EARLY

Give yourself an extra 15-20 minutes to fill out paperwork. Be prepared to be searched before being admitted into the visiting room. Searches may include a pat down by an officer of the same gender and a pass through a metal detector. All visitors must be searched, including children.

Before bringing children, consider visiting alone first so you can explain what to expect.

BE RESPECTFUL

Show courtesy to all correctional staff, other visitors, and prisoners to ensure a positive visiting experience for everyone.

SHOW AFFECTION IN MODERATION

Handshakes, hugs, and affection (in good taste) are usually allowed at the beginning and end of a visit.

To keep the visiting area orderly and to prevent the distribution of contraband, security staff may limit physical contact.

SUPERVISE CHILDREN

Be aware of you and your children's behavior to avoid the risk of losing visiting privileges.

BE A GOOD LISTENER

Extend a listening ear to the prisoner you are visiting. A little understanding can go a long way.

AFTER THE PRISON VISIT

Mail a letter to the prisoner to continue building the relationship. Be sure to check with the facility first to ensure permission.

Encourage the prisoner to get involved in prison programs to cope with prison life and to take reentry classes for a successful reentry plan. Prison Fellowship ® offers several in-prison programs —ranging from faith-based seminars to life-skills classes—in prisons across the country.

GET INVOLVED

Explore involvement in a local church that provides support for prisoners, former prisoners, and their families. Check out Prison Fellowship's efforts in reentry , church and community engagement, and Angel Tree ® .

Consider involvement in Celebrate Recovery , a nationwide Christ-centered recovery program that is forward-looking and emphasizes personal responsibility and spiritual growth.

Or check out an online support group such as DailyStrenth that is dedicated to families impacted by incarceration, or the National Association for Christian Recovery that provides resources and free online training in topics including 12-step recovery, parenting addicted children, recovering from childhood trauma, etc.

Finally, be a part of Prison Fellowship's Second Prison Project™ . Find out how you can help your loved one and others with reentry and adjusting to life with a criminal record.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Visiting loved ones in prison can lead to stronger relationships and help beat the odds of someone returning to prison. And that's definitely raising the bar for good.

Other helpful websites include Assisting Families of Inmates and PrisonPro.com .

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Restoration Partners give monthly to bring life-changing prison ministry programs to incarcerated men and women across the country.

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schedule a visit

Three Types of Video Visits

At Facility

These visits are when you go to your facility and sit at a video visit station in the lobby. Your loved one or friend will be on a video visit station in their pod.

From Computer

At select facilities families and friends can have video visits from their own personal computers in the comfort of their own homes. You will need the following equipment to do a video visit from home:

• A computer.
• A webcam and a microphone, or a computer with these components built in (most laptops have these built in).
• An internet browser. Internet browsers Safari 4 and higher, or Firefox 7 and higher, are strongly recommended. Using other browsers may not load the page appropriately in order to begin your visit. We are not responsible for technical problems or issues that may arise from using an unsupported browser.
• For the best visit experience you should use headphones, but they are not required.
• High speed internet (DSL or Cable) connection (dial up and satellite are not supported).

From Android Device

Video visits go mobile with our Visit Now Android app. At select facilities families and friends can have video visits from their own Android devices.

How to Schedule a Visit

Free video visit policy.

Free visits are a benefit for the inmate and are credited to the  inmate’s account. Therefore the inmate is the only one who  can book a free visit . This allows the inmate at your facility full control of whom they want to use their free visit with. There are also advanced scheduling rules that control the timeframe that a free visit can be booked. These rules vary by facility. If an inmate books a visit outside this timeframe, they will not be allowed to use a free visit.

• Book the visit with their Friends & Family.
• Suggest a visit with their Friends & Family. The Friends & Family must have no prepaid funds on their account at the time they confirm the suggested time. The inmate’s free visit will then be deducted.
• Confirm a suggested visit from their friends and family. The Friends & Family must have no prepaid funds on their account at the time the inmate confirms the visit. The inmate’s free visit will then be deducted from their free visit allowance.

The only way Friends & Family can use a free visit is by suggesting a visit with the inmate. If the inmate has a free visit available and there are no prepaid funds on the Friends & Family account at the time the inmate confirms, the free visit will be deducted from inmate’s account.

What Services Are Available At My Facility?

Select your facility below, available services:.

• Phone & Voicemail
• Video Visit at Facility
• Video Visit from Home

• Photo Sharing
• Tablets Your inmate has access to tablets. Make a deposit to their account so they have more ways to be productive, and you have more ways to stay connected.
• Verification Required

What is Telmate Verified?

If you are asked to be Telmate Verified it means your facility requires verification of your identity prior to acceptance of inmates' calls. The purpose of verification is to ensure inmates are not connecting with inappropriate people on the outside. The verification process is simple and can be completed before or after creating an account.

To be verified, you can make a deposit , schedule a visit or download and complete the Telmate Verified form .

Did you know…

According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, inmates who

maintain strong relationships

with friends and family, greatly reduce their risk of recidivism.

Terms of Use governing use of GettingOut services state that all services are intended to be used by persons over the age of 18.

To continue, please enter your date of birth to confirm you are over the age of 18.

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Updated March 2024

Visitation Information

How to schedule visits using vsa.

View the Visitation Scheduling Application user instructions.

Schedule a Visit

Log on to VSA to schedule in-person visits at Institutions.

Free Bus Transportation

Approved visitors can register for FREE bus trips to designated CDCR institutions.

CDCR recognizes visiting is an important way to maintain family and community ties.

At the same time, our first priority is the health and safety of those who live in and work in our facilities. For the latest information and updates that may impact visitation services and guidelines become familiar with this web page.

Have Questions?

Getting familiar with the visitation process is a good place to start and may answer your questions. Frequently asked questions, visiting Sergeant/Lieutenant telephone numbers and other visiting resources are available on our Get Help page.

Family & Friends Services

Family and friends can play a vital role in helping incarcerated people turn their lives around. Learn about contacting an incarcerated person, sending money, sending packages and more.

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• FIND AN INMATE

Prison Visit: 8 Tips for Visiting a Prisoner

Posted 11/18/2021 by Mark Miclette Inmate Visitation

If you're new to the experience of visiting someone in prison, the thought can seem daunting at first. Prisons are a place run by strict rules, regulations, and schedules.

That's why it's so important to prepare when visiting a prisoner -- you need to do some research beforehand on what the incarceration facility expects from you as a visitor. 

With this in mind, it's doesn't have to be a scary, complicated process. You just have to make sure you follow the rules correctly and focus on making the most of the time you have with your loved one . 

Here's what you ought to know. 

1. Ensure You're on the Approved List Before Visiting a Prisoner 

Before you plan your prison visit, you'll need to get in touch with the prison and your loved one to let them know you're visiting. From there, prison administration will add you to the inmate visitor's list. Most of the time, an inmate can have up to 10 different visitors included on their visitor's list. 

In order to approve a visitor, an inmate must provide personal details about each visitor, such as their full name, address, contact number, and other information. It's your job to ensure an inmate knows all of this information -- either through a letter or phone call. 

