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North Carolina Department of Correction |
Frequently Asked Questions
Many of these questions and
answers are included in the
Handbook for Family and Friends of Inmates. Download
your copy.
Rumors
Prisons
Parole
Employment
Records
I've heard about a new
law that requires inmates to serve only 65% of their sentence. Is this true?
Absolutely not!
This so-called 65% law is a rumor. It is not true! Inmates
convicted under North Carolina's Structured Sentencing Laws (crimes committed
after 10/1/1994) must serve 100% of their minimum sentence. Inmates sentenced
under Fair Sentencing laws (crimes prior to 10/1/1994) must serve until their
sentence expires, or until they are granted parole by the Parole Commission.
How do I write to an inmate in
prison?
To write to an inmate, you need the
inmate's name and DOC number and the name and address of the prison where they
are housed. You can look up an inmate's DOC number and location on the
Internet at http://www.doc.state.nc.us/offenders
Prison addresses are available online at http://www.doc.state.nc.us/dop/list/county.htm.
Address your mail like this:
Inmate name DOC#
Prison name
Street Address or PO Box
City, NC ZIP code
Can I send e-mail to an inmate?
No. Inmates do not have access to the Internet.
Can inmates receive telephone calls?
No. Inmates housed in regular population
will be allowed to make outgoing telephone calls to family and friends. Inmates
are not allowed to receive incoming telephone calls. The
number of calls an inmate is allowed to make may be limited by the housing
assignment or custody classification. All telephone calls will be collect and
may be monitored. Family and friends may request that their telephone number
be blocked, which will prevent the inmate from calling that number.
Can inmates receive packages/other
items
through
the mail?
There are a limited number of items
that can be sent to the inmate through the mail. No "cash on delivery"
packages will be accepted. The following items may be received through the mail
and are always subject to inspection:
Clothing approved for use while in prison for those inmates who have been granted community based privileges
Clothing to be used upon release, if received within 15 days of release date
Unframed photographs, no larger than an 8" x 10"
Legal papers
Pre-approved publications
Certain religious items
Money should be sent by money order, cashiers check, or certified check.
Approved items may vary from one prison facility to another due to the security level of the facility. It you should contact the prison where the inmate is housed before mailing any items not on this list.
When
does visitation take place?
Visitation days and hours are established by each
individual prison facility. Although most facilities have visiting hours on Saturday
and Sunday, you should contact the particular prison facility to ask about its visiting
schedule. Prison phone numbers are available online at http://www.doc.state.nc.us/dop/list/county.htm
Some facilities offer weekday visitation with an appointment. Be
aware that you may experience long lines at weekend visitation. Visitation will not occur on holidays.
What
are the rules regarding visitation?
The Division of Prisons will implement new
visitation procedures on Oct. 1, 2004. An overview of those new procedures
is available here:
http://www.doc.state.nc.us/DOP/visitation/
Normally, inmates will be allowed no more than one visiting session a week that does not last more than two hours. Generally, no more than three adults may visit during the visiting session. Children under 16 may accompany adults approved to visit, provided the adults supervise them at all times during the visit. A valid photo ID will be required to identify each adult visitor. Visitors must wear appropriate clothing that is not disruptive, offensive, and does not pose a security risk. Clothing should not be tight, revealing, suggestive, or see-through. Clothing items that display gang, racial or profane language or symbols will not be allowed. Inappropriately dressed visitors may be denied entry to visitation.
All visitors and their property are subject to search. Personal items, such as handbags and briefcases, should be left outside the facility during visitation. Weapons, alcohol and drugs are illegal on prison property. It is a felony for anyone to deliver illegal drugs to an inmate or to bring any amount of illegal drugs onto prison property. Any visitor who attempts to deliver or transport drugs onto prison property will be prosecuted and will have their visiting privileges permanently revoked. Visitors are not allowed to bring money to inmates.
