Prisons in New York are run by three different authorities. State felony sentences longer than a year are served in one of the 41 facilities operated by the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS). Federal convictions send people to institutions run by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). Local jails, including the New York City jail complex on Rikers Island and a jail in each of the state’s 57 counties, hold people awaiting trial, people who cannot post bail, and those serving short misdemeanor sentences.
Which system someone ends up in depends entirely on the charge and the sentence, and the three systems do not share locator tools, visiting rules, or money-deposit procedures. Figuring out which tier applies is the first step for anything else you need to do.
The Three Systems and Who Goes Where
State prisons hold people convicted of New York State felonies with sentences over one year. Federal prisons hold people convicted of federal crimes — things like drug trafficking across state lines, bank fraud, or immigration offenses. Local jails and detention centers are mostly pretrial: people charged with a crime who are waiting for their case to resolve, plus a smaller group serving misdemeanor time.
Each system is governed by a different agency with its own rules, so a question about visitation, phone calls, grievances, or inmate funds has a different answer depending on where the person is held.
State Correctional Facilities
DOCCS currently operates 41 state correctional facilities, ranging from maximum-security prisons to minimum-security camps.1Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Facilities That number has been shrinking as the state’s prison population has declined. In November 2025, DOCCS announced the closure of Bare Hill Correctional Facility and a partial consolidation of the Collins Correctional Facility campus.2Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. NYS DOCCS Announces Prison Closure
Security classification determines how tightly a facility controls movement. Maximum-security prisons use cells, armed perimeter posts, and restricted movement. Medium-security facilities mix cells and dormitories with somewhat more freedom. Minimum-security sites rely largely on dormitory housing with fewer physical barriers.
Well-Known State Prisons
Several DOCCS facilities are widely recognized. Auburn Correctional Facility, opened in 1816, gave its name to the “Auburn system” of corrections used as a model for prisons across the country.3New York State Archives. Auburn Correctional Facility Sing Sing Correctional Facility, in Ossining about 30 miles north of New York City, has been in continuous operation since 1826. Attica Correctional Facility is known for the 1971 uprising there. Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora sits in the Adirondacks, and Green Haven Correctional Facility serves as a main reception point for male inmates transferred from New York City.
Programs and Earned Time
DOCCS facilities offer educational and rehabilitation programming, which varies by location. Options include high school equivalency classes, college courses, vocational training in as many as 28 trades, substance abuse treatment, and cognitive behavioral programs.4NYC.gov. Sentenced State Prison FAQ English Parole boards expect participation, and it can shorten how long someone actually serves.
People serving indeterminate sentences for certain nonviolent offenses may qualify for merit time, reducing their minimum by one-sixth. Those with determinate sentences for qualifying drug felonies may receive a one-seventh reduction. Limited Credit Time Allowance offers an additional six-month reduction for people who do not qualify for merit time but meet specific program milestones.5Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Earned Eligibility / Merit Time / Presumptive Release / Supplemental Merit Time / Limited Credit Time
Federal Prisons in New York
The Federal Bureau of Prisons operates several facilities in the state. The BOP classifies institutions as Federal Prison Camps (minimum), Federal Correctional Institutions (low and medium), and United States Penitentiaries (high security), plus administrative facilities for special populations such as pretrial detainees.6Federal Bureau of Prisons. About the Federal Bureau of Prisons
The Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn is an administrative facility that primarily holds people awaiting trial on federal charges or awaiting sentencing after conviction.7Federal Bureau of Prisons. MDC Brooklyn The Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in Manhattan, which once served a similar role, was closed by the Department of Justice and has no announced reopening date. People who would have been held at MCC are now housed at MDC Brooklyn or other facilities.
FCI Otisville, in Orange County, is a medium-security prison for male inmates with an adjacent minimum-security satellite camp. FCI Ray Brook, near Lake Placid in the Adirondacks, is another medium-security institution.
Local Jails and Rikers Island
Under New York Correction Law, county jails hold people detained as witnesses in criminal cases, people charged with crimes and awaiting trial, people held in contempt of court, and people convicted and sentenced to jail terms.8New York State Senate. New York Correction Law COR – Section 500-A Use of Jails Most of that population is either waiting for a case to resolve or serving a misdemeanor sentence.