After this, you'll need to fill out a form in order to qualify for the preapproved visitor's list (only if you're 18 years old). With this information, the prison conducts a background check before adding you to the visitor's list. This is how they approve or deny your visitation rights. 

If you plan on bringing children along for a prison visit, you'll have to fill out authorization forms on their behalf, beforehand. In order to find out whether the prison approves your visitation, you'll have to keep in touch with the inmate who will let you know. Or you could call the prison for an update.

Most of the time, a prison facility will not update you directly. 

2. Understand Visitation Limits 

Limits on visitation times and duration vary from one prison to the next. That's why it's up to you to call the facility and acquaint yourself with the limitations that apply. 

Generally, most prisons permit one visit per inmate over the weekend. The duration of this visit is up to two hours. But bear in mind that certain circumstances may arise, and your visiting time shortened. 

3. Some Prisons Allow for Special Visits

Understandably, it's not always as simple as driving 20-minutes to an incarceration facility to visit an inmate. Sometimes, they're moved hundreds of miles away and it might take you a few hours to get there by car, train, or bus. 

In this case, you can apply for a special visit if you have to travel 300 miles or more in order to visit an inmate. But you'll have to get in touch with the prison warden well in advance to arrange this visit. 

Special visitation allows you to spend up to four hours with an inmate, spread over two consecutive days in a row. However, special visitation slots are limited and sometimes only occur once a month. So make sure to schedule yours well in advance. 

4. Always Be Punctual for Your Visit 

As mentioned earlier, prisons run on a tight schedule and visitation hours are no different. In order to maximize the time you have with an inmate, you want to arrive at least 15-minutes early so that have time for all the visitation processing. 

It's also a good idea to confirm your visit and the correct time beforehand, in case it's canceled at the last minute, without you knowing.

An inmate's visitation privileges are not always guaranteed as well, so you want to be sure you're visiting on the right day at the right time. Showing up late does not look good for both you and the person you're visiting, so plan your time well. 

5. Research What You Can and Can't Bring Into a Prison 

It's important to face the reality that most prisons house dangerous people. Especially state prisons which tend to have a higher population of prisoners who've committed a violent crime.

This is why there is such strict protocol around visitation and what you can and can't bring with you during your visits. Before you visit the facility, do your research on what you're permitted to bring with you. This also includes what you can and can't have in your car, especially if you drive a pick-up truck. 

Most of the time, you're permitted to carry your driver's license or ID card, loose change, a car key, and eyeglasses. Sunglasses, cellphones, electronic devices, medications, tobacco products, matches, and lighters are not permitted.

In most prisons, you're not allowed to bring food for inmates, either. If you plan on bringing a small child or infant, do some research on what you're permitted to bring for them, too.  

6. Always Dress Appropriately 

This is a no-brainer. Think about the setting of a prison and you'll understand why dressing appropriately is so important. If you're not dressed properly, the facility can deny you access to your visit. 

You want to avoid revealing, showy, or provocative clothing at all times. You also want to avoid wearing anything that resembles military gear or matches too closely to inmate uniforms. Do not wear anything that could entice inmates, such as politically driven slogans, etc. 

Make sure to avoid wearing a work uniform, such as medical scrubs, for example, as this could put you at risk as a visitor. Wear as little, if any, jewelry at all on your visit.

At the end of the day, prison guards make the decision on whether your clothing is appropriate or not. They may ask you to change or remove certain items (i.e. jewelry) if it's objectionable. 

7. Always Be Respectful and Polite

You want to remember your manners when you visit an inmate in prison. It's crucial that you show prison guards, other inmates, and other visitors respect and courtesy.

In general, this helps to create a calm environment that all inmates and visitors can enjoy during visitation times. Disruptive behavior can also work against you and your visitation rights in the future. 

8. Be Mindful of Displays of Affection 

Depending on the type of prison, they might not permit displays of affection or touching at all between inmates and visitors. If they do permit touching, keep your displays of affection very limited. This might include a quick hug or handshake at the beginning and end of your visit, and that's about it. 

If correctional staff are unhappy with a display of affection they may ask you to stop, move away from one another, or limit your visitation rights in the future. 

Want To Learn More About an Inmate or Facility? 

With Jail Exchange, visiting a prisoner in a correctional facility just got a whole lot easier. If you're looking for information about an inmate, or the facility they're housed in, you can find it on Jail Exchange. 

We offer free information on both inmates and facilities across America, whether it's a state, federal, city, or county jail. Got questions? Contact us here . 

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• September 25, 2023 September 25, 2023

How to Book a Prison Visit Online

Scheduling an in-person visit with an incarcerated loved one is important for maintaining connections. Many corrections departments now allow online prison visit reservations to improve convenience and efficiency. This article outlines the typical process for booking online prison visits.

Check Visitation Eligibility Requirements

Before scheduling visits, confirm eligibility with the facility’s policies:

• Age minimums – Adult visitors usually required.
• Visitor approval – Visitors must be on inmate’s approved list.
• ID/documentation – Valid photo ID often required.
• Allowed items – Review dress code and authorized items.
• Health requirements – Some facilities require COVID vaccination proof.

Ensure you meet all criteria to avoid wasted trips or denied entry.

Create a Visitor Account on the Facility’s Website

Most prisons with online scheduling require creating a visitor account:

• Enter your personal details like name, address, email, phone number.
• Create a username and password for the visitor account.
• Provide your ID number and type (driver’s license, passport, etc).
• Electronically sign any waivers or terms required.

This information links you to the inmate and confirms identity upon arrival.

Schedule Visit Date and Time

With an approved visitor account, you can view visitation calendars and schedule dates/times:

• Select day(s) – Weekends and holidays are busiest.
• Choose time slot(s) – Typical windows are 1-2 hours long.
• Check-in 15-30 minutes prior – To clear security screening.
• Bring printed or digital confirmation – Shows your scheduled slot.

Visits are usually first-come, first-served for available times. Book well in advance for best selection.

Understand Cancellation and No Show Policies

Review policies if you must cancel or miss scheduled visits:

• Timeframe – Cancel at least 24-48 hours in advance when possible.
• Allowed frequency – Too many cancellations or no shows may restrict future visits.
• Notifications – Call the visitation hotline as soon as possible.
• Exceptions – Illness or family emergencies may qualify for waivers.

Follow proper procedures to avoid penalties like temporary visit suspensions.

Arrive Prepared on Visitation Day

Give yourself extra time and arrive prepared:

• Dress appropriately – Follow dress code to get cleared for entry.
• Limited belongings – Carry only approved items needed for children.
• Check in at gate – Provide printed or digital confirmation and ID.
• Clear security – Successfully pass through metal detectors and searches.
• Confirm visitation rules – Keep physical contact limited if prohibited.
• Enjoy visit! – Make the most of this valued time together.

Proper planning ensures visitation goes smoothly.

Online scheduling systems are making arranging prison visits easier and more efficient. Visitors can quickly check availability and reserve slots after creating an approved account. Following facility policies ensures a smooth visitation process. While in-person time is limited, it remains invaluable for maintaining inmate connections and support systems.

FAQs About Booking Online Prison Visits

How far in advance can visits be booked.

