The Montana Department of Corrections suspended visitation at its facilities over coronavirus concerns.
Facilities affected include the Montana State Prison, Montana Women’s Prison and Pine Hills Correctional Facility.
Crossroads Correctional Center in Shelby also suspended visitation on Friday.
The restrictions cover visitors and volunteers at DOC facilities.
The Dept. of Corrections urges families to stay in touch with inmates through phone calls. Pine Hills and the Montana State Prison offer video visitation.
On Thursday the Broadwater Co. Sheriff's Office posted on Facebook that it was suspending detention center in-person visitation, church, and narcotics and alcohol anonymous meetings out of concerns for COVID-19. Video visitation via a kiosk is still available.
Friday morning the Jefferson Co. Sheriff's Office posted on Facebook it was taking similar measures at its facility in Boulder.
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is also suspending concealed carry application and most fingerprinting activities for the next 30 days to reduce public interactions at the jail.
Cascade County Sheriff/Coroner's Office also posted to their Facebook pageto suspend inmate visitation protocols on Friday. They did add besides visitation protocol it is business as usual at the Cascade County Detention Center.
