What to Expect During a Video Visit at New Jersey Facilities: Privacy, Procedures, and Your Loved One's Rights

During a videoconference, your loved one sits alone in a specially constructed booth or room. These spaces are sound-dampened so normal conversation can't be heard outside - and outside noise doesn't bleed in. That said, staff can still see what's happening. Each booth includes a view panel or monitor that lets the post officer visually supervise the inmate during the session.

• ✓ The videoconferencing post officer makes sure the correct inmate is in the VTC waiting area at least 10 minutes before the scheduled conference.
• ✓ The videoconferencing post officer ensures the videoconferencing system is on and ready.
• ✓ The videoconferencing post officer ensures the facsimile machine is on and ready to receive incoming calls.

When an inmate connects with outside agency personnel (or someone acting on that agency's behalf), the conversation is treated as privileged and confidential. The content isn't meant to be shared or treated like an "open" conversation just because it happens inside a facility. If your loved one is videoconferencing with an attorney or agency representative, the expectation is that the conversation stays protected. The booth setup and confidentiality rules exist so they can speak freely without anyone listening in.

Before a videoconference with a state-sentenced inmate, staff must confirm the inmate understands the session is confidential. The inmate also has to sign an Inmate Consent Form beforehand. If you're coordinating a VTC and things seem delayed, this consent step could be why. The facility needs to verify both the advisement and the signed form are in place before starting.

1. Advise the inmate about confidentiality - The post officer or designee ensures the state-sentenced inmate has been told the videoconference is confidential.
2. Complete the consent paperwork - The inmate signs the Inmate Consent Form before the videoconference.
3. Stage the inmate ahead of time - The post officer ensures the correct inmate is in the VTC waiting area at least 10 minutes before the scheduled conference.
4. Confirm the system is ready - The post officer ensures the videoconferencing system and the facsimile machine are on and ready to receive incoming calls.

Even though the inmate is alone in the booth, staff can still watch through a view panel or monitor. That's built into the room design. Visual supervision doesn't mean someone's listening in. The rule is clear: no third person - including a correctional officer - can be present or within hearing distance unless both the inmate and their attorney or court officer authorize it in writing.

If confidentiality is breached during a state-sentenced inmate's session, it must be reported to the NJDOC Videoconferencing Coordinator within 48 hours. From there, the issue gets investigated and addressed through corrective action. If you believe something went wrong, write down the details immediately - date, time, who was involved, what you observed. Having this documented helps you report clearly within that 48-hour window.

Videoconferences can be ended early. Facilities reserve the right to terminate a session if the post officer deems an inmate's behavior inappropriate - or for other "just cause." If your session ends abruptly, ask what happened and whether you can reschedule. If you think it was handled improperly, document the details and follow up through the facility's videoconferencing chain to get your concern on record.