To Whom It May Concern;

As families of the incarcerated (FOTi), we are requesting to receive transparent answers regarding visitation with our loved ones.

Since the global health crisis (COVID-19) began in February 2020 we have not been able to provide the support we as a support system expect to provide, and that our loved ones need and deserve. We have had to face limited access to our loved ones and now depend on video visits and phone calls as our only forms of communication. Families have had to endure the heartache of phone calls and trial video calls not working, dropping, being unavailable or a resolution and we feel strongly that we have been very patient.

ADCRR has assured that the video calls will not be a replacement to in-person visits, yet we have been given no proof or hope of that being true, as of yet. We have been told visits will be re-evaluated on a monthly basis however that isn’t even happening in a timely manner and hope that our voices will be heard. ADCRR please hear our voices that as humans the effects this pandemic has caused has been unbearable. Children have suffered the most.

Society can now attend stores, churches, restaurants, bars, and social gatherings etc., following the protocol of the CDC guidelines. Yet, the incarcerated population has had to embrace an extended time-period without connections to families and friends. Officers, Administrators, maintenance workers, vendors, phone technicians come and go in the facilities daily. There is considerable data to prove connections with families and friends reduces the recidivism rate.

As Families of the Incarcerated, we have waited 8 months to see our loved ones. We are asking the ADCRR for A.C.T.

ACCOUNTABILITY

CONSISTENCY

TRANSPARENCY

These are the following questions we have:

When will the date to re-opening visitation be released?

Can we, who want to visit, be allowed to visit practicing the same protocol you have outlined for your employees?

We are our voices for our loved ones, we hope that this petition addressed to the Governor and leadership staff of ADCRR will shine light that we stand in solidarity to ask for transparent answers to the questions we have provided above and to receive adequate answers from the Governor and Leadership of DOC.

Your response will be greatly appreciated.

"We stand in Solidarity."

Families of the Incarcerated (FOTi)