How to send messages, photos, and packages
Otisville Correctional Facility offers several communication options: telephone calls, remote video visits, and tablet or messaging services. The exact services and third-party vendor can vary. Expect oversight. Calls, video sessions, and messages are commonly monitored and recorded, and the facility may set rules about who can be called or scheduled for video visits. To receive calls or use tablet services, you'll typically need to create an account with the approved vendor and add funds so the incarcerated person can place outgoing calls or send messages. If you contact DOCCS through its website, know that DOCCS collects your email address and the content of your message, then uses that information to respond. For certain applications (for example, clemency), applicants may also be asked to email materials to PardonsAndCommutations@doccs.ny.gov when possible.
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
If you were planning to bring a package on visit day or mail one yourself, the rules have changed. At Otisville, all packages and articles must come directly from approved vendors, shipped through a delivery service.
You'll need to create an account with the facility's approved phone vendor and add funds so the incarcerated person can place outgoing calls to you. Vendor names, sign-up steps, and payment methods vary, so follow the facility or vendor instructions for the current process.
No. Phone calls, video visits, and messages are commonly monitored and recorded, and there can be rules about who may be contacted. Don't share anything you wouldn't want recorded or reviewed.
Yes. DOCCS collects your email address and the content of any message you submit through its website, then uses that information to respond. For certain processes (for example, clemency), applicants may also be asked to scan and email materials to PardonsAndCommutations@doccs.ny.gov when possible.
A little prep goes a long way at Otisville. This checklist helps you confirm you're coming on the right weekend, take advantage of the Visitor Hospitality Center, and avoid package mistakes that could derail your day.
Otisville's weekend visiting schedule isn't first come, first served. Most weekends are split by the incarcerated person's last-name initial—but holiday weekends work differently.
If staying connected means planning a visit, there's one key rule to know up front: Otisville splits weekend visitation by the incarcerated person's last name, with a holiday exception.
