Massachusetts DOC Will Resume In-Person Visits At Prisons Next Week
BOSTON (CBS) - Visitations at every prison in Massachusetts will be allowed to resume next Monday, according to the state's Department of Correction.
In a statement released on Thursday, the DOC said inmates will be allowed one visit per week, with up to two visitors per visit. Each visit can be scheduled by phone, and they have to be scheduled 24 hours in advance.
Starting September 28, visitors will have to do each of the following when arriving at a prison within the state:
- Participate in a screening process in which they answer questions about their health
- Get their temperature taken
- Use hand sanitizer before the visiting period
- Wear a face covering throughout the visit
Visits will take place in designated areas, and a barrier will be put in place between the visitors and the inmate to ensure no physical contact.
In-person visitations were suspended in March after the initial outbreak of COVID-19 across the country. According to the DOC, in-person visits resumed in early July at Northeastern Correctional Center and Pondville Correctional Center before it was allowed at four other in-state facilities.
