rikers island visit dress code

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How the women who visit rikers island navigate the complex dress code.

Alexis Cortez, who says she was turned away for a long skirt with a slit in it and made to wear "the shirt" for a pair of leggings on her last visit to Rikers Island

Kya Morrell, 17, with her daughter Abria, whose father has been incarcerated for 21 months. Morrell doesn't get much hassle for her outfits, but her hair is a different story: The complicated do gets a full search for weapons.

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What to Know When Visiting a Loved One at the Rikers Island Jail

By Kim Kelly

New York City’s notorious Rikers Island jail complex has earned a reputation for brutality, violence , and neglect in its 85 years of existence. As the second-largest facility of its kind in the U.S., Rikers’s very name — an angular switchblade of a word — has long struck fear into the hearts of those sentenced to make that long, lonely trip over the East River to the facility. There are currently about 4,100 people incarcerated in Rikers. Historically, the majority of those held at the facility have not yet been convicted of any crime; they’ve been stuck behind bars while they await trial because they’re unable to post bail — in other words, just because they’re poor.

At one point, 16-year-old Kalief Browder was one of them. The Bronx teen was held on Rikers for three years, without a trial or conviction, for allegedly stealing a backpack — a charge that was eventually dismissed. Much of that time was spent in solitary confinement, a practice that has long been condemned as torture . Shortly after Browder’s release in 2015, he died by suicide. Just last year, Layleen Polanco, a trans woman living with epilepsy, died from complications of the disease after being placed in solitary confinement.

Now, one of my favorite people in the world is in there too. Since October, David Campbell has been locked inside those forbidding walls, doing his best to survive what New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s own lawyer, Alphonso David, has called “a savage and inhumane jail that has ruined the lives of too many New Yorkers.” As a result, I’ve seen firsthand what it’s like to visit a loved one on Rikers Island in 2020.

Following years of campaigning by prison abolitionists and other opponents of mass incarceration, the New York City Council is moving forward with an $8 billion plan to shut down Rikers for good, replacing the massive complex with smaller facilities spread throughout four of the city’s five boroughs. (Activists oppose the construction of those new jails too.) For now, with the shut-down process in its early phases and bogged down by numerous hurdles, Rikers is still standing, and those of us who have friends and family inside its walls must continue to make the arduous journey to visit them. And trust me, it’s arduous . The entire system seems set up to make visitation as difficult as possible, but I’ll explain it, step-by-step, to prepare anyone who finds themself needing to make that trip.

The first time we go visit David, my boyfriend and I leave south Brooklyn at 11:30 a.m. It’s a little after 1 p.m. by the time we get up to 21st Avenue in Queens to catch the special Q100 bus to Rikers. The sign that welcomes you to the island is a gaudy hodgepodge of patriotic symbols, and one big banner declares the prison “ Home of New York City’s Boldest .” We cross the bridge, taking in a panoramic view of the city before the jail complex’s jutting walls and strands of razor wire come into view.

Once the bus stops, a corrections officer comes onboard and reads off a list of items that are considered contraband, telling us to leave any such items on the bus, no questions asked. We go into the first security building, where we are lined up on opposite sides of an invisible line and sniffed at by a hulking police dog. The atmosphere that greets us as soon as we enter the complex suggests that we — the visitors — are on thin ice too, and any wrong move would cost us. It’s nerve-racking.

We file back out into the cold to another building. A guard points us to rows of creaky yellow lockers and tells us to stow our personal possessions — phones, toiletries, purses, Metrocards. We’re ushered into yet another building to go through the first of three rounds of metal detectors. I was especially nervous about this step because of Rikers’s notoriously strict dress code . Clothing is strictly policed , and showing up in anything deemed too tight, revealing, or the wrong color will cost you a visit unless you consent to wear a “cover-up garment” — an oversized neon T-shirt . I was mostly concerned about the restriction on jewelry; only wedding rings and religious necklaces are permitted, and I currently have 13 piercings on my face and body. The day before, I swapped out my metal pieces for glass retainers, and was hoping the guards wouldn’t notice them. Luckily, I make it through, though I am still unsure what threat a nose ring could possibly pose.

We then register with a corrections officer, turning over our IDs, giving our fingerprints (which is apparently optional but I was too nervous to risk gumming up the process), and taking a photo. The officer prints out paper passes with our photo, names, and David’s information and tells us to go wait for another bus. TMZ is blaring on a wall-mounted TV. There’s no indication of when the bus is coming, and no one provides us with any further directions, so we continue to follow along behind more seasoned visitors like anxious ducklings.