The New York City Department of Correction runs the city’s jail system, centered on Rikers Island, a 413-acre complex in the East River with multiple facilities including the George R. Vierno Center and the Robert N. Davoren Center. In 2019, the New York City Council voted to close Rikers and replace it with four smaller borough-based jails in Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Queens. The completion deadline is August 31, 2027.9City of New York. Closing Rikers Current Progress Timeline By law, Rikers must stop operating as an incarceration site once the borough-based facilities are complete, though cost increases and construction delays have raised questions about whether the deadline will be met.
Outside the five boroughs, each of New York’s 57 counties operates its own jail or holding facility. Rules, visiting hours, and intake procedures vary. Some larger counties keep separate facilities for different functions; Erie County, for example, operates both a holding center for pretrial detainees and a separate correctional facility. Calling the specific sheriff’s office or jail is usually the fastest way to confirm current information.
How to Find Someone Inside
There is no single search tool that covers every facility in the state. Which locator to use depends on which system is holding the person.
- State prisons (DOCCS): Use the Incarcerated Lookup tool on the DOCCS website. You can search by Department Identification Number (DIN), which is assigned at admission, or by name. Exact last name plus birth year produces the most focused results.10Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Lookup Info and Instructions
- Federal prisons (BOP): The BOP Inmate Locator at bop.gov covers anyone incarcerated in the federal system from 1982 to the present. You can search by BOP Register Number or by name. A “Released” result with no facility listed means the person is no longer in federal custody, though they may be on supervised release.11Federal Bureau of Prisons. Inmate Locator
- New York City jails: The NYC Department of Correction provides a P.I.C. Lookup tool. You can search by NYSID number, Book and Case number, or by first and last name.12NYC.gov. P.I.C Lookup
For county jails outside New York City, there is no statewide search. Contact the specific county sheriff’s office or jail directly.
Visiting a State Prison
Visiting days and hours differ by facility, security level, and sometimes by the inmate’s last name or DIN. Call the facility first to confirm when visits are allowed and whether any restrictions are in place.13Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Visiting Information
All adult visitors must present valid, unexpired photo identification. Acceptable forms include a driver’s license, a DMV-issued non-driver photo ID, a government-issued photo ID, or a military ID with a photo. Attorneys and official visitors can use court-issued employee identification or a Unified Court System secure pass card.
Dress code enforcement is strict. Visitors must wear complete outfits with appropriate undergarments and closed shoes. Facilities will turn away anyone wearing see-through clothing, bare midriffs, plunging necklines, shorts or skirts shorter than mid-thigh, or clothing with offensive language or images. Clothing with metal, including underwire bras, can trigger metal detectors and additional screening.
DOCCS also offers video visitation at select facilities for approved family members. Availability and eligibility vary by location.
Phone Calls and Sending Money
As of August 1, 2025, phone calls from New York state prisons are free for the recipient. Calls to numbers in the United States, Canada, and U.S. territories carry no charge. Each incarcerated person receives three free calls per week, each up to 15 minutes long, with the allocation refreshing every Saturday.14Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Telephone Calls Securus Technology still provides the phone infrastructure, but families no longer need to fund a Securus account. Anyone who previously had a balance can request a refund.
Friends and family can put money into a commissary account several ways. Fee-free options include leaving cash, a money order, or a check in the visitor deposit lockbox at the facility, or mailing a check or money order to the JPay lockbox address in Miami. The maximum for a money order or check left at the on-site lockbox is $999.99.15Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Account Deposits For faster deposits, JPay accepts credit and debit card payments online, through its app, or by phone at 1-800-574-5729, and MoneyGram locations also process deposits. Both charge a processing fee.
Filing a Grievance
Incarcerated people in New York keep certain rights, including access to medical and mental health care, the ability to file grievances about facility conditions, and protections against cruel and unusual punishment. Enforcement looks different depending on the type of facility.
In local correctional facilities, inmates must be given access to a formal grievance program. Grievance forms are provided at admission, and a complaint must be filed within five days of the incident. The grievance coordinator has five business days to investigate and issue a written decision. If the inmate disagrees, they can appeal to the facility’s chief administrative officer within two business days, and that officer must respond within five business days.16Legal Information Institute. New York Codes Rules and Regulations Title 9 7032.4 – Facility Program Requirements
Not everything can be grieved. Disciplinary hearing outcomes, administrative segregation decisions, and complaints about another inmate are all excluded. The five-day filing window is tight, and missing it is usually fatal to the grievance, so file right away rather than waiting to see whether the problem resolves on its own.