52 Prisons in North Carolina: A Comprehensive Guide

The state of North Carolina has a complex and extensive system of prisons that house thousands of inmates.

While the state prison system aims to protect society from dangerous offenders and provide rehabilitation opportunities, it has also faced scrutiny and criticism for issues such as overcrowding, inadequate healthcare, and lack of educational and vocational training programs.

This article will provide an overview of the North Carolina prison system, its history, current challenges, and efforts for reform.

North Carolina Prison Map

Use the North Carolina 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
Albemarle Correctional Institution	Stanly County, NC	768	Close	Male	North Carolina Department of Corrections
Alexander Correctional Institution	Taylorsville, NC	1,128	Close, Minimum	Male	North Carolina Department of Corrections
Anson Correctional Institution	Polkton, NC	1,076	Close, Medium	Male & Female	North Carolina Department of Corrections
Avery-Mitchell Correctional Institution	Spruce Pine, NC	768	Medium	Male	North Carolina Department of Corrections
Bertie Correctional Institution	Windsor, NC	1740	Close, Medium	Male	North Carolina Department of Corrections
Caldwell Correctional Center	Hudson, NC	352	Minimum, Segregation	Male	North Carolina Department of Corrections
Carteret Correctional Center	Newport, NC	398	Minimum	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Caswell Correctional Center	Yanceyville, NC	752	Medium	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Catawba Correctional Center	Newton, NC	444	Minimum	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Central Prison	Raleigh, NC	1008	Maximum	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Columbus Correctional Institution	Brunswick County, NC	736	Medium	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Craggy Correctional Institution	Asheville, NC	224	Medium/Minimum	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Craven Correctional Institution	Vanceboro	1,000+	Medium	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Dan River Prison Work Farm	Blanch	334	Minimum	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Davidson Correctional Center	Lexington	648	Minimum	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Foothills Correctional Institution	Morganton	712	Close	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Forsyth Correctional Center	Winston-Salem	604	Minimum	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Franklin Correctional Center	Bunn	896	Medium	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Gaston Correctional Center	Gastonia	616	Minimum	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Granville Correctional Institution	Butner	1724	Close	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Greene Correctional Institution	Maury	756	Close/Medium	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Harnett Correctional Institution	Lillington	552	Medium	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Hyde Correctional Institution	Swan Quarter	656	Minimum	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Johnston Correctional Institution	Smithfield	816	Minimum	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Lincoln Correctional Center	North Carolina	344	Minimum	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Lumberton Correctional Institution	North Carolina	1584	Medium	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Maury Correctional Institution	North Carolina	1068	Close/Medium	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Marion Correctional Institution	North Carolina	808	Close/Minimum	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Mountain View Correctional Institution	Avery County, NC	128	Medium	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
NC Correctional Institution for Women	Raleigh, North Carolina	442	Various	Female	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Nash Correctional Institution	North Carolina	1176	Medium	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Neuse Correctional Institution	North Carolina	788	Medium	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
New Hanover Correctional Center	North Carolina	384	Minimum	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Orange Correctional Center	Hillsborough, NC	410	Minimum	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Pamlico Correctional Institution	Bayboro, NC	496	Medium	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Pasquotank Correctional Institution	North Carolina	896	Close and Minimum	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Pender Correctional Institution	Burgaw, NC	782	Medium	N/A	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Piedmont Correctional Institution	North Carolina	848	Medium	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Randolph Correctional Center	Asheboro, NC	540	Minimum	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Richmond Correctional Institution	Rockingham, NC	872	Medium	N/A	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Roanoke River Correctional Institution	Halifax County, NC	1568	Medium	N/A	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Rutherford Correctional Center	Spindale, NC	1036	Minimum	Male	North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Sampson Correctional Institution	Medium Security	604	Medium and Minimum	Male	North Carolina Department of Corrections
Sanford Correctional Center	Minimum Security	424	Minimum	Male	North Carolina Department of Corrections
Scotland Correctional Institution	Large Prison	1,700	Close, Medium, Minimum	Male	North Carolina Department of Corrections
Southern Correctional Institution	Close Custody	413	Close/Medium	Male	North Carolina Department of Corrections
Tabor Correctional Institution	Multi-custody	1,756	Close, Medium, Minimum	Male	North Carolina Department of Corrections
Warren Correctional Institution	Manson, NC	696	Close, Medium, and Minimum	Male	NC Department of Public Safety
Western Correctional Center for Women	Illinois	356	Minimum	Female	NC Department of Public Safety
Wilkes Correctional Center	Wilkes County	424	Work/Transitional	Male	NC Department of Public Safety

Albemarle Correctional Institution

Albemarle Correctional Institution is a prison located on 100 acres of land near Albemarle in Stanly County, North Carolina. The facility houses offenders in three units and has a segregation area with cells for 40 men.

