Visitors attending the prison for a visit should ensure they arrive at the vestibule at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the visit. No one arriving thereafter is guaranteed entry to the visits.

You will first enter the vestibule area, the front desk is to your left. You will be required to present your identification to staff. The vestibule area provides lockers for any belongings you are not permitted to take into the establishment. You will be provided with a key, which you will hand back in exchange for your belongings at the end of the visit session.

All visitors will be asked to walk through a metal detector and given a rub down search by a member of staff. At times, there may be the SPS Dog Unit operating at the visits, it is nothing to worry about and you will be given instructions by the staff.  If you have any concerns at all, please talk to a member of staff. There are toilet facilities available in the visit waiting Area.

Once in the visit room visitors will be asked to take a seat and the offenders will then be brought in.  You will be made aware five minutes prior to the end of the session and at the end of the session, offenders will leave first and then visitors will be asked to exit.

‘Friends of Dumfries’ operate a small café, with limited stock, selling tea, coffee, sandwiches, crisps and sweets. There is a disabled toilet, which includes baby changing facilities. The visits room is equipped with toys and games as well as a children’s soft play area. The soft play area is for children 0-5 or less than 1.20 metres; this area is not supervised and is the responsibility of the parents to ensure their child’s safety.

To gain access to the establishment for the purpose of visiting, you must have two forms of identification, one of which must be photographic ID, the other being proof of address.

Entry to the establishment will not be permitted without acceptable identification.

The following examples shall be accepted as suitable for photographic ID purposes:

• Valid Passport
• Photographic Driving Licence
• Citizen/Validate UK Card
• Senior Citizens Bus Pass
• Workplace photo ID card
• Photographic Bank Card
• other official photo ID i.e. membership card

The following examples shall be accepted as suitable for proof of address, provided it is less than 3 months old:

• Utility bill
• Council tax bill
• Benefit book
• other letter from official source

Official visitors require Identification cards.

Agents are required to carry their Law Society of Scotland ID Cards.

A Photographic Driving Licence can be used as an acceptable form of ID for both photographic ID and proof of address.

Child-specific visits are available throughout the SPS estate and are provided in addition to a person in custody statutory visiting rights.

They provide an opportunity for parents to interact with their child/children and spend time together in a relaxed environment.  These are applied for by the person in custody.

The factors detailed below are intended as a guide and each application should be considered on its own merits:

• The child or children must be under the age of 17.
• The person in custody requesting the visits must be the parent, stepparent, kinship carer of the child or have, or have had, the responsibility for the care and custody of the child. Applications may be considered where such a relationship has not been established however there should be compelling grounds for accessing these visits. Any exceptions to the normal criteria should be considered by a Head of Operations on an individual basis.
• Confirmation must be made there are no child protection/welfare concerns or issues; and
• Any parent who is allowed to have access to their child/children will normally be able to apply for children’s visits

Conditions of Children’s Visits:

• • The child must be accompanied to the visit by one approved responsible adult and this person will be aged 18 or over.
  • A person aged 16 or over may accompany a child with the prior approval of the head of operations at establishment.
  • The accompanying adult will be responsible for the care of the child during the visits.