how to book a prison visit for bedford

Visits & Getting to HMP Bedford

Visits are held every day excepting Friday and last 1 hours in 2 afternoon sessions, 13:45-14:45 and 15:15-16:15

To book online, visit: www.gov.uk/prison-visits . All you need is the name and date of birth of the person you are visiting and their prisoner number. You can choose up to 3 possible dates and times. Prison booking staff will check what’s available and confirm your visit by email. If you’ve made an online visit booking request and haven’t received a confirmation email within 1-3 working days, please email  [email protected]  or call  01234 373196, lines open 10:00 – 16:00, Monday to Friday.

Visitors should be in receipt of a valid visiting order prior to booking any visits. Additional Children’s visits on Wednesdays 11:00 – 13:00 (arranged via the Visitor’s Centre).

Bedford Prison has a visitors centre is run by a charity (the Ormiston Trust) There is wheelchair access and a no smoking policy. Visitors must report to the Visitors Centre before entering the prison where some of the administrative “paperwork” is carried out before you are admitted to the prison. There is a children’s play area with supervised play activity & baby changing facilities.

Getting to the prison

The prison is located approximately half a mile from Bedford town centre. The bus station is a very short walk from the prison. There is a regular bus service from all local towns.

There is a main line station in Bedford town centre and the prison is a 10 minute walk away. You can consult timetables here (other information services are available!)

Car: From the South, take the M1 and exit at junction 13, from the north exit the M1 at junction 14 and follow signposts to Bedford town centre. The prison is located on the A428 in the town centre. Parking at the prison is extremely limited and there are a number of car parks in the town centre.

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Hmp bedford.

• Inside Time Reports
• 13th December 2014
• East of England , Male Cat. B , Male Local , Male YOI , Prison Visit

Prison information

Address:  St Loyes Street, Bedford MK40 1HG Switchboard: 01234 373000 Managed by: HMPPS Region:  East Category:  Male Cat B local Link to: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bedford-prison

Description

Bedford takes sentenced and remand prisoners from Luton Crown Court and Bedford and Luton Magistrates’ Courts as well as sentenced prisoners received on overcrowding drafts from London.

Visit Booking: Online

Use this online service to book a social visit to a prisoner in England or Wales you need the:

• prisoner number
• prisoner’s date of birth
• dates of birth for all visitors coming with you

The prisoner must add you to their visitor list before you can book a visit.

You’ll get an email confirming your visit. It takes 1 to 3 days.

ID: Every visit Children’s Visits: Wednesdays at 10am – 12

Acceptable forms of ID

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4 thoughts on “ hmp bedford ”.

I wanted to know what prisioners wear at Bedford Prison? Any particular colours?

Hi my husband was remanded Monday and today is now Wednesday and I still haven’t got a phone call how long does it take to get a call

I am finding it very hard to book a visit to see my son on remand I have spent from 2-4 constantly ringing in using my mobile and landline telephone together ! I’ve also booked on line and have still had no confirmation of visit This is very frustrating for me specially as I suffer brain fog and chronic fatigue syndrome . I feel like giving up but can’t I am desperate to see my son who’s not even convicted yet ! Very depressing .

We are having so much trouble trying to visit a relative on remand at Bedford! He says we are now on his visit in list prison say we’re not how long does it take from The Prisoner putting us on the list to the prison updating it also how long does it take for a prisoner to receive the mail that we send? Thank u

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Blog Government Digital Service

https://gds.blog.gov.uk/2014/09/15/you-can-now-book-a-prison-visit-online/

You can now book a prison visit online

Booking a prison visit should be simple and straightforward. Until now that was far from the case. Booking a visit required both prisoner and visitor to jump through hoops: paper forms and drawn-out phone calls. And if the visit date turned out to be impossible, they had to start all over again.

Now you can book a visit online . It takes about 5 minutes. Before, picking an available date was pot luck. Now there's a date-picker that lets you select 3 possible slots instead of 1. It’s a straight-forward service with user-needs at its heart but, if you get stuck, you can call the prison's visits booking line and someone will help you with the booking.

Here's a very short film we've made about it:

By making it easier to book visits, prisoners will see more of their friends and family. Evidence suggests this will help their rehabilitation. Transformation isn't just about websites.

The service was built by the Ministry of Justice, with a combined team from the National Offender Management Service, HM Prison Service and MoJ Digital Services.

For more of the story behind this service, read Mike Bracken's account of his trip to HMP Rochester or check out the service’s transformation page .

Join the conversation on Twitter , and don't forget to sign up for email alerts .

You may also be interested in:

• Prison visit booking: using digital analytics to inform alpha development
• Making prison visits easier to book
• Meet the Transformation team

Sharing and comments

Share this page, 20 comments.

Comment by Pauline posted on 23 August 2015

How do you find out the prisoners number??? so you can go ahead with online booking of a visit?

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 24 August 2015

You can find a prisoner using this service: https://www.gov.uk/find-prisoner However it will be the prisoner's responsibility to get in touch with you to let you know their prison number etc.

Comment by linda posted on 15 August 2015

This service does not appear to work this is day 2 trying to use it

Comment by Olivia posted on 30 July 2015

Hi, If a visit is booked and someone cant make it, is it possible to change the name of one of the people to someone else?

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 30 July 2015

It's best to contact the prison directly if this happens. You can find contact details here: http://www.justice.gov.uk/contacts/prison-finder

Thanks, Louise

Comment by Paige posted on 28 July 2015

Hi my partner was sent to nottingham today, I was on his previous list 4 months ago for a visit. Will that still be on the system all will it have to he put through again if so how long does it take to be approved for a visit? Thanks Paige.

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 29 July 2015

You might want to get in touch with the prison first before booking a visit. You can find the contact details of the prison here: http://www.justice.gov.uk/contacts/prison-finder

Comment by Debs posted on 27 July 2015

Hello Is there a list of prisons where online booking can't be used?

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 28 July 2015

According to the information on this page: https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits , you can arrange a visit to any prison in England and Wales through this service. If you're visiting someone in Northern Ireland or Scotland you'll need to contact the prison directly.

This link also lists the type of visits that are not covered by the online service: https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits so you need to get in touch with the prison directly.

Hope that's helpful.

Comment by c.steer posted on 26 July 2015

So how do I find the booking form to fill in I am new to computers

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 27 July 2015

Here's the link to the booking form: https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits

You'll need this information to complete the form:

prisoner number prisoner’s date of birth dates of birth for all visitors coming with you make sure the person you’re visiting has added you to their visitor list

Hope that's useful.

Comment by Shawnaa posted on 09 May 2015

i have a visit booked which i did online but i do not have a visiting order woll the prison let me in?

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 11 May 2015

Your identity will be checked on arrival to make sure you’re on the visitor list.

Comment by jessicca posted on 27 January 2015

What happens after you book the visit and its confirmed by email do you need the visiting order ?

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 29 January 2015

The Visiting Order (VO) number is generated by the booking system, it is included in your confirmation email and you will need this to change or cancel a booking.

However, if you're visiting a prison the guidance is that you only need your ID, not the VO number. If when you visit the prison you are asked for the VO number you should report this via the Contact Us link on the Prison Visits Booking form.

I hope that helps.

Comment by Ilysa Mcnally posted on 18 November 2014

How late in advance can I book e.g. book a visit today (Tuesday) for the Sunday coming???

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 19 November 2014

Hi Ilysa. Thanks for your question. A visit needs to be booked 3 working days in advance. So in this case, the visit request would have to be no later than Tuesday to allow for a visit on Sunday.

Comment by carole posted on 23 October 2014

How far in advance can you book visits

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 23 October 2014

Hi Carole. You can book up to 28 days in advance. Thanks for your question.

Comment by kimberly posted on 16 August 2015

does anyone know how to cancel a visit online?

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Bedford Prison Information

Contact information, booking a visit to bedford prison.

• be on that person’s visitor list
• book your visit in advance (usually 2 working days notice)
• have the required IDwith you when you go

Unlimited Prison Phone Calls Package

Bedord prison information.

How to visit an inmate at Bedford Police Jail in Pennsylvania

Updated on 05-29-2024

Before visiting your inmate check all the rules you need to follow. You can find an inmate at Bedford Police Jail , using the Pigeonly Inmate Search if you need help before visitng. After the visitor has been approved by the correctional facility they need to check with their inmate on what days they are allowed to visit. Before connecting with a loved one here, you can find them using a free inmate locator. Pigeonly helps you add money to a trust account at Bedford Police Jail and other services.