Inmates have the opportunity to take GED instruction and courses in computer applications and electronics technology through Stanly Community College. Some offenders are assigned to work picking up trash and clearing debris, while hundreds of others work inside the prison cleaning dorms, maintaining grounds, and preparing and cooking food.

Albemarle Correctional Institution is designed to provide a secure environment for offenders while also offering educational and vocational opportunities to help them prepare for successful reentry into society.

Alexander Correctional Institution

Alexander Correctional Institution is a correctional facility located in Taylorsville, North Carolina. It is designed to house close custody offenders in single cells and minimum-custody offenders in dormitories in a 252-bed minimum-security unit. The facility is divided into several units, each with a specific purpose.

The Blue Unit is designated for offenders with chronic health issues, new admissions, and those being released from segregation or control status.

The Green Unit houses offenders assigned to the Correction Enterprises furniture plant, institutional jobs, and program assignments.

The Red Unit is dedicated to the residential mental health program and outpatient mental health status, as well as specific and segregation janitorial jobs.

Lastly, the segregation unit is designed for offenders assigned to restrictive housing statuses.

Alexander Correctional Institution is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for both staff and offenders, while also offering programs and job opportunities to help offenders successfully reintegrate into society.

Anson Correctional Institution

Anson Correctional Institution, located in North Carolina, houses both male and female offenders in separate housing units. Female offenders are held in close and medium custody housing units, while male offenders are held in a minimum custody unit.

The facility offers a range of educational, vocational, and training programs for both men and women. Additionally, Anson CI partners with Union Supply Direct through the Prison Industry Enhancement Program (PIE) to operate an offender packaging operation.

Friends and family of inmates can order pre-approved packages of goods, which are packaged and shipped quarterly by the offenders themselves.

Avery-Mitchell Correctional Institution

Avery-Mitchell Correctional Institution is a medium security prison located at the Avery and Mitchell County line in North Carolina. It is a male-only facility and sits on a 100-acre piece of land.

The prison is designed with three dormitory-style units, along with a central administration building and 40 segregation cells. Offender assignments include the Department of Transportation, as well as the prison’s kitchen, clothes house, maintenance, and janitorial positions.

In addition, offenders can participate in educational and vocational training offered through Mayland Community College. Overall, Avery-Mitchell Correctional Institution serves as an important correctional facility in North Carolina.

Bertie Correctional Institution

Bertie Correctional Institution is a correctional facility located in North Carolina that opened in August 2006. The institution is comprised of two units that house close and medium custody offenders.

The close custody unit is a 1,000 single-cell unit, while the medium custody unit is a 504-bed dormitory-style unit. Inmates at Bertie CI have access to educational and vocational classes provided by Martin Community College and East Carolina University.

Case managers also provide a variety of correctional programs to help inmates rehabilitate. Additionally, community volunteers assist the facility with religious and transitional opportunities.

Caldwell Correctional Center

Caldwell Correctional Center is a minimum security prison located in Hudson, North Carolina. It is designed to house adult males and provides work opportunities and reentry services.

The facility boasts a 40-bed single-cell segregation building that accommodates misdemeanants with serious felony charges pending and offenders in disciplinary segregation. Caldwell Community College collaborates with the prison to offer vocational and academic classes to inmates.

The prison’s mission is to prepare its inmates for successful reentry into society by equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge to be productive citizens.

Carteret Correctional Center

Carteret Correctional Center is a minimum security prison for adult males located near Newport, North Carolina. The facility offers vocational classes in horticulture and for the developmentally disabled, as well as adult basic education/GED classes.

Offenders can be assigned to jobs in the community work program, Department of Transportation road crews, or work under contract for local government agencies. Maintenance and kitchen duties are also assigned to offenders.

For those nearing the end of their sentence, work release programs are available, allowing offenders to leave the prison for part of the day to work for a business in the community. Study release and substance abuse treatment programs are also offered to eligible offenders.

Caswell Correctional Center

Caswell Correctional Center is a medium security prison for adult males located near Yanceyville, North Carolina. The facility offers offenders the opportunity to work on Department of Transportation road squads or in facility work assignments.

