Sterling Correctional Facility

Sterling Correctional Facility is a Colorado state prison for men at various custody levels, and it is located in Sterling, Colorado. It is the largest prison in the Colorado Department of Correctionsㅡwith a capacity to house 2,585 inmatesㅡand it houses all three inmates who are on Colorado’s death row. However, all executions are performed at Colorado State Penitentiary.

Sterling Correctional Facility is one of two facilities in the Colorado DOC with a close-custody management control unit. Offenders assigned to close custody management control units are allowed out of their cell for a minimum of four hours per day, seven days per week, with up to seven other offenders to participate in pro-social group pod/day hall, recreational, and programming activities, which includes a minimum of three hours of indoor or outdoor recreation per week.

Inmates assigned to close custody management control units are reviewed by mental health and case management every thirty (30) days for treatment needs and progression.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Before you can visit an inmate at Sterling Correctional Facility, you must first fill out a visiting application. If you are under 18, a parent or guardian needs to complete a Form 300-01G Authorization for Minor Child Visitation. The Colorado Department of Corrections will reject your application if it is not filled out completely or if you didn’t know the inmate prior to their incarceration.

If you are traveling from out of state for a visit or if you want to request an extended visit, you have the option to submit a Special Visitation Application.

Visiting Application must be mailed to:

Attention: Visiting Department
Sterling Correctional Facility
PO Box 6000
Sterling, CO 80751

Visiting phone: (970) 521-8300
Visiting email: [email protected]

All visiting with general population offenders (Units 1-4, 21-36) housed at SCF must be scheduled by 9 a.m. on the Thursday prior to the upcoming weekend. Visits can be arranged by contacting the email or phone number above.

Scheduling is done on a week-by-week basis. No visitation can be scheduled prior to the current weekend.

Offenders who are removed from population, on new arrival status, or receive loss of privilege sanctions are not allowed visits.

Visiting Hours for West - Living Units 1-4 are:

Friday        9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Saturday   9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sunday      9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Visiting Hours for East - Living Units 21-36 are:

Friday        8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Saturday    8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Sunday      8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Visiting Hours for Restrictive Privilege Offenders are:

Friday (East)     8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Friday (West)     9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Visiting Hours for the Management Control Unit/High Risk Unit are:

Tuesday       9:30 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. (non-contact visits)*
Wednesday    9:30 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. (non-contact visits)*
Thursday     9:30 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. (non-contact visits)* 

*There are only two (2) appointments per time.  These visits must be scheduled 24 hours in advance. Non-contact visits last two hours.

Offenders assigned to Management Control Unit (MCU) may receive contact visits based upon program compliance and behavior after review. Inmates in the MCU may receive contact visits on Friday between 8:30 a.m.–10 a.m. or 10:30 a.m.–12 p.m. through SCF’s normal scheduling process.

These visits are reserved for immediate family members and relatives only, and inmates in the MCU may receive a maximum of three (3) total visits and no more than one (1) contact visits per month.

If you have any questions regarding visitation of an offender in the MCU please contact SCF visiting at 970.521.8300 or email [email protected].

Visitor Entry, Searches, and Procedures

You must have a current photo ID for admission into the visiting room. Acceptable forms of identification include a driver’s license, state ID card, passport, or military ID.

Staff will search all visitors and they must also walk through a metal detector. Officers can also search your car and your property. If you refuse a search, they will deny the visit and you will be required to leave. 

All visitors will have the back of their right hand stamped with an ultra-violet marker before entry into SCF. The stamp is read by a "black light" before you leave the facility, and once you leave, you can’t go back in.

If you are bringing a baby to a visit, you can bring in factory-sealed baby food containers. They will not allow you to bring in open food containers or food without containers.

For each baby, you can bring in two (2) baby bottles containing either food, water, milk, or juice. You can also bring in a diaper bag with two (2) clean diapers, two (2) baby toys which can be easily checked for contraband, and one (1) change of clothes. 

You can also bring money to buy food and beverages from vending machines. You will be allowed to buy these items for the inmate you are visiting.

You can’t bring any electronic device into the visiting room. Please leave cell phones, smart watches, tablets, and laptops in your vehicle. 

Remember to keep it simple when you are visiting an inmate. You must have a Photo ID, but other than that, just bring in your keys and money for the vending machines. And, if you have a baby with you, bring in the items you will need for the child.

Other than items from available vending machines, you are not allowed to give anything to an inmate. 

They allow a short hug and kiss at the beginning and at the end of each visit. During a visit, you are allowed to hold hands with the inmate.

Dress Code

Remember to dress conservatively when visiting an inmate. If you do not follow the dress code, you will be denied your visit.

• Do not wear any garment which exposes cleavage, back, stomach, midriff, and/or underarm.
• The only jewelry you are allowed to wear is: a wedding ring set, one religious necklace pendant, and medical alert badges. 
• Do not wear any clothing with controversial/objectionable gang, obscene, drug and alcohol designs, messages, or profanity.
• You can wear hair extensions and/or wigs, but they are subject to a search. Hair extensions which are attached with a clip or comb are not allowed. 
• Do not wear solid green or solid orange clothing. 
• Shoes are required for everyone except infants who are not yet able to walk.
• You must wear undergarments, but they can’t be visible.
• No sheer or transparent clothing.
• Outer garments worn on the bottom half of the body must be no shorter than the knee while standing.
• Any clothing worn on the top half of the body must have sleeves and not expose the cleavage line at any time while standing, sitting and/or bending down.
• You must wear pants in the manner intended (no sagging).
• Wrap-around clothing is not allowed.
• No hats are allowed in the visiting area, except for religious hats or headgear. Gloves, scarves, or outer garments, such as topcoats, raincoats, jackets, and similar inclement weather attire are not allowed.
• Leggings and jeggings may only be worn under outer garments that must be no shorter than the knee while standing.

All correspondence sent to an inmate must have their name and their DOC number written on the envelope. You must also include your return address.

Mailroom staff will reject anything containing contraband, cash, personal checks, or money orders. You are also not allowed to use envelopes that are padded or made of plastic or cardboard.

Other mail restrictions include: Polaroid pictures, postage stamps, stamped envelopes, blank stationery, blank writing paper, blank cards, blank postcards, or blank personal journals. Any mail containing these items will be rejected.

How to Call an Inmate

Inmates at Sterling Correctional Facility can’t receive incoming calls, but they do have access to phones during daytime hours. For complete details on how to call an inmate in Colorado, please click here.

How to Send Money

You can send money to an inmate at SCF by using either JPay, Western Union, or GTL. If you are using a debit or credit card, you can send money online or by phone. If you want to use cash, you must visit a Western Union location. 

Click on one of the links below to set up an account and start sending money immediately.

• JPAY
• Western Union
• GTL

​Programs For ​Inmates

• GED and adult basic education
• Inmates can train for computers and electronics systems, food production, welding, masonry, carpentry, construction, and heavy equipment operation
• Thinking for a Change Program
  • This is required for all Close Custody Transition Unit offenders, and it aids in transition to General Population or the community by increasing awareness of the criminal thought process and altering criminal thoughts through a pro-social paradigm shift. 
  • It also focuses on increasing positive peer interactions and developing problem-solving skills. Thinking for a Change is an empirically supported program with a track record of significantly reducing recidivism rates.

Pictures of Sterling Correctional Facility

Careers at Sterling Correctional Facility

If you are interested in a job at Sterling Correctional Facility, you can find available positions at the Colorado Department of Corrections website.