Official Site of The State of New Jersey

Yes. All visitors must present photo ID.

Acceptable forms include:

• current photo driver’s license or MVC non-driver identification card,
• a current photo Welfare or Medicaid card,
• an employment photo ID, and
• a current passport.
  

Yes. Dress codes are in place to enhance the safety and security of NJDOC facilities, and we encourage you to carefully read the following before your visit.

Facility dress codes prohibit:

• skin-tight or transparent garments or those that expose undergarments or private body parts,
• exposed shoulders or midriffs,
• tube tops, tank tops, halter tops or low-cut shirts,
• hooded sweatshirts,
• bottoms that end more than three inches above the knee,
• low-rise shorts, skirts and pants,
• military-style clothing or those similar to items worn by incarcerated persons or NJDOC custody staff,
• flip-flops and steel-toed boots,
• clothing with inappropriate messages is strictly prohibited,
• some visitors wearing clothing deemed inappropriate may be given an alternative garment to wear during the duration of their visit.
• no clothing items resembling any healthcare style uniforms, such as scrubs or lab coats.

Yes. Visits to NJDOC facilities are conducted in a supervised, secure environment, and certain rules are in place to enhance the safety and security of staff, visitors and the incarcerated population.

We encourage you to read the following carefully, as violation of these guidelines can result in your visit being cancelled. We reserve the right to ban disruptive persons from NJDOC facilities, at the discretion of NJDOC staff.

Relatives under the age of 18 shall not be permitted to visit NJDOC Incarcerated Persons unless accompanied by an adult relative who shall be responsible for obtaining written parental consent.

Prohibited acts include, but are not limited to:

• the introduction of contraband,
• violation of a posted rule or regulation,
• excessive touching or kissing, engaging in a sexual act,
• assaultive behavior towards another,
• belligerent behavior towards another,
• breach or attempted breach of security,
• visitor appears to be under the influence and/or intoxicated,
• visitor is confirmed as an ex-offender or current parolee and did not disclose this information prior to being approved as a visitor, etc.
• no hat or headgear, unless it is religiously oriented or medically necessary and the visitor agrees to a search of same.

Call the facility at the number below, Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. If your call is not answered or busy, please call back.

   Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center

   Bayside State Prison

   East Jersey State Prison

   Edna Mahan Correctional Facility

   Garden State Youth Correctional Facility

   Mid-State Correctional Facility

   New Jersey State Prison

   Northern State Prison

   South Woods State Prison

The New Jersey Department of Corrections is sensitive to the particular needs of incarcerated primary caregivers, and provides several ways for incarcerated parents to maintain meaningful contact with their children.

NJDOC facilities will offer visits 6 days a week for up to three hours a day to incarcerated persons who qualify for such visits as defined by Dignity for Incarcerated Primary Caretaker Parents Act.

In accordance with the Dignity Act, the incarcerated person may:

• request to be identified a Primary Caretaker,
• request to participate in the extended visit program,
• and/or may request a transfer to the closest facility to where the children reside, if applicable.

It must be properly demonstrated that the incarcerated person has the role of primary caregiver to the incarcerated person’s child/children. Only children identified as such will be allowed visitation as part of the Dignity Act visitation program.

A Primary Caretaker Parent means any incarcerated person who has a child under the age of 18, who prior to the incarcerated person’s incarceration, spent the majority of days in the care of the incarcerated person, and whose access to that child has not been terminated by court order, the incarcerated person’s own request, or other circumstance.

Consideration of the following may be reviewed in determining the approval/denial of participation in this program:

• Department of Children and Family involvement, including, supervised visitation requirement;
• Court orders;
• or findings within authorized case tracking systems related to child involvement.

Participation in the Primary Caretaker Parent Visit Program allows for visits 6 days a week for up to three hours a day. These visits are for those individuals approved by Classification Committee(s) and permit an unlimited number of approved minors and three (3) approved adult visitors at least (1) of which who must accompany the minor(s). Incarcerated persons may also request a prison transfer to a facility based upon proximity to the approved minor(s).

The NJDOC permits some incarcerated persons to attend the bedside of a dying relative, or a private viewing of a deceased relative when no other relative or friends are present, within a six-month time period.