The bus to the Robert N. Davoren Center finally shows up, and the drive takes two minutes; we literally just cross a parking lot. We line up outside the door, waiting in below-freezing temperatures. Once inside, we’re ushered into a small room papered with warnings about smuggling in contraband. Eventually, the doors are unlocked and one by one we present our papers again, go through yet another metal detector, have our hands stamped with U.V.-light ink, and enter another waiting room with more lockers where we store our jackets (you’re only allowed to have one layer of clothing in the visiting room).

At this point, I tell one officer that I’m entitled to a two-hour visit because I’m traveling from out of state. He peers at my New Jersey state ID and my Chinatown bus receipt, and denies my request. I remove my belt and shoes a final time to pass through the last metal detector, following a female officer’s request to pull the band of my bra away from my body, pull up my pants legs, and pull down my socks. I pass into the final waiting room, consumed with anxiety as I wait for my boyfriend to join me.

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Inside, a big wall-mounted flat screen is stuck on an empty PowerPoint slide. The other visitors, most of whom are women, stare at the walls. The majority are wearing sweatpants or jeans with plain, neutral-colored shirts. I realize why so many women are wearing Uggs; slip-on shoes would’ve saved us a lot of time. After a few minutes, an officer calls out our friend’s last name. We enter another room and wait.

The grim beige walls are painted with inspirational slogans like “loyalty is royalty.” Across the room, couples hold fast to each other, some sneaking kisses when the officers aren’t looking. Most of the other pairs seem to be in romantic relationships, though there are a few kids there visiting family.

Finally, finally, we get to talk to our friend face-to-face. A low row of plexiglass runs down the middle of the bench, separating us from David and making it awkward to hold hands. He says he’s doing as well as he can. We quickly fall back into our normal patterns, and for a minute, it feels like we’re back at the bar or sitting around my kitchen table — just three people laughing and catching up. Then I reach for my phone to show him some dumb meme, and remember it’s locked up. Reality comes rushing back. Nine months to go.

Our allotted hour passes far too quickly. After what feels like no time at all, an officer strides by and barks, “Visiting time is over! Now!” We hug David tight and tell him we’ll be back soon. As we board the bus, Ginuwine’s “Pony” is playing on the radio, which feels both pleasantly bizarre and unspeakably ghoulish. When we get back to the locker room, I turn on my phone to check the time: 4:17 p.m. We’d somehow been in there for three hours.

With hearts both full and empty at the same time, we head back outside to wait for the Q100. Back over the bridge. Back to our subway stop. Back to our freedom. And next month, we’ll be back to do it all again, until the day we can bring him back over the bridge — away from this hopeless island — with us.

Editor’s note: In an email to Teen Vogue , the Department of Corrections said that a visitor handbook with “all visitor-related information” is available online, and that the security protocols are “designed to ensure the safety and security of DOC personnel, people in our custody, and visitors. The DOC also said they’ve tried to “improve the visiting experience” through measures like creating the visitor handbook and providing children visiting their facilities with crayons and drawing books.

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Scantily dressed visitors must cover up to see Rikers inmates

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Rikers Island Visiting Hours

Riker’s island inmates, lawyers, bail bonds, rikers island visiting hours, inmates, attorney, bail bonds.

Find Rikers Island inmates, visiting info and criminal lawyers and more for facilites housing inmates arrested in New York City, Queens, Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Staten Island, Long Island and more.

Find Riker’s Island Inmates, Visitor Info, Attorneys, Bail Bonds

Call for information 24 hours at 718-546-0700 .

Rikers Island Visiting Hours For Family Members or Attorneys

Rikers Island Jail Inmate Visiting Hours, …

• There are NO Inmate Visits scheduled on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Note that the schedule of visit days is based on the first letter of an inmates’ last name.

For example, inmates with last name beginning with A-L might have visitation Wednesdays one Month and Thurs the next Month. There is a new schedule each month where they will have Riners Island visiting hous for inmates with last names beginning A-L and then another day visit hours are for inmate with last name beginning M-Z. Some days are A-Z allowing visiting all inmates.

