Hiland Mountain Correctional Center

Hiland Mountain Correctional Center is located in Eagle River, Alaska, and is the state’s dedicated facility for female prisoners. This facility is divided into five separate housing units throughout eleven different buildings, and has a total capacity of 415. Hiland houses female inmates of all security levels.

This facility opened in 1974 and sits on approximately 62 acres right across from Alaska's Eagle River. It was originally a medium-security facility for men, but then transitioned into a prison for both men and women.

However, as the female population grew, it evolved into a female-only facility, and today it has a diverse population. Hiland houses sentenced and unsentenced inmates, those who have committed felonies and misdemeanors, and inmates with both short and long-term sentences.

Inmates are housed in dormitories and they have keys to their rooms.

Hiland Mountain Correctional Center has numerous educational opportunities available to their inmates, as well as drug and alcohol treatment. Community outreach is also a focus at Hiland, and inmates can volunteer at local animal shelters or get involved with Habitat for Humanity.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

In order to become an approved visitor, an inmate must put you on their visiting list. This process must be initiated by the inmate

The prisoner will need your driver’s license number, the state that issued your license, and your date of birth. If you are unwilling to give this information to the prisoner, the information can be relayed directly to the Security Sergeant for processing. The prisoner will not be given your information in this case.

Visiting Days and Times

Visiting times are based on housing unit. The schedule is as follows:

• Monday

House 212:30 pm to 3:00 pm
House 512:30 pm to 3:00 pm & 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm

• Tuesday

House 1, 3, and 412:30 pm to 3:00 pm & 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm
House 512:30 pm to 3:00 pm & 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm

• Wednesday

House 1, 3, and 41:00 pm to 4:00 pm & 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm
House 51:00 pm to 4:00 pm & 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm

• Thursday

House 1, 3, and 412:30 pm to 3:00 pm & 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm
House 512:30 pm to 3:00 pm & 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm

• Friday

Houses 1, 3, and 412:30 pm to 3:00 pm & 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm
House 510:30 am to 4:00 pm & 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm

• Saturday

Houses 1, 3, and 411:30 am to 4:00 pm
House 510:30 am to 4:00 pm & 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm

• Sunday

House 110:30 am to 3:30 pm
House 3 and 411:30 am to 4:00 pm and 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm
House 510:30 am to 4:00 pm and 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm

• Holidays

House 1, 3, and 411:30 am to 4:00 pm and 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm
House 510:30 am to 4:00 pm and 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm

These hours are for inmates in general population. Any inmate in secure housing or segregation has a different visiting schedule. Please contact the facility directly for more information.

General Visiting Rules

All keys, cell phones, gum, tobacco and, jackets, are not allowed into the facility. There are lockers to store your personal possessions, but the lockers are very small.

Visitors will dress in accordance with the rules and regulations of visiting. All allowable clothing worn into the visiting room by visitors must remain on, to include shoes, sweaters, vests, etc.

The visitor and prisoner will not exchange any item(s) during the visit. Physical contact will be limited to a brief embrace with your visitor(s) at the beginning and conclusion of the visit, to include children. "Petting" and / or other sexual activities are prohibited.

An Officer may designate where the visitor and prisoner will be seated for the visit. All chairs must be spaced apart and may not be moved from their position.

A visit may be terminated for any of the following reasons:

• Security requirements
• Space availability
• Disruptive Behavior
• Intimate contact
• Being under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Refusal to submit to an authorized search
• Previous violation(s) of visiting rules
• Inappropriate dress (i.e., tank tops, shorts, excessive cleavage)
• Being currently under the supervision of the Department of Corrections (On probation or parole)
• Misrepresentation of identity
• Failure to control minor children in visiting
• Being under the age of 18 without legal guardian
• Failing to meet established criteria

The Superintendent or designee may deny visitation for security reasons if visitors dress inappropriately or their clothing (or lack of clothing) violates the following criteria:

• (1) A shirt and trousers for men; a shirt and skirt, shirt and slacks, or dress for women;
• (2) Visitors must wear footwear at all times;
• (3) Cut-offs, shorts, beach-type clothing, and provocative or revealing clothing such as mini-skirts, low-cut blouses, tube tops, low-cut pants and see-through blouses are not acceptable; and
• (4) Visitors may not wear hats in the visiting area, unless authorized by the Superintendent.

You will need to produce a photo identification card and fill out the visiting application form when you arrive at the prison for a visit. You will be pat searched for any contraband prior to the visit.

House 5 prisoners may have food brought in during the summer months if authorized by the Superintendent. This authorization is reviewed annually and the prisoners are notified if the policy is in effect. You may call the prison if you are unsure.

House 5 summer yard visiting hours are:

Monday through Friday: 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm
Saturday, Sunday & holidays: 1030 am to 4:00 pm & 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm

You may not bring in fast food or food that is not sealed from the store. Security staff will search all items. All food that is not consumed must be removed from the institution at the conclusion of the visit. There is a grill available for your use.

The following items are authorized to be brought in (all items will be inspected for contraband prior to the visit):

• Canned foods e.g. Fruits, vegetables, meats and non-alcoholic beverages
• Raw fruits and vegetables
• Raw meats, poultry and fish for grilling
• Desserts in original sealed packaging

Prisoners may correspond with anyone unless it jeopardizes the safety of a person, a prisoner’s rehabilitation, or the security of the institution. So, prisoners may not correspond with their victims, persons they are court ordered not to contact, and people under the age of 16 to whom they are not related.

