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Visiting Policy
LA County Jail Interview
*Names have been changed to protect privacy.
Jail Media: How often could you have visitors come?
Ben Smith: On Saturday and Sunday. You could have two at a time, like your girlfriend and sister could come at the same time, but you could only have one actual visit. You could have two people at the same time, but only one visit per day. You could have one visit every day – one on Saturday and one on Sunday.
Jail Media: What was the process like? We’ve heard that the process to get in the jail for the visitors was really long. Did they have to go through a huge security check?
Ben Smith: In LA especially, they do immigration checks. You have to hand over your ID when you go see your boyfriend or girlfriend or whatever. While they have your ID, they’ll run checks on you to see if you have a warrant, or if you have immigration holdings, or anything like that. If there’s any questionable thing about your background, don’t go visit someone at jail. You’re basically turning yourself in. They’ll take you out of line and arrest you. They have plenty of time, especially in LA. My girlfriend waited about 4 hours every time she came to visit in LA.
Jail Media: What was the visiting environment like? Was it behind glass?
Ben Smith: You’re sitting in one chair, and there’s a glass wall between, you, and she’s sitting across from you, and you talk on phones. There’s no physical contact or anything like that.
Jail Media: So there’s no conjugal visits or anything like that?
Ben Smith: No. Does any place do that?
Jail Media: It’s one of those things you see on TV, and you wonder about it.