Most facilities allow booking 1-4 weeks in advance. Holidays and weekends fill up quickly.

Can visitors schedule multiple back-to-back time slots?

Usually not – facilities limit visits to 1-2 hour sessions with buffer times in between.

Is there an age limit or requirement for minor visitor approval?

Yes, approval rules vary but most prisons prohibit visitors under 18 years old.

Can online visit reservations be made on a mobile device?

Some systems only allow scheduling on the desktop website. But mobile-friendly platforms are becoming more common.

What if a visitor’s plans change after booking?

Notify the prison as soon as possible if you cannot make the booked time. Schedule changes are limited.

How do waiting lists work if times are fully booked?

Waiting lists prioritize visitors by order and frequency since last visit. Openings from cancellations are first-come, first-served.

What happens if a visitor is late for check-in?

You may forfeit that day’s visit. Arrive well before the scheduled window to ensure entry.

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• Why Did Taryn Manning Go to Prison?
• Is Andrew Tate Still in Prison in 2023?
• Why Did Jelly Roll Go to Prison?

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Welcome to ‘Prison Inside,’ a blog dedicated to shedding light on the often hidden and misunderstood world within correctional facilities. Through firsthand accounts, personal narratives, and insightful reflections, we delve into the lives of those who find themselves behind bars, offering a unique perspective on the challenges, triumphs, and transformations that unfold within the confines of these walls.

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A Volunteer Visitation Program to Federal and Military Prisoners Throughout the United States

Prisoner Visitation and Support (PVS) is a volunteer visitation program for people incarcerated in federal and military prisons throughout the United States.

Our mission is to provide prisoners with regular, face to face contact from the world outside of prison to help them cope with prison life, encourage personal growth, and prepare for successful reentry into society.

Our vision is to provide qualified visitors to fulfill all requests for visits by prisoners in every federal and military prison.

Our priority is to visit those prisoners who:  

• do not ordinarily receive visits from family and friends,

• want or need visits,

• are in solitary confinement,

• are on death row,

• or are serving long sentences.

“I just wanted to tell you how very thankful I am to you for what you have done for me. Mrs. Colleen is such a good-hearted person…Each visit seems to last only seconds because she is so easy to talk with. She always talks to me & treats me as if I am just a regular person & not like a low-life. Thank you so very much for bringing her into my life. She gives me something to look forward to.”

Prisoner, USMCFP Springfield, MO

“I also would like to thank you for your inspiration. You are a great person and have become a great, positive role model over the past few months. I have gained so much knowledge and wisdom that has allowed my brain to free itself from the suffering of mental servitude. Yes, you are my elder, but I have not looked upon a friendship with this much appreciation since I was very young. So I thank you very much.” 

Prisoner, USP Florence, CO

“I’ve been incarcerated a little over 2 decades & I never met anyone or a group of people that really cared with no strings attached. Who would’ve ever thought that people actually would take the time to get to know a bunch of misfits that society gave up on?  My grandma said that in life we will meet a lot of different people, but never forget the special ones. Suzanne is that special one for me. She really makes a difference. PVS, you are a beacon of light for guys like us.”

 Prisoner, USP Coleman 2, FL

Without our Visitors...

...there is no pvs.

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Federal Bureau of Prisons

General visiting information.

Make sure your visit will be a success by carefully following these four steps.

Discover or confirm the whereabouts of the inmate you would like to visit.

Before you can visit you must be placed on the inmate's approved visiting list.

Review all visiting rules, regulations, and procedures before your visit.

Find out when you can visit and get directions to the facility.

Locate the inmate

Sometimes an inmate may be moved to a different facility so that they can benefit from unique programs offered at that location. They might also be moved to receive treatment for a medical condition or for security concerns. Therefore, the first step in planning your visit should be to determine where the inmate is currently housed.

Please verify you are a human by entering the words you see in the textbox below.

To visit, you must be pre-approved.

You can only visit an inmate if they have placed you on their visiting list and you have been cleared by the BOP.

• An inmate is given a Visitor Information Form when he/she arrives at a new facility.
• Inmate completes their portion of the form and mails a copy to each potential visitor.
• Potential visitor completes all remaining form fields.
• Potential visitor sends the completed form back to the inmate's address (listed on the form).
• We may request more background information and possibly contact other law enforcement agencies or the NCIC
• The inmate is told when a person is not approved to visit and it is the inmate's responsibility to notify that person.

Who can an inmate add to their visiting list?

• Step-parent(s)
• Foster parent(s)
• Grandparents
• No more than 10 friends/associates
• Foreign officials
• Members of religious groups including clergy
• Members of civic groups
• Employers (former or prospective)
• Parole advisors

In certain circumstances such as when an inmate first enters prison or is transferred to a new prison, a visiting list might not exist yet. In this case, immediate family members who can be verified by the information contained in the inmate's Pre-Sentence Report, may be allowed to visit. However, if there is little or no information available about a person, visiting may be denied. You should always call the prison ahead of time to ensure your visit will be permitted.

Be Prepared

You should be familiar with all visiting rules, regulations, and procedures before your visit.

The following clothing items are generally not permitted but please consult the visiting policy for the specific facility as to what attire and items are permitted in the visiting room:

• revealing shorts
• halter tops
• bathing suits
• see-through garments of any type
• low-cut blouses or dresses
• backless tops
• hats or caps
• sleeveless garments
• skirts two inches or more above the knee
• dresses or skirts with a high-cut split in the back, front, or side
• clothing that looks like inmate clothing (khaki or green military-type clothing)

Plan your trip

• the prison location
• the prison type
• inmate visiting needs
• availability of visiting space

The inmate you plan to visit should tell you what the visiting schedule is for that prison; however, if you have any questions please contact that particular facility .

General Visiting Hours

Camp general visiting hours, fsl general visiting hours.

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• Crime, justice and the law
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Visit someone in prison

Use this service to request a social visit to a prisoner in England or Wales. There’s a different way to book a prison visit in Northern Ireland or a prison visit in Scotland .

To use this service you need the:

• prisoner number
• prisoner’s date of birth
• dates of birth for all visitors coming with you

If you do not have the prisoner’s location or prisoner number, use the ‘Find a prisoner’ service .

You can choose up to 3 dates and times you prefer. The prison will email you to confirm when you can visit.

The prisoner must add you to their visitor list before you can request a visit. This can take up to 2 weeks.

Request a prison visit

Visits you cannot book through this service.

Contact the prison directly if you need to arrange any of the following:

• legal visits, for example legal professionals discussing the prisoner’s case
• reception visits, for example the first visit to the prisoner within 72 hours of being admitted
• double visits, for example visiting for 2 hours instead of 1
• family day visits - special family events that the prison organises

Help with the costs of prison visits

You may be able to get help with the cost of prison visits if you’re getting certain benefits or have a health certificate.

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Jails around Wisconsin forgo in-person visits for video calls. How is this affecting those incarcerated?

HOBART – From her dining room table on an evening in February, Stacie Bryant logged onto her tablet to see her son for the first time in nearly four weeks.

Tyler Bryant, 23, is currently serving 90 days at Oconto County Jail for violating his probation.

