Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center COVID-19 Coronavirus Visitation Policy

Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center

Address:
09-09 Hazen Street
East Elmhurt, NY 11370

Phone:

718-546-2020

New Visitation Policies in Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center Due to COVID-19 Coronavirus

Because of concerns for the safety and wellness of both staff and inmates at the Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center in East Elmhurt, New York, contact visits of any type may be suspended. Even if they have visits, from time to time, face masks may be required.

Approved Non-contact visits with family, friends and the inmate’s lawyers may still be allowed when at-home or onsite video visitation is not available, however given that new guidelines are changing daily please check the visitation page or call 718-546-1500 for updates.

Video Visitation at Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center

At-home and onsite video visitation guidelines for Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center, when this service is available, can be found by going to the visitation information page.

We highly recommend that you call 718-546-1500 first for any changes due to staff shortages or other unforeseen circumstances, including whether your inmate has become ill and is unable to be in the general population where video kiosks are available.

How Long Will These Changes Last?

Experts in the study of the COVID-19 are anticipating that spread of the virus will be a ongoing concern for New York County, the state of New York and the entire United States until well into 2024 and maybe even beyond. We are witnessing the virus becoming more contagious, but less deadly over time. Many people think that the 'more contagious, but less deadly' variants will infect so many people that a higher level of natural immunity for the majority of Americans will be the end result.

Will the Inmates in Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center Be Safe from Getting Sick With COVID-19 Coronavirus?

Whether the inmates are safe from contracting the coronavirus depends entirely on two things:

  1. The Virus being introduced into the facility by a staff member or inmate who is unaware that they have it.
  2. How easily it spreads.

At this stage most people who get the coronavirus show very few symptoms beyond what you might experience with a bad cold or a mild case of the common flu. Newer variants are turning out to be less deadly than the common flu we experience every year.

Studies that have been done are showing that the hardest hit are those 60 years of age and older, those with pre-existing medical issues like diabetes, leukemia or obese individuals. Young men and women rarely become very ill, and when they do, seem to recover quickly.

Given the close proximity of inmates and staff to each other in this lockup, it is going to be very difficult to prevent the spread of COVID-19 once it is introduced into the facility as the virus can spread via the microscopic vapor that we release every time we speak, cough or sneeze.

We will continuously update this page as the virus changes and new policies are instituted.

How to Rent a Tablet for an Inmate in Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center

To rent a tablet for an inmate in New York County follow these instructions:

  • Register here.  It is recommended you use Chrome or Firefox.
  • Pay for the subscription using Paypal.
  • You get charged the 1st of each month. 
  • You get charged a full month even if it's only used for a partial month.
  • No activation or early termination fees.
  • Your New York County inmate will recieve their tablet in 3-5 business days, after you pay.


If you have any questions:

For all New York County information on Tablet Rentals for your inmate, check out our Tablet Rental Page.


 

How do you Visit an Inmate in NYC Rikers or other Correctional facilities?

To lean about inmate visitation in the NYC Correction Department, read the following:

TELEVISITING (Remote Visitation)

Televisiting will take place from 8:00am to 2:00pm on Saturday, and 8:00am to 2:00pm on Sunday. Televisiting follows the Department's existing in-person visit schedule, which organizes visit days based on the first letter of the person in custody's last name. Please refer to the Visit Schedule in order to determine which day of the week you may visit your loved one.

VISIT SCHEDULE (changes monthly)

In-person visits will take place Wednesday and Thursday afternoons from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.- and Friday mornings from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Visitors need to arrive 1 hour prior to their scheduled visit time. Visits will follow the existing visitor schedule according to the last name of the individual in custody.

To learn more about the Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center inmate visitation procedures, polices and schedules, which change monthly, check out our Inmate Visitation Page.


 

How Inmates in Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center, Rikers Island and the entire NYC DOC Jail System Make Phone Calls

To find out how Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center makes phone calls, read this information:

  • Inmates in the Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center can make 21 minutes worth of domestic calls every three hours, with no call going longer than 15 minutes.
  • Inmates in Segregation get less time, and only once a day maximum.
  • There is a fee if an inmate wants to buy more phone calling time when incarcerated in the NYC DOC.

For all the information on how to buy time, using tablets to make calls, how much it costs and more, check out out Inmate Phone Page.


 

How to Deposit Money in the Account of an NYC DOC Inmate in Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center

To deposit money in the commissary account of an NYC DOC inmate, follow these instructions:

  • You can deposit money online using Jpay, Western Union or Moneygram. The money can also be used for bail.
  • You can mail a money order of cashier's check into Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center.
  • You can deposit cash into a kiosk that is located in the Vernon C. Bain Center in the Bronx.

For all the information, including links to all of the online deposit methods and addresses fo mailing money orders, check out our Send Money Page.


 

What is the Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center?... Where is it Located?... Who is in Jail There? ... How Many Inmates are There?

  • Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center is one of twelve jails in the New York City Department of Correction.
  • There are 1330 beds in the facility.
  • There are over 26600 of Bookings every year.

For all the information about Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center, how to reach an inmate there, how to find out if the inmate is there, or where he went when he was released, check out our Family Info Page.


 

How to Mail, What Can you Mail and What Can't you Mail to an Inmate in Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center, or Rikers Island or NYC DOC Inmates

To understand the Mail Policies for Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center requires a lot of time and attention as NYC DOC Jails are some of the most permissive in America.

1. Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center allows unlimited mail.
2. They allow packages to be sent in to inmates.
3. They allow magazines, newspapers and books to be sent direct from friends and family.
4. They allow clothing, jewelry, art supplies and all kinds of stuff to be sent to inmates.

In short, to fully understand the Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center and see the full list of things you can mail to an inmate, check out our Inmate Mail Page.


 

How to Look Up an Inmate in Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center, Rikers Island or the NYC DOC Jail System.

To look up an inmate in Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center or any of the New York City Department of Correction follow these instructions:

1. Proceed to the NYC DOC Inmate Locator Page.
2. Type in the inmate's first name, last name or case and book number.
3. If you just type in the first name or last name, you will see a list of every inmate that uses that name.
4. Select your inmate from that list.

For full instructions on how to interpret the information on the Inmate Search Locator including criminal charges, bail, court dates and more, check out our Mugshots Page.


 

How to Order Commissary for Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center, Rikers Island or NYC Jails

Instructions for ordering commissary for Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center will soon be announced.
The New York City Department of Correction is rolling out a new commissary system in the Spring of 2022. Inmates will be able to order commissary directly and have it delivered from an outside vendor. Stay tuned for updates.

This jailhouse 'Uber Eats' system will be replacing the current commissary system.

Stay tuned by checking out our Commissary Page for Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center


 

How to Bail out an Inmate in Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center or any NYC or Rikers Island Jail

To Bail out an inmate in Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center or a New York City Jail follow these instructions:

1. You can post bail either online or in person.
2. To post bail online or in person you need the exact name your inmate used when arrested, and their book and case number. You can find this information here.
3. You can use one of multiple payment systems online.... Western Union, Moneygram or Jpay.
4. In person bail payments must be made in Brooklyn, Queens or the Bronx.
5. Personal checks or Money Orders exceeding $1,000 will NOT be accepted for bail.

For the complete information on how to bail out someone from Rikers Island - George R. Vierno Center or any Rikers island or NYC Jail, check out our Inmate Bail Page.


 

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