County Introduces Tough New Jail Visitation Policies after ODs

Prisoners in Westchester County Jail will only be allowed two visitors during a single visit - down from four - and physical contact will be limited as part of new policies at the facility following a recent string of overdoses, announced County Executive Rob Astorino Friday.

Astorino directed the Department of Correction to implement new visitation procedures at the jail beginning Sept. 14 “as a preventive measure to limit opportunities for visitors to pass illegal contraband to prisoners.”

A total of 13 prisoners became ill over the course of several days in July of this year after they overdosed on synthetic marijuana, which led to the arrests of the wife of an inmate and others. In addition to the arrests for promoting prison contraband, authorities also conducted a massive search of the county jail and found additional narcotics.

The physical contact between prisoners and visitors will be restricted to a “brief embrace and kiss at the start and end of any visit,” according to Astorino.

“We have zero tolerance for the introduction of illegal narcotics and other contraband into the county jail,” said Astorino during a press conference announcing the new policies. “If individuals are going to abuse visitation privileges, we are going to respond and do everything necessary to keep the jail safe for the public, correction officers and staff, visitors and the inmates.”

Correction Commissioner Kevin Cheverko said the jail’s new rules for physical contact “will prohibit prisoners and visitors from holding hands during visits.” As for the two visitors, that will apply to all visitors regardless of age, and minors must be accompanied by an adult.

“Our goal is always to strike a balance between keeping the facility secure and treating visitors and prisoners fairly,” Cheverko said. “These new procedures will continue to help us meet that goal.”

He added the department also will reconfigure the layout of the visitation area and use tables that have a partition between visitors and prisoners.

All the changes being made are permissible under state regulations, according to officials, and are designed to enhance correction officers’ ability to detect efforts to pass illegal narcotics or other prohibited items during the approximately 60,000 prisoner visits that occur each year.

Inmates and their family members are currently being apprised of the new procedures so they will be aware of them in advance.