New Haven Correctional Center

New Haven Correctional Center is a level four, high-security facility located in New Haven, Connecticut. It houses primarily pretrial offenders and serves the superior courts in Meriden, New Haven, Bantam, Litchfield, and Waterbury. 

The New Haven Correctional Center was opened on April 27, 1976 and is situated on 4.9 acres which is comprised of a main building, two dormitory units, and an outside detail unit.

In 1991, the dormitory was built consisting of two inmate housing units on one floor. In 1997, the outside detail unit was opened containing 12 beds.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

All visits at New Haven are non-contact. For a detailed visiting schedule, click here.

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. 

Acceptable Identification: Valid Photo Driver’s License, Valid Official Passport, Valid Photo ID issued by CT DMV, any other photo identification must be accompanied by both a Birth Certificate (with a Raised Seal) and a Social Security Card. No exceptions to these identification requirements. Check cashing and New Haven resident ID’s are NOT acceptable forms of identification. 

Each Visitor may visit only once a day. An inmate may only have one visit per visiting block - no back to back visits. A Visit consists of no more than two (2) persons, including a child. Children must be accompanied by an adult who is on the visiting list and sign-up at least 15 minutes before the visiting session starts. 

Children may not be left unattended in the lobby of the waiting area. If you have no one to watch your children, you will not be allowed to visit. Children are not allowed to wander around the visiting room.

Getting on the approved visiting list

Before you can visit an inmate, you must be added to their approved visiting list. When an inmate first arrives at the facility, they are allowed to set up a visiting list, and the visiting forms will be sent by their counselor to those who are designated by the offender.  

Once you receive your form, fill it out completely and sign the application before mailing it back to the counselor. The approval process can take up to three weeks.

Any visitor who is 18 years of age or older must be on the approved visiting list. Children must be accompanied by an adult on the approved visitor list and remain under the supervision of the adult visitor.

It is up to the inmate to notify you when you have been added to the visiting list.

All correspondence that you send to an inmate must include their full name and inmate number. Do not use padded mailing envelopes.

Books and magazines must be in new condition and packaged and shipped by the bookstore or publisher. The Connecticut Department of Correction does not allow family and friends to send in clothing packages for offenders.

How to Call an Inmate

You can’t call an inmate at New Haven Correctional Center, but they do have access to phones during daytime hours and can call you collect. For complete details on how to call an inmate in Connecticut, please click here.

How to Send Money

You can send money to an inmate with a money order by using the postal service, or you can use a debit or credit card with JPAY, Touch Pay, or Western Union.

Click on one of the links below to send money to an inmate:

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.

U.S. Mail

When sending a money order, you must include the Inmate Trust Fund Remitter Form and send it with the money order to: 

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

Be sure to include the inmate's full name and correctional identification number on the money order. Do not include any correspondence to the inmate. Make sure that the money order and remitter form are legible.

​Programs For ​Inmates

The Mental Health Department offers a variety of programs for offenders who are experiencing stress and depression, including emotional literacy, community groups, and psycho-education.

The Education Department has instituted a program designed to identify non-English speaking offenders upon admission for referral to educators who specialize in teaching English to speakers of other languages.

A New Direction:

An Addiction Services program to meet the needs of both sentenced and unsentenced offenders. This is a short-term drug and alcohol education program using the evidenced based Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment Curriculum that addresses criminal and addictive thinking based on real life experiences of incarcerated addicts.

Dealing With Your Anger:

This program is designed to help inmates learn to manage their anger without becoming assaultive. It is designed to help them learn concepts as well as learn skills.

Prison S.M.A.R.T.:

Stress Management and Rehabilitative Training which teaches skills for reducing stress, healing trauma, and providing knowledge of how to handle one's emotions. The program teaches advanced breathing practices that create dynamic cleansing effects on the body and the mind. The course is approximately 18 hours in duration and will be taught at one hour intervals by a volunteer, who is currently teaching stress management as part of the Smoking Cessation Project. 

Prison Yoga:

Beginner poses, breath work, and meditation. Breaking down the structure of poses, introducing meditation techniques, and emphasizing mind-body connection. Alignment and deep stretches with a focus on breath work.

Special Education and Pupil Services:

The special education teachers, pupil services specialists (School Psychologists, School Counselors, School Social Workers), and the associated clerical and durational staff provide services to students with handicapping conditions which interfere with their ability to participate in school. 

Transitional Linkage into the Community (TLC):

Transitional Linkage into the Community (TLC) is a program of Community Partners in Action which provides discharge planning for inmates with HIV/AIDS. TLC serves every prison and jail in the state, and works with clients returning to every region of the state. TLC case managers meet clients' emergency needs upon release, and connect them with services in their local communities for continuing care and assistance. 

GED:

The GED is the primary program of instruction for students functioning above an eighth grade level who wish to earn a State of Connecticut high school diploma through the examination process. GED Tutors and volunteers assist Department teachers by helping inmates prepare for the GED Exam and/or by helping to teach basic language skills.

Pictures of New Haven Correctional Center

Careers at New Haven Correctional Center

The New Haven Correctional Center is staffed by correction officers, clergy, maintenance, clerical, and counselors. To explore career options within the Department of Correction click here.