Vocational courses are available through Piedmont Community College, which include welding, HVAC technology, horticulture, and industrial maintenance technology. Offenders who have not completed high school can participate in GED preparatory classes or remedial education.

Additionally, Caswell Correctional Center offers offenders the opportunity to participate in Bible study and worship services.

Catawba Correctional Center

Catawba Correctional Center is a minimum security prison and reentry facility for adult males in North Carolina. The center offers a wide range of jobs including kitchen, janitorial, unit maintenance, and Department of Transportation crews.

Offenders are also able to participate in a vocational program offered by Catawba Valley Community College. The work release program is available to approximately 50 inmates, which allows them to earn a wage and support their families while beginning their readjustment to the community.

The center also offers transitional programs including Male Nurturing, Chaplaincy Re-entry Program, Intermediate Substance Abuse Treatment, GED tutoring and testing. Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous support groups are also represented.

Central Prison

Central Prison in North Carolina serves as an admission point into prison for adult male felons who have been sentenced to 20 years or more. It is the primary medical and mental health treatment center for male offenders in the state.

The prison also houses special control populations, such as death row and safekeepers. Central Prison has a rich history, as it was the first state penitentiary to open in North Carolina in 1884.

While the prison has undergone various renovations and updates over the years, it remains a critical facility for the state’s criminal justice system.

Columbus Correctional Institution

Columbus Correctional Institution, located in Brunswick County, North Carolina, is a medium custody prison for males. In addition to its correctional facilities, the institution is also home to Correction Enterprises Whiteville Sewing Plant.

Vocational programming is provided by Southeastern Community College in commercial cleaning, computer applications, and masonry. Adult Basic Education/GED classes are also available to offenders. Substance abuse courses are also offered.

Offenders work in a variety of jobs, including maintenance, food service, housekeeping, groundskeeping, and laundry.

Craggy Correctional Institution

Craggy Correctional Institution is a medium and minimum custody prison located in North Carolina. It houses adult males and offers substance abuse treatment programs such as A New Direction and individual counseling.

Inmates work with professional staff and peer counselors. Asheville/Buncombe Technical Community College provides vocational classes in Food Service Technology and Facility Maintenance. Adult education and preparation for the GED are also available.

Both the medium and minimum custody units have chapels that hold services and religious programs. Correction Enterprises operates the Craggy Laundry nearby, where inmates may work.

Craven Correctional Institution

Craven Correctional Institution is a medium security prison located in Vanceboro, North Carolina. It is one of the state’s largest prison processing centers, serving as the first stop for convicted felons from North Carolina jails.

The prison’s primary function is to test, evaluate, and interview new admissions to determine assignments to prisons, jobs, and programs. Each month, over 400 inmates process through Craven Correctional Institution, which has a capacity of over 1,000 inmates.

The facility offers a variety of vocational and educational programs, including adult basic education, vocational training, and substance abuse treatment. While at Craven, inmates are also given medical and mental health assessments to ensure their individual needs are met.

Dan River Prison Work Farm

Dan River Prison Work Farm is a minimum custody facility in North Carolina that houses adult male offenders.

The work assignments at this facility include food service, maintenance, janitorial work, maintenance work at Caswell Correctional Center, and the offender construction program.

The N.C. Wildlife Commission and Dan River have a joint venture where offenders work on restoring forest land, parks, and lakes all across North Carolina. Additionally, Piedmont Community College offers a variety of educational and vocational programs to the inmates.

Overall, the Dan River Prison Work Farm serves as a rehabilitation center for inmates to work on their skills and contribute to the community.

Davidson Correctional Center

Davidson Correctional Center is a minimum security prison located in North Carolina that houses adult males. In addition to providing basic living necessities, the facility offers various opportunities for offenders to work and receive vocational training.

Offenders at Davidson may work in a range of jobs, including road crews, maintenance, and kitchen duties. Those nearing the end of their sentences may also participate in work release with local businesses.

The prison partners with Davidson Community College to provide vocational classes in horticulture training, and also offers Alcoholics Anonymous, Yokefellows, Prison Ministries, and Sunday religious services for those interested. Substance abuse treatment programs are also available to offenders who need them.

Foothills Correctional Institution

Foothills Correctional Institution is a North Carolina prison facility that opened its doors in 1994. This prison provides close custody housing for male offenders aged 18-25 in 712 single cells.

