About MDOC

The Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) is in charge of state prison facilities for the State of Mississippi.  Their job is to promote public safety by handling the incarceration of those who have been convicted of felony crimes and sentenced to serve time in the MDOC.  The MDOC has been working to ensure compliance with American Correctional Association (ACA) requirements and recently obtained ACA compliance for all of its facilities.

The MDOC focuses on rehabilitation in order to reduce recidivism rates and allow inmates to live successfully in society upon release.  To further those goals, it focuses on educational programming, treatment, interventions, and vocational programming.

In addition to prison facilities, the MDOC supervises probationers and parolees.  Community Corrections involves supervising offenders in the community in community work centers, restitution centers, house arrest, and earned release supervision.  There are three regions in the Community Corrections.

MDOC Address

Central Office
301 North Lamar Street
Jackson Mississippi 39201
601-359-5600

Central Office Records: 601-933-2889
MSP (Parchman) Records: 662-745-6611, ext 2321
CMCF Records: 601-932-2880, ext 6243
SMCI Records: 601-394-5600, ext 1209

All media inquiries should go to Communications @ 601-359-5608

MDOC Phone Numbers

There are a number of different ways to contact the Mississippi Department of Corrections.  There are eight divisions that report to the Commissioner of the MDOC: the Division of Institutions, the Division of Community Corrections, the Division of Administration and Finance, the Corrections Investigation Division, the Office of Communications, the Medical Division, the Legal Division, Technology and Programs, and Constituent Services.

Constituent Services: 601-359-5701, 601-359-5727, or 601-359-5279

Office of communications: 601-359-5608, 601-359-5689, or 601-359-5289

MDOC Central Office Swithboard: 601-359-5600

Central Office Records: 601-933-2889

MSP (Parchman) Records: 662-745-6611, ext 2321

CMCF Records: 601-932-2880, ext 6243

SMCI Records: 601-394-5600, ext 1209

All media inquiries should go to Communications @ 601-359-5608

History

The MDOC can trace its history back to the first prison in Mississippi, which was developed sometimes around 1789, when the Mississippi territory was first settled.  The first centralized penitentiary, known as The Walls, was completed in 1840.  Like most other prisons of the time, it was built with inmate labor.  It could house up to 200 prisoners, though its initial population was 28 prisoners.

Initially, the prisoners in The Walls unit provided prison labor for farming and manufacturing.  The prison quickly became overpopulated.  Many of these inmates were pardoned when the Civil War began, so that they could be enrolled in the army.  The prison became a munitions plant, and state inmates were moved to county jails.  Sherman’s Army captured the prison-turned-munitions plant in 1863.    By 1866, it had been restored to a prison and was ready to once again hose inmates.  As part of the effort to restore the prison to usefulness, the state purchased the Parchman Plantation, which immediately began housing inmates in different stockades located throughout the property.

Parchman unfortunately gained a reputation as one of the harshest prisons in the U.S.  In 1987, a class action lawsuit, Gates v. Collier, was asked to decide about the conditions in the prison.  Some of the issues considered included the racial segregation of prisoners, the continued use of corporal punishment, other cruel and unusual punishment methods, lack of adequate medical care, and the presence of contraband (drug, alcohol, and weapons) throughout the prison system.  The state was ordered to devise a plan to remedy the conditions, including forbidding racial segregation, upgrading living conditions, no longer allowing trustees to act as guards, ending all forms of corporal punishment, establishing formal disciplinary procedures, and upgrading inmate medical care.

In 1976, the legislature created the MDOC by merging the Mississippi Penitentiary Board and the Mississippi Probation and Parole Board.  One of their goals was to set up Community Facilities and Restitution Centers, as well as emphasizing the role of rehabilitation.  In 1996, the MDOC opened an Alcohol and Drug Treatment Center to help inmates struggling with substance abuse issues.

In 1986, the MDOC opened the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility, which was the first major facility outside of Parchman in the MDOC facility.  This was followed by adding several additional facilities.  There was also a shift in focus.  MDOC facilities had once been focused on agricultural production, but transitioned to a broader-based vocational training that was better suited to helping inmates find productive employment after incarceration.

MDOC PREA Policy

Like all state level prisons, MDOC facilities are subject to the requirements of the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), a law that was passed in 2003 with the goal of reducing the incidence of sexual assault in prisons, creating better reporting guidelines, and improving how prisons responded to reports of sexual assaults in prison. 

To report a sexual assault in prison, the prisoner or someone on the prisoner’s behalf may contact the MS Coalition Against Sexual Assault at P.O. Box 4172, Jackson, MS 39296 or call the prison at 888-987-9011.  Though a report of sexual assault does not have to contain all identifying information, reports should include as much of the following information as possible: the inmate victim’s name, where the assault occurred, when (time and date) the assault occurred, any witness names, the assailant’s name, and a rough description of what happened. 

