Gib Lewis Unit is a prison especially made for male inmates, located in Woodville, Texas. The Lewis Unit is managed by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. In general, they can house up to 2,232 inmates that are classified into G1 through G5 Administrative Segregation. Their operations include Security Horses, Pack Canines, and Unit Garden. Let us know about “What Is The Lewis Unit?”
The unit was named after a politician, Gibs Lewis in 1990. Lewis Unit also provides the facility of woodworking employment for inmates. Lewis Unit is also known for organizing General Educational Development programs and providing adult basic education and career programs in the field of electrical trading, heating, air conditioning, cabinet making, ventilation, mills, and refrigerator. Some other programs are focused on abuse education, mentoring, religious studies, and volunteering activities for prisoners. Additional male offenders are often held in an open bay dormitory and regular inmates are usually detained back into a single cell.
What Are Visiting Hours Of The Lewis Unit?
The visitation hours at Lewis Unit are only on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visiting the inmates from the expansion cellblock is only possible via appointment. Apart from weekends, any festival visitations would be looked through by the Commissioner, after the visitor schedules a date for the visitation. You can contact the unit facility to schedule a date and time. Lewis Unit offers a parking lot for the visitors so you must make sure to park where the rest of the vehicles are. You must also keep in mind that trucks filled with items are not allowed inside.
Visitation Rules
Only two adults above 18 are allowed to visit an inmate. No minor children are allowed in the number. No visitors are allowed until they have applied for the visitation and been granted permission by the Commissioner unless the inmate is new and is an immediate family member of the visitor. If the visitor is a minor and spouse of an inmate, they must provide their marriage certificate to get an approval of the visitation rights.
Usually, the visiting period with the inmates is for two hours, which can be contact or no contact depending on the situation and your relationship with them. You are allowed to visit the inmate once every week. If the inmate is an immediate family member of the visitor, limited physical contact is allowed within the visiting period of two hours. The visitation areas have the facility for handicapped visitors along with the bathrooms and entrance ramps developed.
Through the checkpoint, the following items are allowed to be taken inside the cell,
Visitor’s ID proof
Vehicle keys
Glasses
Vending machine card with only $25 coins for the machine
One watch
Wedding ring
Earring
Babycare items
Hamburgers with veggie patties only two items per person
Cheese
Chicken 2-3 strips per person packed
Lunch meals pre-sealed
Hot dogs limited to 2 packets
Shredded lettuce, onions, tomatoes, and pickles in a see-through bag
Aluminum foil only a single roll
Non-metallic cookware
Single-walled cups and plates one per person
1 pack of napkins
Single-walled styrofoam coolers
Disposable table cloth
Pre-sealed condiments for individual serving
No crockery items allowed
Although these items are restricted to a limited number, the food items are only allowed if particular inmates are granted a picnic on weekends for limited hours.
How To Apply For A Visitation Form For Adults?
Take a printout of the visitation form through the official website
Or the inmate can request a physical form and send it to you
Fill out the requirements
Submit the form to the Associate Warden of Security with the prison name, inmate’s name, and address on the envelope, with a recent photo of yours for proof (should not be mailed to the inmate)
The form goes through the NCIC check and takes up to 30 days to be processed
Only immediate family members of the inmates who have been detained in less than 60 days are allowed to visit
After the approval, the inmate is informed of the visitation approval and must acknowledge the member about it
If you submit a form including any false information, you may not be able to send in another form for six months
How To Apply For A Visitation Form For kids?
- Take a printout of the visitation form from the official website
- Fill out the requirements
- Provide legal notary permission granted for the child’s visitation
- Allow the consent to check the child passing through the checkpoint
- Provide a copy of the child’s birth certificate
- An updated photo of the child must be attached to the form while submission
- Submit the envelope to the Associate Warden of Security, including the prison name, inmate’s name, and address
- Wait for the NCIC check until 30 days
- The offender must receive the notification and acknowledge the member
Is There A Dress Code For Visitors?
Yes. Lewis Unit follows a strict policy that every visitor must abide by. The following are the rules to keep in mind while visiting an inmate,
- No revealing or tightly-fitted clothes are allowed during the visit
- No clothing with photos or code language is allowed
- Skirts shorter than 3 inches above the knee are not allowed (not applicable for kids)
- Full pants and shirts are allowed (Sleeveless shirts must be covered up to shoulders)
- Sandals and flip-flops are allowed. No boots or shoes are allowed inside
Does The Lewis Unit Allow Calling An Inmate?
Yes, of course. There is a time limit to calling an inmate. To make a call, you may first have to register for a membership with the Texas prison phone. You can register through the official website, texasprisonphone.com, or make a phone call at 1-866-806-7804 to be eligible for calling an inmate. Make sure to know the inmate’s TDCJ ID number to register and receive their phone calls. The phone call timings are between 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. for 30 minutes before you hear a warning sign one minute before you disconnect. Each call is monitored and recorded and needs to be made from a landline, postpaid or prepaid phone. No internet calls are allowed.
To fill the requirement, you may need,
- Your driver’s license name that matches with the telephone billing name
- You will accept to be the registered owner to receive the inmate’s calls
- You must be above 18
- You will comply with the rules by speaking one-on-one without forwarding calls, putting on speaker, or adding on conference
- People using cell phones with post paid may be required to provide a legitimate copy of the recent phone bill that showcases your number, name, company logo, billing address, the basic plan, date of the bills
- Prepaid plan users may be required to show online transactions with name, number, and the address (without any editing)
Conclusion
For over years, Gibs Lewis Unit has believed in providing visitation rights for all eligible inmates as it is a part of their rehabilitation growth. Besides the regular rules and restrictions, Lewis Unit is one such prison that has great opportunities for inmates in education and career. By reading the guidelines on the official website and registering yourself for a visit, you can easily schedule a date and time to visit them.