• Write a Prisoner
• Inmate Calling
• {facilityName}

Bedford Police Jail Correctional Facilities

• • City: Bedford
• • County: Bedford County
• • State: Pennsylvania
• • Facility: Bedford Police Jail
• • Locator: Use Our Free Inmate Locator
• • Address: 244 West Penn Street, Bedford, PA, 15522
• • Phone: 814-623-1105

Table of Contents

• • Visitation
• • What to Wear When Visiting Inmate
• • What can I Bring to Visit an Inmate
• • Visitation Hours
• • General Visitation List
• • What are the Visitation Hours
• • How to schedule a Visit
• • What are the requirements to visit your inmate
• • How to make an appointment to visit your inmate
• • How to book a prison visit online
• • How to connect with your inmate through video visit
• • How to connect through jail video visitation
• • Phone Calls
• • How to collect calls from Jail
• • How can inmate call their families and friends
• • How to call a jail to speak to an inmate
• • FAQs
• Correctional Facility Information
• View More Facility Information

Bedford Police Jail inmate lookup

Go to pigeonly.com to start a search for your inmate. First, click "Get Started" and enter your inmate's first and last name.

Make sure to check if your inmate's facility is county, state, or federal.

Find your inmate and select from the list of services designed to help you keep in touch.

How it Works

Finally, you'll need to register an account with Pigeonly, and we'll provide you with your loved one's contact information. (Don't worry, registration is completely free!)

Pigeonly understand how difficult it is for families to stay away from their inmate and it is important to familiarize yourself with the basic of inmate visitation before planning a visit as each facility has specific rules that you must follow. All visitors must be pre-approved; your inmate must put you on the pre-approved visitation list in order for you to visit them which is later reviewed by the correctional facility. When considering approval, correctional facilities look at many factors as all the formalities need to be done. Many facilities limit the number of visitors therefore inmate have to narrow down the list of potential visitors. All correctional facilities have their own set of rules which you need to follow. You will be expected to follow the prison rules, no matter how arbitrary they may seem, when you visit.

The inmate you plan on visiting should be able to advise you the visiting time schedule for that prison, however it is always a good idea to call the prison before to ensure visitation is permitted and whether potential visitors are approved or not. All the prisoners are searched before and after any visits due to the security reasons. The families visiting their inmates need to respect the dress code of the particular prison otherwise they may be refused visitation. All visitors are expected to present a valid, government issued photo ID. Pigeonly have also introduced video visitation to connect families and inmate when it becomes difficult for them to visit, you need to first schedule a visit and have it approved by your inmate's facility, by signing up with Pigeonly video visitation your inmate will be just a click away.

What to wear when visiting inmate at Bedford Police Jail

Each facility requires that their rules be followed according to local ordinances. Typically, for any given institution you want to make sure to wear appropriate attire. Make sure your outfits are not too tight. Different states may have different rules on attire. For information on what to wear in Pennsylvania, be sure to check out their appropriate state laws for Pennsylvania's Department of Corrections at your State's official website.

What can I bring to visit an inmate in Bedford Police Jail, Bedford, Pennsylvania

Every Inmate facility has different procedures, so is the case with Bedford Police Jail Bedford The General list of items that prohibited is as follows, However Please check out the Bedford Police Jail's Website to get the whole list.

General List

The following items are strictly prohibited:

• Mobile phones / Cameras / Video cameras / Recording devices;
• Cigarettes / Tobacco;
• Drugs, syringes or any other drug paraphernalia;
• Weapons (guns, knives etc.);
• Chemicals / Flammable liquids / Explosives;
• Medication: over the counter, prescribed or herbal (carriage of diabetic pens and epi-pens subject to approval by a Superintendent);
• Alcohol and alcohol based products;
• Bags for personal property, non-transparent, (i.e. briefcases, backpacks, handbags, wallets, purses etc.);
• Personal property, including keys (other than Visitor Reception Centre locker keys), money, personal identification;
• Electronic games consoles, MP3 players, iPods, electronic storage devices including USB flashdrives, memory sticks and heart rate monitors (except where approved by a Superintendent);
• Mliti-media items, CDs, DVDs, films, videos, prohibited publications;
• Electronic items, including rechargeable toothbrushes, razors, clippers etc. (except for medical reasons, subject to approval by a Superintendent);
• Lighters, matches, candles, incense, aerosol-pressure spray can; Any food or drink;
• Metal cutlery / glass bottles or glass containers, non-transparent lunch boxes;
• Colours / patches / gang identification and associated clothing;
• Paint, pens and highlighters with non-transparent casing, scissors, knitting needles;
• Tattooing materials, tools, weights, magnet / magnetic devices.

What are the Visitation hours for Bedford Police Jail

Inmates are required to complete a Visitor Registration form and submit it at Bedford Police Jail, those who are approved on this form will be allowed to visit. All approved visitor must show a valid ID before visiting. All visitors must be 18 years of age. Minors will not be permitted unless accompanied by parents or a legal guardian. Please contact the Bedford Police Jail for the timings.

Can I schedule for Conjugal visit in Bedford Police Jail, Bedford, Pennsylvania

Contact Bedford Police Jail for the rules of the visit as only four states currently allow Conjugal visit.

How to schedule a visit in Bedford Police Jail

Bedford Police Jail request visitors to schedule the visit one day in advance in order to avoid trouble while visiting your inmate, all visitors are requested to arrive at least 15 minutes in advance. Visitors are required to show valid photo ID at the check-in.

What are the requirement to visit your inmate in Bedford Police Jail, Bedford, Pennsylvania

Visitors must register in the Inmate Visitation system prior to scheduling an appointment with the inmate. Walk in visit are welcome, but are available on a first come first basis and are subject to availability. Contact the Bedford Police Jail for scheduling a visit with your inmate.

How to make an appointment to visit your inmate in Bedford Police Jail, Bedford, Pennsylvania

Contact Bedford Police Jail to schedule an appointment with your inmate and to check the time slot, as the inmates are allowed one visit per day. Visitors are required to check the timings and regulations before visiting the prison.

How to book a prison visit online in Bedford Police Jail, Bedford, Pennsylvania

Booking a prison visit online is simple as it takes about 5 minutes of your time. It lets you select 3 slots instead of 1 and you can check with your inmate or the Bedford Police Jail for the visiting hours. The prisoner must add you to their visitor list before you book a visit. You have to create an account online with Bedford Police Jail to book the slot online once it gets confirmed by Bedford Police Jail you can visit your inmate.

How to connect with your inmate through video visit from home in Bedford Police Jail, Bedford, Pennsylvania

Video Visit is a convenient way to connect with your inmate without traveling to the prison or writing an inmate, these video visits can be conducted at home from your Laptop or Android mobile device as it saves you time and expense. Children can now also communicate without visiting the facility. Visitors need to create an account with Bedford Police Jail and get it approved by the facility in order to use this service.

How to connect through jail video visitation in Bedford Police Jail, Bedford, Pennsylvania

Jails are now replacing personal visit through video visit in order to avoid huge traffic and making it convenient for the families of an inmate. The Inmate must register their families on the list which needs to be approved by the Bedford Police Jail.

Phone Calls

Founded in 2013, Pigeonly is the rising leader of jail and prison inmate calling service. Headquartered in Western U.S, Pigeonly has taken the mission to break the communication barrier between inmates and their family. With subscribers in over 88 countries, Pigeonly is reaching new levels to connect inmates with their friends and families.

How to collect calls from Jail in Bedford Police Jail, Bedford, Pennsylvania

If you currently use a cell phone, VoIP phone, you won't be able to collect calls from your inmate as these carriers don't have the service of collect calls. In order to accept collect calls from your inmate facility, you can put money on books at Bedford Police Jail by creating an account with us.. All collect calls are approved by Bedford Police Jail and is billed through your phone carrier company.

How can inmate call their families and friends in Bedford Police Jail, Bedford, Pennsylvania

Inmate calling is a service given to all the inmates to get in touch with their friends and families, in order to use this service all inmates must register with the Bedford Police Jail

How to call a jail to speak to an inmate in Bedford Police Jail, Bedford, Pennsylvania

Families and friends can get in touch with their inmate in jail through collect calls. You need to be on your inmate approved telephone list. Note cell phones cannot receive collect calls you need to have an established pre- paid account, contact us to create an account and start communicating with your inmates.

Pigeonly knows the importance of communication and connecting families as being the largest, independent calling service provider, we consider it our duty to provide our customers with an affordable, convenient way to be in touch with their inmates and that too at a very affordable rate, gone are the days when you have to think twice before picking up the phone to collect a call to your inmates. Our Customers can also send Photos, Postcards, Letters, Greeting Cards right from their phones, tablet or computer, you can even share online information with your inmates anywhere from the world as long as your inmate is imprisoned in the U.S. As we say ‘it's not just business, it's personal' and we stand by this. Our customers need not to worry if their inmate moves or transfer, you just have to inform us and we will update your inmate's location and you can continue using our service.

Pigeonly understands the communication barrier which is why our customers don't have to worry, with our inmate calling facility you can stay in touch with your inmate at discounted rates possible. Our primary aim is to make the entire process convenient and efficient by providing a link between you and an inmate. Pigeonly provide you with the best way to stay connected with your loved ones imprisoned in any State, Federal or Country facility, now Collecting calls from correctional facility is just a step away. All you have to do is register with us and start using our inmate calling service at the best discounted rates.

