The pandemic is why there have not been in-person visits in a year.
Now Covid-19 cases are falling and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, starting Monday the 15th, will allow visits to resume.
There will be no physical contact between the inmate and visitor. Jeremy Desel with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice says masks will be enforced. "There will be some sort of barrier between the visitor and the inmate, whether that's a traditional visitation screen or whether that's some form of plexiglass that's manufactured just for this purpose."
Visitors will also have to take a Covid-19 test. "Before there can be any entry into the unit whatsoever. Those tests will be provided but must be passed before there can be visitation."
Inmates can see one adult per visit and two visits a month. And visitors must make an appointment and show up an hour early to be tested.
Inmates can see one adult per visit and two visits a month. And visitors must make an appointment and show up an hour early to be tested.
Over the past year, inmates have been allowed video visits and phone calls but Desel says "there's nothing of course quite like face-to-face, in person visitation."