Visiting someone incarcerated at WI DOC - Wisconsin Resource Center (WRC) in Winnebago, Wisconsin means working within the visitation rules set by the Wisconsin 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 WI DOC - Wisconsin Resource Center (WRC), confirm the current process and your approval status by calling 920-426-4310.
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 WI DOC - Wisconsin Resource Center (WRC) may differ for general population, restricted housing, and protective custody inmates. Call 920-426-4310 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 WI DOC - Wisconsin Resource Center (WRC) 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 WI DOC - Wisconsin Resource Center (WRC) 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 920-426-4310 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 920-426-4310 to confirm what's offered at WI DOC - Wisconsin Resource Center (WRC).
To start the visitor application process or check current visiting hours at WI DOC - Wisconsin Resource Center (WRC), call 920-426-4310.
Family members, friends, and others who provide support to our residents are encouraged to visit.
In-person visitation will be hosted on holidays. Holidays include New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year's Eve. Zoom visitation will not take place on holidays recognized on a Monday or Tuesday.
We can host up to four Zoom visits at one time during the Zoom visitation time slots.
We can host up to eight in-person visits at one time during the in-person visitation time slots. Each resident is permitted six in-person visitors per visit.
Prior to any visit starting, all visitors will be required to show valid identification. Children and minors are able to visit as long as they are on the approved visitation list and have an approved adult present.
Visits are scheduled in the order they are received.
To schedule a Zoom visit or an in-person visit, send the following information to dhswrcvisitation@dhs.wisconsin.gov (or call 920-426-4310, ext. 4182):
Staff will respond to your message within three business days.
Notes: Staff may cancel visits at any time. Visits also may be canceled if the resident is in disciplinary status or medical quarantine. Zoom visits will be canceled if technology issues prevent a connection from being established. Staff will try for 15 minutes after the scheduled start time to make a connection before canceling the visit. Zoom visits will not be extended past the scheduled time slots if the start of the visit was delayed for any reason, including technology issues.
Last revised September 15, 2023