VISITS INFORMATION
Can I visit?
Any person can visit an inmate or other detainees of the Prison Service, unless the inmate or detainee requests that you not be allowed to visit.
When can I visit?
Visits are allowed at YTC seven days a week, including public holidays, from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. At all other facilities, visits are allowed from Monday to Friday at the times specified below, except on public holidays and Carnival Monday and Tuesday.
What happens when I arrive for my visit?
You must present valid proof of identification in the form of a Trinidad and Tobago Passport, Driver’s Permit or National ID card and sign the Visit Register. If you are visiting a convicted inmate, you must also provide a completed Visit Form. The Visit Form will be mailed to you when the convicted inmate advises Prison Staff of your intended visit.
In order to maintain a secure environment, all visitors must be processed at the prison facility before the visit takes place. The length of time to process a visitor is dependent on the time of the year the visit is being made, the volume of visitors on that particular day and the facility being visited. In general, processing takes from one to three hours.
How long can my visit last?
The duration of your visit, and when the visit can occur, is determined by the category of inmate or other detainee you are visiting. Inmates are categorised as remanded, convicted or condemned. Other detainees include lads at YTC and prohibited inmates.
- Remanded inmates are allowed a total of two visits per week, 15 minutes in duration, between the hours of 8:00 am and 11:00 am.
- Condemned inmates are allowed a total of two visits per week, 15 minutes in duration, between the hours of 8:00 am and 3:00 pm.
- Convicted inmates are allowed a total of one visit per month, which varies from 15 minutes to 45 minutes depending on how long they have been incarcerated.
- Prohibited inmates are allowed a total of two visits per week, 15 minutes in duration, between the hours of 8:00 am and 3:00 pm.
- YTC lads are allowed a total of two visits per week, 15 minutes in duration, between the hours of 8:00 am and 3:00 pm.
Virtual Visit Program
Following the successful trial-run of the online-visit pilot project at the Port of Spai
n Prison on Wednesday April 01, 2020, the Trinidad and Tobago Prison Service is pleased to inform that a policy was developed and has been adopted relative to virtual visits and electronic mail, in accordance with prison rules and regulations. This policy provides for the general guidelines to be adhered to, the censoring and monitoring of virtual visits and electronic mail, visit hours and duration, visitor approval, expectation of visitors, visitor conduct and termination of visits.
In light of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic currently being experienced by our nation, Commissioner of Prisons (Ag), Mr. Dennis Pulchan has noted that the initiative is an important and additional measure designed to keep the lines of communication open between inmates and their loved ones during this time and essentially, going forward. As a result, the virtual visit program has been implemented at the Golden Grove Prison, Remand Prison, Women’s Prison and the Maximum Security Prison and would become fully operational with effect from Monday April 06, 2020.
Members of the public are hereby advised that the service would be facilitated through the Prisons Welfare Department. Inmates can submit a request for the visit through the Welfare Department and a family member would be contacted in order to schedule a visit. Visits will be accommodated once every two weeks for each offender requesting to do so, for duration of up to ten (10) minutes. Please note the guidelines listed hereunder in order to access an online visit.
- You must have a valid email address.
- You will be advised of date and time of visit by Welfare Officer
- You will receive an invitational link via email sent from the Prison Establishment which contacted you, indicating guidelines to be adopted during the visit and for video conferencing
- After reading the guidelines, click the link you received in order to join the Virtual Visit and wait
- Ensure that your video and microphone are enabled
- You may choose to install the ZOOM application to your device or simply use the web interface from the link provided.
- Please note than normal visitation rules apply as listed in guidelines to be adopted during a visit
- If you contravene any of the established rules or guidelines your Virtual Visit will be immediately terminated.
The Trinidad and Tobago Prison Service has recognised that the facility of visitation is an important tool utilised to strengthen inmates’ social and familial ties and will promote any and such feasible measures while maintaining safety and security within the nation’s prisons.
Click here to learn: How to join a Zoom meeting
Click here to see: Video Tutorials