Physical contact during visitation is limited. Inappropriate displays of affection or sexual activity are not allowed. The Division of Prisons does not allow conjugal visits, which are prison visits where sexual contact is allowed in a private setting.
If someone is denied or
disapproved for visitation, how can they appeal? What if they were
initially approved but later suspended?
Visitors initially denied the right to visit have no appeal
rights. Visitors who are initially approved to visit but then are later
suspended may appeal in writing to the Director of Prisons or his/her designated
representative requesting restoration of visiting privileges and their
justification for this action. The Direct of Prisons or his/her designee
may modify any suspension or termination of visiting privilege. The
address for filing an appeal is:
Director of Prisons
4260 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-4260
Can an inmate
be transferred to a prison closer to home?
The Division of Prisons recognizes that
most families would like their relative in prison to be housed close to home, to
make visitation easier for the family. Generally, the division attempts to
facilitate this, but due to limited bed space, custody level, the inmate's
program needs and other factors, transfer to the prison nearest home
may not always be possible. If an inmate wants to transfer to another prison, he
or she must submit a written request to his or her case manager. However, this does
not guarantee that the transfer will be granted.
How can I provide input to the
Parole Commission to support or oppose an offender's parole?
You can e-mail the Parole Commission at
parole@doc.state.nc.us.
You can also write to the Parole Commission at this address:
NC Post-Release Supervision and
Parole Commission
4222 Mail Service Center
Raleigh NC 27699-4222
To schedule an appearance at a parole hearing, call the Parole Commission at 919-716-3010.
How do I find when an inmate is eligible for
parole?
This information is not currently available online. You can call the
Parole Commission at 919-716-3010 or call the DOC Public Affairs Office at
1-800-368-1985.
Is parole the same as probation?
No. Probation is a period of supervision in the community imposed by the court
as an alternative to imprisonment. Parole is the release of a prisoner to
supervision in the community after he/she has completed a part of his/her
sentence in an institution.
Where can I find Department of
Correction job openings listed?
DOC jobs open to the general public are posted on the
Office of State Personnel website.
Job listings including positions open only to current DOC or State Employees are
available on the
DOC Personnel
Office website.
How do I apply for a Department
of Correction job?
We have some
helpful guidelines for getting a DOC job on the Personnel Office website.
You can also contact one of our
regional employment offices for more information.
Raleigh Regional Employment Office Raleigh 919-733-3336
Eastern Carolina Regional Employment Office Greenville 252-830-3228
Southern Coastal Plains Regional Employment Office McCain 910-944-4735
Western Foothills Regional Employment Office Lenoir 828-757-5601
Piedmont Triad Regional Employment Office Kernersville 336-996-7129
What things might disqualify me from
being hired for a DOC job?
Many DOC positions require certification
by the NC Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission.
A list of
potential disqualifiers for certification is available.
Can I get copies of inmate records or medical records?
Offender Records
Under North Carolina law, offender records are
confidential. Portions of the individual offender records that have been
determined public are available using the
Public Access
Information System on the DOC website. Requests for prison inmate
records should be directed to the DOC Combined Records office at 919-716-3200.
Probation records are maintained separately by the Division of Community
Corrections at 919-716-3100.
Medical Records
Inmate medical records are also confidential and
cannot be released to directly to active inmates or their family members.
Medical records may be released to an inmate's attorney or physician, with the
completion of a valid Authorization for Release form. Upon release from prison,
inmates are provided with certain portions of their medical records including
instructions for their physician to obtain additional parts of the record.
Contact the Division of Prisons Medical Records office at 919-715-1570 for more
information.
My conviction has been expunged, but it
still appears on the DOC website. How can I get this corrected?
Sometimes when a court grants an order for expungement, the
clerk of court does not send a copy of that order to the Department of
Correction, so we are not able to update our records. If you have an
expunged conviction that still appears in our online offender database, please
call the Public Affairs Office at 1-800-368-1985 or email
info@doc.state.nc.us for instructions.
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