Prisoners may receive through the mail:

• Correspondence
• Photos
• Money orders, cashier’s checks, and certified checks for $500 or less

Do not send cash in the mail. Also, all books, magazines, and newspapers must come directly from the publisher or an approved vendor like Amazon.

How to Call an Inmate

Calling an inmate directly isn’t possible because they are not allowed to have cellphones and they can't receive inbound calls to the facility.

Inmates can make outbound calls during approved hours, and they must call collect or pay for the call with the money that is on their personal account.

Phone calls are monitored and recorded. For complete details on how to call an inmate in Alaska, please click here.

How to Send Money

You can easily send money to an inmate at Hiland Mountain Correctional Center by mailing a United States Postal Money Order payable to the inmate. Simply mail the money order directly to the inmate using the proper inmate mailing address, and remember to include the inmate’s name and ID number.

An inmate can receive a maximum of $500 each month.

​Programs For ​Inmates

• The Chaplaincy Program

The Chaplaincy Program at Hiland Mountain Correctional Center operates under the direct supervision of the DOC Statewide Chaplaincy Program. The goal of this program is to provide opportunities for prisoner reformation through religious programs, spiritual counseling, and pastoral care.

• The HOPE Wing

The mental health program for open population inmates and graduates of the Mental Health Unit is called the HOPE Wing. The female inmates attend a program group in the morning, Monday - Friday focusing on criminal thinking errors, anger management, improving communication skills, developing appropriate coping skills, and a variety of other topics geared toward rehabilitation.

The inmates are required to maintain a 40 hour week program consisting of morning group, gym, work, and/or education. The HOPE Wing inmates join the Mental Health Unit inmates for gym group Monday - Friday as a way to assist with their integration into the HOPE Wing program and to present as role models.

• Library

The Library is well stocked with a variety of books and publications to support educational and recreational interest. A few educational computers are located in the library to assist with educational research and other learning programs.

• Mental Health Unit

The program involves a level system in which inmates earn points through a cognitive behavioral approach. They are able to work through the 4 levels to open population. Didactic, education groups take place throughout the seven-week schedule. Special goals are created to assist the inmate to work on identified problem areas as a part of their treatment plan.

• Orchestra

The non-profit organization ARTS ON THE EDGE was assembled in 2003 under the direction of Pati Crofut and Janice Weiss. The women at HMCC currently have participants in all three levels of music: Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced.

• Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT)

The Hiland Mountain Correctional Center offers women an opportunity to participate in an intensive, highly structured, six to twelve month, thirty-two bed Residential Substance Abuse Treatment program. Akeela, Inc., currently under contract to the Department, provides counseling and treatment supervision of the participants in partnership with facility staff assigned to this population.

• SPOT

A small group of carefully selected inmates at Hiland Mountain Correctional Center have volunteered to obedience train abandoned dogs from the Mat-Su Animal Care Center as part of a pilot program.

• Transition Programs

Hiland Mountain has a professional transitions coordinator on staff. Soon to be released Inmates are provided assistance with resumes, pre-release planning and information on a wide variety of community resources. Guest speakers and employment representatives provide up-to-date information on various issues facing the offender after release.

• Adult Basic Education

Includes basic academic instruction in reading, writing, and computational skills below the ninth-grade level.

• Alaska Department of Labor

Eagle River Job Center teaches a 7 week class on how to get a job, interview skills, resume writing etc.

• Building Trades

Inmates receive training in the nationally recognized NCCER construction and building trades curriculum.

• Computer Information & Office Systems Classes

Through a Tech Prep agreement with the University of Alaska Anchorage, HMCC provides computer courses that are aligned with UAA's CIOS program. Software courses offered in Windows XP, Keyboarding, Word 2007, Excel 2007, Access 2007, PowerPoint 2007.

• General Equivalency Diploma (GED)

Secondary education in the form of instruction leading to a General Equivalency Diploma (GED).

• Hiland College Club

To support and assist incarcerated students to be successful in college courses while at Hiland. The program also assists students with pre-release planning, preparation and academic advising. The Club provides weekly special topics on college programs, apprenticeship opportunities via workshops and guest lecturers.

• Parenting

Based on the Active Parenting curriculum, evidence based programs and practices, classes are offered to mothers to improve their parenting skills.

• Pre-Release Program & Re-Entry Program

An Americorp Volunteer assists the women with resume writing, housing applications, etc., prior to release. HMCC also provides one-on-one counseling and pre-release planning and support to releasing offenders.

• Wi$e Up Money Management

Utilizing the US Department of Labor's Women's Bureau curriculum, inmate students participate in a weekly money management course. Topics include budgeting, banking, insurance, income tax preparation, credit, homebuying and more. Students are taught effective and responsible techniques to become responsible money managers.

• 48-Week Offender Program

The 48-Week Offender program specifically targets antisocial attitudes, values and beliefs (personal cognitive supports for crime.) This program focuses on the specific dynamic risk factors of impulsivity, egocentrism, weak problem-solving / self-regulation skills, aggressiveness and deficits in critical reasoning and abstract thinking.

Pictures of Hiland Mountain Correctional Center

Careers at Hiland Mountain Correctional Center

If you are interested in pursuing a career with the Alaska Department of Corrections, you can find available positions at Hiland Mountain Correctional Center by visiting their website. Correction Officers in Alaska start at $21.34 per hour.

Benefits include health insurance, plus paid leave and holidays. Reviews from previous employees give this facility a five star rating.