Today I was speaking with one of the new inmates and the conversation went to getting visits from friends and family and how much we all appreciated having the contact with the outside world. He was asking how long it took to get people approved for his visiting list, my answer was disconcerting to him because I told him that it could be anywhere from 6 to 12 weeks before he would know. I personally think this is reprehensible, that a request from a family member or friend should take so long for an approval. I know snail mail takes a while, but even if it is snail mail, that shouldn't be more than 2 weeks, 3 at the very outside. So what happens, well here's what happens at our camp, the counsellors sit on them for weeks on end. To make matters worse the counsellors instruct the inmates not to ask them about it either, if you do have the audacity to ask you are severely admonished. I won’t go further into this situation but something is very wrong when an inmate can’t ask about his visiting list.
Why this has to go through the mail in 2015 when everyone has email and all business is conducted electronically is also beyond belief. I know the BOP has computers and email for their use. Come on BOP , let's get into the new age. Especially when you stress the importance of contact with family and friends as being a crucial part of an inmate’s incarceration and helping them get back into society. It seems to me what is written policy is totally ignored by your employees.
