Massachusetts jail is first in state to end in-person visits, allow only video calls

The first Massachusetts prison is making the switch from in-person visits to visits through video conference.The Bristol County House of Corrections in North Dartmouth will no longer offer in-person visits, limiting visitors to video calls only with inmates, MassLive reported.Correction officials hope that the change will keep illegal substances from being brought into the jail by visitors."We want to keep visitors out of the secure portion of our jail," County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Jonathan Darling told MassLive.In the next week few weeks, a trailer on prison grounds will be set up and equipped with rows of video conferencing equipment for visitors to use.Remote video calls will also be possible. Visitors will be charged for these calls but correction officials are not yet sure what the exact fees will be.This has been one of several controversial decisions for Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson. Hodgson has also discussed charging prisoners a daily incarceration fee as well as sending Massachusetts inmates to work on the border wall between the U.S. and Mexico.

The first Massachusetts prison is making the switch from in-person visits to visits through video conference.

The Bristol County House of Corrections in North Dartmouth will no longer offer in-person visits, limiting visitors to video calls only with inmates, MassLive reported.


Correction officials hope that the change will keep illegal substances from being brought into the jail by visitors.

"We want to keep visitors out of the secure portion of our jail," County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Jonathan Darling told MassLive.

In the next week few weeks, a trailer on prison grounds will be set up and equipped with rows of video conferencing equipment for visitors to use.

Remote video calls will also be possible. Visitors will be charged for these calls but correction officials are not yet sure what the exact fees will be.

This has been one of several controversial decisions for Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson.

Hodgson has also discussed charging prisoners a daily incarceration fee as well as sending Massachusetts inmates to work on the border wall between the U.S. and Mexico.