Bismarck (trfnews.i234.me) — In-person visitation at the North Dakota State Penitentiary has been canceled until further notice.
The North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation posted the notice on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026.
The agency did not give a reopening date.
Assault reported at the prison
The cancellation followed an inmate-on-inmate assault reported Saturday morning.
Public information officer Kayli Richards said the department is investigating.
No injuries, charges, or names were released in the initial update.
Officials also did not say if the incident affected other operations.
What families and visitors can do now
Visitors with planned trips should check for updates before traveling.
Families can watch the department’s official pages for new posts.
The North Dakota DOCR website is docr.nd.gov.
The agency’s Facebook page is facebook.com/NDDOCR.
The agency also posts on X at x.com/NDDOCR.
How prison visitation normally works
The DOCR says all visitors must apply and be approved before any visit.
Visitors must also be placed on a resident’s visitation list.
The department says men sentenced to the state are first received at NDSP in Bismarck.
New arrivals go through about four weeks of orientation.
The department offers an online visitor application at forms.nd.gov.
It also provides a printable application on its visitation page.
The agency says processing can take up to 15 business days.
Photo ID is required for people entering a facility.
The department also offers video visits for approved visitors.
Video visits must be scheduled at least 24 hours ahead.
Video visit details are available through Securus at securustech.net.
More information is on the DOCR visitation page at docr.nd.gov/visitation.
More coverage
Other outlets also reported the visitation shutdown on Saturday.
See coverage from Valley News Live and InForum.
What happens next
TRF News has requested more details from the department.
This story will be updated when new information is confirmed.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.