LA DOC – B.B. Rayburn Correctional Center

LA DOC – B.B. Rayburn Correctional Center basic information to help guide you through what you can do for your inmate while they are incarcerated. The facility's direct contact number: 985-661-6380

This facility is for both juvenile residents and adult inmates.

The mission of Rayburn Correctional Center is to provide for the custody, control, care and treatment of each offender through compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and procedures. Emphasis is placed on the implementation of programs that provide a public service and those designed to reintegrate the inmate into society while ensuring the safety of the public.

Educational Programming

The Education Department recognizes that an offender’s education is related to the recidivism rate. Offenders demonstrating the desire, self-discipline, and motivation to achieve an improved level of education are offered the opportunity to do so. The Education Department’s goal is to provide each individual offender, including those with physical, mental, emotional, and learning disabilities, the opportunity to improve his academic and/or vocational skills before release. All programs are voluntary but, once registered, a student must attend.

Daytime Classes

The Education Coordinator supervises all academic and vocational programs. Admittance to the education program is voluntary. Offenders are expected to show progress in their classes.

Evening Classes

Northshore Community College Extension programs are also administered by the Education Coordinator. While admittance to the programs is voluntary, the callouts are mandatory. Offenders attending mandatory callout programs will be dropped from the course after their second unexcused absence.

Available Programs

The Education Department provides offenders the opportunity to participate in various education programs.

Daytime Programs:

• Literacy (functional levels below 5.0 on the TABE)
• High School Equivalency Preparation (functional levels above 5.0 on the TABE)
• Adult Basic Education (remediation when having a diploma)
• Vocational Training Diploma Programs
• Job Life Skills

Evening Programs:

• Academic Remediation (for students who score low on the ASSET test and are unable to attend daytime ABE classes)
• Northshore Community College Extension
• Approved Correspondence Courses

Literacy

This program provides one-on-one student instruction. Students are enrolled part-time and are awarded certificates of achievement upon completion of the course. This program, under the supervision of the Education Coordinator, uses full-time staff instructors and full-time offender tutors. Offender tutors receive training from the staff certified trainer and certification from DOC.

HSE (High School Equivalency) Preparation

Students who complete literacy continue part-time classes as they progress from a TABE level of 5.0 to 8.0, when they move to all day Pre-HSE Class.

The Pre-HSE class is available to offenders with an assessed TABE score of 8.0 – 10.5 on a D level test. The curriculum is designed to ready the student for the HSE program over a three month period. When the target score is reached, students are advanced to HSE.

The HSE class is available to offenders with an assessed TABE score level of 10.5 or above on a D-level TABE. The curriculum is designed to prepare the student for the HSE exam in three months or less. Offenders who successfully complete the HSE program will receive a High School Equivalency Diploma.

Adult Basic Education

The Adult Basic Education Program is available to offenders with a diploma whose TABE scores are too low to qualify for vocational training or college courses. After remediation in areas of weakness, students retake the TABE test. When they reach the appropriate level for the course in which they desire to enroll, they have completed ABE.

Vocational Training Diploma Program
Northshore Technical College – Sullivan Campus

The Education Department, in cooperation with Northshore Technical College – Sullivan Campus (NTC), offers competency-based curricula supported by appropriate materials and classroom resources. Instructors are certified or approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and/or the Louisiana Department of Education and/or the Counsel on Occupational Education.

The vocational programs offered by NTC include: Welding, Automotive and Building Technology.

Offenders who successfully complete a vocational course will receive a diploma for that skill. Where available, national certification tests will be offered allowing students to obtain certification that is recognized by a national body.

Two fast-track programs for offenders who do not have time to complete a diploma program are also available. Fast Track Welding and Fast Track Automotive give offenders entry level skills in those fields. These are one semester programs and the student earns a Technical Competency Certificate upon completion.

Job/Life Skills

This is a six-month course designed to enhance offender employability upon release. Students acquire basic computer literacy and typing skills, formulate a resume’, and learn job search skills.

Northshore Community College Extension

The College program is available to high school and GED graduates who score at 10.5 or higher on an A level TABE. Offenders work toward an Associate Degree in General Studies with a concentration in business, paralegal or religion. To obtain the degree, students must complete 60 hours of credits. All classes are transferable to other Louisiana state institutions of higher learning. Upon release, students can continue their education at a community college or university.

Participation is by application, acceptance and mandatory callout. Offenders who are absent more than two callouts will be removed from the program.

A paralegal certificate consisting of six paralegal classes and a remedial English class is offered through NTCC. Applicants must have a high school diploma or HSE and score an 11.0 or higher on a D level TABE. Although no degree is awarded, students will receive a certificate and will accumulate 18 hours in the field of paralegal. These classes are transferable to other institutions of higher learning. The paralegal program is required of all offender counsel substitutes.