Click below for the detailed information We believe in serving our customers to the best, if you prefer to speak to one of our executives for any clarification, you can reach us at: Number- 1.800.323.9895 Email- [email protected]

Frequently Asked Questions

Generally, you're allowed to keep the following items with you during your visit:

• Money for vending machine snacks
• Diaper and bottle if you bring a child
• Medication of any sort
• Cigarettes or tobacco-related products
• Anything that can be considered or used as a weapon
• Illicit substances or materials

Yes, any person that is visiting a prisoner is liable to be checked and possibly arrested if they have any active warrants.

• Immediate family members
• Approved relatives
• Friends (usually an approved list of fewer than 10 individuals)
• Religious leaders

On the other hand, there are a number of reasons you may not be allowed to visit a loved one in prison, such as if you have an outstanding warrant, you have an active order of protection against you, you're currently on probation or parole, or you're deemed a security risk. Although individuals who have previously been convicted of felonies may face a tough time being admitted as visitors to a prison, they'll be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Inmate calling is a service given to all the inmates to get in touch with their friends and families, in order to use this service all inmates must register with the Bedford Police Jail.

You may not use our service or the information it provides to make decisions about consumer credit, employment, insurance, tenant screening, or any other purpose that would require FCRA compliance.

Visit an inmate in pennsylvania :

• City & County Jails
• State Prisons
• Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP)
• US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
• US Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
• US Military Prisons and Jails (MIL)
• US Enemy Combatant High Value Detainees (HVD)
• FIND AN INMATE

Bedford County Jail Inmate Visitation

Search for an inmate in bedford county, bedford county jail.

Address: 108 Northcreek Drive Shelbyville, TN 37160 Phone: 931-684-4566

Inmate Visiting Hours at the Bedford County Jail

Bedford county jail on-site visitation schedule.

108 Northcreek Drive Shelbyville, TN 37160 931-684-4566

• Visits are 30 minutes.
• You must be on the inmate's visitor list.
• Visitation schedule subject to change.
• Inmates are allowed one visit per day however the weekly limit is determined by the inmates classification.
• A maximum of 2 guests are allowed per inmate.
• Visitors must have a government issued photo ID.
• Dress professionally with non-revealing clothing.

ON SITE VISITATION SCHEDULE - ALWAYS CALL 931-684-4566 TO CONFIRM VISITATION SCHEDULE!

SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE

VIDEO VISITATION - INFORMATION, SCHEDULES, DURATION AND COST

Bedford county jail uses the services of correctpay.com  (aka jailfunds) for you to schedule and visit your inmate via remote video visitation..

• Visit from your home computer.
• Visit from the correctpay VendEngine Kiosk in the jail lobby.
• Visit by using the JailFunds iphone or Android app

Go here to begin the process to schedule a visit. What is the cost to do remote video visitation? Paid Remote Visits Having a remote visit from your Home or app, the cost of each 20-25 minute ‘friends and family remote visit’ will be approximately $7.95 plus tax . FREE Remote Visits Visitors can also choose to come to the jail and video chat with an inmate via the JailFunds/VendEngine kiosk in the lobby. The video visit on-site at the jail is FREE. You can deposit money four different ways:

• Deposit online at correctpay.com
• Deposit at the correctpay VendEngine kiosk in the Bedford County Jail lobby.
• Deposit over the phone 24/7 at 855-836-3364
• Deposit through their iOS or Android app.

Attorney Visits only!   < (Lawyers, go here) correctpay.com Help 24/7 Customer Service - 855-836-3364 Frequently Asked Questions

Can I visit an inmate in Bedford County Jail custody?

Yes, Bedford County Jail, as well as all jails, allow you to visit an inmate.

By federal law, every jail must make provisions for offenders in custody, whether they are pretrial or convicted and sentenced, to receive visits from friends or family. 

Every state has their own policies regarding the amount of time that a jail must provide offenders in their custody, and then every facility gets to set their own rules, number of times, schedules, etc.   Some jails only allow 30 minutes a month. Others as much as an hour every day.

Before visiting, your inmate will have to have put you on an ‘inmate visitor’s list.' Jails can limit this approved list to as few as five people to as many as twenty.

The jail will most likely run a targeted background check on you, checking for outstanding warrants, criminal convictions and other red flags that may indicate to them that you could be a problem for the jail, a bad influence on the inmate or just be someone whose past puts you in violation of their policies.

There are three different types of visitation: •    Video visitation  •    In-person non-contact visitation •    Contact visitation

For security and staffing reasons, many jails have switched to video visitation only. Video visitation, also referred to as remote visitation, is monitored and recorded by the facility. Video visits can either take place using kiosks in the jail’s lobby, from your computer at home, or using an app on your phone.

Most jails, now that the COVID pandemic is behind us, have gone back to ‘in-person non-contact visitation’ even if they have also retained the video visitation programs. In-person visitation takes place in a booth of sorts, with a thick plastic shield separating the inmate and their visitor. Communication is done using old-fashioned telephone receivers like you see in phone booths.

Contact visitation between inmates and visitors in jails is rare. New York is one state that allows this. In a few other states, inmates who have been sentenced for non-violent offenses and are close to being released, may sometimes be allowed contact visits with special permission. A contact visit allows the inmate and visitor a brief hug or kiss, or handshake, both at the beginning and the conclusion of a visit.

Contact visits are also often allowed between inmates and their lawyer, law enforcement officials, and clergy. The downside of any contact visit is that before returning to their units, inmates must undergo a full strip search, which is demoralizing and invasive.

Can I visit an inmate in state prison custody?

Yes, prisons allow you to visit an inmate. Every state has their own limits on the minimum amount of time an inmate is allowed to have for visits from friends or family, however in federal prison, inmates are allowed a minimum of four hours per month.

Once an offender is sentenced to prison, your inmate will have to fill out a document listing you as an approved visitor. If you are not on this list you will not be allowed to visit.

The prison will then run a background check on you, checking for outstanding warrants, criminal convictions and other red flags that may indicate to them that you could be a problem for the jail, a bad influence on the inmate or just be someone whose past puts you in violation of their policies.

Most prisons allow anywhere from ten to twenty approved visitors per inmate, however each visit is limited to no more than four visitors at a time, children included. The list is compiled by the inmate.

Prisons have always allowed contact visits. A contact visit allows the inmate and visitor a brief hug or kiss, or handshake, both at the beginning and the conclusion of a visit. Some state prisons allow inmates and their visitor to hold hands, as long as the hands are on the table where the guards can see them.

However, given the ongoing problem of contraband - namely drugs and tobacco - being smuggled into the prisons by visitors, even the state prisons are moving to non-contact and video visitation. One way the visitors pass drugs to inmates is when they kiss. The drugs, wrapped in a small balloon, are then swallowed by the inmate who passes them through their digestive system later in the privacy of their cell.

What are the scheduled Inmate visitation times at the Bedford County Jail?

The jail visitation times change often.  It is advisable to contact the Bedford County Jail before planning your visit by calling 931-684-4566 .

If the visit is taking place at the Bedford County Jail, whether in-person or by video, you will have to schedule the day and time with the jail.

Video visitation times from your home are much more flexible, often because you are not utilizing on of the few terminals in the jail lobby, and because the companies that handle the video visitation for the jail are providing inmates with hand-held computers, in addition to the video terminals they have in their units. 

We try to keep up with the visitation schedules for Bedford County Jail, as well as every jail in the country. If we do have the schedule, you will find it on the top of this page.

How often can an inmate get visits?

Every state has their own policies regarding the amount of time that a jail must provide offenders in their custody, and then every facility, including Bedford County Jail, gets to set their own rules, number of times, schedules, etc.   

Some jails only allow 30 minutes a month. Others as much as an hour every day.

Some jails require you to make an appointment one week in advance. Others require no appointment and work off the principle of ‘first come, first served’.

Every jail is different, and schedules can change; sometimes due to an emergency, the visit can be cancelled without notice, the moment you arrive at the jail.

Bedford County Jail Visitation

We try to keep up with the visitation policies and schedules for Bedford County Jail, as well as every jail in the country. If we do have the information on how often an inmate here can get visits, you will find it on the top of this page.

How long is a typical jail inmate’s visit?

An inmate visit can range from 15 minutes to an hour in length. We try to keep up with the visitation information for Bedford County Jail, as well as every jail in the country. If we do have the information on how often an inmate here can get visits, you will find it on this page.

Typically, even though an inmate’s visit has a time limit, if you are visiting remotely from your home computer or cell phone, visits can be scheduled led back-to-back, so that even though your visit may have to start and stop every 15-30 minutes, you could visit with each other for hours at a time.

