What Happens During a Video Conference at Edna Mahan: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough
Nervous about what the videoconference will actually look like from inside Edna Mahan? Knowing what happens behind the scenes can help. Here's a walkthrough of how inmates are brought in, what the booth setup looks like, how privacy is handled, and what might cause a call to end early.
Before your scheduled start time, a videoconferencing post officer makes sure the correct inmate is in the waiting area at least 10 minutes early. This buffer gives staff time to confirm they have the right person and get everything ready. For state-sentenced inmates, there's an additional step. The post officer (or a designee) ensures the inmate has been told the videoconference is confidential and has signed an Inmate Consent Form. Think of it as a formal acknowledgment: "You understand how confidentiality works, and you agree to proceed."
The videoconferencing booth is designed with privacy in mind. It's sound-dampened, so normal conversation shouldn't be audible outside - and outside noise won't bleed into your call either. That said, staff can still supervise visually. Each booth has a view panel or monitor that lets the post officer see the inmate during the conference without hearing the conversation.
Note: Volume at the inmate booth is pre-adjusted by NJDOC personnel for privacy, and it will not be re-adjusted during the conference.
During videoconferences, inmates are alone in the booth. That's by design - it's how the facility supports confidential communication. The rules on who can be nearby are strict. No third person - including a correctional officer - can be present during the call or close enough to hear it, unless both the inmate and their attorney (or court officer) have authorized that person's presence in writing. The consent and confidentiality process sets clear expectations about privacy from the start.
Privacy protections are in place, but the conference is still visually supervised. The booth includes a view panel or monitor so the post officer can see the inmate throughout the call. The facility can also end a videoconference once it's underway. A post officer may terminate a call at their discretion if the inmate's behavior is inappropriate - or for other just cause. Beyond that, the institutional administrator (or designee) can cancel videoconferencing entirely when security, staffing, or other situations require it.
Practical Expectations
- ✓ Expect the volume on the inmate side to stay as set - it’s pre-adjusted by NJDOC personnel for privacy and won’t be changed during the conference.
- ✓ Expect the inmate to be alone in the videoconferencing booth/room during the call.
- ✓ Know that the call can be ended if the post officer deems the inmate’s behavior inappropriate (or for other just cause).
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