Family, friends, attorneys and consulates who wish to visit an inmate at HMP Dodds Prison will have an opportunity to do so, as visits have resumed virtually.
Persons may do so through the Microsoft Teams platform, and will be required to contact the Barbados Prison Service at 535-7302 or 535-7303 to schedule the video visit.
They will then receive an email from the Barbados Prison Service confirming the details of the video visit, including the visit date and time; inmate’s name and number; the visitors that have been approved to attend the video visit, and the meeting link to be used to connect to the video visit.
Visits will be conducted Mondays to Fridays, between 8:30 and 11:30 a.m., and again from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m.
Each adult visitor booked, and on screen, will be required to show on camera a valid form of photographic identification to staff overseeing the visits. Each visit will last 15 minutes, and one to three persons may be on the call at a time.
Visitors will be asked to adhere to the following rules governing the video calls. Failure to do so will result in the discontinuance of the video visit.
- Visitors are not allowed to use a third device, that is, a device not connected to the video visit, such as tablets, mobile phones or laptops, to display or show anything to the inmate, or to connect them via phone call to a person not listed in the video visit listing.
- Once the visit has commenced, no one else can be connected via a separate device. Any person who has not been listed on the video visit booking form that appears on the screen, or communicates with the inmate will result in discontinuation of the video visit by the officer in charge of visits.
- Video recording or capturing screen shots by visitors is strictly prohibited.
- Visitors and inmates must maintain an acceptable standard of behaviour. Aggressive, obscene or sexual behaviour will not be tolerated.
- Prior to the start of the video visit, staff overseeing the visits will inform visitors and inmates that during the video visit, inmates are not allowed to touch the display at any time.
- Visitors must maintain an acceptable standard of dress; no nudity or partial nudity will be tolerated.
- All family and friends video visits are subject to monitoring and recording by the officer in charge of visits.
Persons who already have an Office 365 account or Microsoft Teams may join the meeting from their Microsoft Teams App.
However, those who do not have the Microsoft Teams App may begin the process by clicking the link on the bottom of the email or the meeting invite: Join Teams Meeting.
A pop-up window will open in the browser. Select Join on the web to access the web-based version of Microsoft Teams. The browser will ask to use the webcam and microphone. Select the preferred option.
Once Microsoft Teams has been launched, each person would be required to enter their name and choose the audio and visual settings. Once ready, they must click the purple join button.
Once they click Join Now, they will be placed in the lobby, a virtual waiting area of Microsoft Teams. The meeting operator will be notified that they are waiting to be admitted to the meeting.
However, Mac users are advised that they may access a Teams Meeting via Chrome Browser. They will not be able to join the Teams meeting with the Safari browser.
Persons who wish to use a mobile device will need to download the Microsoft Teams App in advance.