Search procedures

Prison officers search prison visitors. This ensures both visitors and prisoners stay safe.

Visitor searches

Along with adults, children and babies can also be searched so it is important that you reassure your child about the possibility of being searched before you arrive.

Children and babies are always searched in a way that ensures that their health and well-being is protected. When staff suspect that children are being used to smuggle drugs into a prison, they will treat this as suspected child abuse and may inform the police and child protection services. Children under the age of 16 are searched only with the consent of their parent or carer. Please be aware that if you refuse to let prison authorities search your child or baby, you may be refused entry to the prison.

The different prisons in Northern Ireland each have rules governing specific types of visits. Further information is available on the Department of Justice website.

• Department of Justice NI website

Drugs

You may also be required to stand in line while a Passive Drugs Dog is walked past you. If the dog indicates that you have been in contact with drugs the dog will sit down beside you. Should this happen, you will be offered a closed visit or if you do not want to take up this offer you may be asked to leave the establishment and re-arrange the visit.

Any visitor found to be in possession of prohibited articles may be held by prison staff and handed over to the police.

A leaflet explaining search procedures in more detail will be available at most prisons.