Keep in mind that video visits of this type do have a fee, as you are paying a third-party company. Prices fluctuate, based both on the company and the jail’s policy, but they typically cost about $0.30+- per minute.

How many people can visit an inmate at a jail or prison at one time?

Every jail makes its own policies regarding how many people can visit an inmate at one time. 

The factors that decide on the number of visitors are: 1.    How many people can fit into the visitation area comfortably. 2.    How many staff can oversee the visitation area. 3.    The more people visiting an inmate the more likely that if there is an argument, it is harder to control.

Most jails limit the number of visitors to no more than three or four, with a maximum of two of them being adults.

When doing a video visit from home, there is no limit on how many people can take part in a visit.

What are the inmate visitation rules for Bedford County Jail?

Every jail and every prison have their own unique set of rules that must be followed when visiting an inmate, but in general, these are the guidelines:

Most important, you must first be on the inmate's approved visitation list that they create. •    Expect to have a background check done. •    Expect to be searched, go through a metal detector or pass a drug sniffing dog. •    You must be at least 18 years of age.  •    You must have a valid, government issued photo ID. •    Recently released inmates are either not allowed or must wait 6-12 months before being approved. •    Felons must get special permission. •    Children are allowed but must be with parent(s) or legal guardian. Birth certificate(s) or other legal proof is mandatory. •    Often babies are not allowed, but if they are, you will be allowed one diaper, one bottle and one teething ring, and maybe a baby carrier. •    Parents must be always in control of children. •    You must stay seated at all times. •    You cannot be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. •    No arguments, loud voices or fighting allowed. •    No cell phones or any electronic equipment allowed. •    No cigarettes, drugs, lighters allowed. •    No purses, handbags or backpacks allowed. •    No weapons allowed. •    It is likely that your ID and your car key will be the only things allowed on the visit.

What are the inmate visitation dress codes for Bedford County Jail?

In general, all jails and prisons are the same when it comes to dress codes and what you are NOT allowed to wear to a visit. The Bedford County Jail is no different.

Jails and prisons don’t want you wearing anything too revealing or too gangster. Here are some of the other types of clothing NOT allowed: •    Shorts •    Short skirts or dresses •    Long skirts or wrap around skirts •    Sleeveless clothing •    Low cut shirts or dresses. •    Underwire bras •    Skirts or dresses with slits. •    Sweats or leggings. •    Tank tops or wife beater shirts. •    Excess jewelry •    Hats or headbands •    See-through clothing •    Pajamas •    Sunglasses •    Wigs or toupees •    Uniforms or scrubs •    Heels over 1”

What can I bring to visit an inmate in Bedford County Jail?

In general, the only thing you can bring into an inmate in a jail is either your ID and your car key, or if they have lockers, you can bring in the locker key. 

Prisons are a different story. Typically, prisons have vending machines in the visitation area and allow visitors to bring in a clear plastic purse with coins in it, usually totaling no more than $40.00.

What do I have to wear when visiting an inmate?

Refer to the answer above that explains the dress codes, but in general, if want to know what to wear to visit someone in jail, imagine you are visiting someone’s grandmother for the first time… wear that outfit.

Can we hold hands, hug or kiss during inmate visits?

There are no jails in the United States that allow contact visits as a matter of regular policy, except for jails in the state of New York. Thus, the concept of holding hands, kissing or hugging is not relevant.

On the other hand, prisons do allow contact visitors from friends and family. When this is the case, a brief kiss or hug (or handshake) is allowed at the start of the visit and the end of the visit. Holding hands above the table is sometimes allowed in prisons, but not in jails.

Can friends visit inmates in Bedford County Jail, or just family?

By law, every inmate is entitled to a visitor, whether family or friend. The only exception to that is youths that are being held in secure juvenile detention centers. The only people allowed to visit them are parents, grandparents, legal guardians, and in some cases, siblings.

In addition, they are also allowed visits from probation officers, lawyers and their caseworkers.

What is a video visit?

Video visitation, also known as remote visitation, is quickly becoming the preferred method for visiting an inmate in jail or prison for the following reasons: •    It requires little to no staff, versus the staff required to move inmates to and from the visit and watch over the visit. It saves the Bedford County Jail money. •    It removes any opportunity for contraband (drugs) to enter the facility. •    It can become a profit center for the facility, given that the revenue generated by visits is shared with the jail. •    While inmates prefer to see family and friends in person, video visitation allows them to visit with them more often, and on a whim. •    Video visitation gives the inmates and their visitors the feeling of more privacy. Video visitation from the perspective of the visitor allows them to visit from their home, their car, at work, and even allows them to take their device to a family or religious gathering. It allows them to give their inmate the feeling of belonging and not being forgotten.

Video visitation can take place on a computer, a tablet or a phone. 

Video visitation saves time. Instead of spending hours driving to the jail, checking in, filling out paperwork, potentially being searched, waiting, and then having a 15–30-minute visit, if it isn’t cancelled at the last minute, the visit can be done from anywhere during a short break in the visitor’s day.

If the visitor does not have access to a phone or computer, they can make an appointment ahead of time and use terminals in the lobby of the jail.

You must also be on the inmate's approved list, even for a video visit.

What are the companies that work with the jails and prisons that allow video visits?

There are several different companies that contract with all the jails and prisons that allow video visitation:

These are the companies in alphabetical order:

CIDNET City Tele Coin Correct Solutions Group Correct Pay Ctel Gettingout GTL Homewav IC Solutions Inmate Canteen Inmate Sales iwebvisits JailATM Jpay Gettingintouch (netvisit) NCIC Prodigy Sales Reliance Securus Smart Communications Tiger Services Visitel In addition, some jails use Microsoft Meeting and Zoom .

What is a conjugal visit?

A conjugal visit is a visit where the inmate is allowed to spend anywhere from several hours to a full weekend with their spouse. These visits are private, not recorded, and take place in a building, and an area of the prison away from the general population.

The purpose of the conjugal visit is to keep the inmate’s relationship with their spouse strong. Some conjugal visits also include the inmate’s children. A swing set and other recreational activities are available for the children to keep occupied.

There are no jails in the United States where conjugal visits are allowed, however the state prisons in California, Connecticut, Washington and New York all allow conjugal visits.

To be eligible, you need to be married, in good standing with the prison, have taken courses that prepare the inmates for these type of visits, and other requirements.

What jails or prisons allow conjugal visits?

Only California, Connecticut, Washington and New York state prisons allow conjugal visits. There are no jails in the United States that allow conjugal visits.

Other countries are much more liberal and some even allow prostitutes to visit the inmates on a weekly basis.

What can I do to appeal if my inmate visits are suspended?

An inmate can get their visitation privileges suspended for their behavior both because of their interactions with staff and inmates, or disobeying policy, or because of their behavior during visitation.

A visitor can get their visitation privileges suspended due to their behavior during an inmate visit or if they violate any of the rules and regulations of inmate visits and/or other jail policies such as mail, phone, email, etc.

If either the inmate or their visitor disagrees with the suspension of their visitation privileges, they need to write a letter explaining their position to the Jail Warden, County Sheriff or the Captain in charge of the facility’s visitation.

Address the letter to: Bedford County Jail PhysicalAddressHtml}

The letter should contain the following: •    Inmate’s full name they were booked under and their  Inmate ID# (booking #, etc.). If you know the Unit # and cell #, write that as well. •    The visitor’s (you) full name, Identification Card number (driver's license, state ID, passport, etc.), home address, telephone number and email address. •    Explanation of what occurred that led to the suspension, including the date, time, who was the staff member present, whether it was a face-to-face visit or video visit. •    Why do you believe the suspension was unwarranted. •    A full-blown apology if it was accidental. •    Why it’s important to the inmate to continue visitation. •    What type of suspension you agree to if it happens again.

You should also offer to come to the jail and present your case face-to-face if they are open to the request. It is harder to turn down a person when they are directly in front of you, asking for your help.

In situations like this it is always best to keep the correspondence cordial, professional and detailed. Do not attack the staff member personally. It is always possible that the staff member was having a bad day or was still feeling anxiety or anger from dealing with a previous issue.

Being a correctional officer in a jail or prison is a very difficult thing. They have be ‘on guard’ against physical attacks, manipulations, lies and really bad behavior at all times. They are ‘the enemy’ and they know it. By putting yourself in their shoes when writing or requesting a suspension be reconsidered, goes a long towards a final resolution that you will be pleased with.

Can I visit an inmate in the if I have a criminal record?

In most jails it is required that you fill out a visitation application prior to visiting an inmate. You also have to be approved to be a visitor by the inmate. Even when visiting by video, you will need to give your personal information which includes your driver’s license or state ID number. 

The jail will use this information to do a quick background check on you to see if you have a criminal history or have any outstanding active warrants.

It is most likely that you will also be asked on the application form if you have ever been arrested, been convicted, or spent time in the Bedford County Jail. If the answer is yes, they will want details, dates, etc.   If you lie about this and get caught, you will lose your right to visits for a period.  This is usually between one year and indefinitely.