Philosophy and Goals

The Education Department continues to strive for excellence in all phases of an offender’s rehabilitation. Most of the offender population desires to break the vicious chain of recidivism. As an offender’s education increases he begins to realize the various opportunities that are open to him upon release. True rehabilitation is possible when alternate opportunities are available through education and work skills.

Other Programs and Services

Offenders coming to RCC meet with a Reentry Transition Specialist within the first month to begin or continue with rehabilitation programming. This initial assessment is done to determine where the offender is present in the rehabilitation process. Whether their incarceration time is six months, six years, or more, they will be guided on a yearly basis through the use of an Annual Assessment to project their progress.

If the offender is identified as high risk and within five years of his earliest release date, he will meet with a committee to work a more thorough and comprehensive case plan. All plans culminate with a Pre Release program (2 years of the offenders earliest release date) which covers 100 hours of orientation and classroom topic including but not limited to: Personal Development, Problem Solving/Decision Making, Anger Management, Values Clarification, Goal setting/achieving, Victim Awareness, Employment Skills, Job Placement assistance, Money management, Reentry support resources, and counseling on individual community reentry concerns.

Additionally, the Reentry program at RCC has the responsibility and an obligation to the public and to the offender to work collaboratively with surrounding communities at establishing new supports and enhancing existing programs for offenders while housed at RCC. This often includes introducing offenders to available support programs in the community to which they are returning (housing, employment, and self-help) for a successful transition back to society.

visitation Info

LA DOC – B.B. Rayburn Correctional Center – Visitation

Individuals approved to visit offenders at Rayburn Correctional Center should carefully read the below-listed rules and regulations that govern visiting. Visitors are expected to comply with these requirements.

General Information:

Identification

Approved visitors (15 years of age and older) must present picture identification to visit an offender. No identification is required for children under 15 years of age.

Dress Code

Visitors must be dressed appropriately. No tank tops, see-through clothing, low-cut articles of clothing exposing the upper torso, miniskirts or mini-dresses, or any form of seductive garments will be allowed. Shorts, skorts, and culottes must be no more than three inches above the knee. Visitors must wear full-length shirts (long or short-sleeve) and will not be allowed to wear the combination of blue jeans and blue chambray shirts, or blue jeans and gray or white sweatshirts or tee shirts. Shoes must be worn. Permitted shoes may include regular street shoes, tennis shoes designated for street wear, sandals and open-toed shoes. House slippers, beach sandals ( thongs, flip-flops) and shower shoes are not permitted. Individuals improperly or inappropriately dressed will not be allowed to visit.

Facilities are not available for visitors who do not meet this dress code to change their clothing. Visitors who choose to change their clothing in order to be able to visit will be required to leave institutional grounds. They may then return when they have changed their clothing.

Contraband

Visitors must declare all medications, including prescription and nonprescription medications, to the correctional officers at the Front Gate and visiting desk. Alcohol, cell phones, cameras, and any type of weapon or ammunition are prohibited on facility grounds. Such items should not be brought to the facility.  However, in the event contraband items are in the visitor’s possession, they must be declared at the Front Gate. Visitors under the influence of any substance will not be allowed to visit and may be prohibited from future visits.

Visitors must park their vehicles in the designated Visitors’ Parking area. The vehicle’s keys should be removed from the vehicle and then locked. Personal possessions (i.e., wallets, cell phones, purses, cash) left in the vehicle should be secured in the trunk and/or locked glove compartment, if possible.

Visitors are limited to carrying no more than $25 into the fenced compound and/or picnic visiting area. They should bring sufficient change for the vending machines, as the staff is not permitted to make change. Offenders are not allowed to handle money.

Visitors are not allowed to deliver anything to the offender through the Visiting Room. Visitors may bring photographs (no Polaroid or photo albums), however, they cannot be left with the offender.

Conduct of Visitors

Inappropriate actions or language by a visitor deemed too loud, disruptive, abusive, or threatening will not be tolerated. Such conduct will result in the immediate termination of the visit and possible denial of future visits.

Violations of applicable laws and/or institutional rules by an offender and/or visitor(s) may result in termination of the visit, the visitor’s removal from the offender’s visitor list, disciplinary action against the offender, and criminal prosecution against both parties.

Individuals who have been refused a visit will be required to leave the institutional grounds. Individuals traveling with visitors, but not visiting, must wait in their vehicle. Other than the designated visitor areas, neither visitors nor their traveling companions are allowed access to the facility beyond the visitor’s parking lot. They are also prohibited from talking, shouting, signaling, or passing anything to an offender.

Searches

Individuals, including minors, entering the facility are subject to searches of their property, automobile, and person.

