Attica Correctional Facility is a maximum-security state prison for men at 639 Exchange Street in Attica, New York, operated by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS).1Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Attica Correctional Facility If you’re trying to reach someone housed there, the practical steps come down to a few systems: a lookup tool to confirm the person is there, set visiting days and rules, a specific mailing format, free phone calls, and several ways to deposit money.
Finding Someone Housed at Attica
DOCCS assigns every person entering the state prison system a Departmental Identification Number (DIN) that follows them through every transfer and facility change for the duration of their sentence.2New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Directive 4007 – Incarcerated Individual Identification Numbers You’ll usually find the DIN on sentencing paperwork, prior correspondence from the facility, or court records. Keep it somewhere you can get to it, because you’ll need it for mail, deposits, and most other transactions.
If you don’t have the DIN, the DOCCS online lookup accepts a New York State Identification Number (NYSID) or the person’s name combined with their birth year. The tool confirms the current facility and shows sentencing information. One thing to know: it isn’t available around the clock. Access runs midnight to 11:45 p.m. on weekdays and 12:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on weekends, so there are short daily windows when the tool is offline.3New York State. Find an Incarcerated Individual at a Correctional Facility
Visiting Attica
You do not need to apply in advance or be added to an approved visitor list. With few exceptions, anyone can visit if they arrive during visiting hours, bring valid photo ID, and the incarcerated person agrees to the visit.4Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Visiting Information General population visiting is Wednesdays and weekends, 8:45 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with the latest arrival at 2:00 p.m.1Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Attica Correctional Facility
The person inside can refuse any visit, including one from their own attorney.5New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Directive 4403 – Visitor Program
Identification
Acceptable photo ID includes a driver’s license, a DMV non-driver photo ID, any government-issued photo ID, military ID with a photo, or employment ID with a photo.4Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Visiting Information
Bringing Children
Children of the incarcerated person can visit without special written permission as long as the parent’s name appears on the child’s birth certificate, and children age 16 or older of the incarcerated person may come without an adult escort. Unmarried minors under 18 who are not the incarcerated person’s child need written permission from a parent or guardian, which can be mailed to the facility in advance or presented at check-in by the accompanying adult. Birth or baptismal certificates serve as ID for minors, and every minor must have an approved adult escort unless one of the exceptions above applies.6Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Identification
Dress Code
You’ll pass through a metal detector, and the facility also enforces what it calls a “family atmosphere.” Wear complete attire with undergarments and comfortable shoes. See-through clothing, exposed midriffs or backs, plunging necklines, shorts or skirts above mid-thigh, bathing suits, and anything with obscene or offensive language will get you turned away.7New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Visiting Program Guidelines
Metal is what trips most people up. Zippers, decorative buckles, studs, and underwire bras can set off the detector. If that happens, you may be asked to change into alternate clothing provided by the facility and walk through again. DOCCS advises leaving purses, wallets, and electronic devices locked in your car’s trunk or glove compartment rather than carrying them inside.8Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Dress Code
If the Person Is in Special Housing
Visiting is more restricted for someone in the Special Housing Unit (SHU): one non-legal visit per week, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with a latest arrival of 1:30 p.m.1Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Attica Correctional Facility Under New York’s HALT Solitary Confinement Act, segregated confinement is capped at 15 consecutive days or 20 total days within any 60-day period, after which the facility must either release the person from segregated confinement or move them to a Residential Rehabilitation Unit.10New York State Senate. Senate Bill 2021-S2836
Mailing Address and Packages
All incoming mail must clearly show the person’s full name and DIN, along with the sender’s return address in the upper left corner.9Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Mail and Packages Use this format:
[Recipient’s Full Name, DIN]
Attica Correctional Facility
639 Exchange Street
Attica, NY 14011-01491Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Attica Correctional Facility
Missing the DIN or misspelling the name is the most common reason mail gets returned. Look it up before you send anything.
Package Restrictions
Packages go through internal screening, and the prohibited list is long enough to be worth reviewing before you ship. Electronics capable of wireless communication or recording, and anything electronic not specifically approved by the facility, are not allowed. Food must be in original, unopened, factory-sealed packaging. Nothing homemade, nothing requiring refrigeration, nothing containing alcohol or poppy seeds.11New York State. Directive 4911A – Package Room Procedures
Clothing rules are especially specific. Blue, black, gray, and orange colors are generally prohibited, as are denim, leather, mesh, spandex-type material, and anything with quilted construction or removable linings.12New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Appendix C-3 Allowable Items Packages containing contraband may be confiscated, and the sender could face disciplinary or criminal consequences.11New York State. Directive 4911A – Package Room Procedures
Phone Calls
As of August 1, 2025, all domestic phone calls from New York state prisons are free to the receiving party.13Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Telephone Calls The system is operated by Securus Technology. Each incarcerated person gets three free calls per week of up to 15 minutes, added to their account every Saturday. After those are used, additional calls are capped at 30 minutes each.
Calls can be made daily, including holidays, between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. The person inside can only call numbers on their approved phone list, which holds a maximum of 15 numbers at any time. Call forwarding, third-party connections, and 1-800 numbers are blocked. All calls are subject to monitoring and recording.13Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Telephone Calls
Secure Messaging and Tablets
DOCCS provides tablets at no cost to people in general population through its contract with Securus and its subsidiary JPay. The tablets give access to approved educational materials, purchasable media like music and e-books, and a fee-based secure messaging system.14New York State Office of the State Comptroller. Controls Over Tablet and Kiosk Usage by Incarcerated Individuals
JPay messages run on a stamp system. One message of up to 6,000 characters costs one stamp. A photo attachment costs another stamp, and a VideoGram costs three. Stamps are sold in bundles, and the per-stamp price drops with the bundle size, from $0.12 for a single stamp to $0.09 each in a 100-stamp bundle ($9.00). Every incarcerated person also receives four free stamps per month, replenished on the first. Unused free stamps do not roll over.15Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Secure Messaging Program
Depositing Money
Incarcerated people use a trust account to buy commissary items, stamps, and media. Family and friends can add funds through several channels, each with different fees.
- Visitor deposit lockbox at the facility: cash, money orders, or checks (money orders and checks up to $999.99) using a facility-provided JPay deposit slip. No fee.
- Mail: send a check or money order with a JPay deposit slip to the JPay Lockbox, PO Box 531190, Miami, Florida 33153. No fee.
- Online, mobile app, or phone: credit or debit card through JPay’s website, mobile app, or by calling 1-800-574-5729. Fees range from $1.75 on deposits under $10 to $4.75 on deposits of $50 to $300.
- MoneyGram: cash deposit at any MoneyGram location using receive code 1317. Fee is $4.00 for transactions up to $2,999.99.
The no-fee options take longer to process but save real money for families making regular deposits.16Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Account Deposits
Programs
Attica offers educational and vocational programs that shift over time with funding and staffing. One program available across most DOCCS facilities, including Attica, is the Alcohol and Substance Abuse Treatment (ASAT) program, which uses a therapeutic community model with a minimum six-month and maximum twelve-month duration. Participants receive at least 12 hours of direct service per week. ASAT runs in general population housing and on specialized units including Special Needs Units and Special Housing Units.17Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Alcohol and Substance Abuse Treatment (ASAT)
For the specific vocational trades and educational courses currently offered at Attica, contact the facility at the address above or check the DOCCS facility page, which lists program categories by location.1Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Attica Correctional Facility