Brooklyn Correctional Institution

The Brooklyn Correctional Institution is a level three, medium-security state prison for men that is located in Brooklyn, Connecticut. The facility endeavors to hold offenders accountable, while offering developmental opportunities through sound, educational, vocational, and cognitive programming that subsequently facilitates successful reintegration into the community.

The Brooklyn Correctional Institution maintains a high standard of professionalism, dignity, and respect that fosters safety and security, balanced with compassion toward the inmate population. 

The facility assists surrounding communities with various public service projects and coordinating charitable contributions with an emphasis on those combating domestic violence. Offenders also speak to high school and at-risk youth concerning the importance of positive choices in decision making and the negative impact of incarceration.

The Brooklyn Correctional Institution, formerly known as the Windham County Jail was built in 1820 and served as both town hall and jail. In 1842, a new jail was constructed, adding barns, outbuildings, and in 1863, a section for female prisoners. The mission during this time was employing prisoners as common laborers.

By 1847, offenders’ outside jobs grew extensively to include such labor as digging, carting, woodcutting, and harvesting. In the late 1800's subsequent changes were incorporated into the initial mission, incarcerating inmates on charges such as drunkenness, theft and bootlegging.  

A prison library was established along with religious services, including monthly meetings run by the Women's Christian Temperance Union. Statistics from 1887 reflect a total of 225 inmates committed to the jail.

In the 1940's to the 1970's offenders were committed for crimes such as grand theft, drug possession, and even murder.

In 1990, the new dormitory style facility was built and the institution changed from a pretrial level 4 to a sentenced, level 3 facility. In 1994, programming for the sex offender population began. The facility now confines level 3, medium-security inmates in a dormitory setting.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

The visiting hours for inmates at Brooklyn Correctional Institution are as follows:

Inmates with a last name starting with A-K can visit on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. 

• Tuesday and Thursday visiting hours are from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
• Saturday visiting hours are from 8:30 am to 10:30 am and from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Inmates with a last name starting with L-Z can visit on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.

• Wednesday and Friday visiting hours are from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
• Sunday visiting hours are from 8:30 am to 10:30 am and from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

There are no visits on State Holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Day, Lincoln's Birthday, Washington's Birthday, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

Getting on the approved visiting list

Before you can visit, you must be placed on the inmate's approved visiting list. Upon incarceration, inmates are allowed to set up a visiting list.  Visiting forms will be sent by the inmate's counselor to those designated by the offender.  

It is up to the offender to notify a visitor that they have been added to the visiting list. Inmates at Brooklyn Correctional Institution are allowed to have up to seven visitors on their approved list.

Once you receive your form,  complete and sign the application and mail it back to the assigned counselor. Because this process can take two to three weeks, wardens have the discretion to permit a courtesy visit, for up to two (2) adult visitors from the inmate's immediate family to visit with the inmate prior to the approval of the application. 

An adult is defined as an individual who is 18 years of age or older. Children shall be accompanied by an adult on the approved visitor list and remain under the supervision of the adult visitor.

Visiting Rules at Brooklyn Correctional Institution

Visitors are encouraged to contact the facility prior to visitation to confirm the visiting schedule and to insure that the inmate they plan to visit has not lost his or her visiting privileges.

You must be able to present a current, photo identification at the correctional facility to be allowed to visit. All visitors under the age of 16 must provide a valid birth certificate and one additional document containing the child's name, i.e. report card, social security card, etc. 

Please also be advised that visitors who are exhibiting flu symptoms will not be permitted to visit with offenders.

Attire must be reasonably modest. Revealing, seductive, or offensive clothing may present a safety and/or security risk and may result in the visitor being denied access to the facility.

Please note that cell phones and electronic devices are not permitted at Brooklyn Correctional Institution.

All correspondence must include the inmate's full name and their inmate number in addition to the address of the Brooklyn Correctional Institution.

It is requested that padded mailing envelopes not be utilized in corresponding with inmates as they may present a security issue. The use of such envelopes will result in slower delivery of mail.

Those engaging in correspondence with offenders are encouraged to exercise caution with regard to the release of any personal information that could compromise their safety.

Books and magazines can only be sent to an inmate if they are in new condition and are packaged and shipped by the book store, book club, or publisher from which they are purchased.  Please note all in coming printed material is subject to review.

Outside CD's and tapes must be educational or religious in nature and not be available through commissary.  They may be ordered by the inmate or a third party, from a commercial distributor and must be sent directly by the distributor.  Like books or magazines, incoming CD's are subject to review.

The Connecticut Department of Correction does not allow family and friends to send in or drop off clothing packages for offenders.

How to Call an Inmate

Inmates do not have access to incoming telephone calls, however, telephones are available to inmates to place outgoing collect calls or calls that are billed through the Securus option. Each inmate completes a calling list that contains up to ten telephone numbers they may call for social contact. For complete details on how to call an inmate in Connecticut, please click here.

How to Send Money

It is no longer required that you be on an inmate's visitor list to be allowed to send a money order or to electronically deposit funds.

By U.S. Mail:

When sending a money order, it is important to have complete and legible remitter information included with the money order. For your convenience, you can download Inmate Trust Fund Remitter Form and send it with the money order to: 

Inmate Trust Fund
P.O. Box 290800
Wethersfield, CT 06129-0800

If sending a money order, be certain to include the inmate's full name and correctional identification number on the money order. Do not include any correspondence to the inmate. 

You may also fund an inmate's account by using the following companies:

JPAY: One Click Payments with JPAY
Touch Pay: www.touchpayonline.com
Western Union: Electronic Deposits (PDF, 94KB)

For Western Union, please remember:

Pay To: Connecticut DOC
Code City: CTDOC
Account: 8-digit Inmate Number and Inmate Last Name.*

* If inmate number is less than 8 digits, add two zeros at the beginning, i.e., 00123456Johnson

If you have any questions, please call 860-692-7670.  Please allow at least 10 working days for money orders to be posted to an inmate's account.

​Programs For ​Inmates

The Brooklyn Correctional Institution offers extensive programming to assist offenders with the successful law abiding return to the community. 

The programming includes: Educational Services with GED, English as a Second Language, and Special Education; Vocational Programs, Business Education, Computer Skills; Literacy Volunteers; Sex Offender Programming; Anger Management and Substance Abuse Programming.

Pictures of Brooklyn Correctional Institution

Careers at Brooklyn Correctional Institution

The Connecticut Department of Correction is staffed by a variety of professionals including correction officers, clergy, maintenance, clerical, and counselors, to name just a few. To explore career options within the Department of Correction, click here.