Cape Vincent Correctional Facility

Cape Vincent Correctional Facility is a medium-security facility for male inmates that is located in Cape Vincent, New York. It is operated by the New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision and can house approximately 880 inmates. 

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Visiting hours at Cape Vincent Correctional Facility are between 7:30AM and 2:15PM on weekends and holidays. You must arrive by 1:30 PM to visit with your inmate.

Special Housing Unit Visiting Days & Hours (Inmates in SHU custody are allowed one non-legal visit within a seven day period): 7:30AM to 2:15PM Weekends and Holidays; Latest Arrival Time 1:30PM; Weekly Schedule: Saturday through Friday

A maximum of four adults and children can visit with an inmate at one time. For more detailed visiting information, click here.

Visitor Checklist

The following is a checklist to ensure you are prepared for the visit:

• Confirm that the offender has not been transferred and has visitation privileges.
• Bring valid photo identification.
• If you have made special arrangements with the facility, call before leaving to ensure that plans for your visit have been made and are in place.
• Check clothing and jewelry for compliance with visiting regulations.
• If you are bringing a child and you are not the legal guardian or parent, be sure you have a notarized statement from the child’s parent or legal guardian.
• Before leaving home, check your vehicle for contraband and/or hazardous items and be sure to remove these items before entering correctional facility grounds. This includes, but is not limited to:
  • implements of escape
  • drug paraphernalia
  • intoxicants
  • poisons
  • items posing a danger to others
  • weapons, such as knives, scissors, or firearms
  • items used to show a gang affiliation
• Arrive on the designated day during proper visiting hours.
• Leave purses, wallets, and electronic devices in the glove compartment or in the trunk of your car. Be sure to lock your car!
• Do not leave minor children waiting in the car or your visit will be ended.
• Do not have any contraband on you when you enter the facility.
• Treat correctional staff with respect.
• Do not bring anything into the visiting room to give to the offender. Offenders are not permitted to take anything from the visiting area.

How to Call an Inmate

Inmates at the Cape Vincent Correctional Facility can’t receive incoming calls, but they do have access to phones during daytime hours for outgoing calls. For complete details on how to call an inmate in New York, please click here.

How to Send Money

Programs For Inmates

DOCCS offers an extensive array of programs and services for incarcerated individuals to assist them in redirecting their lives and becoming productive, law-abiding members of society.

Adult Basic Education

The Adult Basic Education Program provides individualized instruction. This is provided to meet the needs of incarcerated individuals who have reading and math scores below the sixth grade level on the Department's selected standardized test in reading, mathematics, and language arts in the context of real life adult problems and situations.

The goal of this program is to provide individuals with skills or competencies necessary to function successfully in contemporary society and to enable the participant to function at the sixth grade reading and mathematics level.

College Programs

A Jefferson Community College Associate’s Degree in Individual Studies or Human Services is available for incarcerated individuals to earn who possess a verified high school equivalency or high school diploma.

Aggression Replacement Training (ART)

A cognitive behavioral intervention program designed to assist individuals in improving social skills, moral reasoning, coping with and reducing aggressive behavior through the use of self regulating exercises and mindfulness.

ART consists of three coordinated interventions: anger control training, structured learning, and moral reasoning. The program consists of five modules with 32 sessions.

Participants will learn to understand what causes them to feel angry and act aggressively, as well as techniques to reduce anger/aggressive behavior, self-regulate to stop "automatic" aggression, and to build skills that help make better choices.

Individuals who are assessed as having the need for ART are assigned to the program by the facility Program Committee.

Building Maintenance

The Building Maintenance program provides students with fundamental skills required to make minor repairs in carpentry, masonry, electricity, plumbing, and weatherization. This course prepares the student with entry-level skills as a building superintendent.

This program is self-paced individualized instruction to assist students in developing competencies in entry level skills as defined by modules.

Custodial Maintenance

The Custodial Maintenance Course emphasizes custodial services, including floor care, carpet and fabric care, upholstery care, window care, restroom care, and the safe use and operation of power cleaning equipment and sanitation chemicals.

The goal of this course is to provide students with competencies in entry level skills in commercial, institutional, and industrial cleaning and maintenance. This is self-paced individualized instruction to develop student competencies in entry level skills as defined by modules.

