A thorough pat search shall be conducted on each inmate upon entry into the facility and prior to ______.

• A. Booking
• B. Visitation
• C. Meal
• D. Medical check

Answer: (A)

Pat-down searches at inmate intake are a security measure to detect weapons or contraband before the inmate moves into the booking process. Conducting the search on entry and again just prior to booking helps ensure nothing unsafe accompanies the inmate into the booking area or into the initial processing, protecting staff and other inmates and keeping the intake procedures secure. Visitation, meals, and medical checks happen after booking or later in the intake sequence, so they aren’t the moment when the security screening is most critically applied. The intake context specifically requires a thorough pat search before the formal booking step to maintain safety during the earliest and most sensitive part of processing.