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY Rikers Island Jail Inmate Visit Info

Registration hours are 1:00 – 8:00 pm for all facilities on Rikers Island including the MDC Manhattan Detention Complex in Manhattan as well as the facility located in the Bronx VCBC Vernon C. Bail Center. The actual visiting hours are from 1:00 – 9:00 pm, but all visitors must make sure they register no later than 8:00 pm.

FRIDAY, SATURDAY & SUNDAY Rikers Island Jail Inmate Visit Info

Registration hours are 7:00 am- 2:00 pm for all facilities on Rikers Island including the MDC Manhattan Detention Complex in Manhattan as well as the facility located in the Bronx VCBC Vernon C. Bail Center. The actual visiting hours are from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm, but all visitors must make sure they register no later than 2:00 pm.

Rikers Island Families and Friends Here is Help & Support…

(We’ll hold your spot here while you check out these links…)

Get connected with this prisoner information and family support community online – Prison Talk

Find help here (again we’ll hold your spot here) Handbook for Families and Friends of NYS DOCS Inmates. It will help you understand more about the New York State Department of Correctional Services

Need Phone Numbers to Rikers Island Jail Inmate Facilities?

New York City Department of Corrections info – call 718-546-0700

New York City Correction Department – Riker’s Island Visiting Center

• call 718-546-0700
• Bail and Inmate info press Option 1
• Visiting Hours, Travel Info, Addresses Press Option 2

Rikers Island Control Room – call 718-546-4521

Rikers Island Security – call 718-546-1560

Looking for a New York Bail Bonds or Criminal Defense Attorneys?

If you or a family member needs to find a criminal lawyer after an arrest, awaiting trial and/ or convicted of crimes find lawyers here. Get help for DWI, DUI, drunk driving, driving under the influence, drug possession, possession of controlled substance, assault, assault family violence, domestic disturbance, auto theft, bad checks, assault and battery, identity theft or credit card fraud, burglary, robbery, child abuse and domestic violence, prostitution, selling narcotics, sexual assault and much more.In case you are looking for bail bonds agents and services to discuss any of the following

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If you need to get a family member out of jail and post bail, find an licensed New York bail bondsman and make sure the agent charges the legal rates and is clear about any additional fees.

After reading this Rikers Island visiting hours information see our New York Map and NY resources or go back to our Law Resources .

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Israel seizes Rafah crossing and the best Met Gala looks: Morning Rundown

Israel seizes Gaza's Rafah border crossing. Millions in the U.S. are under severe weather alerts. And see the most head-turning looks from the Met Gala.

Here’s what to know today.

Israeli forces enter Rafah and take control of key border crossing

Israeli ground forces have seized control of the Gaza side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, the Israeli military said this morning. Video released by the Israel Defense Forces showed tanks flying Israeli flags entering the crossing, a crucial point for humanitarian aid coming into the besieged Palestinian enclave. The movement of aid into the Gaza Strip through the Rafah and Kerem Shalom border crossings has "completely stopped," a spokesman for the Palestinian Crossings Authority said this morning.

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The move comes after Hamas announced it had accepted a cease-fire proposal following weeks of talks with Qatar and Egypt. Israel said that the deal was “far from” its requirements and that it would push ahead with a Rafah operation and send a delegation to the talks. An Israeli official has told NBC News that the ground incursion into Rafah is “a very limited” operation designed to achieve tactical military goals and put pressure on Hamas in the cease-fire negotiations.

Earlier, Israel told some 100,000 people to evacuate eastern Rafah and head to what it said was an expanded humanitarian area. Israel insists a ground attack on Rafah is needed to eradicate Hamas. But world leaders and aid groups have warned against a broader operation in the city, where more than 1 million people are sheltering.

Follow live updates here.  

• NBC News spoke to some of the more than 1.4 million people sheltering in Rafah and aid officials who fear a “nightmare scenario,” as thousands pack up their meager belongings to flee. 

The looks we loved at the Met Gala

Let’s give it up once more for the 2024 Met Gala looks! The stars “rose” to the occasion for this year’s dress code, “The Garden of Time.” Jennifer Lopez sparkled in a custom Schiaparelli gown that contained 2.5 million beads and took 800 hours to create. That’s dedication. And we couldn’t be-“leaf” Kim Kardashian’s all-metal corseted John Galliano gown. It only gets better from there.

NBC News art director Chelsea Stahl  recapped last night’s most memorable looks:

👗 Best dressed:  Zendaya. We “challenge” anyone to get on her level with TWO looks. Great interpretation of the theme and striking makeup! A co-host extraordinaire.

