You’re Still Part of a Family
Having someone you love incarcerated changes almost everything about daily life — how you talk, how you plan, how you explain it to a child, how you pay for a visit. None of that is something you’re supposed to already know how to do. The organizations below work with families like yours every day. This list isn’t everything that exists, but it’s a place to start.
Finding Someone & Understanding the System
NC DAC Offender Public Information Search
Search by name or offender ID to find a loved one’s current custody location and status in North Carolina’s state prison system, going back to 1972. Doesn’t cover county jails. Free at dac.nc.gov.
NC SAVAN (Automated Victim Notification)
Free, confidential text, email, or phone alerts when an offender’s custody status changes — transfers, releases, and more. Set up notifications through the same NC DAC site.
NC DAC Office of Constituent Services
Call (919) 733-2126 for help understanding NCDAC policies and procedures — locating a facility, sending money or mail, arranging visits or calls, and general questions about how the system works. dac.nc.gov
NC Prisoner Legal Services (NCPLS)
Free legal help for people incarcerated in North Carolina, on everything from custody classification to sentence modifications to family law. If you’re a family member with a legal question, NCPLS asks that your incarcerated loved one write to them directly so they can assist. Email ncpls@ncpls.org or visit ncpls.org
Staying Connected
Telephone & Tablet Services (ConnectNetwork)
NC DAC uses ViaPath/GTL for phone calls, texting, and tablets. Families set up a prepaid account at ConnectNetwork.com or by calling 1-800-483-8314. Calls run about $0.10/minute, capped at 15 minutes, plus a small fee for card payments. Knowing the real cost ahead of time makes it easier to budget.
Prison Visitation | NC DAC
Current visitation policies, hours, and facility-specific rules. Always confirm with the individual facility before a visit, since rules vary by institution. dac.nc.gov
Our Visitation Checklist
Our own step-by-step guide to getting approved and prepared for a visit — the application, dress code, and facility-specific quirks that can get you turned away at the door if you don’t know about them ahead of time. Read it here
Angel Tree (Prison Fellowship)
Run through local churches, Angel Tree connects children with an incarcerated parent to holiday gifts, camp opportunities, and ongoing relationship-building. Availability depends on the local church coordinator in your area — start at prisonfellowship.org to find one near you.
Support for Children
Our Children’s Place (Coastal Horizons)
A statewide North Carolina program specifically for children of incarcerated and returning parents — education, advocacy, and family-connection support, including transportation assistance for children in its Mothers and Their Children (MATCH) program. Serves all 100 NC counties. Call Program Director Melissa Radcliff at (919) 904-4286, or the main Coastal Horizons office at (910) 343-0145. ourchildrensplace.com
NC Child — See Us, Support Us
An awareness and advocacy campaign focused on the roughly 17,000 North Carolina children who have a parent incarcerated or returning home, with an educator’s toolkit for teachers and school staff who want to better support these kids in the classroom. ncchild.org
Support for the Whole Family
NC CURE (Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants)
An NC-based advocacy organization built in part by people who are formerly incarcerated or have a family member currently incarcerated — run by people who understand exactly what your family is going through. nccure.org
Prison Families Alliance
A national peer-support network for families, friends, partners, and caregivers of incarcerated people, including a youth program (ages 9–17) for kids navigating a parent's incarceration. No North Carolina chapter specifically, but active online peer support and resource-sharing. Email connect@prisonfamiliesalliance.org. prisonfamiliesalliance.org
Center for Community Transitions
Charlotte-based, statewide-reaching nonprofit focused on keeping families connected during incarceration and rebuilding those bonds afterward, alongside employment and housing support once your loved one comes home. Call (704) 494-0001. centerforcommunitytransitions.org
NC 211
Dial 211 or call 1-888-892-1162, 24/7. The front door to almost everything else — local support groups, counseling, transportation help, and day-to-day resources sorted by what's actually available in your county.
Know a Resource We Should Add?
This list will keep growing. If an organization made a real difference for your family — or you run one — tell us about it and we'll take a look.
A note on accuracy: phone numbers, hours, fees, and program eligibility can change, and prison phone/tablet rates in particular are set by outside vendors and can shift. We do our best to keep this list current, but please call ahead to confirm before making plans around any one resource.