I Need Help Getting Ahold of the Director to Restore Visits

[amanda81]

Through miss communication my visitation rights have been suspended and the warden keeps denying my pleas to see my husband.  I have written him twice and each time it's a no go.  My husband's counselor has advised us to get in contact with the director.  This mission I have found impossible.  I really don't know who i should be getting a hold of now and what to do next.  Please help me!!  I am not a felon but I did serve time in jail for 10 days for driving on a suspended license.  I "failed" to tell them this, which was a total !  The guard had asked "have you ever been in here before" I thought she was asking if i had ever been in prison before and i said "no".  I told them about my DUI and any other misdemeanor I had and it was that one .  Please someone helping me.  I haven't been able to see him since he has been locked up and he has a ways to go, he was locked up in August.  Please I am begging for help.  I am lost and confused and this is all new to me and I could use any help that anyone can offer.  Thank you Amanda

[Marks_guy]

This is the main number in Springfield:

217-558-2200  

Just keep in mind that the Director probably won't do much to help you. The high-ups don't usually take action in these matters, instead backing up the decisions of the wardens.

[Forevermah]

Normally when they deny visits, it's for a period of 6 months to one year and there really isn't anything you can do until that time is up.  I would wait till the 6 month time limit and then write the warden again and see what they tell you.  If this happened in August, then the first time you should be writing is in January.

The Director is not going to be able to get your visits back, it comes from the warden that suspended them.

[Dazzler]

In my own personal experience they make you wait the full time you were suspended for.  In the case of fibbing about having a felony I don't know if there is a determined amount of time of suspension.  However, it is the warden of the prison that suspended the visits and it's the warden of that same prison that must reinstate, regardless if it's the same warden or a new one. 

[Eileen33us]

Yep! Been there. Got my visits suspended for 6 months for being rude to a CO and I had to wait the entire 6 months. I learned a hard lesson too!
All you can do is wait, they will send you and your l/o a letter when they are reinstated.
Good luck!

[kristydavid]

I was also suspended and right now I am trying to get my visits back.  I was suspended from seeing my husband in June and was only put on a temporary restriction until Dec but I was told I needed to write a letter to the assistant warden and when I did they denied me still and what makes me angry is that the warden that suspended me no longer is there so I had to write a new warden and he denied me with no reason why.  I cotacted Jaclyn ODay at IDOC office of constituents and she is reviewing my issue and is suppose to let me know something soon hopefully.

[Forevermah]

I was also suspended and right now I am trying to get my visits back.  I was suspended from seeing my husband in June and was only put on a temporary restriction until Dec but I was told I needed to write a letter to the assistant warden and when I did they denied me still and what makes me angry is that the warden that suspended me no longer is there so I had to write a new warden and he denied me with no reason why.  I cotacted Jaclyn ODay at IDOC office of constituents and she is reviewing my issue and is suppose to let me know something soon hopefully.

The warden who denied your visits is the only one that reinstate them, since there is a new warden, he would be the one to reinstate your visits.  While they say you can request them back in six months, most of the time it is one year before they will even consider reinstatement.

Good Luck, I hope you get it all worked out.

[kristydavid]

I still havent gotten any news from the Cheif in the Office of Constituents and it has been over three weeks. I hope that I get my visits back soon especially when the allegations were lies and there is no proof.  My husband didnt even get a ticket or anything just that he cant see me but he can have visits from anyone else thats on his visitors list.  I know that I will talk with an attorney and do whatever I can about this if I dont get my visits back.  This is crazy and something needs to be done.  Thanks I need all the luck I can get with dealing with the people at IDOC and Vienna Correctional!

[Dazzler]

Nothing is going to be done and the more you rattle their cage the longer you will wait.  Save your time contacting an attorney...they aren't going to get involved anyway and the IDOC could care less...You will probably have to wait the full one year and THEN you must write a respectful and remorseful letter to win them back...I'd back off all the threats and Springfield involvement...they can't and won't get involved. 

You don't say what you did to get suspended but I'm sure the IDOC has a reason.

[Bobsgirl17]

kristydavid...As hard as this is, you should not involve Springfield or an attorney.  I lost my visits for a bogus reason too.  Although it was not as long as yours, I did not involve Springfield because I knew it would just come back to "bite" me in the butt.  They (IDOC) did what they did.  They are not going to budge on it because then it is admitting they were wrong.  And an attorney has no pull with something like this.

And like Dazzler said, when requesting your visits back, write a respectful and remorseful letter.  It does not matter how you feel on the inside.  You have to do things the way that they want you to.  It is so very wrong but it is the way it is with the IDOC.  They do not have to have a truthful reason for taking away visits.  It can simply be because you are trying to help your l/o with medical issues, as in my case.  But either way, it is the home of the IDOC and they make up their own rules.

Good luck to you...

[jcruz1104]

My hubby is at Vienna, and I have noticed they seem to be so much more stricter is the word Ill use. I do not have visits i know why and I know I will not be allowed as long as he is in IDOC custody  for this charge.
I was given a reason.

If he is at Vienna LaRue Love is the person to contact regarding visits. He is a reasonable man, you may want to write a letter to him. I was told a few times that Mr. Love is the Assistant Warden and he is handling requests for visits.
 

good Luck I hope you get visits.

[kristydavid]

I did write a letter to Mr. Love and yes he is the assistant warden there now.  He denied me when I wrote him a letter and he wasnt the assistant warden that suspended me from visiting.  It was Mr. Dillman at the time and Mr Dillman told me that my restriction would just fall off after my 6 months was up but it didnt.  Thanks for all of the information.  I was told by a C/O to write Springfield and also told me that I could get them for all the harassment that I got when I was there visiting just because I would come ever week for 2 days and they didnt want to babysit. 

[Skully]

I personally wouldn't trust any advice coming from a C/O... they are known for providing misinformation...

[jcruz1104]

Kristy,
unfortantally at this point its a waiting "game". Waiting to see if you get previlages back, when and all that not so fun stuff.

I wouldn't rely on CO's words. Some are very nice and try to help and have good information. But there are some that just say what will make you happy.

Good Luck. Hope it works out SOON!

[kristydavid]

Well today I got the call that I was waiting for!  My visits were restored and Jaclyn ODay did a great job and was very helpful.  Thanks  all of you for being here to give help and advice and it goes to show that some people that work for IDOC are helpful!

[Skully]

Congrats! I know you must be very happy :) Enjoy your visits and be a good girl!