How to Visit a Friend or Loved One at the Dodge Correctional Institution

If you want to visit someone who is incarcerated, don't just show up at the gate expecting to be seen. All prison visitors are subject to scrutiny and approval before being granted access, and not every inmate is allowed to have visitors. If you need to connect with an inmate at Dodge Correctional Institution for any reason, be sure to do it the right way.

A Brief History of Dodge Correctional Institution

Opened as Central State Hospital for the Criminally Insane in 1914, the facility changed its name and focused in 1977. Today, Dodge Correctional Institution is a maximum-security prison located at 1 W. Lincoln St. in Waupun, Wisconsin. Operated by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, Dodge has the capacity to house around 1,300 male inmates.

Over the decades, Dodge Correctional Institution has housed a number of infamous inmates, including notorious 1950s body-snatcher Ed Gein and John Flammang Schrank, who attempted to assassinate President Theodore Roosevelt in 1912. Currently, Dodge is the forever home of convicted Colorado family annihilator Chris Watts.

Visiting an Inmate at Dodge Correctional Institution

Upon arrival at DCI, each inmate is required to submit a list of up to 12 persons they wish to be put on their list of approved visitors. The visitation list may contain up to four adult family members and can be updated every six months, explains PrisonPro.

The inmate is responsible for obtaining and mailing an official form called a DOC-21AA to each person, including minors, whom they would like to have added to their approved visitor list. Potential visitors are required to fill out the form and mail it to the prison for processing. The form authorizes a background check that may take up to six weeks to complete.

Whether a would-be visitor passes or fails the background check, the inmate will be notified. In turn, the inmate is required to notify the applicant. If authorized, the visitor may meet with the prisoner during approved hours.

General Population inmates may have three visits per week. Weekday visits can last up to two hours, while weekend and holiday visits may last up to three hours.

Visitors must arrive no more than 15 minutes before the start of visiting hours. Visitors may be asked to complete a DOC-176 Request to Visit Offender form. Visitors may have their hands stamped and checked by security staff whenever they enter or leave secure areas.

Visitors Must Provide an Acceptable Form of Photo Identification:

1. Valid Department of Transportation (DMV) photo I.D.
2. Valid military identification card
3. Valid passport or visa
4. Valid state driver's license
5. Valid tribal photo I.D.

How to Contact an Inmate Yourself

Inmates at Dodge Correctional Institution are not allowed to have phones, so there is no way to call them on your own. To receive calls from an inmate, you'll need to set up a prepaid account through IC Solutions. You can do this by visiting the company website or by calling (888) 506-8407, explains Prison Insight.

How to Send Mail to an Inmate at Dodge Correctional Institution

Any and all mail sent to an inmate at DCI will be opened, inspected, and read to ensure security and/or monitor a particular inmate, according to Prison Handbook. To send mail, you will need the full legal name and inmate identification number of the person to whom you wish to send mail. You must include your return address, as well.

• How to address mail to an Inmate:

Inmate name and ID number

Dodge Correctional Institution

1 West Lincoln Street

Waupun WI, 53963

How to Send Money to an Inmate

Dodge Correctional Institution does not directly receive funds on an inmate's behalf. Wisconsin inmates may send money through an outfit called Access Corrections.

An Easier Way to Connect With an Inmate at Dodge Correctional Institution

Getting in touch with someone who is incarcerated can be a challenge. That's why DoNotPay offers a much simpler method of getting in touch with an inmate at Dodge or any other jail, prison, or detention facility in the nation. Here's how:

1. Visit DoNotPay and navigate to the Connect with an Inmate product page.
2. Tell us if you want to locate an inmate, send a letter, or create a personal mailbox.
3. To locate an inmate, provide as much of their personal info as you can.
4. To create a personalized mailbox, just tell us your name.
5. To send a letter, tell us what you want to say and to whom.

If you're not a great letter writer, don't worry. We can compose a friendly letter to the inmate of your choice and even enclose a picture if you like.

Other Ways DoNotPay Can Help

DNP helps people find and connect with inmates every day, but that's not all we do. We can help you:

• Write a letter to a prisoner
• Get a prison pen pal
• Be approved as an inmate visitor
• Deal with credit card issues
• Cancel subscriptions
• Jump the customer service phone queue
• Get revenge on robocallers
• Sue someone in small claims court
• Schedule a DMV appointment
• Get a refund for a delayed or canceled flight

DoNotPay Makes Life Easier

DoNotPay takes a lot of the hassle out of day-to-day life. When you are ready for us to connect with an inmate at Dodge Correctional Institution on your behalf or manage any other issue, contact us right away.