So, you’ve prepared for weeks to visit your loved one, made sure all clothing is washed, made sure everything is sanitized, you get to security screening…and you hit on the Ion scanner, so what happens next?
Correctional Service Canada (CSC) staff will have critical decisions to make. The Ion Scanner can detect tiny traces of chemical compounds. If a very small trace was found staff will usually scan another article of clothing and decide to let you pass or not.
If you pass the second attempt you will usually be sent through. However, you may have to sit in a designated seating area so that you can be closely monitored by staff. Or CSC may provide a closed visit where you would speak to your loved one through a glass partition.
If, on your second attempt the ion scanner still detects material, CSC must then investigate. Your visitation history will be reviewed to see if there were any incidents in the past. Your loved one’s institutional record may be reviewed to assess the risk of allowing your visit.
Regardless of the decision made, once you leave the institution, all future visits will be suspended pending review of the circumstances.
Visiting Review Board (VRB)
The Visiting Review Board (VRB) will assess the entire situation and decide to either:
- Reinstate your visitor privileges (if this occurs, no further action is required) or;
- Visiting privileges would be reduced to restricted/closed visits only
If the visiting privileges are reduced, you will have to visit your loved one for 3 months either in designated seating or closed visits.
After the 3-month period, if there are no further incidents CSC would usually reinstate regular visits
Writing the VRB
Anyone who has indicated on the Ion scanner for an illegal substance(s) can draft a written statement to the VRB (the address is the same as your loved ones Institution) within 10 business days of the incident to explain the situation.
Please read these tips on how to best prepare to visit your friend/loved one
Visit your Loved One More Often by Saving Money on Expensive Prison Phone Calls
Visiting a loved one is wonderful, but it is also very expensive and time consuming! Keep in regular contact with a FedPhoneLine number.
FedPhoneLine pricing and packages are available HERE and will save you a lot of money, which you can use to visit your friend/loved one more often.