Article · NYC311

If a family member of an inmate in Department of Correction (DOC) custody has died or is seriously ill, you can ask the Social Service Office at the facility where the inmate is held to notify him or her. They will send either a chaplain or a social worker to talk to the inmate. You cannot speak directly with the inmate.

DOC also reviews requests on a case-by-case basis for an inmate to visit a family member who is very ill and in a hospital or to attend a family funeral.

Online

Request an inmate notification or visit.

By Phone

Call 311 for assistance.

The only way to contact an inmate directly is by mail or by visiting. Family and friends cannot call an inmate. Inmates have access to phones to make out-going phone calls at designated times.

To look up an inmate’s mailing address, go to the Inmate Location and Information page.

To learn about visiting hours, rules, and travel directions, go to the Inmate Visit page.

Inmate Notification or Visit for Family Illness or Death

Contacting an Inmate Directly