Holding Tyler's 15-month-old son, Milo, Stacie Bryant gave her son a smile and asked how he was doing. Tyler filled her in on his schedule, recent happenings and when he would get clippers to shave his facial hair.

"I missed seeing him," Stacie Bryant said after the video call. "He was coming over here almost every day."

Virtual visitation, for many families of people in jail, is a helpful tool for its flexibility and accessibility. But as it is becoming commonplace, more and more jails in Wisconsin are making video visits the only option, entirely eliminating traditional in-person visits.

The Post-Crescent contacted every jail in the state to gather information about their visitation policies. An analysis of the data found 46 out of the state's 72 jails — about 64% — have no option for people to do visits with friends and family in person, instead only offering contact through a video screen. And more jail administrators plan to follow this trend, with many stating that the pandemic expedited their decision to go all-virtual.

While video visitation has its benefits, formerly incarcerated people, experts and people who have visited friends and family in jail say the inability to be within physical proximity of loved ones takes a toll on mental health.

The American Bar Association's standards state that video visitation should not be a replacement for in-person visits with people confined for more than 30 days — around the average length of stay in a county jail.

But depending on court proceedings, people can be held in jail for years. In Brown County Jail, the longest stay of a recent prisoner was close to seven years — from May 2016 to February 2023, according to Brown County Jail Administrator Heidi Michel.

And unlike in prisons, most people in jail are there for a crime for which they have not been convicted.

Jennifer Verderami, a housing advocate with ESTHER , an interfaith social justice organization that is the Fox Valley affiliate of WISDOM , said it's more challenging to assess the emotions of a person through a video screen than when sitting across from them — even through a glass partition.

Her first experience with video visits was when the pandemic struck while she was incarcerated at Robert E. Ellsworth Correctional Center, a minimum-security women's prison in Racine County.

“There's a different quality even when there's a partition separating you, knowing there's only inches between you and your loved one," she said.

Video visits lack physical support, formerly incarcerated people say

Visitation is extremely important for the mental health of people who are incarcerated, particularly those serving lengthy sentences. According to the DOC's website , "research shows maintaining strong family ties can have a positive impact on an offender's success in completing treatment and other programs during incarceration, as well as their chances for success after they are released."

In-person contact visitation, where incarcerated people are allowed to talk to, play games with and hug their loved ones is offered in most of Wisconsin's prisons. But in county jails, where state statutes include fewer guidelines for how visitation should take place, non-contact visits are the norm, either behind a glass partition or by video.

Still, people who have been on both ends say there is a difference between a visit through a glass divider and a visit through a computer screen.

"You can sense the proximity. On a video screen, that does not exist," said Roy Rogers, who was incarcerated for 28 years until his parole in 2021.

Since his release, Rogers has become an advocate for jail and prison reform, working as a pre-entry liaison for The Community and serving on the board of directors for the Wisconsin Justice Initiative .

"With the divider behind a window thing, at least you can see the full human expression — you know, the nuances of emotion that you cannot catch through a video visit," he said.

Wanda Bertram, a communication strategist at the Prison Policy Initiative , a national nonprofit criminal justice think tank, said it's also harder for loved ones to assess the health and well-being of a prisoner through a video screen, as opposed to sitting a few feet away.

"Families have found that this really diminishes the quality of connection that they're able to get," she said.

A spokesperson for the company that owns Securus Technologies , the video visitation system used at Brown County Jail and a dozen other Wisconsin jails, said the video service "acts as a supplement for in person-visits" but is not intended to replace them.

Despite this, most jails in Wisconsin that have eliminated in-person visiting options have no plans to bring that option back, various county jail administrators said.

Meanwhile, some jails around the country have entirely eliminated the infrastructure needed for in-person jail visits after adding video visits. In Brown County, for example, Michel said the jail switched to all-virtual visits because there were no in-person visitation booths included in a jail renovation project.

Video visits can be expensive and low quality

Wisconsin jails offer video visits free to people who use the jail's on-site video kiosks. But those who choose to visit through a remote device are charged a fee.

Prices differ based on what company the jail contracts with. For example, remote visits with jails that use Securus range from $5.95 to $12.95 for a 20-minute remote visit, according to the spokesperson for Aventiv, the parent company of Securus. In Brown County Jail, visits are on the lowest end of that price range. Other telecommunications companies charge by the minute. In Outagamie County Jail, which uses ViaPath Technologies , a remote video visit costs 25 cents a minute.

Tyler Bryant served time at both Brown County Jail and Oconto County Jail. The Bryants said the two jails' visitation services were a night-and-day difference.

The first time Tyler's girlfriend used Brown County Jail's free on-site video kiosks to visit Tyler, she had issues logging on and could not find anyone around to help her.

When she came back to try again another day, she was able to get the video to work, but the quality on both ends was poor, Tyler Bryant said.

"That sucks. You can't even see the background — like, it's all pixelated," he said. "They completely blur everything out, unless you're two inches away, and then you can see like half of the face."

That was with Securus. Video visits at Oconto County Jail, which uses the company CIDNET , were much clearer, Stacie Bryant said.

Securus and CIDNET are the two most widely utilized video visitation systems in Wisconsin's jails. A handful of others systems are also common, including ViaPath, the system in place at Outagamie County Jail.

Autumn Cross, a Combined Locks resident who visited a friend in Outagamie County Jail about once a week for three months before he went to prison, said the remote video calls she did often had blurry video, delayed audio and unreliable connection.

"Video visits always have a lot of the connection issues where you can't hear them, or they can't hear you," Cross said. "It's not always guaranteed that you're going to have your video visit, because you can get disconnected and then sometimes you're not able to call back."

For Verderami, who served nearly five years in prison before her release last year, video visitation was free, due to the pandemic. But the visits were emotionally challenging, particularly those with her teenage son or her grandchildren.

"It actually got to the point where I didn't want to even do the video visits anymore because it made me so sad," she said.

Verderami said if video visits were not free and her only access to video visits was by paying, she would not have had any visits during that time.

Proponents say virtual jail visitation offers flexibility and savings for families

Many jails that only offer virtual visitation point to its benefits, like the flexibility to visit from home and increased opportunities for visits.

Outagamie County Jail switched to virtual visitation in 2020 and never went back. Jail Administrator Dave Kiesner said the jail had already been planning to transition to video visits only, but the pandemic expedited that process.

People in jail "have much more ability to see and talk to people now with this new system than they've had before," Kiesner said. "When we had in-house visits, it was just twice a week. ... It was like on a Tuesday at 10 o'clock and maybe a Saturday at 4 o'clock, and that was only time you could come visit. Now you can set up for whatever works for you at home."

Many county jails in the state also say video visits reduce the risk of contraband getting into the jail. However, it's not clear if there is data to back this up. Kiesner said Outagamie County Jail does not track contraband incidents specifically tied to visitation.

Michel, the administrator at Brown County Jail, said video visitation is beneficial for people who live too far to regularly visit with loved ones. By paying $7.50 for a 20-minute visit from home, they can save money on gas and time.

But for about a quarter of Wisconsin's jails, it doesn't need to be one or the other.

