Prisons in Arizona - 17 Local Correctional Institutions

Arizona, located in the southwestern region of the United States, is home to a complex and diverse prison system that houses thousands of inmates from across the state. The state’s geography, demographics, and unique social and political history have all played a role in shaping Arizona’s prison system.

In this article, we will provide a comprehensive list of the prisons in Arizona, including details about their locations, capacities, and security levels.

Whether you are a resident of Arizona, a criminal justice professional, or simply curious about the state’s prisons, this article will provide you with valuable information about the correctional facilities in Arizona.

Arizona Prison Map

Use the Arizona prison map below to locate any facility. Click on the map markers to read our detailed guide of that facility.

State Prisons

Prison Facility	Location	Inmate Capacity	Security Levels
Arizona State Prison Complex – Douglas	Douglas, Cochise County	Approx. 2,148	Levels 2, 3, and 5
Arizona State Prison Complex – Eyman	Florence	Approx. 4,544	Levels 3, 4, and 5
Arizona State Prison Complex – Florence	Florence	3,946	Levels 2, 3, and 5
Arizona State Prison Complex – Lewis	Buckeye	4,044	Maximum, Medium, Minimum, and Special Management Units
Arizona State Prison Complex – Perryville	Goodyear	Approx. 4,382	Levels 2, 3, 4, and 5
Arizona State Prison Complex – Phoenix	Phoenix, Maricopa County	Approx. 1,042	Levels 2, 3, 4, and 5
Arizona State Prison Complex – Safford	Safford, Graham County, AZ	1,717	Levels 2, and 3
Arizona State Prison Complex – Tucson	Tucson, Pima County, AZ	4,358	Levels 2, 3, 4, and 5
Arizona State Prison Complex – Winslow	Winslow, Navajo County, AZ	1,928	Levels 2, 4, and 5
Arizona State Prison Complex – Yuma	San Luis, Yuma County, AZ	4,200	Levels 2, 3, and 4

Arizona State Prison Complex – Douglas

Arizona State Prison Complex – Douglas is one of the 13 prison facilities operated by the Arizona Department of Corrections. It is located in Douglas, Cochise County, Arizona, 248 miles southeast of the state capital of Phoenix.

The prison first opened as the Cochise Correctional Training Facility in 1984 and now consists of six units: Gila, Maricopa, Eggers, Mohave, Papago, and the Complex Detention Unit. The Maricopa unit was the first to become operational, built with the assistance of inmates to the contractor.

Due to overcrowding, the Gila unit was built with portable modular housing. The Papago unit was purchased from the Desert Inn Motel Company and converted into a prison unit after a law was passed in 1984 that DUI inmates could not be housed with other inmates.

The prison has an inmate capacity of approximately 2,148 in five housing units at security levels 2, 3, and 5. The ADC uses a score classification system to assess inmates’ appropriate custody and security level placement. ASPC-Douglas is a modern, medium to high-security prison.

Arizona State Prison Complex – Eyman

Arizona State Prison Complex – Eyman is a state prison located in Florence, Arizona, and is one of 13 prison facilities operated by the Arizona Department of Corrections. ASPC-Eyman officially opened on May 3, 1991, and has an inmate capacity of approximately 4,544 in 8 housing units at security levels 3, 4, and 5.

The complex was named after Frank Eyman, who was a Warden at Florence, and the Meadows Unit was named after Della Meadows, who worked for 35 years as the Warden’s secretary.

The Special Management Unit II (SMU II) was renamed Browning Unit in 2008, after Army Staff Sgt. Charles R. Browning, who died serving in Afghanistan and worked at SMU II. ASPC-Eyman is a modern, medium to high-security prison and uses a score classification system to assess inmates for appropriate custody and security level placement.

Arizona State Prison Complex – Florence

Arizona State Prison Complex – Florence, also known as Florence State Prison (FSP), is a correctional facility operated by the Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC). Established in 1908, the prison complex is located in Florence, Arizona, and has an inmate capacity of 3,946 in 6 housing units, with level 2, 3, and 5 security levels.

The Central Unit of ASPC – Florence houses Arizona’s death row and is the judicial site in Arizona for state executions since 1910. The death house is located beside Housing Unit 8, and lethal injection and the gas chamber are the sole methods of execution.

The prison was designed in a mission-revival style architecture and was built by convicts who lived in tents while constructing it. The convicts also built roads through the mountains, a bridge over the San Pedro River, and improved the Douglas Highway. Today, FSP continues to serve as an important correctional facility for the state of Arizona.

Arizona State Prison Complex – Lewis

Arizona State Prison Complex – Lewis is a high-security prison facility that houses adult male inmates. The complex is spread across 1,017 acres and has a maximum capacity of 4,044 inmates.

The facility is divided into four main units, each with its own specific purpose. The units include a maximum-security unit, a medium-security unit, a minimum-security unit, and a special management unit.

The complex provides various educational and vocational programs to help inmates acquire skills and knowledge that can assist them in their rehabilitation process. Additionally, the facility has a healthcare unit that provides medical, dental, and mental health services to inmates.