For more information about MDOC’s PREA policies, please visit: https://www.mdoc.ms.gov/Divisions/Pages/PREA.aspx

Overview of MDOC Institutions

Offenders incarcerated at MDOC institutions are classified by the Division of Classification.  Upon entry into the system, inmates get an explanation of the classification process.  The Division of Classification considers several factors, including an inmate’s security level, medical needs, educational needs, housing needs, and work needs to determine classification. This initial classification is subject to change during the inmate’s period of incarceration.  Inmates who object to their initial classification or to reclassification can request hearings regarding their classification.  This is critical because inmate classification not only determines living conditions while incarcerated, but also inmate access to resources.

Inmates initially enter into the Reception and Classification Center at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility.  Initial classification and assignment to a prison can take up to four weeks after admission, and may take longer if there are special circumstances that exist.  Security classifications include: minimum-community; minimum- non-community; medium; close; and death row.  Minimum-community means that an inmate is eligible for a community-based facility placement.  Minimum-non-community means that an inmate is eligible for placement in a facility that does not have immediate security supervision.  Medium security means that an inmate requires direct security supervision.  Close security means that an inmate will be placed in a close restricted security supervision, which could be either cells or dorms.  Death row inmates are those sentenced to death and are in the highest security classification possible, other than administrative segregation. 

MDOC Institutions

Institution Name: Central Mississippi Correctional Facility
Security Level: Youthful Offender- Max
Superintendent: Ron King
Address: Post Office Box 88550, Pearl, MS 39208
Phone number: 601-932-2880

Institution Name: Mississippi State Penitentiary (Formerly Parchman)
Security Level: Minimum-Close
Superintendent: Marshal Turner
Address: Post Office Box 1057- Hwy 49 West, Parchman, MS 38738
Phone number: 662-745-6611

Institution Name: South Mississippi Correctional Institution
Security Level: Minimum-Close; Protective Custody, Long-term segregation
Superintendent: Joe Errington
Address: Post Office Box 1419 – 22689 Hwy 63 North, Leakesville, MS 39451
Phone number: 601-394-5600

Institution Name: Corn County Regional Correctional Facility
Warden: Joshua Davis
Address: 2839 South Harper Rd, Corinth, MS 38834
Phone number: 662-286-7085

Institution Name: Bolivar Corn County Regional Correctional Facility
Warden: Ora Starks
Address: 2792 Hwy 8 West, Cleveland, MS 38732
Phone number: 662-843-3284

Institution Name: Carroll-Montgomery County/ Regional Correctional Facility
Warden: Brandon M. Smith  
Address: 33714 MS Highway 35, Vaiden, MS 39176
Phone number: 662-464-5440

Institution Name: Chickasaw County Regional Correctional Facility
Warden: Brad Huffman
Address: 120 Lancaster Cr., Houston, MS 38851
Phone number: 662-456-3319

Institution Name: George-Greene County/ Regional Correctional Facility
Warden: Bobby Fairley  
Address: 154 Industrial Park Rd., MS 39452
Phone number: 601-947-9399

Institution Name: Holmes-Humphreys County/ Regional Correctional Facility
Warden: Barry Rule  
Address: 23234 Hwy 12 East, Lexington, MS 39095
Phone number: 662-834-5016

Institution Name: Issaquena County/ Regional Correctional Facility
Warden: Anderson Johnson
Address: Post Office Box 220, Mayersville, MS 39113
Phone number: 662-873-2153

Institution Name: Jefferson-Franklin County/ Regional Correctional Facility
Warden: Clifton Kahoo
Address: 279 Highway 33, P.O. Box 218, Fayette, MS 39069
Phone number: 601-786-2284

Institution Name: Kemper-Neshoba County/ Regional Correctional Facility
Warden: Johnny Crockett
Address: 374 Stennis Industrial Park Road, DeKalb, MS 39328
Phone number: 601-743-5767

Institution Name: Leake County/ Regional Correctional Facility
Warden: Cornelius Turner  
Address: 33399 C.O. Brooks Street, Carthage, MS 39051
Phone number: 601-298-9003

Institution Name: Marion-Walthall County/ Regional Correctional Facility
Warden: Derek Mingo  
Address: 503 South Main Street, Columbia, MS 39429
Phone number: 601-736-3621

Institution Name: Stone County/ Regional Correctional Facility
Warden: Dwain Brewer
Address: 1420 Industrial Park Road, Wiggins, MS 39577
Phone number: 601-928-7042

Institution Name: Washington County/ Regional Correctional Facility
Warden: James Whitehead
Address: 60 Stokes King Road, Greenville, MS 38701
Phone number: 662-537-2005

Institution Name: Winston-Choctaw County/ Regional Correctional Facility
Warden: Neal Higgason
Address: 22062 Hwy 25 North, Louisville, MS 39339
Phone number: 662-773-2528

Institution Name: Yazoo County/ Regional Correctional Facility
Warden: Caesar Fulton
Address: 154 Roosevelt Hudson Drive, Yazoo City, MS 39194
Phone number: 662-751-8484 ext. 101 or 102

Inmate Mail

Inmates at the MDOC are allowed to send and receive mail, but that mail has exceptions.  Inmates may not send or receive: Polaroid photos; nude or sexually explicit photos; packages; money orders; metal; wood; hard plastics; cassette tapes; CD’s; DVD’s; video tapes; hardback books; food items; medical items; hygiene items; stamps; writing materials; and any sexually explicit or violent materials.  All incoming mail has to be in legal or letter envelopes. 

