The South Carolina State Prison System

The South Carolina Department of Corrections is in charge of the prison and correctional facilities in the state. Besides serving penal justice, the state department of corrections has the task of safeguarding the society by taking dangerous persons off the streets. The administrative structure of the system also provides a platform for incarcerated persons to self-develop, thus giving them an opportunity for a fresh start in life. During this period, the system takes responsibility for the inmates’ feeding, housing, and security. Persons admitted and the South Carolina state prison system are those who have received convictions and hence sentences from South Carolina State Courts.

What is the Difference Between Jail and Prison in South Carolina?

In South Carolina, the difference between a jail and a prison is the amount of time spent in incarceration. The state’s prison system houses persons serving sentences of over three months. While jails are under the watch of county security departments, the authorities may refer high risk pretrial offenders to the prisons, being a more secure facility. The South Carolina Prison System also has administrative oversight of local jails by way of hierarchy. County or city jails and custody centers are for temporary confinement or sentences less than three months.

How Many Prisons are in South Carolina?

The headquarters of the South Carolina Corrections Department is situated at:

P. O. Box 21787

4444 Broad River Road

Columbia, SC 29210

(803) 896–8500

corrections.info@doc.sc.gov

There are twenty one correction institutions in South Carolina. These institutions are categorized into four levels:

Community-based pre-release/work centers (level 1A)

Livesay Correctional Institution

Level 1”A” Camp formerly Livesay PRC (L1-A)

SC DHEC Food Safety Inspection

Palmer Pre-Release Center (L1-A)

Joseph McFadden, Warden

2012 Pisgah Road

Florence, SC 29501

Telephone: (843) 661–4770 or (803) 734–9487

Minimum security (level 1B)

“B” Camp formerly Northside CI (L1-B)

George Dodkin, Warden

104 Broadcast Drive

Spartanburg, SC 29303

(803) 734–1375 or (864) 594–4915

Mailing Address:

P. O. Box 580

Una, SC 29378

Manning Reentry/Work Release Center (L1-B)

Region 2

Wilfredo Martell, Warden

502 Beckman Drive

Columbia, SC 29203

(803) 935–6000

Goodman Correctional Institution (L1-B)

Level 1

Steve Duncan, Warden

4556 Broad River Road

Columbia, SC 29210

Phone: (803) 896–8565

Medium Security (level 2)

Allendale Correctional Institution (L2)

Region 2

McKendley Newton, Warden

1057 Revolutionary Trail

Fairfax, SC 29827

Phone: (803) 632–2561 or (803) 734–0653

Mailing Address:

P. O. Box 1151

Fairfax. SC 29827

MacDougall Correctional Institution (L2)

Region 1

Warden (vacant)

1516 Old Gilliard Road

Ridgeville, SC 29472

Phone: (843) 688–5251 or (803) 737–3036

or 843–875–0880

Evans Correctional Institution (L2)

Region 1

Donnie Stonebreaker, Jr., Warden

610 Highway 9 West

Bennettsville, SC 29512

Phone: (843) 479–4181 or (803)896–4900

Graham (Camille Griffin) Correctional Institution (Women L2) Region 2

Lisa Engram, Warden

4450 Broad River Road

Columbia, SC 29210

Phone: (803) 896–8590

Kershaw Correctional Institution and Reentry Center (L2) Region 2

Tonya James, Warden

4848 Goldmine Hwy

Kershaw, SC 29067

Phone: (803) 896–3300

Ridgeland Correctional Institution (L2) Region 1

LeVern Cohen, Warden

5 Correctional Road

Ridgeland, SC 29936

Phone: (803) 896–3200 or (843) 726–6888

Mailing Address:

P. O. Box 2039

Ridgeland, SC 29936

Trenton Correctional Institution (L2)

Evonne Willingham, Warden

84 Greenhouse Road

Trenton, SC 29847

Phone: (803) 896–3000 or (803) 278–0010

(803) 275–3301

Leath Correctional Institution

Patricia Yeldell, Warden

2809 Airport Road

Greenwood, SC 29649

Phone: (803) 896–1000 or (864) 229–5709

Turbeville Correctional Institution

Kenneth Sharp, Warden

1578 Clarence Coker Hwy

Turbeville, SC 29162

Phone: (843) 659–4800 or (803) 896–3100

Tyger River Correctional Institution (L2)