If you are a convicted felon, you will have to apply directly to the sheriff. If you are a spouse, child or parent, you have a pretty good chance of getting approved than if you are just a friend. On the other hand, on rare occasions, some jails have adopted a zero-tolerance policy and never allow felons to visit.

If you recently did time in Bedford County Jail, it is most likely that you will not be approved for a visit for a period of six to twelve months, starting on the day of your release. It is rare, but some jails have adopted a zero-tolerance policy and never allow previous inmates to visit, even if your previous conviction was for a misdemeanor.

What if I have a criminal record and the inmate is my child, can I still visit?

As explained in the previous answer, there are generally multiple hoops you must jump through in order to be approved to visit an inmate, if you have a criminal record, specifically if you are a convicted felon, or have recently spent time as an inmate in the Bedford County Jail.

However, if you are a parent of a child in jail, that is one of the rare times that the jail will make an exception and allow you to visit.

Can a juvenile in jail or detention get visits?

Juvenile visits are limited to parents, legal guardians and grandparents. Sometimes siblings are allowed, but this is not always the case. If the caseworker or staff of the facility believe that it's in the best interests of the resident to have siblings visit, it will be approved.

Can children visit inmates in Bedford County Jail?

Most jails will allow inmates to receive visits from their children, however if the child is under age 18, they will need to be accompanied by an adult. Further the adult must be able to legally prove their relationship to the child using either a valid birth certificate, adoption papers or paperwork that proves they are the legal guardian.

If there is a ‘no contact’ order in place in which the inmate has lost their parental rights, and this is not disclosed to the jail, then the inmate may lose visitation rights with other visitors or lose other privileges within the jail, as this is a violation of the law.

Because the presence of children can be a distraction for inmates during visitation, and children require a certain number of things (toys, etc.) to keep them busy, many jails are now setting apart certain days, usually on the weekends, for children to visit.

Children also have to be on the inmate's approved visitor list.

To confirm the visitation rules at the Bedford County Jail regarding child visits, call 931-684-4566 to speak to a staff member.

Are babies allowed to visit inmates at the Bedford County Jail?

Most jails do allow babies to visit. They will require a birth certificate. And given the baby’s needs, they allow the parent to bring in extra items to the visitation room; an extra diaper, a few wipes, a clear bottle with fluid, a pacifier and a baby carrier, for example.

There are some jails however that never allow babies in the visiting room. The cutoff age is usually about two years old.

To confirm the visitation rules at the Bedford County Jail regarding baby or infant visits, call 931-684-4566 to speak to a staff member.

How do I check to see if I have a criminal record?

Most people already know if they have a criminal record. Sometimes they do, but it does not show up on a background check. This is usually because the person has undergone a name change at some point, or the name was misspelled when the data was entered by the court. 

The best place (and least expensive) for the most comprehensive nationwide website to find out if you have a criminal record is privaterecords.net , and they only cost $1.00 for 7-day trial.  

Visiting Hours in Bedford County Jail

The actual visiting hours vary depending on the following factors:

• The day of the week.
• Where the inmate is housed .
• The inmate's sex.
• Whether or not it is a Holiday.
• Each inmate is allowed one or two visits, ranging from 15 minutes to one hour in length each week. Inmates with special privileges are allowed additional visits.
• If you are visiting from another state or traveling a great distance, Bedford County Jail may allow you an extended visitation. Call 931-684-4566 to ask for special consideration.

Bedford County Jail Visitation Application Process

Bedford County Jail may require visitors to fill out an application prior to your visiting an inmate. Carefully fill out the application. Incomplete paperwork is cause for denial. Honesty, especially regarding past criminal convictions, probation etc., is important. These things will most likely show up on the background check – which if lied about on the application, will cause visits to be denied. Call 931-684-4566  to ask specific questions about the application.

Bedford County Jail - Remote Video Visitation with your Inmate

Who Can Visit an Inmate in Bedford County Jail

Anyone over the age of 18, who isn't on felony probation and can produce a valid government-issued photo ID can be approved to visit an inmate in this jail. Visitation applicants in Bedford County  must sometimes submit to a background check. Those with warrants are denied visitation or if allowed to visit, will be arrested at the jail. Jails limit the number of people that can visit an inmate to two adults each visit. Children under age 18 must be accompanied by the parent or legal guardian. Call 931-684-4566  to ask specific questions about this policy or click here for any updates to this policy. It is likely that the Bedford County Jail will deny visitation to anyone with a past felony conviction regardless of probation/parole status. Call 931-684-4566   prior to arriving for the specific jail guideline regarding your legal status. If you are a co-defendant with the inmate in a pending case, your visit will be denied. If you and the inmate are under a court order to have no contact with each other, your visit will be denied. The Bedford County Jail reserves the right to deny any person the right to enter the jail it chooses and for any reason.

Bedford County Jail Visitation Dress Code

The Bedford County Jail staff reserves the right to turn anyone away who is not dressed appropriately for a visit. The best way to be sure the visit takes place is to dress as if you are meeting someone's grandmother for the first time. 

• Wear clothes that are not revealing.
• Don't wear see-through material.
• Have all undergarments covered (males and females) and avoid a lot of cleavage.
• Shorts and skirts should reach mid-thigh.
• Sleeves should be at least half-way to your elbow.

The following types of clothing are also prohibited:

• Clothing promoting gang affiliation.
• Anything displaying drugs, weapons or profanity.
• Clothing depicting anything obscene.

Call 931-684-4566 to ask specific questions about the Bedford County Jail Visitation Dress Code guidelines.

Bedford County Jail Visitation Tips, Rules and Guidelines

Jail visits are conducted in person behind plexi-glass or on a televised screen from another location. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian and guardians must provide proof of their guardianship. Leave all personal belongings, except for your state ID in your vehicle or in a locker (if one is provided). Children must be monitored at all times or jail staff will end the visit early.

How to Send Money to an Inmate in Bedford County

To send commissary money to an inmate in Bedford County Jail follow these steps:

• Register with correctpay by creating an account.
• Select Tennessee, then select Bedford County Jail, and then the inmate you want to send money to.
• Choose the amount of money you want to send, and input your payment method.
• You can deposit money four ways:
• Deposit online at correctpay.com .
• Deposit at the VendEngine kiosk in the Bedford County Jail lobby.

For all information on how to  Send Money to an inmate's account, what the fees are, how long it takes to hit their account and more, check out our full money and commissary guide for Bedford County Jail.

How to Have Remote Video Visits and 'At the Jail' Visits with an Inmate in Bedford County

To register and sign up for a remote visitation account with correctpay.com to communicate with your Bedford County Jail inmate, follow the instructions below:

• Visit from your home computer .
• Visit from the correctpay VendEngine Kiosk in the Bedford County Jail lobby.

Begin the process to schedule a visit :

• Register by creating an account.
• Add a payment method.
• Select Tennessee
• Select Bedford County Jail
• Select your inmate
• Schedule a visit.

24/7 Customer Service - 855-836-3364

For all the information on remote video visits and 'at the jail' visitation for Bedford County Jail, including fees, schedules, how it works and more, check out our  Visit Inmate  Page.

How Do Inmates in Bedford County Jail Get Money to Make Phone Calls?  

To send money to an inmate in order to make phone calls in bedford county jail, follow these steps:.

NOTE: There is a cost to use this service... usually no more than 5%. The link below has all the information you need to know.

For all the information regarding phone calls with Bedford County inmates; what phone service they use, calling cards information, the rules, policies, fees, phone calling times, limits and more visit our  Inmate Phone  Page.

How to Send Commissary Money to an Inmate in Bedford County

To send commissary money to an inmate's account in Bedford County Jail follow these steps:

You can deposit money four different ways:

24/7 Customer Service - 855-836-3364 Frequently Asked Questions

For all information, tips and available items for send money and for shipping  Commissary  packages to an inmate in Bedford County Jail check out our Commissary Instructions Page  for Bedford County.

How to Send a Secure Email or Text Message to an Inmate in Bedford County

To send a secure email message and digital photos to an inmate in Bedford County Jail follow these steps:

• Register with correctpay by creating an account.
• Select Tennessee, then select Bedford County Jail, and then the inmate you want to send your message to.
• Choose the amount of money you want to spend, and input your payment method. The funds can also be used by the inmate to send a message back to you.
• NOTE: All messages between you and your inmate will be permanently recorded and seen by the staff and could be used against your inmate in court... So be careful what you write.
• Uploading photos to Inmate’s email Make sure the file size is less than 5MB. Also make sure your file is a .jpg, .jpeg or .gif.

