24 Prisons in West Virginia: A Comprehensive Guide

The state of West Virginia has one of the highest incarceration rates in the United States. With over 7,000 people currently behind bars, the state’s prisons have faced significant challenges in recent years, including overcrowding, understaffing, and a lack of resources.

Despite efforts to reform the criminal justice system, West Virginia’s prisons continue to struggle with issues such as violence, drug addiction, and recidivism.

In this article, we will take a closer look at the state of prisons in West Virginia, examining the challenges they face and the efforts being made to improve conditions for both inmates and staff.

State Prisons

Prison Name	Location	Inmate Capacity	Security Level	Gender	Operator/ Manager
Denmar Correctional Center	Hillsboro	232	Medium	Male	West Virginia DOC
Lakin Correctional Center	Point Pleasant	543	Maximum	Female	West Virginia DOC
Martinsburg Correctional Ctr	Martinsburg	120	Medium	Male	West Virginia DOC
McDowell County Corrections	Welch	108	Medium	Male and Female	McDowell County Commission
Mount Olive Correctional Cplx	Fayette County	1,030	Maximum	Male	West Virginia DOC
Northern Correctional Facility	Moundsville	2,500	High	Male	West Virginia DOC
Pruntytown Correctional Center	Pruntytown	369	Minimum/ Medium	Male	West Virginia Department of Corrections
Saint Marys Correctional Center	Pleasants County	610	Medium	Male	West Virginia Department of Corrections

Denmar Correctional Center and Jail

The Denmar Correctional Center and Jail is a medium security prison located near Hillsboro in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Originally established as a hospital in 1919, the facility was later converted into a prison to house adult male offenders.

Today, the center has a capacity of approximately 232 inmates. The facility provides a variety of programs and services to help inmates reintegrate into society upon their release, including educational and vocational training, substance abuse treatment, and mental health counseling.

The prison is staffed by a team of experienced professionals who are dedicated to ensuring the safety and security of both inmates and staff. Overall, the Denmar Correctional Center and Jail is an important component of West Virginia’s criminal justice system, playing a vital role in protecting public safety and rehabilitating offenders.

Lakin Correctional Center and Jail

Lakin Correctional Center and Jail is a maximum security correctional facility situated six miles north of Point Pleasant on WV Route 62. It is the only all-female prison in West Virginia, housing custody levels ranging from minimum to maximum.

The facility has a current capacity of 543 inmates. As a maximum security prison, Lakin Correctional Center and Jail employs strict security measures to ensure the safety of both staff and inmates.

The prison also provides a range of programs and services to support the rehabilitation of its inmates, including education and vocational training, substance abuse treatment, and mental health services.

Overall, Lakin Correctional Center and Jail plays an important role in the state’s criminal justice system, providing secure and humane custody for female offenders while also working to reduce recidivism through rehabilitation and support services.

Martinsburg Correctional Center and Jail

The Martinsburg Correctional Center and Jail is a 120-bed intake and classification unit that houses male offenders. Located just a mile east of Martinsburg in Berkeley County, West Virginia, the facility originally opened in 1989 as the Eastern Regional Jail.

Today, it serves as a crucial facility in the state’s correctional system, providing a secure environment for newly admitted inmates to be classified and evaluated before being transferred to other state correctional facilities.

The center also provides various educational and vocational programs to help offenders develop valuable skills and prepare for reentry into society. The Martinsburg Correctional Center and Jail is committed to ensuring the safety and security of both staff and inmates, while also helping offenders rehabilitate and successfully reintegrate into their communities.

McDowell County Corrections

The McDowell County Corrections in West Virginia is a medium-security correctional center that was renovated from the former Stevens Clinic Hospital in August 2001. Operated by the McDowell County Commission, it is the only privately owned correctional center in the state.

The Welch Facility, which was constructed in 1976, was upgraded to federal standards by the Federal Court System between 1990 and 1996. The Stevens Facility was also built in compliance with Federal and State standards.

The Welch Facility has a maximum capacity of 108 inmates, while the Stevens facility has a maximum capacity of 322. Since 1999, McDowell County has been housing Division of Corrections overflow. Approximately 150 employees work between the two facilities. The first inmates arrived at the Stevens facility on March 2, 2006, and by May 2006, all 322 beds were filled.

According to information obtained from achieving Grant funds for the Stevens Center, it was estimated that $38,000,000.00 annually would be infused into the local economy. The center is still in the developmental stages and is improving daily.

Mount Olive Correctional Complex

Mount Olive Correctional Complex and Jail is a maximum-security correctional facility located in Fayette County, West Virginia. It was built in 1995 to replace the Civil War-era West Virginia Penitentiary at Moundsville.