💕 Cutest couple:  Maybe not a couple, but model Gigi Hadid and the five men helping her with her dress took our hearts.

💇🏻‍♀️ Best hair:  Amanda Seyfried’s silver-cast hair was cool, inventive and stood out with her purple lips.

🎤 Most likely to be a co-host next year:  Gwendolyn Christie. She was giving her best theater girl energy, and we need more of that at the Met Gala!

👏 Honorable mentions:  Cardi B, Ayo Edebiri and Emma Chamberlain.

See photos  of the night’s fiercest looks, and  visit our blog  for other moments you may have missed.

Trump on trial: Another fine and a jail threat

The fourth week of Donald Trump’s hush money trial began with a $1,000 fine for violating a gag order — and a threat from Judge Juan Merchan that he would send the former president to jail “if necessary.” Yesterday’s fine is in addition to a $9,000 fine the judge imposed last week for nine previous gag order violations.

Merchan did not specify which jail Trump would end up in, but experts said it would likely be Rikers Island. “The department would find appropriate housing,” the jail’s top spokesperson said when asked what would happen if Trump were to be sent there. Experts described what else might happen if Trump goes to jail — from the intake process to how the Secret Service would protect him. 

At yesterday’s trial, Jeffrey McConney, a former Trump Organization executive, and Deborah Tarasoff, the first current employee to testify, described how the many large sums of money that went to Michael Cohen for alleged hush money payments came straight from Trump’s bank account. And for the first time in the trial, a check from the alleged scheme was shown in court. Here are other highlights from Day 12.

It remains unknown which witnesses will take the stand today, though at some point in the trial, Cohen and adult film star Stormy Daniels are expected to testify. Read more about today’s trial.  

Russia detains U.S. soldier accused of stealing

A U.S. soldier stationed in South Korea was detained in Russia last week. Army Staff Sgt. Gordon Black was accused of theft and is now being held in pretrial confinement for at least two months. The details of his alleged crime are not yet known. 

Black had finished a deployment and was heading back to the U.S. when he made a side trip to Vladivostok, Russia, to visit a woman he was romantically involved with, according to U.S. officials. It’s not clear if the woman he was accused of stealing from is the woman he was in Russia to visit. The trip was made without permission from his superiors, the officials said.

Black joins a list of Americans being held in Russia. Among the most prominent are Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was jailed last March, and former Marine Paul Whelan, who was arrested in 2018. The U.S. government has said that both Gershkovich and Whelan are wrongfully detained. Here’s what else we know.

Possible tornadoes, flooding and hail threaten millions

The National Weather Service confirmed multiple tornadoes last night in parts of Oklahoma and Tennessee, and millions of people are at risk today as an extreme weather outbreak extends into its sixth week. In Okeene, Oklahoma, an emergency management official said outbuildings were damaged and one home was struck by lightning when a tornado touched down. 

About 18 million people from north Texas to South Dakota and over to Illinois were threatened by severe storms last night. That risk extends to 25 million people across the Midwest, the Ohio Valley and the Tennessee Valley today. Forecasters warn of possible tornadoes, 80 mph wind gusts, flooding and hail. 

In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott said severe weather was to blame for at least three deaths in recent days, including a 5-year-old boy swept away in floodwaters.

Read more about the severe weather in the U.S.

Who could be Trump’s vice president?

Trump’s selection of Mike Pence as his running mate played a key role in his 2016 election win. Now, it’s time for Trump to pick a potential vice president again.

Among the onetime rivals being considered is Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, whose name recognition could be an asset but whose outspoken support of a federal abortion ban could hurt him. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, whose handling of the Covid pandemic garnered conservative praise, is among the Trump skeptics-turned-supporters in the mix. Add in a few former Trump administration officials and a handful of up-and-comers, and the result is a vast field of potential picks. Take a closer look at the vice presidential hopefuls, their backgrounds, their relationships with Trump and the reasons why they might or might not be picked.

Miss USA gives up her crown

Noelia Voigt is relinquishing her Miss USA crown to focus on her mental health, she announced yesterday. “In life, I strongly value the importance of making decisions that feel best for you and your mental health,” she said in an Instagram post yesterday. The 24-year-old who represented Utah was the first Venezuelan American to hold the crown as Miss USA. The Miss USA pageant said it will announce a successor soon.  Read more.

