Medium security, with minimum-security units (men) · State Prison · NJDOC

Bayside State Prison

Leesburg, Cumberland County, New Jersey

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: (856) 785-0040 ext. 5416 Info last verified: June 2026

A medium-security men's prison in rural Leesburg, in far southern New Jersey — a complex with a satellite unit away from the main prison, so confirming which unit holds the person matters before traveling.

Statewide rules that apply at every New Jersey state prison

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

Dress code

Tops must cover the shoulders and midriff — no tank, tube, halter, or low-cut tops, and nothing transparent, fishnet, skin-tight, or hooded.
Bottoms must cover from the waist to the knee — shorts must be Bermuda-style ending at the knee, and skirts and dresses must reach the knee when seated; no cargo-style pants, and nothing low-rise that exposes the midriff or buttocks.
Nothing resembling what incarcerated people, officers, or other workers wear — no military or uniform-style clothing, and nothing in khaki, orange, gray, or camouflage.
No hats or headgear (except religious or medical), no flip-flops, backless sandals, wheeled shoes, or steel-toed boots, and nothing with offensive or illegal-activity messages.

ID: Every adult visitor needs a photo ID — a driver's license, state non-driver ID, passport, photo Medicaid card, or employer photo ID (a Social Security card is not accepted). Every visitor, adult or child, must be on the incarcerated person's approved list.
What to bring: Almost nothing comes into the visit room — no phones, money (cash or coin), purses, photos, or food. A clear plastic or zip-lock bag may hold authorized items, and lockers are provided; life-sustaining medication such as an inhaler is handed to the visit supervisor.
Scheduling: The incarcerated person designates the visitors, and everyone must be on the approved list (a criminal record must be disclosed but is not an automatic bar). Visits are by appointment only — scheduled with the facility at least 48 hours ahead — and the number of visitors allowed at once varies by facility (commonly up to four adults plus children, sometimes fewer).

Full statewide rules: Visiting in New Jersey

Overview

Bayside State Prison, in the Leesburg section of Maurice River Township, is a medium-security prison for men in far southern New Jersey. It opened in 1970 as Leesburg State Prison and was renamed in 1988. It held about 1,280 men as of January 1, 2026.

Bayside is organized as a complex: a main medium-security prison and a minimum-security unit at the Leesburg site, plus a satellite unit elsewhere in the state. This structure matters for visiting, because the satellite is not at the main prison.

What Makes Bayside Different

It is a multi-site complex. In addition to the main prison and an on-site minimum unit in Leesburg, Bayside oversees a satellite unit away from the main grounds — the Ancora unit near Hammonton, roughly an hour north.
Confirm the unit before traveling. Because “Bayside” can refer to more than one location, the housing unit determines where a visit happens and how far the drive is.
It is in the rural far south of the state, off Route 47 and Route 55 in Cumberland County — close to Philadelphia and Atlantic City but a long drive from northern New Jersey.

Visiting

The statewide NJDOC rules above — the approved visitor list, the dress code, ID, and search rules — apply at Bayside. The facility’s own schedule:

The full approval process is in Visiting in New Jersey.

Getting There and Parking

The prison is on Route 47 in Leesburg, reached from Route 55 in Cumberland County.

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

Nearby Services

The Vineland and Millville area, along Route 55, has gas, food, and lodging. The nearest 24/7 emergency room is Inspira Medical Center Vineland, about 18 to 20 miles north of the main prison.

Mail

Personal letters do not go to the prison — they go to the state’s off-site scanning center, addressed with the person’s name, SBI number, and the facility’s code (1403), to P.O. Box 96777, Las Vegas, NV 89193 (confirm the code and current format on NJDOC’s Staying Connected page). Legal mail and publications go directly to the facility; because Bayside has units in more than one location, confirm the correct legal-mail address for the person’s unit. Full rules are in Mail & Packages.

Learn More

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

Visiting in New Jersey — the approved list, dress code, and search rules
Mail & Packages — the scanning center, the SBI number, and what goes to the facility
Phone & Video Calls — the ViaPath system, free options, and tablets
Sending Money — depositing through ViaPath
Medical & Mental Health — health care, the co-pay, and the Corrections Ombudsperson
Transfers & Finding Someone — the one-year line, county jails, and the locator

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.