For all information on how to  Text/Email an Inmate  in Bedford County Jail and send them photos, check out our  Secure Messaging Guide  for Bedford County.  24/7 Customer Service - 855-836-3364

Photos of this facility

Bedford County Jail Contact Information

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• Crime, justice and law
• Prisons and probation

Bedford Prison

Bedford Prison is a prison in the centre of Bedford for prisoners aged 18 and over.

Help us to improve this page. Give us your feedback in this 2-minute survey .

Book and plan your visit to Bedford prison

To visit someone in Bedford Prison you must:

• be on that person’s visitor list
• book your visit in advance (usually 2 working days notice)
• have the required ID with you when you go

Contact Bedford Prison if you have any questions about visiting.

Help with the cost of your visit

If you get certain benefits or have an NHS health certificate, you might be able to get help with the costs of your visit , including:

• travel to Bedford Prison
• somewhere to stay overnight

How to book family and friends visits

You can book your visit by telephone or by email. There is no online booking service available.

Telephone booking line: 01234 373 024 The booking line is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 12:30pm Find out about call charges

Email: [email protected]

To avoid multiple emails, please include the following in the email:

Prisoners name, Prison number (if known), Names of visitors, and preferred day of visit.

Visiting times:

• Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday: 2:15pm to 3:45pm

How to book legal and professional visits

Opening times are Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays.

Morning visiting times are:

• 9:30am to 10:30am
• 10:45am to 11:45am

Afternoon visiting times are:

• 3:15pm to 4:15pm

Prison to Court Video Links (PCVLs)

Book by email: [email protected] Call: 01234 373 179 There is usually next day availability.

Legal/official visits

(Face to face)

Getting to Bedford Prison

Find Bedford Prison on a map

Bedford railway station is a 15-minute walk, or taxis are available at the station. The bus station is a 3-minute walk.

To plan your journey by public transport:

• use National Rail Enquiries
• use Traveline for local bus times

There is no visitor car parking available at Bedford Prison. There are car parks in the town centre a short walk away.

There is disabled access to the visitors centre and the prison. If possible, please let staff know of any additional needs before you arrive.

Entering Bedford Prison

All visitors, aged 16 or older must prove their identity before entering the prison. Read the list of acceptable forms of ID for all visitors. .

All visitors must prove their identity. All adult visitors (18 and above) must prove their identity, with a government issued photo ID before entering prison. Regarding children, a birth certificate or red book is permitted.

Read the list of acceptable forms of ID for all visitors.

There are strict controls on what you can take into Bedford Prison. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker (you need a £1 coin). This includes pushchairs and car seats. Visitors must arrive at the visitor centre to use the lockers. The visits centre is the blue door to the left of the main gate.

You are then expected to check in at the main gate with your ID. Once inside the gate area you will be searched by a member of staff. There will also be a sniffer dog. You will be asked again if you’re carrying any unauthorised articles before you enter the visits hall.

Visitors should dress sensibly. You may be turned away if you are wearing items like vests, low-cut tops, high-cut shorts or dresses, or clothing with offensive slogans.

You will be told the rules when booking and by an officer at the start of your visit. If you break the rules, your visit could be cancelled, and you could be banned from visiting again.

Visiting facilities

The tea bar is open where a selection of basic drinks and snacks will be available. It is £10 per adult and £5 per child to spend in each session. You will have to bring this in coins only and in clear plastic bags.

The play area in the visitor centre is now open.

Keep in touch with someone at Bedford Prison

You may not be able to speak with someone at Bedford Prison during their first few days. This is because it can take up to 5 days to approve who they can be in touch with.

Prisoners do not have phones in their cells so they will always need to call you rather than you call them.

Secure video calls

To have a secure video call with someone in this prison you need to:

• Download the Prison Video app
• Create an account
• Register all visitors
• Add the prisoner to your contact list.

How to book a secure video call

Secure video calls at this prison can be requested by prisoners only.

You will receive a notification if a prisoner has requested a video call with you.

Read more about how it works

Phone calls

Prisoners can phone anyone named on their list of friends and family. This list is checked by the public protection team.

You can also exchange voicemails using the Prison Voicemail service .

Authorised officers may listen to phone calls as a way of preventing crime and helping keep people safe.

You can send emails to someone in Bedford Prison using the Email a Prisoner service .

You might also be able to attach photos and receive replies, depending on the rules at Bedford Prison.

Include the person’s full name and prisoner number (if you have it) on the envelope.

All post apart from legal letters will be opened and checked by officers.

Send money and gifts

You can use the free and fast online service to send money to someone in prison .

You can no longer send money by bank transfer, cheque, postal order or send cash by post.

If you cannot use the online service, you may be able to apply for an exemption - for example if you:

• are unable to use a computer, a smart phone or the internet
• do not have a debit card

This will allow you to send money by post.

Gifts and parcels

Prisoners at Bedford prison can buy permitted items from approved online retailers.

For other requests, contact Bedford Prison for more information on what’s allowed.

If approved, make sure to include the person’s name and prisoner number on the parcel.

All parcels will be opened and checked by officers.

Friends and families of prisoners are permitted to send books directly to their loved ones, or can order books from approved retailers, which can source and send the books on to prisoners.   For the full list of approved retailers, you can read the HMPPS Incentives Policy, Annex F .

Life at Bedford Prison

Bedford Prison is committed to providing a safe and supportive environment where prisoners can learn new skills to help them on release.

Security and safeguarding

Every prisoner at Bedford Prison has a right to feel safe. The staff are responsible for their safeguarding and welfare at all times.

For further information about what to do when you are worried or concerned about someone in prison visit the Prisoners’ Families helpline website .

Arrival and first night

When a prisoner first arrives at Bedford, they will be able to contact a family member by phone. This could be quite late in the evening, depending on the time they arrive.

They will get to speak to someone who will check how they’re feeling and ask about any immediate health and wellbeing needs.

Each prisoner who arrives at Bedford Prison gets an induction that lasts about 2 days. They will meet professionals who will help them with:

• health and wellbeing, including mental and sexual health
• any substance misuse issues, including drugs and alcohol
• personal development in custody and on release, including skills, education and training
• other support (sometimes called ‘interventions’), such as managing difficult emotions

Everyone also finds out about the rules, fire safety, and how things like calls and visits work.

Accommodation

About 500 prisoners are at Bedford Prison.

Education and work

Prisoners have access to a range of work, training and education opportunities including:

• industrial cleaning
• painting and decorating
• independent living skills
• production workshops
• physical education qualifications

They can also get help and support on issues such as health and wellbeing, substance misuse, housing, debt and family relationships in preparation for release.

Support for family and friends

Bedford works with G4S . It is based in the visitors centre. It provides support and information to help you access available services.

Find out about advice and helplines for family and friends .

Concerns, problems and complaints

In an emergency.

Call 01234 373 000 if you think a prisoner is at immediate risk of harm. Ask for the Orderly Officer and explain that your concern is an emergency.

Find out about call charges

Inspection reports

HM Prison and Probation Service publishes action plans for Bedford Prison in response to independent inspections.

Contact Bedford Prison

Governor: Ali Barker

Telephone: 01234 373 000 Fax: 01234 273 568

HMP Bedford St Loyes Bedford MK40 1HG

Updated visits booking line number

Updated visiting guidance based on 1 April COVID rule changes

Added link to new safer custody information under Security and safeguarding.

Updated visiting information: Testing for visitors aged 12 and over.

Updated physical contact guidance

Added visiting times and booking information.

Clarification on the rules for sending in books, under the 'Gifts and parcels' section

Prison has resumed visits for family, friends and significant others. We will update this page with specific visiting information as soon as possible.

Covid update

Updated visit info

Updated visiting information in line with new local restriction tiers.

Updated visiting information in line with new national restrictions in England.

Updated visiting information in line with coronavirus restrictions.

Visits information updated

First published.

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Weekend rundown: Here's the biggest news you missed this weekend

Donald Trump found guilty in historic New York hush money case

A New York jury on Thursday found Donald Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records — the first time a former U.S. president has been convicted of a crime.

The jury reached its verdict in the historic case after 9½ hours of deliberations, which began Wednesday. 

He'll be sentenced on July 11, four days before the Republican National Convention. He faces penalties from a fine to four years in prison on each count, although it's expected he would be sentenced for the offenses concurrently, not consecutively.

Follow live updates here.

"This was a disgrace. This was a rigged trial by a conflicted judge who was corrupt,” Trump fumed to reporters afterward.

The verdict was read in the Manhattan courtroom where Trump has been on trial since April 15. He had pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment his former lawyer Michael Cohen made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the final weeks of the 2016 presidential election.

Trump looked down with his eyes narrowed as the jury foreperson read the word "guilty" to each count.

The judge thanked the jurors for their service in the weekslong trial. “You gave this matter the attention it deserved, and I want to thank you for that,” Judge Juan Merchan told them. Trump appeared to be scowling at the jurors as they walked by him on their way out of the courtroom.

