Jail inmates to be allowed visitors

After almost a year without visitors, inmates will now be allowed guests at Warren County Jail, with visitation to be via video screens.

?I hated they weren?t allowed any visitors but our hands were tied. There was just no place to have visitation,? said Sheriff Jackie Matheny of visitation re-opening recently. ?When we moved into the new building, visitation just wasn?t an option until the restoration of the old part was complete. I know it was hard on the inmates being locked up and not being able to see their loved ones.?

The ban on visitation came when the jail population was moved to the new jail early last year. Prior to that time, a visitation center was contained in the old jail where visitors could meet with inmates and talk through a screen which separated them.

The new visitation will involve face-to-face meetings on a video screen with inmates and visitors being in separate parts of the facility when they visit.

The visitation will come via video monitors and an audio system, a system Matheny said is much more secure than the old visitation system. The system is located in the newly renovated old section of the jail.

Matheny said anyone wishing to visit an inmate should call ahead first to make an appointment. There are limitations on the amount of visitors an inmate can have given the amount of inmates at the jail, many wanting to receive visitors.

?We?ve seen some happy faces,? Matheny said, noting inmates are happy about the return of their visitation privileges. ?I?m glad we?ve gotten back to somewhat normal now.?