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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>367739</law_id><section_number>53.1-35.2</section_number><catch_line>Visitation of certain prisoners by minor dependents</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="117" identifier="53.1">Prisons and Other Methods of Correction</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="2" identifier="2">State Correctional Facilities</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="2" identifier="2">Treatment and Privileges of Prisoners</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> The <span class="dictionary">Director</span> is authorized to prescribe reasonable rules regarding visitation that shall include authorization of visitation by <span class="dictionary">minor</span> dependents of prisoners who are primary caretakers of <span class="dictionary">minor</span> children with Level 1 or Level 2 security classifications that include (i) opportunities for dependent children under the age of 18 to visit their incarcerated primary caretakers at least twice per week unless an employee of the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> has a reasonable belief that the child (a) may be harmed during visitation or (b) poses a security risk due to a gang affiliation, prior <span class="dictionary">conviction</span>, or past violation of a correctional facility&#x2019;s contraband policy; (ii) the elimination of restrictions on the number of dependent children under the age of 18 that may be permitted visitation <span class="dictionary">privileges</span>; and (iii) authorization for contact visits for prisoners who are primary caretakers of <span class="dictionary">minor</span> children. <a id="paragraph-1368869" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/53.1-35.2/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Nothing in this section shall prevent the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> from refusing visitation of a <span class="dictionary">minor</span> child based on an individualized determination by the <span class="dictionary">Director</span>, warden, or superintendent that such visitation presents security or operational risks. <a id="paragraph-1368870" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/53.1-35.2/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2020, c. 526.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
