New Jersey State Departament Of Corrections Inmate Search

New Jersey has two federal prisons and two federal prison camps. Each is managed by the Northeast Regional Office. 3,521 offenders are held in federal prisons. There are also nine correctional facilities, one assessment center, and eleven RCRP facilities managed by The New Jersey Department of Corrections.  

Prison population has reduced by almost a third from 2021 to 2022. This drop is attributed to a program where inmates who had committed minor offenses were freed. There have also been other efforts to transform the criminal justice system in the state to improve the effectiveness of the prison and jail system.  

The New Jersey Inmate Lookup Tool

The law requires that the NJDOC store records for one year after the end of their supervision dates. The New Jersey inmate lookup tool gives results for all inmates and persons released within twelve months. You can also get parole files with the tool. 

With the inmate locator tool, you can perform inmate searches in prisons and other correctional facilities using their name and state identification number. The search provides you with personal and administrative details and photos for easier identification.   

For county jails, you can visit the Sheriff's office to find out if the inmate is held there. County jails also have their own inmate search tool on their websites, which you can also use to locate an inmate. Another way to search for an inmate is to call the specific correctional facility using the contact detail provided.   

Prison and Jail System in New Jersey  

State prisons are managed by the New Jersey Department of Corrections (NJDOC). County jails are operated by county governments. Some are also managed by the Sheriff's departments/offices. There are also private prisons managed by for private companies.  

Inmates in federal and private prisons serve longer sentences than the ones in state prisons. The conditions of the county jails and prisons differ. However, in all correctional facilities, offenders are provided with shelter, food, and medical care. They also get adequate job training programs and education.  

The counties are responsible for offering safe detention for persons charged with crime or those with pending cases. Each of the county correctional facilities runs under the management and direction of the Director, Warden, or Undersheriff.  

Like in most other states, inmates in New Jersey are classified into a minimum, medium, and maximum security levels. This depends on the level of risks that the inmates pose to public safety.  

The New Jersey Department of Corrections has an office of transitional services that ensures that the inmates are ready to be re-integrated into society after release. The office helps make the inmates more productive and become law-abiding citizens.  

Contact an Inmate  

You can contact an inmate by sending mail. There are no limitations on the number of mail an inmate can receive. You can even also include photos. The mail is opened and inspected by the facility authorities. Include the inmate's full name, facility name, SBI number, address, and return address on the mail.  

You cannot make a call to an inmate, but they can call you through debit or collect calls. The inmate pays for the debit calls, but you pay for the collect calls. To receive the call, you should create an account with GTL (Global Tel*Link), the approved phone call service for New Jersey inmates. Inmates are allowed ten approved call numbers. 

Sending Money 

Inmates can receive money through Jpay. Some of the ways you can send money through Jpay include:  

• Money order deposits  
• Debit/credit card deposits over phone or at Jpay.com 
• Transfer through JPay mobile apps 
• Cash deposits at approved locations 

For money orders, JPay doesn't charge a processing fee. Cash deposits via JPay are accepted at locations on the website. Make sure you provide 1233 as the received code. When sending by phone, you should call (800) 574-5729 to talk to an agent.  

County jails have different rules for sending money to inmates. So, you need to check for the specific county jail you want to send. The county jails also provide several options other than JPay. You can send through money orders, phone deposits via third-party processors, or give to kiosks at the lobbies.  

Visiting an Inmate  

The New Jersey Department of Corrections allows correctional facilities to set their own visitation rules.  This includes visitation regulations, visitation times, and schedules. So, before you visit, it is good to read the terms set by the specific facility you want to visit.  

State prisons allow two types of visits, including window and contact visits. Contact visit allows you to meet with the inmate with no barrier, while for non-contact, there is a walled or glass barrier. Inmates are eligible for either one or both of the visits.  

During the visit, you need to present your valid photo ID, including passport, state ID, driver's license, or military I.D.