Lower and  Upper

Jake Gadsden, Warden

100–200 Prison Rd

Enoree, SC 29335

Phone: (803) 896–3501 or (803) 896–3601

(864) 583–6056

Wateree River Correctional Institution

Donald Beckwith, Jr., Warden

Highway 261

Rembert, SC 29128

Phone: (803) 432–6191 or (803) 896–3400

Mailing Address:

P. O. Box 189

Rembert, SC 29128

High Security (level 3)

Broad River Correctional Institution (L3)

Michael Stephan, Warden

4460 Broad River Road

Columbia, SC 29210

Phone: (803) 896–2234

McCormick Correctional Institution (L3)

Charles (Tony) Burton, Warden

386 Redemption Way

McCormick, SC 29899

Phone: (864) 443–2114, (803) 734–0330

Perry Correctional Institution (L3)

Charles Williams, Jr., Warden

430 Oaklawn Road

Pelzer, SC 29669

Phone: (864) 243–4700

Kirkland Reception and Evaluation Center (L3)

Terrie Wallace, Warden

4344 Broad River Road

Columbia, SC 29210

Phoen: (803) 896–1521

Lee Correctional Institution (L3)

Kenneth Nelsen, Warden

990 Wisacky Highway

Bishopville, SC 29010

Phone: (803) 428–2800 or (803) 896–2400

Lieber Correctional Institution and Reentry Center (L3)

Brian Kendall, Warden

136 Wilborn Avenue

P. O. Box 205

Ridgeville, SC 29472

Phone: (843) 875–3332 or (803) 896–3700

How do I search for an Inmate in South Carolina State Prison?

An inmate is someone currently in incarceration. The South Carolina Department of Corrections maintains a database of inmates in the system. Interested parties may choose to search for an inmate using the ground location of the correctional institution. Use the address page to get directions to the facility. Another way to search for an inmate is to use the online database provided by the agency. Inquiring parties must have the registration number of the inmate as given by the Department of Corrections (SCDC number) all the state identification number (SID). Have ready the full names of the inmate. If unsure of the name, check the phonetic match box. This should return all records of inmates with similar phonetic sounds. Identify the record of interest and click for more information. It should open up a PDF window of more detailed information.

Are Incarceration Records Public in South Carolina?

Incarceration records are a part of criminal history information in South Carolina. Under the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, members of the public have a right to access arrest and conviction information (inclusive of incarceration) in criminal records. Only law enforcement agencies and the persons listed in the record can have access to the entire information. If the record in question is under a seal by authorities, it may not be accessible to the public unless with the submission of a court order.

Records that are considered public may be accessible from some third-party websites. These websites often make searching simpler, as they are not limited by geographic location, and search engines on these sites may help when starting a search for a specific or multiple records. To begin using such a search engine on a third-party or government website, interested parties usually must provide:

• The name of the person involved in the record, unless said person is a juvenile
• The location or assumed location of the record or person involved. This includes information such as the city, county, or state that person resides in or was accused in.

Third-party sites are independent from government sources, and are not sponsored by these government agencies. Because of this, record availability on third-party sites may vary.

How to Look Up Jail Records in South Carolina?

Jail history and arrest records both form a part of a criminal history information of an individual in South Carolina. The primary custodian agency of this information, that is, the agency responsible for the initial documentation has a mandate to make these records available upon request to eligible persons. For example, jail information is available at the sheriff’s office of each county where the jail is located. Another way to look up jail records is to visit the sheriff’s office on the county website. Some sheriff departments list currently serving inmates and their basic information on the web page. Jail records of persons that have completed their sentences may not be available online and may require a visit to the sheriff’s department. The same applies to arrest records. Arrest records are available at the law enforcement agency that effected the arrest. A summary report of jail records and arrest records is a part of the rapsheets of any registered individual in South Carolina. The South Carolina State Law Enforcement Department (SLED) provides this summary information. Access to a full copy of criminal history information is given only to the persons listed in the records and delegated law enforcement agents. The online form on SLED requires social security numbers and fingerprints both of which are private information.

Can Jail Records be Expunged in South Carolina?

Yes, jail records can be expunged in South Carolina. It applies especially to temporary custody or pre-trial confinement that did not lead to a conviction. If it was a dismissed case, the involved individual has a right to request for expunction of all records associated with the case. Also, the laws of the state allow certain arrest charges and convictions to go under a seal in order to restrict public access. Some jail records, because of their association with felony charges, remain permanent public records, hence they are not subject to the possibilities of expunction.