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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>85147</law_id><section_number>53.1-127</section_number><catch_line>Who may enter interior of local correctional facilities; searches of those entering</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>53.1-1</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="53.1">Prisons and Other Methods of Correction</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="3">Local Correctional Facilities</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="6">Duties of Sheriffs</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Members of the local governing bodies that participate in the funding of a <span class="dictionary">local correctional facility</span> may go into the interior of that facility. The Governor, members of the General Assembly, and agents of the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> may go into the interior of any <span class="dictionary">local correctional facility</span>. In addition, <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Corrections staff and state and local health <span class="dictionary">department</span> staff shall, in the performance of their duties, have access to the interior of any <span class="dictionary">local correctional facility</span> subject to the standards promulgated pursuant to subsections A and B of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Minimum standards for local correctional facilities and lock-ups; health inspections, behavioral health services inspections, and personnel" href="/53.1-68/">53.1-68</a>. Attorneys shall be permitted in the interior of a <span class="dictionary">local correctional facility</span> to confer with prisoners who are their clients and with prisoners who are witnesses in cases in which they are involved. Except for the announced or unannounced inspections authorized pursuant to subsections A and B of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Minimum standards for local correctional facilities and lock-ups; health inspections, behavioral health services inspections, and personnel" href="/53.1-68/">53.1-68</a> or a review conducted pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Review of death of inmates in local, regional, or community correctional facilities" href="/53.1-69.1/">53.1-69.1</a>, the sheriff, jail administrator, or other person in charge of the facility shall prescribe the time and conditions under which attorneys and other persons may enter the <span class="dictionary">local correctional facility</span> for which he is responsible. <a id="paragraph-305101" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/53.1-127/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Any person seeking to enter the interior of any <span class="dictionary">local correctional facility</span> shall be subject to a search of his person and effects. Such search shall be performed in a manner reasonable under the circumstances and may be a condition <span class="dictionary">precedent</span> to entering a <span class="dictionary">local correctional facility</span>. <a id="paragraph-305102" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/53.1-127/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1982, c. 636; 1995, c. 797; 2017, c. 759; 2022, c. 277.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