Lt. Brad McCoy of the Waushara County Sheriff's Office said that when Waushara County Jail added a video visit option in 2023, it did not eliminate its in-person option. McCoy said he does not think a video call has the same impact on a prisoner's mental health as actually seeing a loved one in-person — even behind a glass partition.

"I still see benefits in having in-person visits," he said.

And 16 other Wisconsin jails, including Madison's Dane County Jail, offer both types of visitation.

"We still like to do the in-person, because it’s in-person. It’s different than looking through a camera at someone," said Lt. Gary Vandivier of the Dane County Sheriff's Office.

Jails sometimes have incentives to eliminate in-person visiting options

The Prison Policy Initiative has published multiple studies about telecommunications-related issues in jails and prisons across the country. Betram said their research found that jails have financial motivations to eliminate in-person visitation.

For one, video visitation requires fewer staff members to supervise, a major benefit for jails with a shortage of staff.

Additionally, Bertram said that in many contracts between video providers and jails, the county receives either a lump sum payment or a percentage of the total revenue from video calls.

Both Brown County Jail and Outagamie County Jail receive a commission from telecommunications services. However, Michel said that in Brown County, none of the profit made off of video visitation goes to the county; it goes into an "inmate welfare account," which is used to fund items and programs for people in jail, like new mattresses or the county's canteen ministry program.

"This is not a product that jails and prisons have necessarily gone hunting for. It's something that the companies, which tend to already have relationships with jails and prisons by providing phone calls or other services like that, will advertise pretty aggressively," Bertram said.

Bertram said some of these contracts have in the past stipulated that county jails must eliminate or restrict the in-person visiting option. She said she has seen those stipulations less often in recent years. Neither Brown County Jail's nor Outagamie County Jail's most recent contracts give requirements for jails on in-person visits.

According to a 2015 report from the Prison Policy Initiative , Securus was the only company of those studied that explicitly required jails to stop offering an in-person visitation option. But the spokesperson for Aventiv, the parent company of Securus, told the Post-Crescent that Securus "never impose(s) any prohibition on in-person visits."

No other telecommunications companies in Wisconsin jails — including ViaPath, CIDNET, ICSolutions , Reliance Telephone or Turnkey Corrections — responded to questions about their contracts' visitation guidelines.

The transition to video visits as the norm is a fairly recent shift in Wisconsin; most county jails began implementing the new technology just in the last few years. Four in the state, however — including Milwaukee County Jail — stopped video visit services as early as 2003 and 2004.

Rogers said he believes the transition to video visitation in jails is another step of what he sees as decreasing outside contact in Wisconsin's jails and prisons in recent years.

As another example, he pointed to the Department of Correction's switch in 2021 to providing people in prison with photocopies of mail rather than the original papers — a move intended to decrease drugs sneaking into prisons.

"The smell and the scent of the envelope to come from moms or a girlfriend, they'll never be able to smell that anymore, you know? Just to see, your kid drew this picture, and you know, it's smelling like jelly, or those Jolly Ranchers that he likes, you know, and some of that got on the envelope or the letter. You'll never be able to experience that again in Wisconsin (prisons)," he said.

For people in jails and prisons, Rogers said, any connection to their support system is essential for rehabilitation and a future reintegration into society. He said he worries about a total shift to video visits in jails.

"When you're in a county jail, for the most part, if you turn out to not be found innocent of what you've been held for, the last memory you will have of touching and holding your loved one will be that moment before you were arrested," he said. "And, like, even though you're sitting in that county jail and you're innocent until you're proven guilty, you've already been deprived of your human relationship, and you have not been convicted of a crime."

Green Bay Press-Gazette reporter Danielle DuClos contributed to this report.

Kelli Arseneau can be reached at 920-213-3721 or  [email protected] . Follow her on X at  @ArseneauKelli .

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Parents of Michigan School Shooter Sentenced to 10 to 15 Years in Prison

Jennifer and James Crumbley, whose son killed four people, each faced up to 15 years in prison for involuntary manslaughter convictions.

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By Jacey Fortin and Anna Betts

Jennifer and James Crumbley, who were convicted of involuntary manslaughter for failing to prevent their teenage son from killing four fellow students in the deadliest school shooting in Michigan’s history, were each sentenced on Tuesday to 10 to 15 years in prison.

Their separate jury trials ended in guilty verdicts in February and March , making them the first parents in the country to be convicted over the deaths caused by their child in a mass shooting.

Involuntary manslaughter charges carry a penalty in Michigan of up to 15 years in prison, and prosecutors asked in sentencing memos filed to the court last week that the Crumbleys each serve at least 10 years. Both have been in jail for more than two years while awaiting trial and will receive credit for time served.

“Parents are not expected to be psychic,” Judge Cheryl Matthews of the Oakland County Circuit Court in Pontiac, Mich., said before issuing the sentence. “But these convictions are not about poor parenting. These convictions confirm repeated acts or lack of acts that could have halted an oncoming runaway train — repeatedly ignoring things that would make a reasonable person feel the hair on the back of her neck stand up.”

Before the hearing, prosecutors said that Ms. Crumbley, 46, was asking to be sentenced to house arrest on her defense lawyer’s property, rather than serving prison time. And Mr. Crumbley, 47, said that he had been wrongly convicted and his sentence should amount to the time he had already served in prison, adding that he felt “absolutely horrible” about what had happened.

On Tuesday, each of them spoke in the hearing before the judge pronounced sentence.

“I stand today not to ask for your forgiveness, as I know it may be beyond reach, but to express my sincerest apologies for the pain that has been caused,” Ms. Crumbley said in court, addressing the relatives of students who were killed.

Mr. Crumbley also apologized. “I cannot express how much I wish that I had known what was going on with him or what was going to happen, because I absolutely would have done a lot of things differently,” he said.

Relatives of some of the victims also spoke during the hearing, describing the overwhelming effects the shooting had on their lives.

“The ripple effects of both James’s and Jennifer’s failures to act have devastated us all,” said Jill Soave, the mother of Justin Shilling, 17, who was killed in the shooting at Oxford High School on Nov. 30, 2021. “This tragedy was completely preventable. If only they had done something, your honor, anything, to shift the course events on Nov. 30, then our four angels would be here today.”

Steve St. Juliana, whose daughter, Hana, 14, was killed, said that the Crumbleys continued to fail to take responsibility for what had happened.

“They chose to stay quiet,” he said. “They chose to ignore the warning signs. And now, as we’ve heard through all of the objections, they continue to choose to blame everyone but themselves.”

The Crumbleys’ son, Ethan, was 15 when he carried out the shooting that killed Justin and Hana, as well as Madisyn Baldwin, 17, and Tate Myre, 16. Seven others were injured. Ethan Crumbley pleaded guilty to 24 charges, including first-degree murder, and was sentenced last year to life in prison without parole . He is still eligible to appeal that decision. His parents may appeal, too.

In the trials of both parents, prosecutors focused in part on their failure to remove their son from school after he made a violent drawing on the morning of the shooting. It included a written plea for help.

They also emphasized Ethan’s access to a handgun that Mr. Crumbley had purchased. And they said that Ms. Crumbley had missed signs that her son was struggling with his mental health, adding that she took him to a gun range just days before the shooting.