All visits will be conducted in a manner that ensures the safety and security of NJDOC staff, the safety and protection of incarcerated persons, visitors, volunteers, and the general public. Please carefully note the following:

Verification: The burden is on the incarcerated person to prove that the ill or deceased person is a relative. The fact of the relative’s illness or death shall be verified by a member of the correctional facility’s Social Services staff. Additionally, Social Services staff shall coordinate the completion of the request for bedside visit and/or private viewing.

Eligibility: Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 30:4-8.1, the correctional facility Administrator or designee may, at his or her own discretion, authorized and permit the attendance of an incarcerated person at the bedside of a dying relative, or at a private viewing, when no relatives or friends are present, or a deceased relative as defined by N.J.A.C. 10A:1-2.2, within a six-month time period.

Ineligibility: The incarcerated person shall not be permitted to go on a bedside or private viewing under the following circumstances:

• the bedside or private viewing is outside the State of New Jersey,
• the bedside visit is in a private residence,
• the visit will interfere with the security or orderly operation of the correctional facility, or if the incarcerated person has demonstrated a poor correctional facility adjustment, is a known escape risk, has a history of guilty findings for serious disciplinary offenses or is recognized as untrustworthy,
• the incarcerated person and/or crime convicted of is highly publicized and the reappearance in the community under any conditions other than strict compliance with the laws governing parole and release would cause unfavorable comment in the community; or the location of the bedside visit, or private viewing could place either the escorting custody staff member(s) or the incarcerated person in jeopardy,
• the dying or deceased relative is a victim of the incarcerated person’s crime of conviction,
• if the Administrator is in doubt as to the propriety of permitting a particular incarcerated person to leave the correctional facility under the circumstances enumerated in this subchapter, the Administrator shall deny the request for a bedside visit of a private viewing of a deceased relative.

When circumstances exist either in the incarcerated person’s status and/or potential visitor’s situation, the Administrator, or designee, may authorize a special visit.

Special visits may include, but are not limited to, the following circumstances:

• Visits from persons who have come long distances;
• Visits to hospitalized incarcerated persons;
• Visits to incarcerated persons in disciplinary status; and
• Visits between incarcerated persons and:
  • Members of the clergy;
  • Social service agency representatives;
  • Prospective employers;
  • Sponsors; and v. Parole advisors v
  • Other NJDOC incarcerated persons under exceptional circumstances (Example: imminent death of a terminally ill incarcerated person)
  • “Cross Visits” (two incarcerated persons who are relatives and assigned to the same facility request a simultaneous visit with the same family member(s)). Special visits are conducted with the security and orderly operation of the facility as the first priority. Conditions of the special visit, including who may be approved to visit, length of visit, place of visit, etc., is determined by the facility administrator or designee.

Recognizing the right of incarcerated persons to communicate with attorneys or attorney representatives and in accordance with state law, the NJDOC may authorize visits to facilities for this purpose.

All visits are held during normal business hours and are conducted with the safe, secure and orderly operation of NJDOC facilities as the first priority. In instances where a contact visit might pose a threat to the incarcerated person, visitor, staff and/or the secure or orderly operation of the facility, efforts shall be made to provide a non-contact visit.

Attorney Visit Regulations:

Written notification or a telephone request to the incarcerated person’s housing facility Administrator requesting a visit is required 24 hours in advance of the intended visit to ensure the availability of space, staff and the incarcerated person. This notice must include the following:

• Name of attorney, or attorney representative;
• Name of incarcerated person to be interviewed;
• Name of attorney for whom the representative is acting;
• Date and time of the requested interview.

The facility Administrator or designee may authorize a visit, under exceptional circumstances, without prior written notice, as required above.

Appropriate identification is required of attorneys and attorney representatives prior to being admitted to the facility for the visit.

Facility staff may verify the incarcerated person’s desire to meet with the requesting attorney or attorney representative.

Any attorney or attorney representative who appears on any Departmental “banned” list, is not permitted to visit.

Contact visits with attorneys or their representatives may be restricted or prohibited when, in the judgement of the correctional facility administrator or designee, the inmate is acting out or is especially dangerous. Contact visits may also be denied where the attorney or representative poses a threat to the security or orderly operation of the correctional facility. In cases in which contact visits have been denied, efforts shall be made to provide a non-contact visit consistent with the orderly operation of the correctional facility.