We know that family contact is one the leading factors that help people to transition successfully from prison to the community. Many federal prisons, though, limit prison visits to weekends only. Oregon's one federal prison in Sheridan (in Yamhill County) currently allows evening visits on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays, and daytime visits on weekends and holidays. But the prison plans to cut visiting down to three days from the current five. Wardens have a certain amount of discretion for setting visiting hours. We have to tell the warden that visiting hours shouldn't be cut.

Family members of prisoners at Sheridan need for you to speak up. There are legitimate concerns that if family members of prisoners there speak up, their loved ones could wind up transferred to places too far away to visit. Let's take action in solidarity and support. Take a few minutes to send an email, letter, or fax to Warden Charles Daniels of Sheridan to say that you want to keep the current visiting schedule. Consider making one of these points in your letter:

•Family contact is an important part of successful re-entry to the community.

•The warden may be under pressure from others to cut costs, but we recognize that family visits are an essential part of maintaining a safer facility focused on rehabilitation.

•Limiting visiting to weekends will lead to shorter, more stressful visits because of crowded visiting rooms.

Please take a respectful tone. Although Warden Charles Daniels has discretion to set visiting hours, he is also under pressure to cut costs and often hears from people advocating for harsher treatment of prisoners. Mail letters to Warden Daniels at:

Warden Charles Daniels
FCI - Sheridan
PO Box 8000
Sheridan, OR 97378

or send him an email at: SHE/EXECASSISTANT@BOP.GOV
or fax him at (503) 843-3408.

(Thanks Karen.)