Defense lawyers for both parents said they could not have foreseen the unspeakable violence their son would commit.

Ms. Crumbley grew up in Clarkston, a Detroit suburb about 20 minutes from Oxford, her lawyer said during a hearing after the couple’s arrest in 2021 . Before her arrest, she had worked as a marketing director, her lawyer said.

Mr. Crumbley’s job history included work at a handful of small software and technology companies.

The couple once lived in Florida but returned to Michigan several years ago, their lawyers said. They bought their home near downtown Oxford in 2015.

The trials of Jennifer and James Crumbley became a lightning rod for issues of parental responsibility at a time of high-profile gun violence by minors. In recent months, parents in other states have pleaded guilty to charges of reckless conduct or neglect after their children injured or killed others with guns.

But the manslaughter charges against the Crumbleys were unique, and legal experts said their trials could serve as a playbook for other prosecutors who seek to hold parents accountable in the future.

Ekow Yankah, a professor at the University of Michigan Law School, said the effect of the ruling on Tuesday might be felt beyond the state.

“This is going to be precedent, most obviously in Michigan and its home jurisdiction, but prosecutors all over the country will see this as a new and viable form of liability,” Mr. Yankah said. “I think we should not underestimate the precedential power of this case, even as we recognize that the facts were quite extraordinary.”

For Matthew Schneider, a former United States attorney in Michigan, what makes this case so different from many others is that most criminal sentences are related to the actions of a defendant, rather than being “about inactions, and how the inactions of a person result in a criminal sentence.”

The sentencing is “very much about making an example of the defendants,” Mr. Schneider said. “This is a shot across the bow to all parents, to all people who have firearms in their house, to keep them locked up, if they could be in the hands of the wrong people.”

Jacey Fortin covers a wide range of subjects for the National desk of The Times, including extreme weather, court cases and state politics all across the country. More about Jacey Fortin

Anna Betts reports on national events, including politics, education, and natural or man-made disasters, among other things. More about Anna Betts

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Inside Russia’s penal colonies: A look at life for political prisoners caught in Putin’s crackdowns

FILE In this file photo made from video provided by the Moscow City Court on Feb. 3, 2021, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny makes a heart gesture standing in a cage during a hearing to a motion from the Russian prison service to convert the suspended sentence of Navalny from the 2014 criminal conviction into a real prison term in the Moscow City Court in Moscow, Russia. Navalny, President Vladimir Putin’s fiercest foe, has become Russia’s most famous political prisoner. He is serving a nine-year term due to end in 2030 on charges widely seen as trumped up, and is facing another trial on new charges that could keep him locked up for another two decades. (Moscow City Court via AP, File)

FILE Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny looks at photographers standing behind a glass of the cage in the Babuskinsky District Court in Moscow, Russia, on Feb. 20, 2021. Navalny, President Vladimir Putin’s fiercest foe, has become Russia’s most famous political prisoner. He is serving a nine-year term due to end in 2030 on charges widely seen as trumped up, and is facing another trial on new charges that could keep him locked up for another two decades. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)

FILE - Detained protesters are escorted by police during a protest against the jailing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Jan. 31, 2021. Memorial, Russia’s oldest and most prominent human rights organization and a 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, counted 558 political prisoners in the country as of April -- more than three times higher than in 2018, when it listed 183. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - Opposition leader Alexey Navalny, speaks with riot police officers blocking the way during a protest rally against Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s rule in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Feb. 25, 2012. Navalny, President Vladimir Putin’s fiercest foe, has become Russia’s most famous political prisoner. He is serving a nine-year term due to end in 2030 on charges widely seen as trumped up, and is facing another trial on new charges that could keep him locked up for another two decades. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - Police block a protest against the jailing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny in Yekaterinburg, Russia, on Jan. 23, 2021. Memorial, Russia’s oldest and most prominent human rights organization and a 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, counted 558 political prisoners in the country as of April -- more than three times higher than in 2018, when it listed 183. (AP Photo, file)

FILE Sasha Skochilenko, a 32-year-old artist and musician, stands in a defendant’s cage in a courtroom during a hearing in the Vasileostrovsky district court in St. Petersburg, Russia, on April 13, 2022. Skochilenko is in detention amid her ongoing trial following her April 2022 arrest in St. Petersburg on the charges of spreading false information about the army. She has spent over a year behind bars. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - Russian opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza is escorted to a hearing in a court in Moscow, Russia, Feb. 8, 2023. Kara-Murza, another top Russian opposition figure, was sentenced last month to 25 years on treason charges. (AP Photo, File)

FILE In this handout photo released by the Moscow City Court, Russian opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza stands in a glass cage in a courtroom at the Moscow City Court in Moscow, on April 17, 2023. Kara-Murza, another top Russian opposition figure, was sentenced last month to 25 years on treason charges. (The Moscow City Court via AP, File)

FILE - Alexei Gorinov holds a sign “I am against the war” standing in a cage during hearing in the courtroom in Moscow, Russia, on June 21, 2022. Gorinov, a former member of a Moscow municipal council, was convicted of “spreading false information” about the army in July over antiwar remarks he made at a council session. Criticism of the invasion was criminalized a few months earlier, and Gorinov, 61, became the first Russian sent to prison for it, receiving seven years. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - Andrei Pivovarov, former head of Open Russia movement stands behind the glass during a court session in Krasnodar, Russia, on June 2, 2021. Pivovarov, an opposition figure sentenced last year to four years in prison, has been in isolation at Penal Colony No. 7 in northern Russia’s Karelia region since January and is likely to stay there the rest of this year. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - Andrei Pivovarov, former head of Open Russia movement, speaks with media in Moscow, Russia, on July 9, 2020. Pivovarov, an opposition figure sentenced last year to four years in prison, has been in isolation at Penal Colony No. 7 in northern Russia’s Karelia region since January and is likely to stay there the rest of this year. (AP Photo/Denis Kaminev, File)

FILE - Riot police detain two young men at a demonstration in Moscow, Russia, on Sept. 21, 2022. Memorial, Russia’s oldest and most prominent human rights organization and a 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, counted 558 political prisoners in the country as of April -- more than three times higher than in 2018, when it listed 183. (AP Photo, File)

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TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — When Alexei Navalny turns 47 on Sunday, he’ll wake up in a bare concrete cell with hardly any natural light.

He won’t be able to see or talk to any of his loved ones. Phone calls and visits are banned for those in “punishment isolation” cells, a 2-by-3-meter (6 1/2-by-10-foot) space. Guards usually blast patriotic songs and speeches by President Vladimir Putin at him.

“Guess who is the champion of listening to Putin’s speeches? Who listens to them for hours and falls asleep to them?” Navalny said recently in a typically sardonic social media post via his attorneys from Penal Colony No. 6 in the Vladimir region east of Moscow.

He is serving a nine-year term due to end in 2030 on charges widely seen as trumped up, and is facing another trial on new charges that could keep him locked up for another two decades. Rallies have been called for Sunday in Russia to support him.

Navalny has become Russia’s most famous political prisoner — and not just because of his prominence as Putin’s fiercest political foe, his poisoning that he blames on the Kremlin, and his being the subject of an Oscar-winning documentary.

