Hey guys! I'm just getting started in this world of corresponding with an incarcerated! The person I chose is unfortunately serving a life sentence without parole in a Colorado prison ðŸ˜. Like I said, I'm just starting out, and I don't know how this is going to play out, but I have a good feeling... Anyway, I haven't seen any threads talking about visiting people serving life sentences. And the few comments said that it is only possible to visit someone who is serving a life sentence if the incarcerated person has not committed a violent crime. Anyone here who corresponds with a prisoner who is in prison for life to exchange ideas? I would like to know all the possibilities of it! I'm out of the US, so if I could visit him one day I would need an extended visit (as I see many here managed)... But because his crime was murder I don't believe it's possible. Like I said, just trying to understand the possibilities...
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ST4s Thanks for the answer. Actually like I said, I'm more looking at future possibilities, but I'll definitely keep your answer!Â
And wow! You know a lot about a lot!!!
Unfortunately they remembered to put an exclusive thread here for "death row" but forgot to put something for people who correspond with people serving life sentences.
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Hey Farfallina, good on you for dipping your toe in the pool! I hope you find this journey highly meaningful and rewarding.
Re: visitation in general, step one, anywhere, is getting on this person’s approved visitor’s list. Every jurisdiction has its own workflow for this, and for the State of Colorado, it begins with you filling out a form and sending it in. Further information for CDOC is here: https://cdoc.colorado.gov/resources/visit-an-incarcerated-individual
Also note that the Federal Bureau of Prisons has facilities in Colorado. If this is the case, you’ll need to ask your bud to send you the proper form from there (and then, fill it out and send it back).
In either of these cases, what happens next isn’t so much a function of your bud’s record, but of yours. They will run your credentials through databases to see if you have any convictions – when, what type, and so on (which you would have declared anyway on the form, if applicable), towards the ultimate goal of maintaining security in the institution should you be stopping by. I don’t know where you’ve heard that visiting someone serving LWOP is impossible (if one’s sentence is for something violent vs. non-violent) but I’ve got ample evidence to the contrary.
Now, if you’re talking Colorado State here, they have both video and in-person visitation. Either requires filling out that form and getting approved. For in-person visits, as you’d be traveling a long way, be sure to schedule things with the facility well ahead of time. Colorado has a special program for long-distance visitors (e.g. over a particular weekend per month where you can max out your time across multiple days). The visit itself, whether in the same room or with glass between you, is a function of your bud’s custody level.
If you’re talking about the Feds, heads up that video visitation is supposed to be coming soon, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. It’s only up and running at one facility that I know of. For in-person visits, same thing with face-to-face vs. behind glass – it’s a function of one’s custody level.
Best wishes :-)
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