Trump's attorney Todd Blanche made a motion for acquittal after the jury left the room, which the judge denied.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg would not comment on what type of sentence he might seek, saying his office would do its talking in court papers.

"While this defendant may be unlike any other in American history, we arrived at this trial and ultimately today at this verdict in the same manner as every other case that comes to the courtroom doors — by following the facts and the law in doing so, without fear or favor," Bragg said. Asked for his reaction to the verdict, Bragg, who was inundated with threats from Trump supporters during the probe, said, "I did my job. We did our job."

Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, immediately set out fundraising off the news, posting on his website that he's "a political prisoner" and urging his followers to give money.

Legal experts have told NBC News that even if Trump is sentenced to time behind bars, he'd most likely be allowed to remain out of jail while he appeals the verdict, a process that could take months or more. That means the sentence would most likely not interfere with his ability to accept the Republican nomination for president at the July convention.

And it likely wouldn't impact his ability to be elected. "There are no other qualifications other than those in the Constitution,” Chuck Rosenberg, a former U.S. attorney and NBC News & MSNBC Legal Analyst said following Thursday’s verdict.

President Joe Biden's campaign praised the verdict in a statement but stressed that Trump needs to be defeated in November.

“In New York today, we saw that no one is above the law," said the campaign's communications director, Michael Tyler, but the "verdict does not change the fact that the American people face a simple reality. There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the ballot box."

In his closing argument this week, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass told the jury that “the law is the law, and it applies to everyone equally. There is no special standard for this defendant.”

“You, the jury, have the ability to hold the defendant accountable,” Steinglass said.

Trump had maintained that the DA’s office had no case and that there had been no crime. “President Trump is innocent. He did not commit any crimes,” Blanche said in his closing statement, arguing the payments to Cohen were legitimate.

Prosecutors said the disguised payment to Cohen was part of a “planned, coordinated long-running conspiracy to influence the 2016 election, to help Donald Trump get elected through illegal expenditures, to silence people who had something bad to say about his behavior, using doctored corporate records and bank forms to conceal those payments along the way.”

“It was election fraud. Pure and simple,” prosecutor Matthew Colangelo said in his opening statement.

While Trump wasn’t charged with conspiracy, prosecutors argued he caused the records to be falsified because he was trying to cover up a violation of state election law — and falsifying business records with the intent to cover another crime raises the offense from a misdemeanor to a felony. 

Trump was convicted after a sensational weekslong trial that included combative testimony from Cohen, Trump’s self-described former fixer, and Daniels, who testified that she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006 after she met him at a celebrity golf tournament. Trump has denied her claim, and his attorney had suggested that Cohen acted on his own because he thought it would make “the boss” happy.

Other witnesses included former White House staffers, among them adviser Hope Hicks, former Trump Organization executives and former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker.  

Trump didn’t take the witness stand to offer his own account of what happened, even though he proclaimed before the trial began that he would “absolutely” testify. The defense’s main witness was Robert Costello, a lawyer whom Cohen considered retaining in 2018. Costello, who testified that Cohen had told him Trump had nothing to do with the Daniels’ payment, enraged Merchan by making disrespectful comments and faces on the stand. At one point, the judge cleared the courtroom during Costello’s testimony and threatened to hold him in contempt. 

Cohen testified that he lied to Costello because he didn’t trust him and that he’d lied to others about Trump’s involvement at the time because he wanted to protect his former boss.

Cohen was the lone witness to testify to Trump’s direct involvement in the $130,000 payment and the subsequent reimbursement plan. Blanche spent days challenging his credibility, getting Cohen to acknowledge he has a history of lying, including under oath.

Cohen said he was paid the Daniels cash in a series of payments from Trump throughout 2017 that the Trump Organization characterized as payments pursuant to a retainer agreement “for legal services rendered.”

Prosecutors said there was no such agreement, and Cohen’s version of events was supported by documentary evidence and witness testimony. 

Blanche contended that the series of checks then-President Trump paid Cohen in 2017 “was not a payback to Mr. Cohen for the money that he gave to Ms. Daniels” and that he was being paid for his legal work as Trump’s personal lawyer.

Testimony from Jeff McConney, a former senior vice president at Trump’s company, challenged that position. McConney said the company’s chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, told him that Cohen was being reimbursed for a $130,000 payment, and prosecutors entered Weisselberg’s handwritten notes about the payment formula as evidence. Cohen said Trump agreed to the arrangement in a meeting with him and Weisselberg just days before he was inaugurated as the 45th president.

Weisselberg didn't testify. He’s in jail on a perjury charge related to his testimony in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ civil fraud case against Trump and his company. Cohen, McConney and other witnesses said Weisselberg, who spent decades working for Trump, always sought his approval for large expenditures. 

In all, the prosecution called 20 witnesses, while the defense called two.

Trump had frequently claimed, falsely, that the charges against him were a political concoction orchestrated by Biden to keep him off the campaign trail. But Trump eventually managed to bring the campaign to the courtroom, hosting top Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana and Sens. JD Vance of Ohio and Rick Scott of Florida, as his guests in court. Trump also used court breaks to tout political messages to his supporters, while his surrogates sidestepped Merchan’s gag order by attacking witnesses, individual prosecutors and Merchan’s daughter.

Merchan fined Trump $10,000 during the trial for violating his order, including attacks on Cohen and Daniels, and warned he could have him locked up if he continued violating the order.

Cohen celebrated the verdict in a post on X. "Today is an important day for accountability and the rule of law. While it has been a difficult journey for me and my family, the truth always matters," Cohen wrote.

Trump was indicted in March of last year after a yearslong investigation by Bragg and his predecessor, Cyrus Vance. The charges were the first ever brought against a former president, although Trump has since been charged and pleaded not guilty in three other cases. None of the three — a federal election interference case in Washington, D.C., a state election interference case in Georgia and a federal case alleging he mishandled classified documents and national security information — appear likely to go to trial before the Nov. 5 presidential election.

Adam Reiss is a reporter and producer for NBC and MSNBC.

Gary Grumbach produces and reports for NBC News, based in Washington, D.C.

Dareh Gregorian is a politics reporter for NBC News.

Tom Winter is a New York-based correspondent covering crime, courts, terrorism and financial fraud on the East Coast for the NBC News Investigative Unit.

Jillian Frankel is a 2024 NBC News campaign embed.

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• Crime, justice and law
• Prisons and probation

Wandsworth Prison

Wandsworth is a men’s prison in the London Borough of Wandsworth, South West London.

Help us to improve this page. Give us your feedback in this 2-minutes survey.

Book and plan your visit to Wandsworth

To visit someone in Wandsworth you must:

• be on that person’s visitor list
• book your visit in advance
• have the required ID with you when you go

At least one visitor must be 18 or older at every visit.

There may be a limit to the number of visits a person can have. You can check this with Wandsworth.

Contact Wandsworth if you have any questions about visiting.

Help with the cost of your visit

If you get certain benefits or have an NHS health certificate, you might be able to get help with the costs of your visit , including:

• travel to Wandsworth
• somewhere to stay overnight

How to book family and friends visits

You can book your visit online or by telephone.

Telephone booking line: 0300 060 6509

Find out about call charges

The booking lines are open:

Monday, Wednesday and Friday: midday to 5pm

Tuesday and Thursday: 9am to 5pm

Visitors needing additional mobility support, please make us aware when booking your visit.

Visiting times

• Monday: 9am to 10am, 10:30am to 11:30am, 1:30pm to 2:30pm, 3:30pm to 4:30pm
• Tuesday: 9am to 10am, 10:30am to 11:30am, 1:30pm to 2:30pm, 3:30pm to 4:30pm
• Wednesday: 9am to 10am, 10:30am to 11:30am, 1:30pm to 2:30pm, 3:30pm to 4:30pm (no visits on Wednesday PM until further notice)
• Thursday: 9am to 10am, 10:30am to 11:30am, 1:30pm to 2:30pm, 3:30pm to 4:30pm
• Friday: no visits
• Saturday: 9am to 10am, 10:30am to 11:30am, 1:30pm to 2:30pm, 3:30pm to 4:30pm
• Sunday: 9am to 10am, 10:30am to 11:30am, 1:30pm to 2:30pm, 3:30pm to 4:30pm

Available to all prisoners, maximum 3 adults and 3 children per visit.

How to book legal and professional visits

HMP Wandsworth face to face legal visits

To book a legal visit face to face please email [email protected]

Any visit needs to be booked at least 3 days in advance.

We cannot book in advance by more than 2 weeks.

Legal visits are Monday to Thursday:

• 8:30am to 9:30am
• 10:30am to 11:30am
• 1:30pm to 2:30pm
• 3:30pm to 4:30pm

HMP Wandsworth Virtual Visits. (Via Video Link):

• Monday to Friday: 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm

All sessions are usually one hour in duration.

To book a video link legal visit please contact [email protected]

All requests are advised to give as much notice in advance as possible.

