Medium security (men), with minimum/pre-release housing · State Prison · Massachusetts DOC

North Central Correctional Institution

Gardner, Worcester County, Massachusetts

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: (978) 630-6000 Info last verified: June 2026

A medium-security men's prison in Gardner, in north-central Massachusetts, commonly known as NCCI-Gardner.

Statewide rules that apply at every Massachusetts state prison

These rules are set by Massachusetts DOC and apply at every unit. The full list — including all permitted and prohibited items and the approval process — is in Visiting in Massachusetts.

Dress code

Dress modestly and avoid clothing that resembles what incarcerated people or staff wear; no revealing, sheer, or provocative clothing.
Each prison publishes its own visiting dress code and item limits — confirm them with the facility before traveling, since a visitor who is dressed out of code can be turned away.

ID: Every visitor must be on the incarcerated person's approved visitor list and submit a visitor application to the prison; the Department runs a criminal-history check before approval. Adults must show a valid government-issued photo ID at each visit. The incarcerated person can add new visitors only during set windows (the first 15 days of March, July, and November).
What to bring: Bring only a photo ID and what the specific facility allows in the visiting room — phones and bags are not permitted. Money for the person is sent through Access Corrections, never handed over at a visit; confirm each facility's item and locker rules before visiting.
Scheduling: Massachusetts has no statewide online visit scheduler — each prison schedules visits by phone and sets its own days and hours, so call the facility to arrange a visit and confirm the schedule. A newly committed person is held at a reception center first — Souza-Baranowski for men, MCI-Framingham for women — before transfer to a permanent prison.

Full statewide rules: Visiting in Massachusetts

Overview

The North Central Correctional Institution, commonly known as NCCI-Gardner, is a men’s prison in Gardner, in north-central Massachusetts. It is primarily medium security, with some minimum and pre-release housing. It opened in the early 1980s.

What Makes NCCI-Gardner Different

It is a medium-security men’s prison, with some minimum and pre-release housing.
It is in Gardner, in north-central Massachusetts (Worcester County), northwest of Worcester.
Visiting is scheduled by phone with the facility, which sets its own days and hours — there is no statewide online scheduler.

Visiting

The statewide MA DOC rules above — the approved visitor list, the dress code, ID, and item limits — apply at North Central Correctional Institution. The facility’s own arrangements:

The full approval process is in Visiting in Massachusetts.

Getting There and Parking

The prison is on Colony Road in Gardner, in north-central Massachusetts.

Distances are approximate, based on map routing. Visitor parking is on site.

Nearby Services

The Gardner area has gas, food, and lodging. The nearest 24-hour emergency room is Heywood Hospital in Gardner, about 2 miles away.

Mail

Incoming personal mail goes to the prison — Massachusetts does not use an off-site mail vendor. Address it with the person’s full name and commitment number and the facility’s mailing address (above); all incoming mail is opened and inspected. Legal mail is opened only in the person’s presence. Full rules are in Mail & Packages.

Learn More

For detailed information about visiting and communicating with someone in a Massachusetts state prison:

Visiting in Massachusetts — the approved visitor list, dress code, and scheduling by phone
Mail & Packages — mail to the facility and what gets inspected
Phone & Video Calls — free Securus calls, video visits, and messaging
Sending Money — depositing through Access Corrections
Medical & Mental Health — sick call, grievances, and the Ombudsman
Transfers & Finding Someone — reception, classification, and VINELink

Sources

This page is compiled from the following publicly available sources. Policies change without notice — confirm current details with the facility before relying on them.