Additionally, nearby dormitories house minimum custody offenders on the same campus. The minimum custody unit is reserved for adult minimum custody offenders. This facility is designed to provide secure and safe housing for offenders, while also providing them with access to programs and services that aim to reduce recidivism.

The focus of Foothills Correctional Institution is on preparing offenders for their eventual release and reintegration into society.

Forsyth Correctional Center

Forsyth Correctional Center, located in Winston-Salem, is a minimum-security prison for adult males. The facility offers work release jobs and Department of Transportation road squads for offenders.

In addition, the prison provides education courses through study release opportunities and vocational training through Surry Community College at Dobson Educational Center. Offenders can also participate in various on-unit programs, including Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and the department’s substance abuse treatment programs.

Furthermore, the prison offers Think Smart, Character Education, and Project Re-Entry programs to help offenders successfully reintegrate into society. Various facility jobs, such as janitors, maintenance, and food service, are also available to inmates.

Franklin Correctional Center

Franklin Correctional Center is a medium custody prison located in North Carolina. It houses adult male inmates and provides a range of educational and vocational opportunities.

One of the unique features of this prison is the manufacturing plant operated by Correction Enterprises, which produces highway and interstate signs. This plant employs around 140 inmates, making it the largest sign-making facility of its kind in the United States.

The prison’s educational and vocational programs aim to equip inmates with the necessary skills to reintegrate into society upon their release. Overall, Franklin Correctional Center provides a secure environment for its inmates while also offering opportunities for personal growth and development.

Gaston Correctional Center

Gaston Correctional Center is a minimum-security prison located in Gastonia, North Carolina. It is designed to house male offenders who have committed non-violent crimes. The center provides a range of programs and services to help offenders rehabilitate and prepare for their eventual release.

These programs include Character Education, Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Think Smart, Bible Study, religious services, and community leave.

In addition, the center offers work opportunities to inmates, such as Department of Transportation and community work crews, municipality crews, work release, and facility assignments such as kitchen, maintenance, and janitorial.

These programs and work opportunities are intended to help offenders develop skills and build a foundation for successful reentry into society.

Granville Correctional Institution

Granville Correctional Institution is a North Carolina prison that houses close custody offenders in both single cells and dormitories. The facility is home to offenders assigned to various restrictive housing and control statuses, as well as some pre-trial safekeepers.

The high-security unit at Granville Correctional Institution houses the state’s most violent and assaultive offenders. Despite the nature of the facility, it offers a wide variety of educational and vocational programs and is home to one of the prison system’s four schools for young offenders.

The prison was formerly known as Polk Correctional Institution and opened in 1997, replacing the former Polk Youth Institution on Blue Ridge Road in Raleigh, which is now the site of the NC Museum of Art.

Greene Correctional Institution

Greene Correctional Institution is a reentry facility located in North Carolina that provides various programs and services to offenders nearing their release dates. The prison offers a range of rehabilitative programs that include religious services, Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, and cognitive behavioral intervention, among others.

In addition, there are various transitional programs like Think Smart, Strive Transition Program, Home Leaves, Community Volunteer Leaves, and Work Release to help inmates readjust to their communities.

The institution has a library and recreation facilities for inmates and an Offender Service Club. Greene Correctional Institution has over 100 active community volunteers who offer their services in the facility’s various rehabilitative and religious services.

Harnett Correctional Institution

Harnett Correctional Institution is a male medium custody prison located in North Carolina. The facility has seven housing units, which include 29 dormitories and 34 single cells used for restrictive housing.

Vocational programs, such as Barbering, Carpentry, Electrical Wiring, Food Services, Masonry, Welding, and Facility Maintenance, are offered through Central Carolina Community College. Adult education classes and preparation for HI-SET tests are also available.

The prison also offers UNC-Chapel Hill correspondence courses for offenders seeking four-year degrees. Correction Enterprises operates a meat processing plant, employing over 80 offenders. Harnett is also home to the state’s only sex offender treatment program, Sex Offender Accountability and Responsibility (SOAR).

Hyde Correctional Institution

Hyde Correctional Institution is a North Carolina-based prison that accommodates male offenders in minimum custody.

The facility offers a range of programs and services aimed at rehabilitating offenders, including Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Career Readiness, Anger Management, Reaching out from Within, Thinking for a Change, and Father Accountability.

