What to Expect During a Legal Video Call at Garden State Youth C.F.
Legal video calls give your loved one a private, confidential way to speak with an attorney or court staff. Here's how the setup works at Garden State Youth C.F., what staff do before the call, and what happens if something goes wrong.
During a videoconference, the inmate sits alone in a specially built booth or room. This physical separation is one of the main ways the facility protects the conversation's confidentiality.
Privacy rules here are strict. No third person - not even a correctional officer - can be in the room or within hearing distance while the inmate is on the video link. The only exception: someone who has been acknowledged and authorized in writing by both the inmate and their attorney (or the court officer). If you're an attorney and need someone else present, handle the written authorization before the call starts.
Note: The booth’s volume is pre-set by NJDOC personnel for privacy and won’t be adjusted during the videoconference.
Before a videoconference with a state-sentenced inmate, the post officer (or a designee) confirms the inmate understands the call is confidential. The inmate then signs a consent form before the call begins.
Need to share documents during the session? The videoconferencing system includes a fax machine, so the inmate can receive incoming transmissions directly. Paperwork comes through the video setup - no informal workarounds needed.
Note: Inmates are not permitted to send fax transmissions out to other agency representatives.
Supervision Preparation
- ✓ The videoconferencing post officer will ensure the correct inmate is in the videoconferencing waiting area at least 10 minutes before the scheduled conference.
Before each session, the post officer makes sure the videoconferencing system is powered on and ready - including the fax machine for incoming documents.
If confidentiality is breached - accidentally or intentionally - there's a strict reporting timeline. Both the participating agency and NJDOC must be notified in writing within 48 hours.
Even though legal videoconferences are confidential, the institution can still end a call in progress. The post officer has discretion to terminate the session if the inmate's behavior is inappropriate or if there's other just cause.
Calls can also be canceled for broader institutional reasons. The facility reserves the right to stop all videoconferencing at the administrator's discretion when security, staffing, or other situations require it.
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