NCDPS – Carteret Correctional Center

NCDPS – Carteret Correctional Center basic information to help guide you through what you can do for your inmate while they are incarcerated. The facility's direct contact number: 252-223-5100

This facility is for adult inmates.

The inmates housed at Carteret CI located at 1084 Orange St in Newport, NC are placed according to their custody level (determined by a number of factors including the past criminal history and the length of their sentence). There are ample educational and vocational training programs for all inmates, especially ones that show a willingness to learn new things that will prepare them for a better life when they are released. The mission is to promote and prepare the offender to leave in better shape than when they arrived, giving them the best chance to never come back and thus lower the state's recidivism rate.

Carteret Correctional Center, near Newport, is a minimum security prison for 300 adult male offenders.

Inmates can earn a GED and receive vocational training in horticulture while incarcerated here. Additionally, offenders can receive alcohol and substance abuse treatment. Many of the inmates at Carteret Correctional Center work jobs within the community and inside of the prison. Job duties for inmates include road crews, landscaping, maintenance and kitchen staff for the prison. Some inmates at Carteret Correctional Center may be eligible for work release, which allows the inmate to work a job within the surrounding community during the day, and return to the facility at the end of their shift. Work release is an important aspect towards preparing an inmate for their release, as it allows the offender to earn a wage, and to get accustomed to daily work life.

Carteret was established in 1938 with portable housing units for sleeping quarters. The prison's original dormitory was built in 1948. While the prisons operated under the State Highway and Public Works Commission from the 1930s to the 1950s, Carteret served as a medium security prison. Inmates worked part of the prison's 88.12 acres as a farm and raised hogs to provide food until 1961. Inmates are still housed in a building containing two dormitories that were part of the original prison. An administration building was constructed in 1966. A modular dormitory erected in 1977 was expected to last 5-10 years. It remained in operation until 1997. In 1987, lawmakers provided two 50-bed dormitories and a multipurpose building as part of a $28.5 million Emergency Prison Facilities Development program. Two more 50-bed dormitories were provided as part of an $87.5 million prison construction program authorized in 1993.

Carteret Community College works with the prison to provide vocational classes in horticulture and for the developmentally disabled. Classes for adult education and preparation for the GED are also offered.

Inmates work in a number of jobs. They may be assigned to the community work program, Department of Transportation road crews, Highway Litter Crew or work under contract for local government agencies. Inmates may also be assigned for maintenance or kitchen duties. Inmates nearing parole may participate in work release, leaving the prison for the part of the day to work for a business in the community.

Inmates may participate in study release or substance abuse treatment programs or the Horticulture Program

NCDPS – Carteret Correctional Institution – Inmate Rule Book
NCDPS – Carteret Correctional Institution – Offender Family Services

NCDPS – Carteret Correctional Institution – Inmate Programs

Local calls will be a flat rate of $1.25
All long distance calls will be a flat rate of $3.40

visitation Info

NCDPS – Carteret Correctional Institution – Visitation

The facility has visitations only on Saturday from 8 – 11 a.m. and from 1 – 4 p.m. The maximum duration is two hours.

The first visitation is for people whose last names fall between A-L. The second visitation period is for people whose last names fall between M-Z.  

This schedule alternates each month.

Special visits: These are arranged on a once a month basis. Must be immediate family member Must travel over 4 hours one-way Must be special circumstances such as the death of immediate family member which the family wants to inform the inmate in person. There is medical documentation that the family member can not travel long distances.

Visitation for clergy and attorneys will require 24-hour notice. The attorney must request in writing on their letter head. These are 1-hour visits and for operational purposes from 11 a.m. until 12 p.m., or from 2 p.m. until 3 p.m., Monday through Friday.