In partnership with Beaufort Community College, Hyde CI also provides Adult Basic Education, General Education Development, Fork Lift, and Horticulture classes to help offenders acquire new skills and knowledge that can aid their reintegration into society.

These programs are designed to equip offenders with the necessary tools to lead productive and fulfilling lives once they are released from prison.

Johnston Correctional Institution

Johnston Correctional Institution is a minimum security facility located in North Carolina, which houses adult males in dormitory-style housing.

The facility offers vocational and academic classes provided by Johnston Community College in masonry, horticulture, electrical wiring, food service technology, Adult Basic Education/GED, and college correspondence courses.

In addition, offenders can participate in self-help programs like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, as well as cognitive behavior and substance abuse treatment programs. The facility also offers various religious services and the Men’s Service Club to help offenders better integrate into society.

Overall, the Johnston Correctional Institution provides a range of programs to help offenders improve their skills, education, and general well-being.

Lincoln Correctional Center

Lincoln Correctional Center is a minimum-security prison located in North Carolina that houses adult male offenders. The facility provides offenders with opportunities to work on Department of Transportation road squads, serving several counties in the state.

Additionally, Lincoln Correctional Center operates a Printer Cartridge Recycling Program, which provides inmates with job skills and assists in reducing waste in the environment.

The facility focuses on rehabilitation and offers various educational and vocational programs to help offenders successfully reintegrate into society upon release. The prison’s staff is committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment for both offenders and staff members.

Lumberton Correctional Institution

Lumberton Correctional Institution is a medium custody adult male prison in North Carolina. The facility is comprised of seven buildings, including six dormitories, a 20-cell segregation unit, an administration building, a vocational building, and a gatehouse.

Offenders may be assigned to Lumberton after being promoted from higher security prisons, demoted from lower security prisons, or assigned after processing. Inmates work on Department of Transportation road squads and perform maintenance and kitchen duties in the prison.

Education opportunities are available through Robeson County Community College, including classes for basic education skills, GED test preparation, and vocational classes in electrical wiring, carpentry, and heating and air conditioning repair. A dental clinic serves Lumberton CI and nearby prisons.

Maury Correctional Institution

Maury Correctional Institution is a correctional facility located in North Carolina that houses adult male offenders in close and medium custody.

The institution has specialized housing units for various offender populations, including residential mental health, outpatient mental health, military veterans, chronic medical, restrictive housing, and a therapeutic diversion unit. Educational opportunities are also provided for offenders, including GED and vocational training programs.

The facility has a capacity of approximately 1,200 inmates and is staffed by over 500 employees. Maury Correctional Institution is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for both staff and offenders, while also offering programs to help offenders successfully reintegrate into society.

Marion Correctional Institution

Marion Correctional Institution is a facility that operates as a combination close/minimum custody prison with 96 segregation beds. It is home to adult male felons and runs under the Unit Management concept.

The prison provides a computer training center for the Western Region, as well as academic and vocational classes through McDowell Technical Community College. These courses include adult education and preparation for the GED, as well as horticulture.

In addition, the prison offers an Outreach Program through the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, allowing offenders to earn college credits. Offenders may also participate in courses such as Cognitive Behavior Intervention, Character Education, Reasoning and Rehabilitation, and Thinking for a Change.

Mountain View Correctional Institution

Mountain View Correctional Institution is a medium-custody prison located in Avery County, North Carolina.

The facility houses male offenders in single cells and opened its doors in December 1998 as a private prison operated by Corrections Corporation of America. However, in October 2000, the state took over operating control of the prison and later purchased the facility from CCA.

Mountain View Correctional Institution provides a variety of programs to its inmates, including educational opportunities, substance abuse treatment, and vocational training. The facility also has a chapel and a recreation yard for inmates to utilize.

NC Correctional Institution for Women

The North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women is the primary correctional facility for female offenders in the state. It is the largest correctional facility in North Carolina and provides support to other female prisons in the state.

The facility is located on 30 acres in southeast Raleigh and houses offenders of all custody levels and control statuses, including death row, maximum, close, medium, minimum, safekeepers, and youth.

The NCCIW offers medical, mental health, and alcohol and chemical dependency treatment to female offenders. The diagnostic center at the facility serves as the entry point into the prison system for all women.

Nash Correctional Institution

Nash Correctional Institution, located in North Carolina, is a medium security facility that houses adult male offenders. The institution offers two Correction Enterprises industrial plants for the inmates to work in.

