What is Contraband?

• A. Any item NOT AUTHORIZED for retention by detainees, visitors, or employees
• B. An item that is authorized, but is EXCESSIVE
• C. Item is ALTERED or used in an unauthorized manner
• D. Items that are allowed for personal use

Answer: (A)

Contraband means possession of items that the facility does not authorize for retention by detainees, visitors, or employees. The key idea is lack of permission—if an item isn’t approved to be kept in the facility, it’s considered contraband because it could pose safety, security, or health risks.

This is why the best answer describes any item not authorized for retention. It captures the core rule used to identify contraband: authorization, not how the item is used or how much of it there is. If an item is authorized, even in small amounts or for personal use, it isn’t contraband. If an item is altered or used in an unauthorized way, that may trigger other policy violations, but the defining factor for contraband is whether the item itself is approved to be kept. And items that are allowed for personal use are clearly not contraband.