Navigating the Delaware DOC System: How to Find, Contact, and Support a Loved One

The Delaware Department of Correction is a relatively compact state correctional agency — it supervises approximately 6,500 to 7,000 incarcerated people in four adult correctional facilities and an additional 17,000 people on probation. This makes navigation simpler than in larger states, but families still need to know the right tools and contacts. Here is a complete guide.

Delaware's Four State Correctional Facilities

Delaware operates four adult correctional institutions. Knowing which one houses your loved one is essential for mail, visits, and phone setup:

• Baylor Women's Correctional Institution (BWCI) — Georgetown, DE. Delaware's facility for adult women.
• Howard R. Young Correctional Institution (HRYCI) — Wilmington, DE. A pretrial and sentenced facility for men in the Wilmington area.
• James T. Vaughn Correctional Center (JTVCC) — Smyrna, DE. Delaware's largest prison, housing sentenced adult males.
• Sussex Correctional Institution (SCI) — Georgetown, DE. A medium-security facility for men in Sussex County.

Finding Your Loved One: The DE DOC Inmate Search

The Delaware DOC provides an online offender search at the department's official website at doc.delaware.gov. You can search by name to find which facility someone is housed in and basic information about their status. The search tool is publicly accessible and free.

If you are unable to locate someone you believe is in Delaware DOC custody — for example, if they were very recently sentenced and not yet transferred from the county jail — contact the DOC's main administrative line at (302) 739-5601 (Dover headquarters, 245 McKee Road). Staff in records can confirm custody status and current location for recently admitted individuals.

Phone Calls: How to Receive Calls from DE DOC Facilities

Delaware DOC uses Securus Technologies for inmate phone services at its state facilities. To receive calls:

1. Create a free account at securustech.net
2. Register the phone number where you want to receive calls
3. Add funds to your AdvanceConnect account
4. Make sure your number is on the inmate's approved call list — they set this up through the facility

All calls except attorney-client calls are monitored and recorded. Inmates call out; they cannot receive incoming calls. Rates are set by Delaware DOC's contract with Securus.

Sending Money: Delaware DOC Trust Accounts

Delaware uses JPay for inmate trust account deposits. To send money to a loved one's account:

1. Go to JPay.com and create an account
2. Search for the inmate by name and DOC number under "Delaware DOC"
3. Deposit using a credit or debit card — transaction fees apply

Money orders can also be mailed to the facility. Make the money order payable to the inmate, include their full legal name and Delaware DOC number on the memo line, and mail to the facility's address. Processing mailed money orders takes several business days longer than electronic transfers.

Mail and Letters

Letters to Delaware DOC inmates are mailed to the inmate's facility address, with the inmate's full name and DOC number on the outside of the envelope. All inmate mail except privileged legal mail is opened and inspected before delivery. Use standard white envelopes and plain paper. Avoid anything that can be removed from the envelope — no stickers on pages, no glitter, no confetti.

Visiting

Each Delaware DOC facility maintains its own visiting schedule. In general:

• You must be on the inmate's approved visitor list
• Valid government-issued photo ID is required for all adult visitors
• Dress codes are enforced — avoid corrections officer-style clothing, camouflage, and revealing attire
• Facility visiting schedules are available at doc.delaware.gov and by calling each facility directly

The Case Manager: Your Primary Contact

Every Delaware DOC inmate is assigned a case manager (counselor) who manages their programming plan, visitor approvals, and administrative needs. The case manager is typically the most effective first contact for questions about your loved one's status, program enrollment, or administrative requests. Call the facility and ask for the case manager for your loved one's housing unit.

Delaware Correctional Industries (DCI)

Delaware Correctional Industries operates within the state facilities, providing work assignments in manufacturing, services, and other operations. DCI positions give incarcerated people work experience and wages. Your loved one's case manager can explain DCI eligibility and current openings at their facility.

Road to Recovery and Treatment Programs

The Delaware DOC operates the Road to Recovery program, which provides substance use treatment services within the correctional system. Delaware has historically been a leader in prison-based drug treatment, and the Road to Recovery program has been cited as a national model for continuity of care between incarceration and community. If your loved one has a substance use disorder, ask their case manager about Road to Recovery eligibility and enrollment.

Further reading for families

For practical guidance on supporting your loved one, see our step-by-step guides on how to bail someone out of jail, how to write a letter to an inmate, and why inmate phone calls are so expensive — and what families can do to reduce those costs.

Many of these services are run by private companies. See how the main providers work, including fees and how to sign up: Securus, ViaPath (GTL), JPay, Access Corrections, CorrLinks, GettingOut. For every phone, video, money, mail, and care-package company, browse our full inmate service provider directory.