Politics in Brief 

Indiana primary: Most of the action in Indiana’s election today will be concentrated in GOP primaries up and down the ballot. A governor’s race is expected to be an early test of Trump’s endorsement, while GOP nominees for three House seats will likely be sent to Congress. Here’s what else to watch.

Johnson’s speakership:  House Speaker Mike Johnson  said he will continue discussions  with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene after a nearly two-hour meeting yesterday. Greene has threatened to oust Johnson but, at least for one day, backed off her plan to force a vote on the matter. 

Contempt resolution:  The House Judiciary Committee  plans to move forward  with a contempt of Congress resolution against Attorney General Merrick Garland over his refusal to hand over audio of President Joe Biden’s interview with former special counsel Robert Hur in a classified documents investigation. 

Wisconsin shakeup:  The top election official in Milwaukee County  was removed from her post , an unexpected move for the largest county in the battleground state.

Want more politics news? Sign up for From the Politics Desk to get exclusive reporting and analysis delivered to your inbox every weekday evening.  Subscribe here.

Staff Pick: ‘Epcot is my coffee shop’

Take it from me — being a so-called “Disney adult” can be embarrassing to admit. But I found several proud adult Disney fans who let me in on a little secret: Working remotely is a lot more fun if your “coffee shop” is the one inside Epcot or the Magic Kingdom.  The resulting story  about working on a laptop inside Disney World reflects the ever-changing dynamics of work-life balance. —  Kat Tenbarge,  tech and culture reporter

In Case You Missed It

• Boeing was forced to stand down from an attempted launch to the International Space Station because of a last-minute issue with a valve.
• Elizabeth Holmes’ 11-year-plus prison sentence was shortened again by a few month , according to federal records.
• Social Security is expected to run short of funds in 2035, one year later than previously projected.
• A Phi Delta Theta fraternity member at the University of Mississippi who appeared to make ape-like sounds and gestures toward a Black pro-Palestinian protester was expelled from the organization .
• A Texas couple recently welcomed identical quadruplet girls . The odds of that happening: about 1 in 15 million.

Select: Online Shopping, Simplified

When it comes to choosing an electric toothbrush, dentists say to get one you’d use consistently. Since there are so many models on the market, our Select team rounded up  the 14 best electric toothbrushes  for adults. 

Sign up to The Selection  newsletter for exclusive reviews and shopping content from NBC Select.

Thanks for reading today’s Morning Rundown. Today’s newsletter was curated for you by Elizabeth Robinson. If you’re a fan, please send a link to your family and friends. They can sign-up here .

Elizabeth Robinson is a newsletter editor for NBC News, based in Los Angeles.

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NYC DOC - Rikers Island - Robert N. Davoren Complex (RNDC)

Rikers Island - Davoren is for City Juvenile offenders have not been sentenced yet and are detained here until their case is heard.

All prisons and jails have Security or Custody levels depending on the inmate’s classification, sentence, and criminal history. Please review the rules and regulations for City juvenile - medium facility.

The phone carrier is Securus Tech® , to see their rates and best-calling plans for your inmate to call you.

If you are unsure of your inmate's location, you can search and locate your inmate by typing in their last name, first name or first initial, and/or the offender ID number to get their accurate information immediately Registered Offenders

Basic Facility Information

's basic information for you, and their direct contact number:, you can support your loved ones at rikers island - davoren on inmateaid , if you have any immediate questions contact the facility directly at 718-546-6920 ..

The RNDC was opened in 1972, the facility houses - in separate quarters - adolescent male detainees (ages 16-18) and adult male detainees in modular dormitories, sprung structures and cells. The jail was formally dedicated the Robert N. Davoren Center in May 2006 in honor of the former Chief of Department.

The Rikers Island complex, which consists of ten jails, holds local offenders who are awaiting trial and cannot afford, obtain, or were not given bail from a judge; those serving sentences of one year or less; and those temporarily placed there pending transfer to another facility. Rikers Island is therefore not a prison, which typically holds offenders serving longer-term sentences. It is home to ten of the New York City Department of Corrections ' fifteen facilities and can accommodate up to 15,000 prisoners.

Inmate Calls - As of May 2, 2019, all inmate calls are free . Inmates are now entitled to 21 minutes of free phone privileges every three hours. Individual calls can last up to 15 minutes each, and even dangerous prisoners locked up in solitary confinement get a single, daily call of up to 15 minutes.