The Nash Print Plant produces documents and publications for state and local government agencies, while the Optical Plant manufactures eyeglasses for offenders, Medicaid patients, and state employees.

Additionally, Nash CI offers a unique program known as the Field Minister Education Program, which is a partnership with Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Joe Gibbs’ Game Plan for Life organization. This program educates inmates to be field ministers within the prison system.

Nash Correctional Institution aims to provide a safe and productive environment for its inmates, while also equipping them with valuable skills and education to help them succeed upon release.

Neuse Correctional Institution

Neuse Correctional Institution is a medium custody prison facility located in North Carolina. It houses male offenders and has a total of 788 beds. The prison also includes a unit specifically for offenders with chronic diseases.

Neuse CI offers several programs for offenders, including incentive wage positions, computer classes for employment readiness, and substance abuse programs like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. Additionally, the prison provides life enrichment programs such as Thinking for a Change and F.A.T.H.E.R.

There are also opportunities for formal worship and Bible studies. Overall, Neuse Correctional Institution is dedicated to providing inmates with the tools and resources they need to successfully reintegrate into society.

New Hanover Correctional Center

New Hanover Correctional Center is a minimum security prison located in North Carolina that is designated as a re-entry facility for adult males.

The prison operates one of the largest work release programs in the state, with more than 140 offenders leaving the facility daily to work in various businesses within the community.

Offenders are assigned to a variety of jobs, including N.C. Department of Transportation road squads, municipal labor contracts, ILM Airport in Wilmington, and the Battleship North Carolina.

Additionally, offenders may be assigned to on-site jobs in housekeeping, maintenance, or food service. The facility aims to provide offenders with job skills and training to aid in their successful re-entry into society.

Orange Correctional Center

Orange Correctional Center is a minimum security prison located in Hillsborough, North Carolina. The facility is exclusively for adult males and is known for its focus on rehabilitation and education.

Piedmont Community College works in partnership with the prison to provide vocational classes in food service technology and light construction. Additionally, inmates have access to adult education classes and preparation for the GED test.

For those who need extra help, the Orange County Literacy Council provides individual tutoring through volunteer visits to the facility. Overall, Orange Correctional Center is committed to helping inmates gain the skills and knowledge necessary for a successful re-entry into society.

Pamlico Correctional Institution

Pamlico Correctional Institution is a medium security prison for adult males in Bayboro, North Carolina. It has two housing units for the regular population, as well as a restrictive housing unit and a protective custody unit, each with 24 cells.

The prison offers educational and personal growth opportunities to help offenders prepare for transition and re-entry into society. Pamlico Community College provides a variety of courses to inmates.

The facility was previously run by Corrections Corporation of America but was later purchased by the state in 2000.

Pasquotank Correctional Institution

Pasquotank Correctional Institution is a male-only prison located in North Carolina. The facility offers close custody and a separate minimum custody unit for offenders.

The prison consists of four buildings that house a variety of amenities such as a visiting area, recreation area, dining hall, warehouse, vocational and academic classrooms, medical and mental health offices, and administrative offices.

The offenders are assigned work duties in the kitchen, janitorial, and maintenance. Additionally, the prison provides an education program that prepares offenders for the GED test, as well as vocational programs.

Pender Correctional Institution

Pender Correctional Institution is a medium-security prison located in Burgaw, North Carolina. It has six dormitories, an education building, a recreation building, a medical building, a dining hall, an operations center, an administration building, a programs building, a gatehouse, and a chapel.

The prison collaborates with Cape Fear Community College to offer vocational classes in light construction and diesel mechanics. Additionally, adult education classes and preparation for the GED are available.

The prison provides inmates with opportunities to improve their skills and increase their chances of success upon release.

Piedmont Correctional Institution

Piedmont Correctional Institution is a medium custody facility located in North Carolina. It is designed to house adult male offenders who have been convicted of various crimes.

The prison serves as a point of entry into the prison system for male felons from western North Carolina who have been sentenced to less than 10 years in prison. Upon arrival, offenders undergo a series of diagnostic evaluations that determine their future prison assignments.

Many of the offenders at Piedmont have short stays as they are being processed into the prison system or receive medical or dental services. The facility has a 14-bed infirmary and outpatient medical facility with capabilities for X-ray, EKG, lab, IV therapy, and minor surgical operations.

Additionally, a three-chair dental clinic is staffed on a full-time basis to provide dental services to the offenders.