The facility has a current capacity of 1,030 male offenders inmates and is the only maximum-security facility in the state. In addition to the main facility, the Slayton Work Camp opened in 2007 and operates as a separate entity on the grounds of Mount Olive.

The work camp has a capacity of 48 beds and is a minimum-security unit for non-violent, low-risk offenders. Mount Olive Correctional Complex and Jail is a secure and controlled environment designed to house and rehabilitate inmates.

Northern Correctional Facility

Northern Correctional Facility is a high-security prison located in Moundsville, West Virginia. The facility is operated by the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation and houses inmates from all over the state.

The prison maintains a General Population unit where inmates are housed in individual cells and have access to various programs and services. In addition, the facility also has a short-term Segregation Unit for inmates who require additional security measures.

Northern Correctional Facility has a reputation for being one of the most secure prisons in the state, with a highly trained staff and state-of-the-art security systems. The prison is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for both inmates and staff, while also offering opportunities for rehabilitation and reintegration into society.

Pruntytown Correctional Center and Jail

The Pruntytown Correctional Center and Jail is a correctional facility located in Pruntytown, near the city of Grafton in Taylor County, West Virginia. Established in 1891 as the West Virginia Industrial School for Boys, it served as a juvenile facility until its closure in January of 1983.

The facility was reopened in 1985 as the Pruntytown Correctional Center and Jail and currently houses 369 minimum and medium custody male inmates. The facility is dedicated to providing a safe, secure, and humane environment for its inmates while offering programs aimed at reducing recidivism and promoting rehabilitation.

The Pruntytown Correctional Center and Jail is an essential part of West Virginia’s correctional system and plays a vital role in maintaining public safety.

Saint Marys Correctional Center and Jail

Saint Marys Correctional Center and Jail is a medium-security correctional institution located in Pleasants County, West Virginia. It was established in 1932 as the Colin Anderson Center, which was closed in the spring of 1998 and converted to its current form.

The facility offers a specific unit for aging offenders and those with mobility issues and has a relatively flat campus to meet their needs. The daily count of inmates at St. Marys is 610.

Private Prisons

Prison Name	Location	Inmate Capacity	Security Level	Gender	Operator/ Manager
Stevens Correctional Center	Welch, McDowell County, WV	322	Minimum	Male	West Virginia Sheriff’s jurisdiction

Stevens Correctional Center

Stevens Correctional Center is a minimum-security facility located in Welch, McDowell County, West Virginia. Since its inception in 1982, the center has had a capacity of 322 beds and has been responsible for approximately 1724 bookings annually.

The facility is responsible for housing inmates from all of McDowell County under the West Virginia Sheriff’s jurisdiction. The center is designed to provide a secure environment that allows inmates to learn new skills and prepare for their eventual reintegration into society.

Stevens Correctional Center provides a range of programs and services, including education, vocational training, and substance abuse treatment. The center’s primary goal is to promote public safety by helping inmates become productive members of society upon release.

Federal Prisons

Prison Name	Location	Inmate Capacity	Security Level	Gender	Operator/ Manager
Federal Correctional Institution, Hazelton	Preston County	1,550	Medium	Male	Federal Bureau of Prisons
Federal Correctional Institution, Beckley	Raleigh County	1,685	Medium	Male	Federal Bureau of Prisons
Federal Correctional Institution, Gilmer	Glenville	1,444	Medium	Male	Federal Bureau of Prisons
Federal Correctional Institution, McDowell	Welch	1,450	Medium	Male	Federal Bureau of Prisons
Federal Correctional Institution, Morgantown	Morgantown	1,160	Minimum	Male	Federal Bureau of Prisons

Federal Correctional Institution, Hazelton

The Federal Correctional Institution, Hazelton is a medium-security federal prison located in unincorporated Preston County, West Virginia. It is one of two prisons that make up the Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) Hazelton, with the other being the high-security United States Penitentiary, Hazelton.

The facility is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, a division of the United States Department of Justice. FCI Hazelton houses male inmates, while also serving as a secure facility for female inmates.

Despite being the newest facility in the federal prison system, the prison has gained notoriety for its nickname, Misery Mountain, as reported by The New York Times.

Federal Correctional Institution, Beckley

The Federal Correctional Institution, Beckley (FCI Beckley) is a medium-security prison located in West Virginia. It is exclusively for male inmates and is managed by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

The facility houses medium-security prisoners, while an adjacent satellite camp is reserved for minimum-security offenders. FCI Beckley is situated around 51 miles southeast of Charleston, West Virginia, and 136 miles northwest of Roanoke, Virginia.