The prison has strict security protocols and is surrounded by a perimeter fence with multiple security towers and a security alarm system.

Arizona State Prison Complex – Perryville

Arizona State Prison Complex – Perryville is a correctional facility located in Goodyear, Arizona, and is one of 13 prison facilities operated by the Arizona Department of Corrections.

The facility’s Lumley Unit houses the female death row. It was opened in 1981 with three units for minimum and medium custody male inmates, and in 2000, it was converted to an all-female facility.

The facility has an inmate capacity of approximately 4,382 in 8 housing units and 2 special use units at security levels 2, 3, 4, and 5. The ADC uses a score classification system to assess inmates’ appropriate custody and security level placement.

ASPC-Perryville is a modern, mixed-security prison, and the fourth of its housing units is named after Brent W. Lumley, an ADC correctional officer who was killed in the line of duty.

Arizona State Prison Complex – Phoenix

Arizona State Prison Complex – Phoenix is a prison facility located in Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona, and is one of 13 prison facilities operated by the Arizona Department of Corrections. ASPC-Phoenix has an inmate capacity of approximately 1,042 in seven housing units at security levels 2, 3, 4, and 5.

The facility is unique in that four of its units are located on the grounds of the Arizona State Hospital and leased through the Department of Health Services. These units include Alhambra Reception and Treatment Center, Aspen MTU, Flamenco Mental Health Center, and Flamenco Health Center for Women.

ASP-Globe, a 150-bed prison for adult males which was originally Pinal Mountain Juvenile Institution, is also considered part of the Phoenix Complex. The ADC uses a score classification system to assess inmates’ appropriate custody and security level placement. ASPC-Phoenix is a modern, medium to high-security prison.

Arizona State Prison Complex – Safford

Arizona State Prison Complex – Safford is one of 13 prison facilities operated by the Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC). It is located in Safford, Graham County, Arizona, approximately 173 miles southeast of the state capital of Phoenix.

The prison complex was established in 1970 as the Safford Conservation Center, a minimum security work camp. Over the years, the facility has undergone expansion and now has a designated capacity of 730 inmates, primarily adult male minimum security inmates who work in the community or for other government agencies.

The prison complex is comprised of three housing units at security levels 2 and 3, with an inmate capacity of approximately 1,717. Inmate custody and security level placement are determined through a score classification system used by the ADC.

Arizona State Prison Complex – Tucson

The Arizona State Prison Complex – Tucson is a correctional facility operated by the Arizona Department of Corrections. Located in Tucson, Pima County, Arizona, the prison is approximately 127 miles south of the state capital of Phoenix.

Originally established as the Arizona Correctional Training Facility, ASPC–Tucson opened its doors in January 1978 and was fully operational by August 1979, housing 384 non-violent male first offenders aged 18-25.

Today, the prison has an inmate capacity of approximately 4,358 in 7 housing units and 3 special housing units at security levels 2, 3, 4, and 5. The ADC uses a score classification system to assess inmates’ appropriate custody and security level placement, with ASPC-Tucson being a minimum to high-security prison.

The Rincon/Santa Rita/Units form a hub, which includes buildings for inmate records, health services, maintenance, and a 40-cell central detention unit. In 2009, ASPC–Tucson Echo unit was demolished, and a new unit is to be built for around 2,000 minimum custody 1–2 inmates.

Arizona State Prison Complex – Winslow

Arizona State Prison Complex – Winslow is a correctional facility located in Winslow, Navajo County, Arizona. It is one of 13 prison facilities operated by the Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC).

The prison is situated 203 miles northwest of the state capital of Phoenix, Arizona. ASPC-Winslow is comprised of a minimum security unit near St Johns and has an inmate capacity of approximately 1,928 in 3 housing units and 2 special housing units at security levels 2, 4, and 5.

The ADC uses a score classification system to assess inmates’ appropriate custody and security level placement. ASPC-Winslow is classified as a medium to high-security prison.

Arizona State Prison Complex – Yuma

Arizona State Prison Complex – Yuma is a medium security prison located in San Luis, Yuma County, Arizona. It is one of 13 prison facilities operated by the Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC).

The prison is situated about 187 miles southwest of Phoenix, Arizona, and approximately three miles north of the Mexican border. The facility consists of three housing units, with an inmate capacity of 2,245, at security levels 2, 3, and 4.

The prison uses a score classification system to assess each inmate’s appropriate custody and security level placement. The ASPC–Yuma complex has added two new units in the past 10 years, La Paz level 2 and Cibola level 3, which house over 2000 people, bringing the inmate population to a total of at least 4,200 incarcerated.

The Cocopah Unit, a 250-bed minimum security facility, is a level two (low custody) unit. The Cheyenne Unit and the Dakota Unit, both constructed in the 1990s, are level three (medium custody) units.