Randolph Correctional Center

Randolph Correctional Center is a minimum security prison for adult males located near Asheboro, North Carolina. The facility provides medical care to offenders with 68 beds designated for long-term care.

The prison also offers a dental clinic that serves offenders located within facilities located in the South Central, Central, and Western Regions. The prison collaborates with Randolph Community College to provide adult education and preparation for the GED test.

Richmond Correctional Institution

The facility has a capacity of 1,180 inmates and employs approximately 400 staff members. The prison offers a variety of programs aimed at reducing recidivism rates, including work release, transitional services, and faith-based initiatives.

The institution also has a dedicated mental health unit to provide support for inmates with mental health issues.

Overall, Richmond Correctional Institution is a well-equipped facility that aims to provide offenders with education, vocational training, and support to help them successfully reintegrate into society upon release.

Roanoke River Correctional Institution

Roanoke River Correctional Institution, formerly known as Caledonia Correctional Institution, is located in Halifax County, North Carolina. The institution is situated on a sprawling 5,500-acre farm that includes a poultry-laying operation and a row crop/vegetable operation that grows crops such as corn, wheat, and soybeans.

The inmates at the facility cultivate 300 acres of sweet corn, collard greens, sweet potatoes, squash, cucumbers, and melons. The farm also has an on-site cannery that processes and cans crops grown on the farm for distribution to prison kitchens across the state.

The cannery is 12,770 square feet and can process up to 500,000 gallons of commodities per year. Roanoke River Correctional Institution is an essential part of North Carolina’s correctional system, providing inmates with valuable work experience and helping to reduce the state’s food costs.

Rutherford Correctional Center

Rutherford Correctional Center is a minimum security prison located near Spindale, North Carolina. The facility is designed to house adult males who have been convicted of various crimes.

In addition to serving time, offenders may also work on NCODT highway crews in Cleveland, Polk, and Rutherford counties, or participate in the work release program where they can work for local businesses. The prison also offers substance abuse treatment to eligible offenders through DART aftercare, Alcoholics Anonymous, and Narcotics Anonymous.

Overall, Rutherford Correctional Center aims to provide a safe and secure environment for offenders while also offering opportunities for rehabilitation and personal growth.

Sampson Correctional Institution

Sampson Correctional Institution is a medium and minimum security prison in North Carolina that houses male offenders. It is home to the largest Correction Enterprise laundry and offers various work opportunities such as Department of Transportation road crews, maintenance, and food service.

Additionally, minimum custody offenders can work for the N.C. Justice Academy, Sampson County Parks and Recreation, Agriculture Research Station, Department of Transportation, and the town of Faison.

The prison collaborates with Sampson Community College to provide vocational classes in Horticulture, CE Computer Application, and Laundry Washroom Technology. Furthermore, classes are available to help offenders prepare for GED tests.

Sanford Correctional Center

Sanford Correctional Center is a minimum security prison located in North Carolina that caters to adult males.

The facility offers various off-site jobs for offenders, including working in the Department of Transportation squads in Lee, Harnett, and Moore counties, Correction Enterprises Sign Recycling plant, labor contracts with local governments, and work release jobs in Lee County and at the DAC Office of Staff Development and Training.

The prison also provides on-site jobs for inmates, such as food service, janitors, clerks, and groundskeepers. Additionally, Sanford Correctional Center offers a Masonry Program through Central Carolina Community College, while night programs include Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Yokefellow Bible study, and religious services.

Central Carolina Community College provides classes for adult education and preparation for GED tests, furthering the education and rehabilitation of inmates.

Scotland Correctional Institution

Scotland Correctional Institution is a large prison facility located in North Carolina. It houses over 1,700 adult male offenders in close, medium, and minimum custody units.

The prison offers a variety of educational and vocational courses to help inmates prepare for life outside of prison. Additionally, Correction Enterprises provides employment opportunities to inmates in the Laurinburg Sewing Plant, which produces uniforms and clothing items, as well as in a Braille transcription shop, where offenders convert books into Braille for blind students.

Scotland Correctional Institution plays an important role in the state’s correctional system, providing secure and rehabilitative environments for offenders.

Southern Correctional Institution

Southern Correctional Institution is a male-only facility located in North Carolina that is classified as a close custody prison. The institution’s primary goal is to ensure the safety and security of the surrounding communities by housing offenders who have been convicted of serious crimes.

Educational opportunities are available to inmates through Montgomery Community College, with vocational classes in food service and preparation for GED certificates. Additionally, inmates can take college-level classes in Business Administration and Computer Technology.