The facility provides various programs and services to its inmates, including educational and vocational training, drug rehabilitation, and mental health treatment. It also offers a range of religious and spiritual services to its inmates.

Federal Correctional Institution, Gilmer

Federal Correctional Institution, Gilmer is a medium-security federal prison for male inmates situated in West Virginia. The facility is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, which falls under the United States Department of Justice.

In addition to the main prison, there is also a satellite prison camp that houses minimum-security male inmates. The location of FCI Gilmer is in central West Virginia, 85 miles northeast of Charleston and 150 miles from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The facility provides housing and programs to help rehabilitate inmates and prepare them for their eventual release back into society.

Federal Correctional Institution, McDowell

The Federal Correctional Institution, McDowell is a medium-security federal prison for male offenders located in southwestern West Virginia. The facility includes an adjacent satellite prison camp that houses minimum-security male offenders.

The prison is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, which is a division of the United States Department of Justice. The complex is situated in a rural area about four miles north of Welch, West Virginia.

The prison has a capacity of approximately 1,450 inmates, with a focus on rehabilitation and education programs. The facility provides vocational training, GED courses, and drug treatment programs to help inmates prepare for successful reentry into society.

Federal Correctional Institution, Morgantown

The Federal Correctional Institution, Morgantown is a minimum-security federal prison in Morgantown, West Virginia. This facility is exclusively for male inmates and is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

The prison is popularly known as ‘Club Fed’ due to its remarkable amenities like a large college-like campus, a movie theater, a bocce ball court, and a basketball court.

FCI Morgantown is mostly for housing nonviolent, white-collar offenders. The prison is situated in the city of Morgantown, which is approximately 160 miles northeast of the state capital, Charleston.

Juvenile Detention Centers

Juvenile Detention Center Name	Location	Inmate Capacity	Security Levels	Gender	Operator/ Manager
Donald R. Kuhn Juvenile Center	Boone County	48	Medium	Male and Female	West Virginia Division of Juvenile Services
Gene Spadaro Juvenile Center	Fayette County	23	Maximum	Male and Female	West Virginia Division of Juvenile Services
J.M. Chick Buckbee Juvenile Center	Hampshire County	24	Medium/ Maximum	Male	West Virginia Division of Juvenile Services
Kenneth Honey Rubenstein Juvenile Center	Davis	84	Medium	Male	West Virginia Division of Juvenile Services
Lorrie Yeager Juvenile Center	Parkersburg	24	Maximum	Male and Female	West Virginia Division of Juvenile Services
Robert L. Shell Juvenile Center	Barboursville	23	Maximum	Male	West Virginia Division of Juvenile Services
Ronald Mulholland Juvenile Center	Wheeling	26	Medium	Male and Female	WV Division of Juvenile Services
Sam Perdue Juvenile Center	Princeton	18	Maximum	Male	WV Division of Juvenile Services
Tiger Morton Juvenile Center	Dunbar	23	Medium/ Maximum	Male	WV Division of Juvenile Services
Vicki Douglas Juvenile Center	Martinsburg, WV	23	Medium	Male and Female	WV Division of Juvenile Services

Donald R. Kuhn Juvenile Center

The Donald R. Kuhn Juvenile Center is a facility in Boone County, West Virginia that provides residential care to male residents between the ages of 10 and 21 and female residents between the ages of 12 and 21.

With a total capacity of 48 residents, the facility is equipped with two intake rooms and two medical rooms. The south unit of the facility offers 24-hour care to high-risk pre-adjudicated or detention residents, while the north unit provides maximum security for post-adjudicated or commitment residents.

The center is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for its residents while offering various programs and services to help them turn their lives around.

Gene Spadaro Juvenile Center

Gene Spadaro Juvenile Center (GSJC) is a detention center located in Fayette County, West Virginia. The center primarily serves the southern portion of the state for detained youth.

GSJC is a hardware secure facility that houses youth who have been charged or found guilty of a misdemeanor or a felony crime. The center has a capacity of 23 beds and is a temporary holding facility for boys aged 10 to 21 and girls aged 12 to 21.

Each resident is unique, and their stay at the center may result in their release to home, a short or long-term program with an outside agency, or commitment within the Division. GSJC is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for youth offenders while offering programs and services to help them successfully re-enter society.

J. M. Chick Buckbee Juvenile Center

The J.M. “Chick” Buckbee Juvenile Center in Hampshire County, West Virginia is a twenty-four (24) bed facility that houses male residents in both detention and commitment statuses. The facility provides a range of services to residents, including educational and medical services, individual and group counseling, recreational activities, and religious services.

Additionally, the facility offers seasonal/holiday celebrations, special guest speakers, recreational tournaments, special resident/staff luncheons, and a positive behavior-incentive program.

