No-Contact Visitation Policy

SHERIFF GLODIS ANNOUNCES NO-CONTACT VISITATION POLICY West Boylston – Highlighting numerous cases of visitor contraband and drug introduction at the Worcester County House of Correction, Sheriff Guy Glodis announced today an aggressive move towards a non-contact visitation policy.  The Sheriff has submitted a supplemental funding request to the State Legislature to convert two contact visitation rooms to non-contact. “The source of contraband being brought into the jail is quite simple: contact visits,” Sheriff Glodis stated.  “I will do whatever is necessary to prevent drugs, weapons and other contraband from coming into this facility, and this new policy reflects that goal.” There are currently two non-contact visiting rooms at the jail, used mostly for maximum security and disciplinary inmates.  The Sheriff’s short term plan includes remodeling the medium security visiting rooms to non-contact, and long term for facility-wide non-contact visitation.   Sheriff Glodis cited a nearly 65% decrease in contraband for those areas using non-contact visiting rooms. Over the last four years, the Sheriff’s Office has prosecuted more than 175 cases of civilians and inmates introducing contraband into the jail.   Sheriff Glodis concluded, “My mission is not to give inmates every comfort of home, but instead to make this a place where rehabilitation is the primary focus.  This new policy will make the jail a safer place for both the staff and the inmates.” Various U.S. Supreme Court cases have found that prisoners have no constitutional right while incarcerated to contact visits and no due process to unfettered visitation.  Also, pretrial detainees have no constitutional due process right to contact visits.