• Do not start fires
• Do not attempt to escape
• Do not fight or assault anyone
• Do not possess contraband, including weapons, drugs, tobacco, electronics, and other non-permissible items,
• Do not lead or participate in riots, demonstrations, barricades, or hostage situations
• Do not gamble
• Do not bribe or extort anyone
• Do not tamper with security devices
• Do not tamper with documents
• Do not damage city property
• Do not disrupt programs or otherwise conduct yourself in a disorderly manner
• Provide identification when asked
• Do not give false statements

Table of Contents for Rikers Island - Davoren

• NYC DOC - Rikers Island - Robert N. Davoren Complex (RNDC) Information
• Free Queens County Inmate Search in East Elmhurst, NY
• What Are the Visitation Rules for City Juvenile
• What Are the Visitation Hours for Rikers Island - Davoren
• How does the discount phone service work with Securus Tech®.
• InmateAid – Inmate Search, Find,& Connect With Our Inmate Services

Inmate Locator

Juvenile facilities overseen by the City of East Elmhurst do not publish the names of the offenders housed in their facility. As such, there is no public forum for this information.

Visitation Information

Nyc doc - rikers island - robert n. davoren complex (rndc) - visitation.

Visit an Inmate

• Visitors will be subject to passive canine searches when arriving to the Rikers Island Visit Control Building or the Borough facilities, or any other facility including the Hospital Prison Wards.
• All visitors 16 years of age and older must present valid current identification that contains a photograph and signature. Acceptable forms of identification for all visitors are listed below.
• Children under the age of 16 who are accompanied by an adult over 18 are not required to present any identification at all.
• A 16-year-old or 17-year old with valid identification may accompany a child under the age of 16 if he or she is the parent of that child and the inmate being visited is also the parent of the same child. In this case, the 16- or 17-year-old must produce a birth certificate for the child under the age of 16.

Acceptable Forms of Identification - From any state or territory in the U.S.:

• Current driver’s license
• Valid Employment ID card with photo AND most recent employment paycheck/stub
• DMV Non-driver license identification card

Other Acceptable Forms of Identification

• Resident alien or permanent resident card issued by the U.S. Department of Justice
• Passport (from any country)
• NYS benefits identification card (Medicaid/food stamp photo ID)
• U.S. Armed Services identification
• Consulate-issued or diplomatic identification

If you have any questions while at a facility, please ask a Correction Officer or Supervisor Visit Schedule - Last year, nearly 100,000 New Yorkers were remanded to the New York City Department of Correction and on an average day, about 13,500 people are detained in our facilities. Most of them stay here on Rikers Island, where we also host as many as 1,500 visitors daily. We recognize how important it is for inmates and their families and friends to maintain contact with one another. We want your visits to be as pleasant as possible, so we are working to speed up the visit process, strengthen security, improve the Central Control Visit Building and provide information to help you plan your visits. Our mission at every location is to ensure the humane care, custody and control of everyone who is in a New York City jail and to support them in their preparation for release. We offer a variety of programs and services in each of our facilities and partner with other city agencies and non-governmental organizations to sustain their successful transition back into our community. We are committed to the safety and well-being of all New Yorkers and urge you to encourage those who you visit to take advantage of these opportunities. Enjoy your visit! New York City Department of Correction Visit Schedule - The visit schedule is based on the first letter of inmates' last names. Visitors should check the visitation schedule to be sure their friend or family member is eligible for a visit on a specific day. Registration and Visit Hours There are no visits on Mondays and Tuesdays Wednesday and Thursday Registration hours for all facilities on Rikers Island as well as for the Brooklyn Detention Complex in downtown Brooklyn, the Manhattan Detention Complex in downtown Manhattan and the Vernon C. Bain Center in the Bronx on Wednesdays and Thursdays are from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Visits are permitted from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., but visitors must register by 8:00 p.m. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Registration hours for the above facilities on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Visits will begin no earlier than 8:00 a.m. and end at 4:00 p.m., but visitors must register by 2:00 p.m. (Please note: the start of visiting hours can be delayed due to unforeseen circumstances.) Number of Visits and Visitors Inmates are permitted to visit with up to three (3) visitors at the same time, with the maximum number to be determined by conditions set forth in each facility, availability of space and volume of visitors/inmates. Detainees may receive visits three (3) times per week. Sentenced inmates may receive visits two (2) times per week. All inmates are limited to one (1) visit session per visit day, regardless of the number of visitors in that session. Visitors' Dress Code - To provide for the safety and security of Department staff, inmates and visitors and to maintain a family-friendly environment, visitors must wear appropriate clothing to visit inmates. Overly suggestive clothing and clothing in which contraband and non-permissible items can be hidden are not permitted. When meeting with an inmate, visitors may only wear a single layer of clothing (except those visitors required to wear a cover-up garment) and NO ACCESSORIES. Visitors WILL NOT be permitted onto the visit floor of jail if they are wearing any of the following:

• Clothing with holes or rips that are located more than three inches above the knee
• Hooded garments
• Hats and head coverings (excluding religious head coverings)
• Clothing identifying a specific gang by name or logo
• Clothing that makes explicit reference to obscene language, drugs, sex or violence
• Swimming attire
• See-through garments
• Jewelry (excluding a wedding ring and one religious medal no more than two inches in diameter hung on chain of one quarter-inch or less in diameter and no longer than 24 inches
• Tops, including dresses, which expose the chest, stomach or back
• Shorts, skirts or dresses the hem of which is more than three inches above the knee
• Spandex leggings unless covered by tops, shorts, skirts or dresses the hem of which is no more than three inches above the knee
• Outer garments including coats, shawls, ponchos, jackets, vests, gloves, or over-boots or overshoes (outer boots or shoes that slip over other shoes)
• Visitors must wear undergarments.

Visitors whose attire violates the dress code will be permitted a contact visit if they agree to wear a cover-up garment provided by the Department. Visitors who refuse to wear a cover-up garment provided by the Department will be denied a visit.

How to 'aid your inmate' at NYC DOC - Rikers Island - Robert N. Davoren Complex (RNDC)

• How to send an Inmate Money in New York
• How do I send money using MoneyGram
• How to Buy Inmate Commissary Care Packages Online
• What is Inmate Commissary
• What is an Inmate trust accout?
• How to send stuff to your inmate
• How to send Greeting Cards and Postcards
• How to send selfies and pictures
• How to send magazines
• How to send Books
• How to Save Money on Inmate Calls

HOW TO SEND THINGS

• Visit a Person in Custody

Visit Schedule

• Visit Transportation
• Visiting with Children
• Visitors' Dress Code
• Visitor Satisfaction Survey

To ensure all people in custody have an opportunity to visit with their loved one, the Department created a visit schedule that is based on the first letter of the incarcerated individual’s last name. Visitors should check the visitation schedule to be sure their friend or family member is eligible for a visit on a specific day. Click on the month below. April 2024 May 2024 June 2024

Visit Hours and Pre-Registration

The Department of Correction provides opportunities for visitation Wednesday – Sunday of each week. There are no visits on Mondays and Tuesdays. All visits are one (1) hour long in duration. 

Wednesday -Thursday: In-Person Visits Registration Hours: 2:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. Visitors must arrive during registration hours. Visits run past 6:00 P.M. as necessary to accommodate any visitor who arrives within registration hours. Please note: the start of visiting hours can be delayed due to unforeseen circumstances.

Friday: Televisits All televisits must be scheduled in advance. Please click here to schedule a televisit.

Saturday – Sunday: In-Person Visits Registration Hours: 8:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. Visitors must arrive during registration hours. Visits run past 12:00 P.M. as necessary to accommodate any visitor who arrives within registration hours. Please note: the start of visiting hours can be delayed due to unforeseen circumstances.

In-Person Visits to DOC Hospital Wards

Visits to DOC Hospital Prison Wards located in Bellevue Hospital occur on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

Registration hours for the Bellevue Hospital Prison Ward are from 1:45 p.m. to 7 p.m. Visits are permitted from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. On City Holidays, registration hours are from 8:45 a.m. to 7 p.m. and visits are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.Visits run past registration hours as necessary to accommodate any visitor who arrives within registration hours.

Number of Visits and Visitors

Visiting groups may consist of no more than two (2) adults and one (1) child who will sit on one of the adult’s lap; or one (1) adult and two (2) children, at least one of whom is small enough to sit on someone’s lap.

Detainees may receive visits three (3) times per week. Sentenced individuals may receive visits two (2) times per week. All individuals in custody are limited to one (1) visit session per visit day, regardless of the number of visitors in that session.