Families are able to visit with their child and have access to the treatment team, and family therapy is encouraged when appropriate. The J.M. “Chick” Buckbee Juvenile Center is committed to providing a safe, supportive, and rehabilitative environment for its residents.

Kenneth Honey Rubenstein Juvenile Center

The Kenneth Honey Rubenstein Juvenile Center is a minimum-security correctional facility for juvenile males in West Virginia. It has a capacity of 84 and admits males aged 15 – 20 who have been adjudicated for delinquent offenses before the age of 18, have never been adjudicated as adults, and have no adult charges pending.

The program is designed to promote positive productive citizenship by combining military regimentation and leadership with a cognitive therapeutic approach.

It focuses on role modeling, teamwork, communication, responsibility, accountability, and high expectations, as well as the development of healthy relationships in an all-inclusive program. Admission criteria include a low risk of escape, and a low risk for violence, sexual assault, and arson.

Lorrie Yeager Juvenile Center

The Lorrie Yeager Jr. Juvenile Center is a 24-bed hardware secure juvenile center located in Wood County, West Virginia. It is a coed facility that primarily serves the north-central region of the state.

The center is designed for youth who have been charged with a crime that would be punishable by incarceration if committed by an adult. It offers a highly structured and secure environment, including locked doors and a fenced recreation area, to house the state’s most violent juvenile offenders and protect both the youth and the community.

Families are encouraged to stay involved in their child’s treatment program by visiting every weekend and scheduling appointments with facility counselors during the week. The facility is staffed by a dedicated group of trainers from every department who believe in the Division’s goals and take pride in sharing their knowledge with others.

Robert L. Shell Juvenile Center

The Robert L. Shell Juvenile Diagnostic and Intake Center (RSJC) is a co-ed facility located in West Virginia. It has a capacity of twenty-three beds, with thirteen beds for diagnostic purposes, five for intake/assessment, and five for transitioning temporary detention residents to other facilities.

Upon arrival, residents are assigned to one of two treatment teams. The center provides detained juveniles with basic essentials, education, assessments, recreation, health services, counseling, and other interventions aimed at maintaining their well-being during their stay.

The RSJC serves all 55 counties in West Virginia, and its primary mission is to provide a safe and secure environment for juveniles who are in need of detention or assessment.

Ronald Mulholland Juvenile Center

The Ronald C. Mulholland Juvenile Center is a secure facility located in West Virginia that is designed to house juveniles with special circumstances and needs.

The facility has a total of 26 beds, with 12 of those beds dedicated to the Female Treatment Center and the remaining 14 beds available for male or female juveniles in detention status.

The center operates as a pre and post-dispositional setting, with the goal of providing individual care and planning to each youth in their care while ensuring a safe environment free from abuse. The staff and programming at Ronald C. Mulholland Juvenile Center are committed to providing the best possible care to every youth in their custody.

Sam Perdue Juvenile Center

The Sam Perdue Juvenile Center in West Virginia is a facility that places a strong emphasis on security and public safety. This is evident in the rigorous training schedule that staff members undergo to ensure that they are equipped to handle any situation that may arise.

The center’s primary goal is to provide care and services to the juveniles in its custody, and it is constantly evaluating its procedures and making changes to improve operations and meet the needs of its residents.

Despite the challenges that come with working with juvenile offenders, the staff at the Sam Perdue Juvenile Center is committed to ensuring that they receive the care and support they need to turn their lives around.

Tiger Morton Juvenile Center

The James H. “Tiger” Morton Juvenile Center is a juvenile detention center located in Institute, West Virginia. The facility has 23 beds and is secured by both staff and hardware.

The center provides a range of services to its residents, including medical and mental health services, various assessments, individual and group counseling, voluntary religious services, library services, recreational participation, additional activities as scheduled, and educational services.

The center aims to provide a safe and secure environment for young people who have been involved in the justice system. With a focus on rehabilitation and education, the James H. “Tiger” Morton Juvenile Center strives to help residents build a positive future for themselves.

Vicki Douglas Juvenile Center

The Vicki Douglas Juvenile Center is a detention facility located in Martinsburg, West Virginia. The center has a capacity of 23 beds and houses both male and female juveniles aged 10 through 21 who have been charged with a crime but have not yet been convicted.

The facility offers a comprehensive range of services, including housing, education, medical care, and nutrition. In addition, the center organizes various recreational activities, such as holiday celebrations, movie nights, special guest speakers, and recreational tournaments.

The center also provides special dinners to create a sense of community and help the juveniles feel more comfortable during their stay. Overall, the Vicki Douglas Juvenile Center aims to provide a safe and supportive environment for juveniles in need of detention services.

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