Private Prisons

Prison Name	Security Level	Inmate Capacity	Operator/ Manager	Notable Information
Arizona State Prison – Kingman	Minimum/Medium	3,500	GEO Group	Previously operated by Management and Training Corporation
Arizona State Prison Florence-West	Minimum	775	GEO Group	Substance abuse treatment facility for male inmates
Arizona State Prison Phoenix-West	Minimum	470	GEO Group	Secure private prison for male inmates
Marana Community Correctional Treatment Facility	Minimum	450	Management and Training Corporation	Substance abuse treatment facility for male inmates
Central Arizona Correctional Facility	Medium	1,280	GEO Group	Provides sex offender treatment for male inmates
Red Rock Correctional Center	Medium	2,000	CoreCivic, Inc.	Provides educational and vocational programs for male inmates

Arizona State Prison – Kingman

Arizona State Prison – Kingman is a privately run minimum/medium-security prison located in Golden Valley, Arizona. It was designed to hold 3500 prisoners and was initially promised to be only for DUI offenders.

Until August 2015, the prison was operated by Management and Training Corporation but was criticized for allowing the homicidal escape of three violent prisoners in 2010 and for failing to control riots in July 2015, which resulted in over 1,000 inmates being transferred to other facilities.

Due to the revenue loss, the Mohave County Industrial Development Authority’s bond rating was lowered by Standard and Poors to BBB+. The state then reissued the contract to the GEO Group of Boca Raton, Florida in August 2015, which was forced out of a contract in Mississippi in 2012 due to its operation of Walnut Grove Youth Correctional Facility.

In February 2017, the Mississippi State Attorney named GEO Group and 14 other contractors in a civil suit for damages related to corruption and bribery of state officials in the prison system, as revealed in federal indictments and convictions.

Arizona State Prison Florence-West

Arizona State Prison Florence-West is a secure, minimum custody private prison located in Florence, Pinal County, Arizona. It is one of 13 prison facilities designated for male inmates who have demonstrated a need for substance abuse treatment.

The facility is situated 65 miles east of the state capital of Phoenix, Arizona. It has an inmate capacity of approximately 775 in 2 housing dorms at security level 2.

The ADC uses a score classification system to assess inmates’ appropriate custody and security level placement, with scores ranging from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest risk or need. The facility is operated by the GEO Group.

Arizona State Prison Phoenix-West

Arizona State Prison Phoenix-West is a privately operated prison facility in southwest Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona. It is one of 13 prison facilities operated by the Arizona Department of Corrections.

The GEO Group operates the facility on a contract basis. The prison has an inmate capacity of approximately 470 in one housing unit at security level 2.

The ADC uses a score classification system to determine appropriate custody and security level placement for inmates. ASP Phoenix-West is a secure, minimum custody private prison.

Marana Community Correctional Treatment Facility

Marana Community Correctional Treatment Facility (MCCTF) is a secure, minimum custody private prison located in Marana, Pima County, Arizona. The facility was opened on October 7, 1994, and is operated and managed by Management and Training Corporation of Utah.

MCCTF has an inmate capacity of approximately 450 in 1 housing unit at security level 2. The facility is under contract with the Arizona Department of Corrections to provide custody and substance abuse treatment for 450 adult male offenders who have demonstrated a need for substance or alcohol abuse intervention.

The ADC uses a score classification system to assess inmates’ appropriate custody and security level placement, with scores ranging from 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest risk or need. MCCTF is one of 13 prison facilities in Arizona housing prisoners of the Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC) and is located approximately 100 miles south of Phoenix, Arizona.

Central Arizona Correctional Facility

The Central Arizona Correctional Facility is a medium-custody private prison located in Florence, Arizona. It is contracted by the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry to provide custody and treatment to 1,280 adult male inmates who require sex offender treatment.

The facility, which opened in December 2006, is operated and managed by The GEO Group. The prison offers various programs to inmates, including substance abuse treatment, education, and vocational training.

The facility has a medical unit and a mental health unit that provides services to inmates who require medical or psychiatric care. The Central Arizona Correctional Facility is an important part of the Arizona Department of Corrections’ efforts to provide secure and humane confinement for inmates who require specialized treatment.

Red Rock Correctional Center

Red Rock Correctional Center is a medium-custody private prison located in Eloy, Arizona. It has been under contract with the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry since January 2014, and currently provides custody for up to 2,000 adult male inmates.

The facility was opened in 2006 and is operated and managed by CoreCivic, Inc. The prison offers educational and vocational programs, including GED and college courses, as well as substance abuse treatment and counseling services.

It also has a dedicated unit for inmates with mental health needs. The facility has had some controversies in the past, including reports of understaffing and violence among inmates, but has since made efforts to address these issues.

Federal Prisons

Prison Name	Location	Security Level	Inmate Gender
United States Penitentiary, Tucson	Tucson, AZ	High	Male

United States Penitentiary, Tucson

The United States Penitentiary, Tucson is a high-security federal prison located in Arizona. It is exclusively for male inmates and is part of the Tucson Federal Correctional Complex.

This facility is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, which is a division of the United States Department of Justice. The USP Tucson also has a satellite prison camp designed for minimum-security male offenders.

This facility is located within the city limits of Tucson, approximately 10 miles southeast of downtown Tucson. As a high-security prison, it is designed to house some of the most dangerous and violent criminals in the country.

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Prisons in Arizona – 17 Local Correctional Institutions