Visiting someone incarcerated at IN DOC - Reception Diagnostic Center in Plainfield, Indiana means working within the visitation rules set by the Indiana Department of Corrections. State prison systems are larger and more bureaucratic than county jails, and visiting procedures, including application forms, approval timelines, and scheduling portals, are standardized across the state's DOC facilities. Before your first visit to IN DOC - Reception Diagnostic Center, confirm the current process and your approval status by calling 317-839-7727.
Every state DOC requires visitors to submit a written application before being added to an inmate's approved visitor list. The application typically asks for your full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, address, relationship to the inmate, and your criminal history if any. The DOC runs a background check, and approval can take anywhere from two weeks to a couple of months depending on the state. Prior felony convictions, active warrants, or a recent release from custody yourself can result in denial. You'll receive written notice of approval or denial by mail.
State prisons schedule visits by housing unit, custody level, and day of week. Many state DOCs now require advance scheduling through an online portal such as GTL/ViaPath GettingOut, Securus Visitation, or a state-run system, with visits booked days or weeks ahead. Walk-up visits without an appointment are rare in modern state corrections. Visiting days at IN DOC - Reception Diagnostic Center may differ for general population, restricted housing, and protective custody inmates. Call 317-839-7727 for the current schedule and to confirm whether the inmate's current status allows visits.
Bring a valid government-issued photo ID. Most state DOCs require it to be unexpired and match the name on your approved visitor application. Dress code at IN DOC - Reception Diagnostic Center is enforced at the entry point: no clothing matching inmate uniforms (colors vary by state; often blue, white, gray, or orange), no revealing attire, no underwire bras in some facilities (they set off metal detectors), no hats, no jackets in the visiting room. Phones, bags, and electronics stay in your vehicle or in lobby lockers. Searches of visitors are routine; refusing a search ends the visit.
Visits at IN DOC - Reception Diagnostic Center depend on the inmate's classification. Minimum and medium custody inmates generally receive contact visits in a common visiting room. Maximum custody, administrative segregation, and protective custody inmates may be restricted to non-contact visits through glass or limited to fewer hours per month. Inmates in disciplinary status can have visits suspended entirely. If the inmate has been transferred recently, has a pending classification change, or is in restricted housing, call 317-839-7727 to verify what type of visit is currently allowed.
Most state DOCs now offer video visitation as a supplement to or replacement for some in-person visits. Video visits at state facilities are typically handled through GTL/ViaPath, Securus, or HomeWAV and require setting up a paid account, scheduling in advance, and connecting from a smartphone, tablet, or computer. Some states have made video the primary or only visitation option at certain facilities. For information on inmate phone discount plans and money transfer options that work alongside video visitation, see InmateAid's inmate services and call 317-839-7727 to confirm what's offered at IN DOC - Reception Diagnostic Center.
To start the visitor application process or check current visiting hours at IN DOC - Reception Diagnostic Center, call 317-839-7727.
Attorney Visits:
Requests for general in-person legal visits between attorneys and Incarcerated Individuals must be made to the facility where the Incarcerated Individuals is housed. Attorney/Incarcerated Individuals visit requests are being scheduled and will continue as long as it is safe to do so on a facility-by-facility basis. Based on the conditions of each facility, they are subject to being postponed or rescheduled. A reliable alternative to an in-person attorney/Incarcerated Individuals visit is to schedule a confidential phone call. Incarcerated Individuals must have the attorney's phone number added to their approved telephone list. All calls are to be 'collect calls' unless the Incarcerated Individuals utilizes prepaid minutes.
*Visitation for offenders at the Reception Diagnostic Center (RDC) is limited to legal representatives and clergy only and is arranged on a case-by-case basis. Offenders are not allowed visits from friends and family while at RDC, however they may receive mail correspondence. Mail must be addressed to the offender, with his DOC number included, on the outside of the envelope, and sent to the facility’s address listed in the facility overview section.