What to do when the NC DAC website is down (for families checking on Johnston Correctional Institution)

We saw multiple NC Department of Adult Correction pages returning the same CloudFront “403 ERROR” screen (with a CloudFront “Request ID” on it). The affected pages included the “Resources for Family and Friends” page, the “Prison Visitation” page, “Offender Mail,” “Send Money to Offender,” “Telephone & Tablet Services,” “Order Packages for Offenders,” “Canteens,” and “Criminal Offender Searches.” If you’re trying to confirm something time-sensitive for Johnston Correctional Institution - like a visit, mailing rules, phone/tablet setup, or commissary-related details - this kind of outage can block the exact pages families normally rely on.

Immediate Documentation

• ✓ Copy the full page URL you were trying to open
• ✓ Copy the CloudFront “Request ID” shown on the 403 error screen
• ✓ Write down the date and time you saw the error
• ✓ Take a screenshot (or two) showing the full error message

When a page is down, details matter. The URL tells DAC staff (or a vendor) exactly which page failed, and the CloudFront Request ID helps technical teams trace what happened on their side. A timestamp matters because outages can come and go, and a screenshot gives you a clean record of what you saw - especially if you need to show that you weren’t able to access prison visitation, offender mail, or other family resources during a specific window.

1. Reload the page - Sometimes the error clears on a second try.
2. Try a different browser or device - If you’re on your phone, try a computer (or the other way around).
3. Use a private/incognito window - This can rule out a bad cached version of the page.
4. Switch networks (Wi‑Fi ↔ cellular) - This helps you check whether it’s your connection or the site itself.

You may see DAC documents hosted through PowerDMS and hope those will work as a fallback when the main site is down. In our checks, two PowerDMS public document pages returned only the text “Powered by,” without the actual content loading in the retrieved page chunk. That means PowerDMS may not be a reliable backup in the moment you need it - at least not for those pages.

• ✓ If you try a PowerDMS document page and it won’t load, copy the full URL you attempted
• ✓ If the page shows only “Powered by” (or similarly incomplete text), screenshot it
• ✓ Record the date and time you tried, so you can describe the outage clearly later

If you need an answer urgently while the DAC site is throwing 403 errors, fall back to your last-known official information. That can be paperwork your loved one received, prior printed rules you saved, confirmation emails, or letters that include instructions. Use the outage documentation you captured (URL, Request ID, timestamp, screenshots) so you can explain exactly what prevented you from checking the current policy online.

For anything that could affect a trip - like whether you’ll be turned away at the door or whether a mailing will be rejected - get verification directly from the source by phone or in person. This draft doesn’t include contact numbers, so use the most recent official number you already have (from paperwork or prior calls) and be ready to share the page URL and the CloudFront Request ID if staff ask what you’re seeing.

How to Report

• ✓ The exact URL that returned the CloudFront 403 error (for example: family/friends resources, prison visitation, offender mail, send money, telephone & tablet services, order packages, canteens, or criminal offender searches)
• ✓ The CloudFront “Request ID” shown on the error screen
• ✓ The date and time you saw the error
• ✓ Screenshots of the full error page
• ✓ A quick note of what you tried already (reload, different browser/device, incognito/private window, switching networks)

Save everything in one place so you’re not digging for it later - screenshots plus a note with the URL, Request ID, and time. A simple folder on your phone (and a backup copy emailed to yourself) is usually enough. If the page comes back up later, you’ll still have proof of what happened when you couldn’t access the prison visitation or offender-mail information.

This draft doesn’t include facility contact phone numbers, vendor contact information, or an official outage notice - so you can’t rely on this page alone to confirm a schedule or rule change. Treat anything you can’t verify right now as “not confirmed,” and verify before you travel or send money/mail. When the official pages are inaccessible, a quick check by phone or in person can save you a wasted trip or a rejected item.