The state of Delaware has a complex prison system that houses a diverse population of inmates. From maximum-security facilities to community-based corrections centers, Delaware’s correctional system aims to provide safety and rehabilitation to its inmates while protecting the public.
However, the state’s prisons have also faced challenges such as overcrowding and issues with healthcare and rehabilitation services.
In this article, we will explore the history and current state of Delaware’s prisons, as well as the challenges they face and the efforts being made to improve the system.
Delaware Prison Map
Use the Delaware prison map below to locate any facility. Click on the map markers to read our detailed guide of that facility.
State Prisons
| Prison Name | Location | Inmate Capacity | Security Levels | Gender | Operator/ Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delores J. Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution | Delaware | 190 | Minimum, Medium, Maximum Security | Female | Delaware Department of Correction |
| Howard R. Young Correctional Institution | Wilmington | 1,180 | Maximum Security | Male | Delaware Department of Correction |
| James T. Vaughn Correctional Center | Smyrna | 2,500 | Minimum, Medium, Maximum Security | Male | Delaware Department of Correction |
| Sussex Correctional Institution | Georgetown | 1,206 | Maximum, Medium, Minimum Security | Male | Delaware Department of Correction |
Delores J. Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution
The Delores J. Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution is the only women’s prison in Delaware, opening its doors on December 29, 1991. The facility houses both pre-trial and sentenced adult females at minimum, medium, and maximum security levels.
The prison provides programming at all security levels, giving offenders opportunities to gain knowledge, acquire skills, and learn an alternative lifestyle. Services offered include treatment, religious services, drug therapy, educational and vocational programs, counseling, and recreation.
The Road to Recovery (R2R) treatment program is also available, which retains the Therapeutic Community model, an industry best practice that has proven to be effective.
In 1995, the prison was renamed the Delores J. Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution in honor of the first African-American to hold a warden’s position in the State of Delaware, who began her employment with the Department of Correction as a Field Service Counselor and was subsequently promoted to Correctional Superintendent I at the Women’s Correctional Institution.
Howard R. Young Correctional Institution
The Howard R. Young Correctional Institution, also known as Gander Hill Prison, is a Level 5 facility situated in the northeast section of Wilmington, Delaware. The facility is named after Howard R. Young, who was the first Warden when it opened in 1982.
Originally called the Multi-Purpose Criminal Justice Facility, it was renamed in honor of Young in 2004. The West Wing of the prison was built to hold 360 detainees, while the East Wing, added in 1992, provides an additional 480 beds for sentenced offenders.
Over the years, the prison has undergone several construction projects, which have increased its capacity to 1,180. Despite this, the facility now averages 1,500 offenders.
James T. Vaughn Correctional Center
The James T. Vaughn Correctional Center, also known as JTVCC, is a Level 5 facility for men located near Smyrna, Delaware. It is the largest adult male correctional facility in the state and currently houses around 2,500 inmates.
JTVCC has minimum, medium, and maximum security units, as well as housing for inmates sentenced to the death penalty. Executions take place on-site. The facility has undergone several expansions since opening in 1971, including a $110 million, 888-bed addition in 1996.
The expansion included the construction of six new housing units with 600 maximum security cells, a new central tower, and an additional perimeter tower, as well as new security cameras and observation points.
Inmates are classified and assigned quality-of-life levels based on their criminal history, institutional behavior, and program needs. The Security Housing Unit (SHU) houses those inmates who cannot be housed in a lesser security setting and/or whose behavior and history require maximum security housing.
The Medium-High Housing Unit (MHU) is a step down from the SHU and a step up from the general JTVCC population, with 588 beds in 300 cells.
Sussex Correctional Institution
The Sussex Correctional Institution (SCI) is a maximum, medium, and minimum security prison located in Georgetown, Delaware. Opened in 1931, SCI is one of the oldest correctional facilities in the state.
It houses an all-male prison population and has a total capacity of 1,206 beds after a major expansion project completed in 2000. The expansion added 760 beds to the facility to accommodate the growing inmate population.
SCI offers several programs designed to facilitate rehabilitative efforts, including educational and vocational training, work assignments, spiritual/religious opportunities, and a variety of other classes and programming.
One of the programs offered at SCI is the Road to Recovery (R2R) treatment program. This program follows the Therapeutic Community model, an industry best practice that has proven to be effective.
Sources:
https://doc.delaware.gov/views/baylor.blade.shtml
https://doc.delaware.gov/views/hryci.blade.shtml
https://doc.delaware.gov/views/jtvcc.blade.shtml
https://doc.delaware.gov/views/sussexci.blade.shtml