Office of Educational Services

The role of this office is to supervise, support and ensure delivery of educational services, recreational activities and law library services to the students it serves. The Department of Corrections provides mandatory educational services in all 14 of its primary facilities for grades K through 12 for every inmate under the age of 20. Education programs are on a voluntary basis for the remainder of the inmate population. All state facilities offer remedial, pre-secondary, secondary, special education programs and an array of prevocational and vocational programs.

This office also is responsible for developing and scheduling community outreach programs, such as:

• Project P.R.I.D.E. (Promoting Responsibility In Drug Education) - Project P.R.I.D.E. brings minimum custody offenders, escorted by correction officers, into middle and high schools or other agencies to talk about their personal experiences with drugs and alcohol. Young people have an opportunity to hear real-life stories and to consider the consequences of substance abuse. The program is designed to reduce the appeal of drugs and alcohol and to promote positive decision-making skills.
• Scared Straight - East Jersey State Prison's Lifers Group developed the Scared Straight program for youths more than 20 years ago. Participants must already be involved with a law enforcement agency or the court system and be accompanied by a parent and/or a probation officer. The session begins with a tour of the facility, followed by an intensive face-to-face session with inmates and a discussion of choices and decision making. The Lifers Group also developed a similar program at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women.

Offices of Community and Drug Programs

These offices promote public safety by providing evidence-based drug treatment and rehabilitative services for offenders prior to their release from prison. This is accomplished through third-party contracts issued to prison-based treatment and community-based residential service providers. Objective assessment tests and analyses of criminal and substance abuse or addiction histories are performed. Relying on the results, these offices identify, refer and process the timely transfer of eligible offenders to a continuum of treatment for substance use disorders and/or to community residential programs. Through its contract development and contract monitoring functions, the offices strive to recognize current "best practices," establish critical performance standards, and ensure the quality, accountability and cost-effectiveness of the service providers.

The Department of Corrections currently contracts for 1,414 Therapeutic Community beds in 10 different programs, located in eight different institutions, one of which is a 60-bed program for females incarcerated at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women. At present, the department contracts with private and nonprofit providers for 21 community-based programs, two of which are assessment and treatment centers, one special needs program and 18 residential community release programs. The department also provides community-based residential drug treatment services through five licensed facilities.

Chaplaincy Services

Chaplaincy services are provided to the inmate population and offered to staff on request. Each Department of Corrections facility has chaplaincy representation. Normally, a facility is serviced by a chaplain representing a major faith group and supplemented by the use of volunteers.

Chaplaincy Aftercare is a program designed to assist inmates in making a successful transition into society. The program offers training and resources that enable faith-based groups to provide mentoring and a support network to offenders.

Office of Internal Support and Outreach Services

The Office of Internal Support and Outreach Services is responsible for the coordination and operation of the NJ Department of Corrections Volunteer Services Program. As such, services provided by professionals, students, and members of the community in areas of Chaplaincy Services, Educational Service, Social Services, Medical and Psychological Services, and Recreational Services are subject to an extensive application process, which includes appropriate screening, criminal history background check and volunteer orientation and training. The major goal of this office is to ensure proper recruitment, processing, training, evaluation and recognition of volunteers for NJ Department of Corrections.

Volunteer Application Form (English) 450-I
Volunteer Application Form (Spanish) 450-I
Volunteer Rules and Regulations (English) 450-II
Volunteer Rules and Regulations (Spanish) 450-II
Application For Clearance and Issuance of Identification Card

Please note that the completed forms must be mailed to:
The Office of Internal Support and Outreach Services
New Jersey Department of Corrections
P.O. Box 863
Trenton, NJ 08625.

Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Program

For more information about the Critical Incident Stress Management Program, go to CISM.

Office of Transitional Services

The mission of the Office of Transitional Services is to enhance public safety by reducing the risk that offenders will re-offend and return to prison, by delivering comprehensive services along a continuum, from the time they enter prison through their reintegration back into society. The Office of Transitional Services provides oversight of all of the department's social services and transitional programs. It is the core unit within the department to coordinate the inmate reentry process. The goal of the Office of Transitional is to match inmates to institutional programs and community based services according to their identified risk to recidivate and needs for rehabilitation. These programs and services are coordinated in four key interrelated areas: employment and economic stability, mental, physical and spiritual health, housing and family stability. We provide interagency cross training and work to break down barriers that effect offenders abilities to successfully reintegrate back to society.

Community Labor Assistance Program

This statewide program consists of approximately 80 separate work crews of minimum custody inmates. An individual work crew generally consists of one correctional officer supervising 10 inmates. The inmate labor teams operate out of 12 correctional facilities throughout New Jersey. They provide year-round labor assistance along shoreline areas, state-owned highway routes, recreational parks and developmental facilities, and they routinely assist municipal governments. All regions of the state receive consideration for labor support based on the proposed need and in accordance with the availability of service. Public and non-profit entities may submit an application to the Office of the Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Corrections. All requests/proposals will be reviewed and evaluated for consideration and suitability in accordance with departmental policy governing community service.

Bureau of County Services

This bureau conducts inspections of every county correctional facility and municipal detention facility on behalf of the Department of Corrections, as required by state statutes. The bureau also reviews documents for the construction, renovation or alteration of county correctional facilities and municipal detention facilities to ensure compliance with New Jersey Administrative Code requirements. Technical assistance is provided to county jail administrators and police chiefs as needed. In addition, County Services reviews the operation of all county work release programs.

Office of Victim Services

This office ensures that crime victims and witnesses are accorded the rights and services required under state and federal law. The following services are provided:

• confidential, automated, toll-free telephone service (1-800-996-2029);
• crisis intervention and referrals to community resources for victims, stakeholders and staff;
• training, informational workshops and the distribution of fact sheets on victims' rights to employees, thus enabling employees to respond to victims with dignity, sensitivity and respect;
• victim/offender programs that may assist offenders in understanding the impact of their crimes on victims, families, the community and themselves through group interactions, videos and guest lectures;
• response to workplace violence and staff victimization.

Intensive Supervision Program (ISP)

This program is located in the judicial branch of government under the auspices of Probation Services in the Administrative Office of the Courts. A Department of Corrections representative serves as a member of the review panel, which screens, evaluates and recommends applicants to re-sentencing judges for acceptance into ISP.