Overall, Southern Correctional Institution is dedicated to providing a safe and secure environment while also offering educational opportunities to help inmates prepare for successful reentry into society.

Tabor Correctional Institution

Tabor Correctional Institution is a multi-custody prison located in North Carolina. The facility houses close, medium, and minimum custody offenders.

The prison is made up of a 1,000-cell close-custody facility, a 504-bed medium-custody unit, and a 252-bed minimum-custody unit. Inmates have the opportunity to work in the Correction Enterprises sewing plant, which provides up to 200 workers with jobs in a commercial uniform manufacturing plant.

Tabor Correctional Institution is dedicated to providing a secure and safe environment for both staff and inmates.

Warren Correctional Institution

Warren Correctional Institution is a multi-custody prison located in Manson, North Carolina. This facility houses male offenders in close, medium, and minimum custody. The largest population of inmates consists of medium custody offenders.

The prison offers a variety of programs to inmates, including educational opportunities and vocational training. In addition, there are programs designed to help inmates with substance abuse issues and mental health problems.

The facility also offers a variety of recreational activities, including sports and exercise programs. The staff at Warren Correctional Institution are dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of both inmates and staff members.

Western Correctional Center for Women

Western Correctional Center for Women is a minimum custody facility in North Carolina that houses female offenders. The center provides a range of educational and vocational programs, including Adult Basic Education/GED, computer skills, Focus On Freedom, horticulture, hospitality, and veterinary care.

These programs aim to equip offenders with the necessary skills to successfully reintegrate into society after their release. The center also offers mental health and substance abuse treatment programs to help address any underlying issues that may have contributed to the offenders’ incarceration.

Overall, Western Correctional Center for Women focuses on providing a safe and supportive environment for female offenders to work towards rehabilitation and reentry into society.

Wilkes Correctional Center

Wilkes Correctional Center is a work/transitional unit located in North Carolina. Offenders who are nearing their release date participate in the work release program and work for businesses in the Wilkes County area.

On-site, incentive wage work assignments are also available in various areas such as food service, clothes house, janitorial, landscaping, maintenance, canteen, and recreation. Additionally, Wilkes Community College partners with the prison to offer full-time Hi-Set courses, which enable offenders to earn their High School Equivalency.

Part-time classes in Basic Computer Skills, Thinking for a Change, Charter Education & Ethics, and college correspondence classes are also available. Overall, Wilkes Correctional Center provides offenders with opportunities for vocational training, education, and work experience, helping to prepare them for successful reintegration into society.

Federal Prisons

Prison Name	Location	Inmate Capacity	Security Level	Gender	Operator/ Manager
Federal Correctional Complex, Butner	Butner, NC	1329	Low, Medium	Male	Federal Bureau of Prisons, US DOJ

Federal Correctional Complex, Butner

The Federal Correctional Complex, Butner is a federal prison complex for men located near Butner, North Carolina. This facility is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, a division of the United States Department of Justice.

It is approximately 25 miles northwest of Raleigh, the state capital. FCC Butner is known for its largest medical complex, which specializes in oncology and behavioral science, and offers a drug treatment program.

The complex consists of four facilities, including a low-security facility, two medium-security facilities, and a facility that houses inmates of all security levels with health issues. Notably, Bernie Madoff, who was convicted for perpetrating the largest Ponzi scheme in history, was an inmate at this facility until his death in April 2021.

The complex is situated on the county line between Durham County and Granville County, with a portion of the prison located in each township.

Private Prisons

Prison Name	Location	Inmate Capacity	Security Levels	Gender	Operator/ Manager
Correctional Institution Rivers	Hertford County, NC	1316	Low	Male	GEO Group, under contract with the Federal Bureau of Prisons

Correctional Institution Rivers

Correctional Institution Rivers is a privately owned prison located in Hertford County, North Carolina. It has been operated by GEO Group under contract with the Federal Bureau of Prisons since its construction in 2001.

This prison was specifically built to house inmates from the District of Columbia who committed crimes under DC law. Most prisoners stay at the facility for around two years and had been sent to Rivers because they violated parole conditions and/or committed drug offenses.

As of 2007, DC inmates made up about 66% of the approximately 1,400 prisoners. The prison also houses non-U.S. citizens who were convicted of violating federal law, with about 400-500 foreign prisoners as of 2009. In 2007, about 200 of the prisoners were nationals of Mexico.

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