He has chronicled his arbitrary placement in isolation, where he has spent almost six months. He’s on a meager prison diet, restricted on how much time he can spend writing letters and forced at times to live with a cellmate with poor personal hygiene, making life even more miserable.

Most of the attention goes to Navalny and other high-profile figures like Vladimir Kara-Murza , who was sentenced last month to 25 years on treason charges. But there’s a growing number of less-famous prisoners who are serving time in similarly harsh conditions.

Memorial, Russia’s oldest and most prominent human rights organization and a 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, counted 558 political prisoners in the country as of April — more than three times the figure than in 2018, when it listed 183.

The Soviet Union’s far-flung gulag system of prison camps provided inmate labor to develop industries such as mining and logging. While conditions vary among modern-day penal colonies , Russian law still permits prisoners to work on jobs like sewing uniforms for soldiers.

In a 2021 report, the U.S. State Department said conditions in Russian prisons and detention centers “were often harsh and life threatening. Overcrowding, abuse by guards and inmates, limited access to health care, food shortages and inadequate sanitation were common in prisons, penal colonies, and other detention facilities.”

Andrei Pivovarov , an opposition figure sentenced last year to four years in prison, has been in isolation at Penal Colony No. 7 in northern Russia’s Karelia region since January and is likely to stay there the rest of this year, said his partner, Tatyana Usmanova. The institution is notorious for its harsh conditions and reports of torture.

The 41-year-old former head of the pro-democracy group Open Russia spends his days alone in a small cell in a “strict detention” unit, and is not allowed any calls or visits from anyone but his lawyers, Usmanova told The Associated Press. He can get one book from the prison library, can write letters for several hours a day and is permitted 90 minutes outdoors, she said.

Other inmates are prohibited from making eye contact with Pivovarov in the corridors, contributing to his “maximum isolation,” she said.

“It wasn’t enough to sentence him to a real prison term. They are also trying to ruin his life there,” Usmanova added.

Pivovarov was pulled off a Warsaw-bound flight just before takeoff from St. Petersburg in May 2021 and taken to the southern city of Krasnodar. Authorities accused him of engaging with an “undesirable” organization -– a crime since 2015.

Several days before his arrest, Open Russia had disbanded after getting the “undesirable” label.

After his trial in Krasnodar, the St. Petersburg native was convicted and sentenced in July, when Russia’s war in Ukraine and Putin’s sweeping crackdown on dissent were in full swing.

He told AP in a letter from Krasnodar in December that authorities moved him there “to hide me farther away” from his hometown and Moscow. That interview was one of the last Pivovarov was able to give, describing prison life there as “boring and depressing,” with his only diversion being an hour-long walk in a small yard. “Lucky” inmates with cash in their accounts can shop at a prison store once a week for 10 minutes but otherwise must stay in their cells, he wrote.

Letters from supporters lift his spirits, he said. Many people wrote that they used to be uninterested in Russian politics, according to Pivovarov, and “only now are starting to see clearly.”

Now, any letters take weeks to arrive, Usmanova said.

Conditions are easier for some less-famous political prisoners like Alexei Gorinov , a former member of a Moscow municipal council. He was was convicted of “spreading false information” about the army in July over antiwar remarks he made at a council session.

Criticism of the invasion was criminalized a few months earlier, and Gorinov, 61, became the first Russian sent to prison for it, receiving seven years.

He is housed in barracks with about 50 others in his unit at Penal Colony No. 2 in the Vladimir region, Gorinov said in written answers passed to AP in March.

The long sentence for a low-profile activist shocked many, and Gorinov said “authorities needed an example they could showcase to others (of) an ordinary person, rather than a public figure.”

Inmates in his unit can watch TV, and play chess, backgammon or table tennis. There’s a small kitchen to brew tea or coffee between meals, and they can have food from personal supplies.

But Gorinov said prison officials still carry out “enhanced control” of the unit, and he and two other inmates get special checks every two hours, since they’ve been labeled “prone to escape.”

There is little medical help, he said.

“Right now, I’m not feeling all that well, as I can’t recover from bronchitis,” he said, adding that he needed treatment for pneumonia last winter at another prison’s hospital ward, because at Penal Colony No. 2, the most they can do is “break a fever.”

Also suffering health problems is artist and musician Sasha Skochilenko, who is detained amid her ongoing trial following her April 2022 arrest in St. Petersburg, also on charges of spreading false information about the army. Her crime was replacing supermarket price tags with antiwar slogans in protest.

Skochilenko has a congenital heart defect and celiac disease, requiring a gluten-free diet. She gets food parcels weekly, but there is a weight limit, and the 32-year-old can’t eat “half the things they give her there,” said her partner, Sophia Subbotina.

There’s a stark difference between detention facilities for women and men, and Skochilenko has it easier in some ways than male prisoners, Subbotina said.

“Oddly enough, the staff are mostly nice. Mostly they are women, they are quite friendly, they will give helpful tips and they have a very good attitude toward Sasha,” Subbotina told AP by phone.

“Often they support Sasha, they tell her: ‘You will definitely get out of here soon, this is so unfair here.’ They know about our relationship and they are fine with it. They’re very humane,” she said.

There’s no political propaganda in the jail and dance music blares from a radio. Cooking shows play on TV. Skochilenko “wouldn’t watch them in normal life, but in jail, it’s a distraction,” Subbotina said.

She recently arranged for an outside cardiologist to examine Skochilneko and since March has been allowed to visit her twice a month.

Subbotina gets emotional when she recalled their first visit.

“It is a complex and weird feeling when you’ve been living with a person. Sasha and I have been together for over six years — waking up with them, falling asleep with them — then not being able to see them for a year,” she said. “I was nervous when I went to visit her. I didn’t know what I would say to Sasha, but in the end, it went really well.”

Still, Subbotina said a year behind bars has been hard on Skochilenko. The trial is moving slowly, unlike usually swift proceedings for high-profile political activists, with guilty verdicts almost a certainty.

Skochilenko faces up to 10 years if convicted.

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Federal judge denies request from a lonely "El Chapo" for phone calls, visits with daughters and wife

By Cara Tabachnick

April 16, 2024 / 3:03 PM EDT / CBS News

Mexican kingpin  Joaquin Archivaldo "El Chapo" Guzman Loera  had his request for phone calls and visits with his young daughters denied by a federal judge, who wrote in the motion that the Bureau of Prisons is now "solely responsible" for the lonely drug lord's conditions.

"This Court has no power to alter the conditions that the Bureau of Prisons has imposed," the judge wrote in the motion filed on April 10 in the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of New York. Calls and visits in effect while Guzman was on trial were superseded once he was convicted, the judge wrote.  The court had previously authorized two telephone calls per month.

Guzman, once the world's most notorious cartel leader who was called by prosecutors a "ruthless and bloodthirsty leader," wrote in a March 20 letter asking the judge for visits with his wife and his two daughters. He said he hasn't had calls with his daughters for seven months and lawyers "have decided to punish me by not letting me talk to my daughters. To this day they have not told me if they will no longer give me calls with my girls," he wrote. 

