The Atlantic County Jail is also called the Gerard L. Gormley Justice Facility. The jail holds a maximum capacity of about 1,000 inmates, some of whom have already been convicted, and some of whom are being held in custody while awaiting trial. This article will explain how to contact an inmate or detainee by phone or mail, while going over some important jail rules regarding letters and phone calls. If you’d like information about visiting your loved one in person, please see our article on visitation hours.
How to Send Mail to an Inmate
Inmates at the Atlantic County Jail are permitted to send and receive mail. The Atlantic County Jail mailing address is:
5060 Atlantic Avenue
Mays Landing, NJ 08330
When sending mail to an inmate, be sure to include his or her full name and county ID number, which will help keep processing time to a minimum.
Your mail will not be censored or edited, but it will be opened and examined for contraband, or prohibited items. Some items, such as weapons and narcotics, are obvious examples (not to mention grounds for criminal drug charges or gun charges). However, many every-day, seemingly harmless items can also be subject to restrictions. For instance, unless they come directly from the original point of sale, all books must be pre-authorized by the Warden (Geraldine Cohen, as of February 2016).
Please be advised that the facility takes its anti-contraband policies very seriously, warning visitors, “Attempts to smuggle contraband or illegal material shall be investigated/prosecuted.” If you have any doubts about an object you wish to send to an inmate, it’s wise to call the jail in advance at (609) 645-5855 for confirmation. If it turns out that the intended object is contraband, you will save yourself some wasted time and effort.
Additionally, it may be possible for the inmate to purchase the object (or something similar) through the jail commissary, which functions like a convenience store. To add funds to an inmate’s commissary account, simply bring cash to the jail or send a money order in the mail, using the address supplied above. As with other types of mail, money orders should be labeled with the inmate’s full name and county ID number to reduce the chance of delivery failures.
Atlantic County Jail Rules and Policies for Phone Calls
Unfortunately, the Atlantic County Jail does not allow inmates to receive incoming phone calls, nor will the jail pass messages on to inmates unless there is a verifiable emergency situation. Inmates can, however, place outgoing phone calls during certain times of day, provided their telephone privileges have not been limited.
If you plan to be in frequent correspondence with your loved one, you might want to set up a prepaid account. Each time your loved one calls you, funds will be deducted from the account, which you can refill once it has been emptied.
There are two easy ways to set up an account:
- Call (814) 949-3303 and follow the prompts.
- Navigate to www (dot) inmatetelephone (dot) com. On the left side of the screen, you’ll see an area to log in (for returning users) or create an account (for new users). When you click the orange “sign up” button, you’ll be taken to a screen with terms of use. Click the “accept” button. The next screen will take you to a short web form which asks for simple information like your name, location, and email address. The web form also requires new users to create a minimum 8-digit user ID, password, and security question.
Whichever method you choose to set up the account, you’ll want to be prepared with the following pieces of information:
- The name of the jail you want to receive calls from (Gerard L. Gormley Justice Facility).
- The phone number you would like to be called at.
- Your mailing address.
During your conversations, please keep in mind that jail personnel may be monitoring your phone calls. Therefore, you shouldn’t say anything you would not be comfortable with jail staff overhearing.
Act Quickly to Ensure Your Loved One Has the Necessary Criminal Defense Lawyer on His or Her Side
If one of your family members is in detention at the Atlantic County Jail, it is critical to set up an attorney jail visit as soon as possible in order to ensure that your loved one’s Constitutional rights are not being violated. Call the Law Offices of John J. Zarych at (609) 616-4956 right away to arrange a free and completely confidential consultation. In addition to a wide range of felony (indictable) and misdemeanor (disorderly persons) charges, our experienced Atlantic City criminal defense attorneys also handle criminal appeals, or the process by which a conviction or jail sentence may be challenged. We can also assist you with any questions you might have about bailing someone out of the Atlantic County Jail. Se habla español.