Getting to Wandsworth

Find Wandsworth on a map

The closest railways stations to Wandsworth are Wandsworth Town, Wandsworth Common and Earlsfield which are all about a mile away. Clapham Junction station is just over a mile away. Local bus routes 77 and 219 come to near the establishment from Clapham Junction Station. If travelling on 77, you need to get off at stop Heathfield Road and if travelling on 219, then you need to get off at stop County Arms.

To plan your journey by public transport:

• use Transport for London journey planner
• use National Rail Enquiries

If coming by car, use the postcode SW18 3HU for sat nav.

You will need to find parking outside of the prison. There is no visitor car park at the prison and most local roads are limited to permit holders.

Entering Wandsworth

On your first visit to Wandsworth, you will have your fingerprints taken for the security system. These will be used to confirm your identity on future visits.

You will also need to bring ID to every visit.

All visitors, aged 16 or older must prove their identity before entering the prison. Read the list of acceptable forms of ID when visiting a prison .

All visitors will need to be given a pat-down search, including children. You may also be sniffed by security dogs.

Wandsworth has a family-friendly dress code which means visitors should dress appropriately. You may be turned away if you are wearing items like vests, low-cut tops, high-cut shorts or dresses or ripped jeans. Additionally, you cannot wear anything with offensive patterns or slogans. You will need to remove scarves, gloves, watches, sunglasses and hats (except religious head coverings) before you go in. Ask in the visitors centre if you have questions about the dress code.

There are strict controls on what you can take into Wandsworth. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker or with security. This includes pushchairs and car seats.

You will be told the rules by an officer at the start of your visit. If you break the rules, your visit could be cancelled and you could be banned from visiting again.

Visiting facilities

There is a visitors centre run by the Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT) charity. Family and friends can relax, buy refreshments and get advice and support from the staff.

Email: [email protected] Telephone: 020 8874 4377 Find out about call charges

There are lockers in the visitors centre to store your belongings. You will need a £1 coin for this.

Family days

Wandsworth holds monthly family days giving prisoners more time to spend with their children in a more relaxed setting.

They also host a monthly Homework Club for prisoners to help their children with homework.

Prisoners can apply for these visits.

Keep in touch with someone at Wandsworth

There are several ways you can keep in touch with a prisoner during their time at Wandsworth.

Secure video calls

To have a secure video call with someone in this prison you need to:

• Download the Prison Video app
• Create an account
• Register all visitors
• Add the prisoner to your contact list.

How to book a secure video call

You can request a secure video call with someone in this prison via the Prison Video app.

You will receive a notification when your request has been accepted.

Read more about how it works

Phone calls

Prisoners have phones in their cells and are able to make outgoing calls. They have to buy phone credits to do this.

Phones do not accept incoming calls so they will always have to call you.

They can phone anyone named on their list of friends and family. This list is checked by security when they first arrive so it may take a few days before they are able to call.

You can also exchange voicemails using the Prison Voicemail service .

Officers may listen to phone calls as a way of preventing crime and helping keep people safe.

You can send emails to someone in Wandsworth using the Email a Prisoner service .

You might also be able to attach photos and receive replies from the prisoner, depending on the rules at Wandsworth.

You can write at any time.

Include the person’s name and prisoner number on the envelope.

If you do not know their prisoner number, contact Wandsworth .

All post, apart from legal letters, will be opened and checked by officers.

Send money and gifts

You can use the free and fast online service to send money to someone in prison .

You can no longer send money by bank transfer, cheque, postal order or send cash by post.

If you cannot use the online service, you may be able to apply for an exemption - for example if you:

• are unable to use a computer, a smart phone or the internet
• do not have a debit card

This will allow you to send money by post.

Gifts and parcels

Friends and family can drop off books, socks and underwear for prisoners at Wandsworth whenever the visitors centre is open. These should be left in the property drop box in the visitors centre.

Prisoners must apply for permission to receive any other items. They can do this using a kiosk.

They are given a list of approved items that can be handed in and can receive one parcel in the first 28 days of custody. After that, they will normally be allowed one parcel a year if they are under 50 or one parcel every six months if 50 or over.

Parcels should be handed in at the property garage next to the visitors centre. The property garage opening times are:

• Tuesday: 8:30am to 11:45am, 1:30pm to 3:45pm
• Thursday: 8:30am to 11:45am, 1:30pm to 3:45pm
• Saturday: 9am to 11:45am

Make sure to include the person’s name and prisoner number on the parcel.

Friends and families of prisoners are permitted to send books directly to their loved ones, or can order books from approved retailers, which can source and send the books on to prisoners.   For the full list of approved retailers, you can read the HMPPS Incentives Policy, Annex F .

All parcels will be opened and checked by officers.

Contact Wandsworth or ask at the visitors centre for more information.

Life at Wandsworth

Wandsworth is committed to providing a safe and educational environment where prisoners can learn new skills to help them on release.

Security and safeguarding

Every person at Wandsworth has a right to feel safe. The staff are responsible for their safeguarding and welfare at all times.

For further information about what to do when you are worried or concerned about someone in prison visit the Prisoners’ Families helpline website .

The Samaritans also train prisoners to be ‘listeners’ to help support other prisoners going through difficult times.

Arrival and first night

When a prisoner first arrives at Wandsworth, they will be able to contact a family member by phone. This could be quite late in the evening, depending on the time they arrive.

They will get to speak to someone who will check how they’re feeling and ask about any immediate health and wellbeing needs.

Each person who arrives at Wandsworth gets an induction that lasts about a week. They will meet professionals who will help them with:

• health and wellbeing, including mental and sexual health
• any substance misuse issues, including drugs and alcohol
• personal development in custody and on release, including skills, education and training
• other support (sometimes called ‘interventions’), such as managing difficult emotions

Everyone also finds out about the rules, fire safety, and how things like calls and visits work.

Accommodation

Around 1600 prisoners are accommodated at Wandsworth across 5 wings. These are A, B, C, D and E. There is a mixture of single and shared cells. Each wing has its own showers and canteen.

Other buildings hold the visiting halls, gyms, sports hall, library, classrooms and workshops.

Wandsworth also has a diverse, multi-faith chaplaincy team providing support to prisoners.

Education and work

Prisoners can choose from a broad range of learning opportunities, including:

• information and communication technology (ICT)
• English for speakers of other languages (ESOL)
• bicycle repair
• gardening and horticulture
• construction skills
• radio production

Other opportunities include:

• a befriending and support service for foreign nationals
• embroidery lessons and workshop
• Liberty choir
• parenting skills
• employability skills
• musician in residence
• mindfulness

Work is also available throughout the prison.

Organisations Wandsworth works with

Shannon Trust helps prisoners with their reading skills and trains prisoners to be peer mentors.

St Giles Trust trains prisoners to advise fellow prisoners with prison life and preparing for release.

StandOut helps prisoners with their employability skills, CVs and disclosure letters and works to create employment opportunities for them as they approach release.

Strive Training runs workshops in employability skills and parenting skills.

Trailblazers Mentoring pairs young prisoners at the end of their sentence with volunteer mentors to help them through their release and back in the community.

Forward Trust supports prisoners with substance misuse and dependency issues.

Support for family and friends

Find out about advice and helplines for family and friends .

Support at Wandsworth

The Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT) team provides a range of information, guidance and support to families and friends of prisoners. You can call or ask in the visitors centre to speak to someone.

Concerns, problems and complaints

In an emergency.

Call 0208 588 4000 if you think a prisoner is at immediate risk of harm. Ask for the Orderly Officer and explain that your concern is an emergency.

Problems and complaints

If you have any other problem contact Wandsworth .

Inspection reports

HM Prison and Probation Service publishes action plans for Wandsworth in response to independent inspections.

Contact Wandsworth

Governor: Katie Price

Telephone (24 hours): 020 8588 4000 Find out about call charges

Follow Wandsworth on Twitter/X

HMP Wandsworth PO Box 757 Heathfield Road Wandsworth London SW18 3HS

Opening hours updated for visits booking telephone line.

Updated safer custody contact numbers and information.

Wandsworth prison will are now offering additional visiting time slots on weekends.

Secure video calls update.

Updated visiting information

Updated visiting guidance based on 1 April COVID rule changes

Added link to new safer custody information under Security and safeguarding.

Updated visiting information: Reduced visit schedule and testing for visitors aged 12 and over.

Updated visiting information: Testing for visitors aged 12 and over.

Updated visits booking line number

Added link to information about testing for physical contact at visits.

Updated visiting and booking information added.

Prison moved into National Stage 3 framework and is now preparing to open visits for family, friends and significant others. We will update this page with specific visiting information as soon as possible.

Visits update

Updated visiting information in line with new local restriction tiers.

Updated visiting information in line with new national restrictions in England.

Updated video call info

Updated: HMP Wandsworth visiting times and visiting procedure changes during coronavirus.

First published.

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