Do USA Police have Lay Visitors?

[ChuckFinlay]

I just watched a BBC documentary on the NYPD, do US police have a lay visitor system like we do in the UK (https://www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q107.htm), whereby approved members of the public can turn up unannounced at a police station to speak with a detained person to check on their welfare?

Curious how our systems compare and know we have some US cops on here.

TIA

[Kingair]

Welfare of the Police or . . . ?

Website doesn't open here . . .

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[77T]

Anyone incarcerated (with a few exceptions) can have visitors during posted hours.

[Abdullah71601]

From the website

Independent Custody Visitors (ICVs) were formerly known as lay visitors. To become an ICV you need to apply to your local police and crime commissioner. You need to be aged over 18 and not working for the police service or in the criminal justice system or in any role where a conflict of interest may arise i.e. a solicitor. You also need a good command of the English language (all paperwork in cell areas is written in English). If you are successful you will be given the relevant training for the role. ICVs are volunteers but do get reimbursed for their expenses.

The principal role of the ICV is to visit detained persons in police custody and speak to them about the treatment they are receiving from the police and to check that they have had all their rights and entitlements. The detained person is under no obligation to speak to ICVs, it is purely a personal choice. The ICV can also check that person's custody record with his or her permission.

As they have a general responsibility to check the police are doing their work properly, they can do a check of all areas of the custody suite, ask questions and look at the records relating to the activities in the suite.

[ChuckFinlay]

Thank you Abdullah.

The question was whether there is a system in place for someone who has been authorised to turn up, unannounced, and check on the welfare of a person in custody.

Not on the welfare of the police officers, not a visitor who is a friend or relative of the detained person.

Here we have a group of independent people, not connected to law enforcement or the law in anyway, who can turn up and insist on seeing a detained person to check on their welfare.

I wondered if the same system existed Stateside.

[Kingair]

Originally Posted by ChuckFinlay

Thank you Abdullah.

The question was whether there is a system in place for someone who has been authorised to turn up, unannounced, and check on the welfare of a person in custody.

Not on the welfare of the police officers, not a visitor who is a friend or relative of the detained person.

Here we have a group of independent people, not connected to law enforcement or the law in anyway, who can turn up and insist on seeing a detained person to check on their welfare.

I wondered if the same system existed Stateside.

Didn't know it existed and that it was allowed

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[ChuckFinlay]

Does in the UK, just wondering if similar does in the US.

[James K]

No, there isn't in exactly that same manner. There's ways to see people in custody but it's complicated to explain and varies because of several different components surrounding the arrest.

[ChuckFinlay]

Thank you. I have been looking into this and it does seem to be unique to the UK. I've also been looking at training comparisons, which also show a marked difference.

Thanks for the input, some eye opening info.

[ecdc]

In short, no. Most jails/prisons have visiting hours a couple times per week, but the inmate generally needs to put the visitor on an "approved visitor" list. The inmate's lawyer can usually show up almost anytime to visit. I'm not aware of anything in the US along the lines of the independent civilian program you describe. I'm a lawyer who's done a whole lot of criminal defense, so this has been my experience.

[seand442]

Nothing like that I am aware of. Visitation typically depends on the jurisdiction.

[ChuckFinlay]

Thank you all those that answered. Interesting differences arising the more research I do.

Hopefully some more of the cops onboard will see and respond as lots of things Stateside seem to be localised rules/procedures/laws.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by ChuckFinlay

Thank you all those that answered. Interesting differences arising the more research I do.

Hopefully some more of the cops onboard will see and respond as lots of things Stateside seem to be localised rules/procedures/laws.

When I was a deputy in the 90's our department was accredited, which meant we had to follow standardized guidelines. But the jail operation was contracted to a private firm (CCA) who had their own standards.

[68camaro]

In 2013 there were over 57,000 assualts on police officrers in the US, over 15,000 had injuries. In 2016 firearm murders of police officers is up 62%.

Has anyone heard these statistics on their nightly news? Sorry, but my thoughts are with those who put these lives on the line to protect us not on those in custody?

http://www.nleomf.org/facts/officer-.../daifacts.html

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by 68camaro

In 2013 there were over 57,000 assualts on police officrers in the US, over 15,000 had injuries. In 2016 firearm murders of police officers is up 62%.

Has anyone heard these statistics on their nightly news? Sorry, but my thoughts are with those who put these lives on the line to protect us not on those in custody?

http://www.nleomf.org/facts/officer-.../daifacts.html

Nobody attacked the police in this thread. Why the backblast?

If you run a jail you have to provide the prisoners all of the rights and services mandated by the law. It looks like the UK system has a formal process, promoted by law enforcement, for third party reviews of their jails to ensure they are operated in accordance with the law. I don't see how that undermines the police in any way.

[77T]

State law generally governs people who are detained and/or incarcerated locally. Overarching Federal Law governs the rights of prisoners - e.g. Constitutional Rights. - as well as the Federal Prison System. In our locale, the local police generally perform initial booking into a Local/City lock-up and then hand over responsibility to the Sheriff's Dept who manage the actual prisons for long-term incarceration.

Our nation differs from those with a central government that has a single point of prison management.

I don't see the real point of debating this further as it borders on political system differences and that never seems to end well. England has a system that is different from Russia - may as well debate that - what works for them is up to them.


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[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by 77T

State law generally governs people who are detained and/or incarcerated locally. Overarching Federal Law governs the rights of prisoners - e.g. Constitutional Rights. - as well as the Federal Prison System. In our locale, the local police generally perform initial booking into a Local/City lock-up and then hand over responsibility to the Sheriff's Dept who manage the actual prisons for long-term incarceration.

Our nation differs from those with a central government that has a single point of prison management.

I don't see the real point of debating this further as it borders on political system differences and that never seems to end well. England has a system that is different from Russia - may as well debate that - what works for them is up to them.


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Our nation also allows prisoners to sue their captors.

A volunteer system would never work in the US. The auditors would need to be qualified and certified so they could be subject matter experts in all the resulting lawsuits. It would be outrageously expensive to operate that kind of third party audit process here.

A nice idea in principal, but completely impractical in the US IMO.

[ChuckFinlay]

Thanks Abdullah for your input, I don't want it to decline into anything inappropriate or political, it is a shame that anyone would think it needs to, or that discussion equals criticism.

Having spent 30 years as a police and civilian employee of the Metropolitan Police in the UK, it's a subject I find interesting and I saw this as a place I could ask colleagues, serving or ex, from overseas.

[arinsd]

There are NGOs that can and do check on the welfare of inmates. Usually the visit is pre-planned. There is a large system of checks and balances... That's not to say they work perfectly but they are in place. Also there are third party auditors that come in and check prisons and detention centers.

BTW... I have 10 years in LE and have worked at both federal, state, local prisons. I haven seen audits, NGOs, and the ACLU tour and make changes to programs and policy.

[Relyt]

Yes and no. Can someone walk in the prison and demand to speak with "prisoner 'x'" at any time? No. However there are billions (slight exaggeration) of groups and "civil rights groups," that do tour, check etc.


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[ChuckFinlay]

Thanks again fellas.