Osborn Correctional Institution

Osborn Correctional Institution is a level three medium-security prison for male inmates located in Somers, Connecticut. The facility houses over 1,900 inmates, making it one of the largest inmate populations in the state.

Osborn operates under the Unit Management System.  Under this model, an assigned Unit Manager directs all the functions of their assigned units. There are 17 inmate-housing units, each with its own specific institutional function. The Unit Management System enhances safety and security by limiting inmate mass movement and providing for controlled movement during the daily institutional routines.

The facility supports an inpatient medical hospital, a mental health unit, a comprehensive education program, an inpatient Addiction Services unit, and one of the largest Correctional Industries Program in the state.

The Enterprise Program currently employs more than 200 inmates who manufacture inmate clothing, mattresses, and run a full-service print shop. 

The facility is one of three in the state which also provides trained, offender, hospice volunteers who provide end of life care to fellow inmates. 

The facility is named after the Osborn Prison Farm which was established in the area on 1,400 acres in the 1930’s.

The Osborn Correctional Institution, formerly known as the Connecticut Correctional Institution-Somers, was opened in November of 1963 as a replacement for the Old Wethersfield State Prison. It served as the state's maximum-security prison and as the Reception/Diagnostic Center for incoming male inmates statewide. The physical plant is located on 550 acres adjacent to the Northern Correctional Institution.

In the summer of 1994, the facility was reorganized into a level 3, medium-security institution and renamed the Osborn Correctional Institution. In 1995, Death Row inmates were transferred to the newly opened Northern Correctional Institution. 

In year 2001, Warden Mark Strange introduced the Unit Management System to manage the inmate population.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Visiting hours for general population inmates are on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 8:30 am to 11:00 am, 1:00 pm to 3:15 pm, and 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm.  Visiting on Tuesdays is from 1:00 pm to 3:15 pm and 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. 

For more detailed information about visiting hours at Osborn, click here.

Inmates are allowed two day visits and one night visit (Monday-Friday), one visit every other weekend (Saturday-Sunday).
-OR-
One day visit and two night visits (Monday-Friday), one visit every other weekend (Saturday-Sunday).

Inmates are not allowed more than one visit by the same visitor on the same day, and each visit is limited to one hour maximum. 

Getting on the approved visiting list

Before you can visit an inmate at Osborn, 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 mailed by their counselor to those who are designated by the offender.  

Once you receive your form, you must 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 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.

General Visiting Rules

You must present a current, photo identification 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. 

You must dress reasonably modest to visit an inmate. 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.

You are not allowed to bring in cell phones or other electronic devices.

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

You can’t send books and magazines to an inmate. However, you can order them, and they must be in new condition, packaged and shipped by the bookstore or publisher. The Connecticut Department of Corrections does not allow inmates to receive clothing packages.

How to Call an Inmate

You are not allowed to call an inmate at Osborn Correctional Institution, but they can call you collect during approved hours if you have a Securus account. 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, debit card, or credit card. You can’t mail cash or checks directly to an inmate. 

If you wish to mail in a money order, you must use the inmate trust fund. 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.

If you would rather use your debit or credit card to send money online or by phone, click one of the links below to set up an account and get started.

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.

​Programs For ​Inmates

Alternatives to Violence:

Certified AVP volunteers lead basic, intermediate workshops to teach inmates to understand and to control anger, and how to cope with violence in their lives. Participants completing both basic and advanced workshops qualify for selection to become peer mentors. 

America's VetDog Prison Puppy Program:

Two inmates (Primary and Secondary) are paired with a puppy (9 or 10 weeks old) and raise it until one year of age. During that time period, they teach the dog approximately 48 different commands that would be of use to a disabled Veteran. 

Anger Management:

This 10-week program includes skill building, cognitive techniques, relaxation techniques, and role play. In addition, an assessment tool to ensure program fidelity audits this program. 

Armed Services Member Trauma Group:

This program is offered to individuals that have experienced some trauma in their lives. The lesson plans address male role models, emotional and relationship patterns as well as various abuse and its relationship to psych symptoms as well as substance abuse. 

This program can be modified to work with identified trauma survivors who have also been in the military. The traumatic event could be pre/post military as well as taking place during their military time. This group is a psycho-educational skill building group with a goal of having individuals explore how their trauma exposure can be impacting current life events. 

Art Program:

This is a program developed to enable inmates with different artistic abilities. Although primarily pen, watercolor, and painting, this activity may be multidisciplinary (i.e., sculpture, dance, creative writing, or poetry). Members of this group also have the chance to submit their artwork in the annual Art Shows located throughout the state.

Band Program:

This program provides inmates of different musical backgrounds an opportunity to learn and create different styles of music. There are currently four bands and each band plays twice a week for an hour session. These bands occasionally perform for the inmate population during various monthly activities.

Community Outreach Program Support (COPS):

This program was developed at Osborn Correctional Institution. Groups of youth from schools and other organizations come into the prison. While visiting the prison they meet with staff and inmates. The program is designed to encourage participants to make wise decisions, to act responsibly, and to establish and work on personal goals. Inmate testimonials are used to show youth the consequences that the inmates now face as a result of their personal failure in these areas.

Families in Crisis - Going Home Program:

The Going Home Program will work with offenders to build a plan for their release. The program will explore all aspects of an offenders return including family life, relationships, parenting, employment, financial, peer relations and will provide connections to other programs for assistance. The other programs could include other Families in Crisis programs as well as assisting in making connections to child support services, if needed. 

Hospice Program:

This program is provided through an interdisciplinary team approach, to provide twenty-four (24) hour compassionate, quality end-of-life care to terminally ill inmates and to view their families and/or those emotionally connected to them as part of the "unit of care." Specially trained inmate volunteers are assigned to provide on-going care and support.

Life Skills:

This weekly group encourages offenders to develop good social skills that are appropriate to living in both a therapeutic community (The Social Rehabilitation Program) and the world. Therapeutic games, readings, role-play, and sharing of life experience are used.

Men Cry Out:

Men Cry Out is a Protestant Program designed to teach male inmates how to be successful by applying life principles, as well as to bring them to a stage of understanding who they are as men of faith. To teach male inmates how to be more effective in their communities, workplace and family. The goal is to motivate them to become better men in the community upon release. 

M-TREM: Men's Trauma Recovery and Empowerment Model:

M-TREM is a 24 session group that meets twice a week, and is divided into four parts. It is a gender-specific, educational, skills-oriented group, designed to address trauma. The group's emphasis is on making connections between abuse history, current functioning and on assisting with recovery skill development. 

New Haven Family Alliance:

This Fatherhood initiative program will provide pre-release assessments for offenders from the New Haven area. The program will facilitate, "Be A Better Man," support group while incarcerated and will provide follow-up services once released. Services will include Healthy Couples Workshops, Mentoring, Fatherhood Education workshops, and case management and support groups upon discharge. 

Pictures of Osborn Correctional Institution

Careers at Osborn Correctional Institution

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