He asked the judge to let his wife Emma Coronel Aispuro visit. Coronel, a former beauty queen and dual U.S.-Mexico citizen, was sentenced to 36 months in prison and four years of supervised release following her 2021 arrest  for helping run his multi-million dollar drug cartel. 

He would like her to "bring my daughters to visit me, since my daughters can only visit me when they are on school break, since they are studying in Mexico." He asked for intervention from the judge in the letter for the "unprecedented discrimination against me."

Guzman is serving a life sentence in a  Supermax prison  in Florence, Colorado, which houses numerous high-profile inmates. He was convicted in 2019 of charges including drug trafficking, money laundering and weapons-related offenses. Since starting his sentence in the isolated prison, known as the "Alcatraz of the Rockies," "El Chapo" has petitioned for numerous ways to make his life on the inside more bearable.

The Sinaloa cartel founder sent an "SOS" through his lawyers last year to President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador for help due to alleged "psychological torment" he says he is suffering in a U.S. prison. He previously asked the judge to let his wife and his then 9-year-old twin daughters visit him in prison. 

Prosecutors have said thousands of people died or were ordered killed because of the Sinaloa Cartel.

Cara Tabachnick is a news editor and journalist at CBSNews.com. Cara began her career on the crime beat at Newsday. She has written for Marie Claire, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. She reports on justice and human rights issues. Contact her at [email protected]

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RFK Jr. says Anthony Fauci ‘not in jail because Joe Biden is president’

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Former chief White House medical adviser Anthony Fauci steamrolled Donald Trump at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic and has only avoided prison time because of Joe Biden’s election in 2020, according to independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Kennedy, 70, has been a staunch opponent of the government’s response to the outbreak and is a vocal skeptic of the COVID vaccine.

In a podcast interview with Blaze Media CEO Glenn Beck released Saturday, Kennedy heaped vitriol on the longtime head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

“Well, he’s not in jail because — because Joe Biden is president and because, you know, unfortunately Donald Trump colluded with, or was run over by him,” said the son of the late attorney general and senator from New York Robert F. Kennedy.

“Donald Trump knew what was wrong. He knew not to shut down our businesses. And he knew about lockdowns, about ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine, and he tried to speak up but his own bureaucrats told him to shut up and unfortunately he did what he was told,” Kennedy added, arguing that Trump “doesn’t deserve another chance” in office because of it.

Fauci, now 83, was a prominent member of Trump’s White House Coronavirus Task Force and was promoted to Biden’s chief medical adviser in the Democrat’s COVID-19 Response Team before retiring at the end of 2022.

The immunologist was a strong advocate for social distancing and gave intentionally contradictory advice on mask-wearing early in the pandemic , first advising the public not to cover their faces before changing course and claiming he had meant to head off a shortage of protective equipment.

Trump has defended not firing Fauci , arguing both that he didn’t have the ability to dismiss the doc, and claiming that Fauci wasn’t a “big player” in his administration — despite him fronting daily briefings on the pandemic for months in the spring and summer of 2020.

“First of all, you’re not allowed. He’s civil service, and you’re not allowed to fire him,” Trump told radio host Hugh Hewitt in 2023.

“But forget that, because I don’t necessarily go by everything. But Dr. Fauci would tell me things, and I wouldn’t do them, in many cases. But also, he wasn’t a big player in my administration.”

Not firing Fauci was a big talking point during the 2024 Republican primary for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who hit the 45th president for letting the doctor have a large platform for his controversial recommendations.

Kennedy also criticized the strict social pressure around what doctors were allowed to say about the vaccine and the response to COVID-19 during the pandemic.

“Thousands of doctors who were trying to tell the truth were punished, they were delicensed, they were gaslighted, they were vilified and demonized and silenced, and it was really criminal,” he told Beck.

The independent cited the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changing the benchmarks for childhood development, which he argued happened after COVID lockdowns forced children to stay indoors and wear masks .

“They’re trying to normalize what they did to our children and the whole thing is so criminal and so corrupt,” Kennedy said.

RFK Jr. is the top-polling third-party candidate in the 2024 race, averaging 8.8% support, according to RealClearPolitics.

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Jan. 6 rioter with 'I heart TRUMP' hat and a Confederate flag gets prison for assaults on officers

WASHINGTON — A Jan. 6 defendant who took a Confederate flag to the Capitol and wore an "I ❤️ TRUMP" beanie as he assaulted police officers with chemical spray, partially blinding two of them for hours, was sentenced to 30 months in prison Monday.

Isreal Easterday, 23, was arrested in Florida in December 2022 and found guilty in October on several counts, including felony charges of civil disorder and assaulting officers.

U.S. District Court Chief Judge James E. Boasberg sentenced Easterday to 30 months in prison, as well as 500 hours of community service, along with $2,000 in restitution.

The government sought 151 months — or more than 12.5 years — in federal prison, saying his "felonious conduct" was "part of a massive riot that almost succeeded in preventing the certification vote from being carried out, frustrating the peaceful transition of Presidential power, and throwing the United States into a Constitutional crisis."

Prosecutors called the Confederate battle flag — which Easterday took up to the eastern doors of the U.S. Capitol where Abraham Lincoln's body passed through after his assassination in 1865 — "an established symbol of racism" as well as "a symbol of treason, defiance of the law, and insurrection."

Easterday's defense lawyers said he came to Washington after his uncle "invited him to tag along with a group of fellow Trump supporters." They said that Easterday was home-schooled and that "everything he knew was filtered through the lens of his parents" when he went to the Capitol. Easterday, they said, "plainly did not fully understand what the Confederate flag signified" and even Googled “what does the rebel flag represent” on the afternoon of Jan. 6, 2021.

Prosecutors said that Easterday "was part of the mob that first breached the police line on the East side of the Capitol" and that he waved his Confederate flag when he "entered the restricted area, pushed his way through the mob, and climbed up to the top landing" outside the east rotunda doors.

"There, he acquired a can of pepper spray and used it to assault U.S. Capitol Police ('USCP') Officer Joshua Pollitt, who was guarding the East Rotunda Doors, by spraying the chemical irritant directly into Officer Pollitt’s face from just an arm’s length away. Officer Pollitt collapsed moments after Easterday sprayed him, and experienced excruciating pain and partial blindness for hours," prosecutors wrote. "After this attack, Easterday acquired a second can of pepper spray from another rioter and used it to assault a different group of USCP officers guarding the East Rotunda Doors, striking USCP Officer Miguel Acevedo, and causing him to experience excruciating pain and partial blindness for hours, just like Officer Pollitt."

Easterday then breached the building and pulled other rioters inside, prosecutors said. The next day, "in an effort to hide evidence of his guilt, Easterday wiped photographs, posts, and communications from his Facebook account," they said.

Over 1,387 Capitol attack defendants have been charged, and prosecutors have secured more than 984 convictions. While hundreds of low-level Jan. 6 rioters have received probationary sentences, more than 520 have been sentenced to periods of incarceration ranging from a few days behind bars to  22 years in federal prison . Only about  15 defendants are in pretrial custody , meaning they haven't been convicted of crimes but judges determined they are either threats to the community or risks of flight.

Ryan J. Reilly is a justice reporter for NBC News.