Searches include but are not limited to: visual inspection of persons and property; pat-down searches of their person; inspection of their property by dogs trained to detect drugs, weapons, and other contraband; strip-search of their body; and searches of their body cavities. Introduction of contraband drugs, alcohol or weapons into the facility is a felony (Louisiana Revised Statute 14:402).

Dormitory and Working Cellblock Offenders:

Visiting Hours

Visiting hours are between 11:45 a.m. and 3:45 p.m., Thursday, and 8:00 a.m. and 3:45 p.m., Friday through Sunday. Visitors must arrive at the facility’s Front Gate by 2:00 p.m. in order to be processed for visiting.

Number and Duration of Visits

Offenders will be allowed six visitors at a time in the Visiting Room. Non-walking infants will be allowed as a seventh visitor. Approved visitors will generally be allotted two visits per month. Minimum custody offenders and those participating in the PRESS program will be permitted three visits per month from their visitors.

Unless prior approval is obtained from the Warden, visitors are allowed to visit only one offender at a time.

Generally, visits will be for two and one-half hours Thursday and Friday; and one and one-half hours Saturday and Sunday. Minimum custody and PRESS offenders will be permitted visits for three hours. In case of overcrowding, these times may be shortened at the staff’s discretion.

Visiting by Minors

Individuals under the age of 17 must be accompanied by an adult who is an approved visitor of the offender that the minor is visiting. Children 14 years of age and younger are not required to be on the offender’s visitor list. The correctional officers may require that proof of a child’s age (birth certificate) be furnished on their next visit, if his/her age appears questionable. Adults will be responsible for the behavior of minors in their company. Children will not be left unattended on institutional grounds. Minor spouses or emancipated minors (Marriage Certificate/Judgment of Emancipation required as proof) are not required to have adult escorts.

Visitors are allowed to bring into the visiting areas two baby bottles per infant, three diapers and sufficient baby-wipes per infant, and a change purse/wallet.

Conduct of Visitors

Visitors may greet and bid the offender farewell with a non-passionate kiss and must be done so that others are not offended. Visitors may sit next to the offender.  However, physical contact between the offender and adult visitors, other than holding hands, is not allowed.

Picnic Visits

Individuals approved for picnic visits should contact the Visiting Office for information on approved items.

Restricted Visiting

Extended Lockdown- Level 1

Extended Lockdown-Level 1 will be restricted to non-contact visiting. The requirements for such visits are as follow:

Restricted visiting will be held on Thursdays, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Visits will be limited to 30 minutes. Visitors must arrive at the Front Gate by 10:30 a.m. to be processed for visiting.

Only two adult visitors will be permitted per visit. Only one visit will be allowed per day. Each offender is allotted only two visits per month.

Offenders on will not be permitted to make any physical contact with their visitors.

Offenders are not permitted to receive any items from their visitors.

Offenders are not permitted to give anything to a visitor.

Other Restricted Visits

Special Management Unit offenders — Extended Lockdown Level 2 offenders; offenders who test positive for and/or are found in possession of drugs; offenders who refuse to submit to drug testing; offenders who have received contraband during the visiting process; and offenders who have had a certified drug dog alert to the presence of drugs on their person or property in a drug detection booth, will be restricted to non-contact visiting. The requirements for such visits are as follow:

Visiting Hours

Visiting hours are between 8:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on Thursday. Visitors must arrive at the facility’s Front Gate by 10:30 a.m. in order to be processed for visiting.

Number and Duration of Visits

Offenders will be allowed one visit per day with up to four adult visitors (only two visitors for SMU offenders.) Visits will take place in the Visiting Room.  Approved visitors will be allotted two visits per month. Visitors are allowed to visit only one offender at a time. Visits will be limited to 45 minutes. Because of space limitations, visitors to offenders in Administrative Segregation and Isolation must call the Visiting Office to reserve visiting time. In case of overcrowding, visits may be shortened at the staff’s discretion.

Conduct of Visitors

Offenders and their visitors will not be permitted to make any physical contact during their visits. No concessions will be sold during restricted visitation.

Restrictions on Visiting for Offenders convicted of Sex Offenders with minors:

In accordance with Department Regulation #C-02-008, Offenders who have a current or prior conviction for a sex crime involving a minor child family member, or who have a documented history of sex abuse with a minor child family member, are ineligible to visit with any minor child, including their own biological or step-child.

Offenders who have a current or prior conviction for a sex crime involving a minor child who is not a family member are ineligible to visit with any minor child. However, at the Warden’s discretion, such offenders may be authorized to visit with their own biological child.  The legal guardian shall submit a written request and shall accompany the minor child during the visit. If approved by the Warden, the visit may be contact or non-contact at the Warden’s discretion.

If an offender under such restriction feels that the determination has been made in error, he will have to provide documented proof (i.e., bill of information, arrest report) to the Warden.