How to send messages, photos, and packages
Sending mail to someone at Lakeview Facility is straightforward once you know the rules. Packages and "articles" must ship directly from approved vendors using major carriers—family and friends can't mail packages or drop them off during visits. These requirements are documented in Department Directive #4911. Regular incoming mail is screened by facility staff and may be opened to check for contraband. Many New York facilities also use vendor-based or digital letter/photo services that print and deliver items inside, so check what options are available before you send anything. For letters, include the incarcerated person's full name, facility ID number (DIN or other ID), and your return address to help avoid delays.
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No. Packages and articles must be shipped directly from approved vendors via carriers, and family or friends can’t mail packages to the facility or bring them during visits under DOCCS policy and Directive #4911.
Address the envelope with the person’s full name, their facility identification number (DIN or other ID), and your full return address. Clear, complete addressing helps prevent delays or returned mail.
Mail is screened and inspected, and staff may open or monitor general correspondence to check for contraband. Legal mail has special handling and, when opening is required for contraband checks, it’s done in the incarcerated person’s presence.
Your first visit can feel overwhelming. This quick-reference guide covers weekend hours, the latest you can arrive, who can come along, and what happens when the visiting room gets crowded.
Lakeview visits happen on weekends only, with a firm arrival cutoff and a clear procedure when the visiting room fills up. Here's what you need to know so you don't get turned away—or cut short once you're inside.
If your loved one is in Lakeview's Shock Incarceration program or Drug Treatment Program (DTP), visiting works differently than at most facilities. Here's what the "one visit every two weeks" rule actually means—and the details you need for planning.