Basic and Advanced Custodial Technician certifications, NCCER core training program certification, and New York State Department of Labor Apprenticeship program are also available.

Electrical Trades

This course provides instruction in basic electricity with emphasis on installing and servicing of all types of residential and commercial wiring systems. Skills taught include code interpretation, installation and servicing of circuits and controls, use of testing equipment, reading of architectural drawings, and wiring schematics.

The goal of the Electrical Trades course is to provide students with entry level skills as an apprentice or electrician's helper. This is self-paced individualized instruction to develop student competencies in entry level skills as defined by modules.

Floor Covering

This course provides instruction in basic electricity with emphasis on installing and servicing of all types of residential and commercial wiring systems. Skills taught include code interpretation, installation and servicing of circuits and controls, use of testing equipment, reading of architectural drawings, and wiring schematics.

The goal of the Electrical Trades course is to provide students with entry level skills as an apprentice or electrician's helper. This is self-paced individualized instruction to develop student competencies in entry level skills as defined by modules.

Horticulture

Horticulture refers to the production, care, management, and marketing of plants such as flowers, shrubs, trees, bulbs, and turf. Training includes instruction and practice in techniques and methods of plant propagation, transplanting, pruning, cultivation, fertilization, and greenhouse production, as well as plant identification and insect control.

Students learn basic landscape design through the use of brick, stone, and wood in the construction of walks, walls, and fences as well as the construction of new lawns, mowing, fertilization, and insect and disease control. Instruction is given in operating various horticulture hand and power equipment, such as mowers, tractors, rototillers, and other garden tools.

The goal of the Horticulture course is to provide a student with entry level skills to be employable as Horticulturist or Groundskeeper. It offers self-paced individualized instruction to develop student competencies in entry level skills as defined by modules.

Incarcerated Veterans

The Incarcerated Veterans Program is designed to address the readjustment and reentry needs of veterans returning to society following a period of incarceration. 

Level I

All correctional facilities provide Level I services ensuring that veterans obtain a copy of their DD214 Military Discharge papers and that appropriate referrals are made through the Veterans Administration (VA) for ongoing treatment, vocational training, education, housing, and employment when the veteran is released from incarceration. 

Level II

In addition to the Level 1 services provided, Cape Vincent is a Level II facility that also has a Veterans Inmate Organization or a Veterans Educational Group that meets on a regular basis providing education, camaraderie, and support to each other. There is often a community group involved, such as an American Legion or a VFW Post. They often hold a Veterans’ Day Recognition Ceremony and Banquet to honor their service to their country.

Masonry

Students in masonry are taught the fundamentals of wall construction, mixing mortar, learning to work with brick, cinderblock, cement blocks, and concrete. Students must also learn blueprint reading and trade mathematics.

The goal of the Mason Shop course is to provide students with entry-level skills as a bricklayer or a mason. Self-paced individualized instruction is provided to develop student competencies in entry-level skills as defined by modules.

New York State Department of Labor Apprenticeship Program and NCCER Masonry Certification Training Program are available.

Painting and Decorating

Students in this program learn techniques of paint application to both interior and exterior surfaces. Skills taught relate to preparation of the surface, and application of stains, clear finishes and pigmented paint. Students learn techniques of wallpapering, and wood refinishing. Instruction is given in safety procedures in handling paints, ladders, and scaffolding.

The goal of this course is to provide students with entry level skills as a painter or painter's helper. It offers self-paced individualized instruction to develop student competencies in entry level skills as defined by modules.

A New York State Department of Labor Apprenticeship Program and NCCER Painting Certification Training Program are available.

Waste Management

The Waste Management Program provides recycling and organic waste diversion and avoided cost services for the Department and selected municipalities. The program employs up to 1100 incarcerated individuals at various levels in facilities and regional recycling processing centers. 

Food Waste composting operations are located throughout the state and generally outside facility security perimeters.

Program goals include providing:

• solid waste disposal cost avoidance to the Department through procurement, recycling and organic waste composting strategies
• statutory compliance with solid waste regulations and benign environmental stewardship waste management practices
• relevant and productive inmate work experiences

Pictures of Cape Vincent Correctional Facility

Careers at Cape Vincent Correctional Facility

If you are interested in a career with the New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision and would like to work at the Cape Vincent Correctional Facility, you can find out more information by clicking here.