Generally, incoming and outgoing mail is not censored.  If there is evidence of contraband, instructions for drug manufacturing, plans for criminal activity, weapons, instructions for creating weapons, drugs, alcohol, drug paraphernalia, coded content, threats of blackmail or extortion, or any other materials violating MDOC rules. 

All outgoing mail must have a complete return address with the sender’s name and inmate number; the current housing unit; the facility address, and the city, state, and ZIP code.  Incoming mail has to include the inmate name, MDOC number, current housing unit, institution and facility name, institution facility address, city, state, and zip code.  All incoming mail must have a return address with the sender’s name, current address, city, state, and zip code. 

Outgoing legal mail is sealed by the sender and is generally not opened unless there is some evidence that the envelope will contain contraband. 

Inmates may receive publications, but not from individual senders.  Publications have to be soft-cover back books.  Newspapers and subscriptions have to be sent from the publisher or a distributor or vendor.  Inmates may not receive publications depicting homosexuality, sadomasochistic, bestiality, sexual content involving children, or any depictions of penetration of body orifices. 

For questions about inmate mail, you can contact the facilities directly.

Central Mississippi Correctional Facility
Lakhia Chambers
601-932-2880 ext. 6201

Mississippi State Penitentiary
Lottie Johnson
662-745-6611 ext. 4168

South Mississippi Correctional Institution
Chasidy Jones
601-394-5600 ext. 1200

Phone Calls

The MDOC uses Global Tel Link to provide inmate phone services.  For information about telephone services, contact Global Tel Link’s customer service center at 877-650-4249.  That number can provide information for account information and billing inquiries.  You can also call 800-483-8314 for Advancepay, which is a prepaid service that is available 24 hours a day.  Business hours are Monday through Friday, 6:00am to 10:00pm and Saturday from 8:00am to 5:00pm.

You can also contact the individual facilities for more information about inmate phone calls.  Central Mississippi’s contact number is 601-932-2880; south Mississippi’s number is 601-394-5600; north Mississippi’s contact number is 662-745-6611.

Electronic Messaging

Offenders in MDOC do not have system-wide access to emails.  You can contact the individual facilities to find out if email is available at the facility. 

Inmate Trust Accounts / Commissary

Inmates in the MDOC have access to inmate trust accounts, which they can use to purchase items from commissary or canteen, which is the jail store.  There are two ways to make deposits.  You can deposit money online at www.premier.services.  You can also visit a Western Union location to make deposits in person.

MDOC Inmate Search

You can look for inmates in the MDOC by searching by first and last name: https://www.ms.gov/mdoc/inmate/. 

Visitation

Inmates at MDOC are permitted to have visitors.  Most of them can receive visitors 7 days a week.  Generally, medium and minimum custody offenders can get visitors on Saturdays or Sundays, from 9:00am to 2pm.  Each individual unit will have assigned visitation days.  Special treatment units also have special visiting days.  Protective custody minimum security inmates have visitation on Mondays, medium protective custody on the 2^nd and 4^th Mondays, and closed security protective custody on the third Mondays.  Death Row Offenders can get visitors on the 1^st and 3^rd Tuesdays of the month.

Each inmate must fill out a visitor list with up to 10 visitors; visitors can only be on multiple visiting lists if they are immediate family to two inmates.  Visitors must be able to provide state or federal ID to prove their identity.  Visitors without photo ID will not be permitted to visit, but Superintendents can make exceptions.

Visitors can bring infants to visitation.  Infants may have one diaper bag with up to four diapers, two bottles, a change of baby clothes, a pacifier, diaper wipes, and baby medication.

All visitors must be scanned by the scanner and are subject to search by the staff both before and after visitation. 

At visitation, the visitor can arrange for the purchase of a canteen bag for the offender.  Offenders are the only ones who can purchase the canteen bag, must purchase it the week of the visit, and the family is limited to three bags.

Visitors must comply with a dress code.  Males must wear shirts and shoes, no tank tops, no bare midriffs, no sleeveless tops, no shorts above the knee, no cut-off shorts, no bike shorts, no jogging shorts, visitors must wear underwear, pants must be above the hip line, and no hats or head coverings of any kind.  Females cannot wear shorts above knee level, no hip huggers or bike shorts, no skirts or dresses above the knee, no see-through clothing, no tank tops, no bare midriffs, no sleeveless tops, no hats or bandanas, no slits above the knee, and all visitors must wear underwear and bras.

Visitors under 13 years of age do not have to have a photo identification, but must have a legible birth certificate.