Dodge State Prison

Dodge State Prison is a medium-security prison for adult male inmates located in Chester, Georgia, that has a maximum capacity of 1,236. It was opened in 1983 and renovated and expanded in 1989. The mission at Dodge is to ensure public safety and effectively house offenders while operating a safe and secure facility by providing work and rehabilitation programs for general population prisoners.

There are 19 housing units divided into two 50-man dormitories (one of which is the isolation/segregation unitㄧ10 isolation beds and 40 segregation beds), one 36-man dorm, and one housing unit divided into four open dorms (Q1, Q2, Q3 holds 58 per dorm; Q4 holds 54) and two, 12-man dorms (F and J buildings hold 12). 

This facility also houses a C.E.R.T. Team, Tactical Squad, Fire Station, and a Canine Unit.

Dodge was one of nine Georgia state prisons implicated in an FBI sting operation announced in February 2016. The agency indicted 47 correction officers who agreed to deliver illegal drugs while in uniform. These charges were, "part of a larger public corruption investigation into Georgia Correctional Facilities."

Dodge State Prison is sometimes confused with the Dodge Correctional Institution near Waupun, Wisconsin.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

The visiting days and hours at Dodge State Prison for inmates in general population are on Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays from 9:00 AM until 3:00 PM.

For inmates in Segregation visiting hours are on Tuesdays & Thursdays (no Holidays) from 9:00AM - 11:00AM.

You must fill out an application and be approved by the Georgia Department of Corrections before you can visit an inmate at Dodge State Prison. For complete details about the visiting process, click here.

You must have a photo ID to visit an inmate. A driver's license with a picture, a picture identification card issued by the Department of Public Safety, or other acceptable photographic identification card is required for all visitors age sixteen (16) and over.

The only items you can bring to a visit are an identification card, car keys, and money. No food or drink can be brought into the facility from the outside other than bottled formula or store-bought products for babies. 

You are allowed to bring a maximum of twenty dollars ($20.00) in coins to be used for the vending machines. Musical instruments, radios, pets, cameras, or electronic devices are not allowed in the visiting area. 

All visitors are subject to a preliminary search by electronic surveillance instruments (metal detectors, etc.). All items brought into the facility by a visitor will be searched by officers assigned to the visitation area.

Visitors must wear appropriate clothing. Shoes are required at all times for visitors, including children if they are able to walk or stand. 

Male visitors are required to wear shirts and full-length trousers. Females may wear trousers, or if a female visitor wears a dress, skirt or other similar garment, it may NOT be more than two (2) inches above the knees. Furthermore, all female visitors must wear undergarments such as bras, panties, and slips. 

Inappropriate clothing includes, but is not limited to:  

• Dresses or tops with thin straps which expose shoulders or chest area in any manner
• Tube tops or halters of any type
• Any type of clothing which reveals the stomach or midriff area
• Any type of clothing that is made of sheer or transparent material
• Shorts of any kind or any kind of slacks that are above the knee (twelve years old and under may wear shorts)
• Male visitors are not permitted to wear tank tops or short tops of any kind, nor see-through tops made of net or mesh webbing. 
• Shorts are not permitted (children twelve 12 years old and under may wear shorts)
• Any other type of clothing that is suggestive or revealing in any way is prohibited

Video Visits

Dodge State Prison does offer video visits through JPay. You must have a JPay account, and the video visit can last up to 30 minutes. The fee for a 30-minute video visit is $3.95.

Remember to include the inmate’s full name and inmate ID number on all correspondence. Be careful what you mail to an inmate because all mail is monitored by prison staff. Don’t send nude pictures or put stickers on your letters. It’s best to just keep it simple with regular paper, a regular envelope, and pics of family and friends. You can send a package to an inmate through the George Inmate Package Program.

You can also send and receive videograms and emails through JPay, which cost anywhere between one and three stamps each.

How to Call an Inmate

Inmates at Dodge State Prison can’t receive incoming calls, but they do have access to phones during approved hours. For complete details on how to call an inmate in Georgia, please click here.

How to Send Money

To send money to an inmate at Dodge, you must use JPay or MoneyGram. The fees for this service vary based on which method you use and the amount of money you are sending.

JPay Options

• Online or Mobile App: To send an inmate money with your credit or debit card, visit JPay.com or download the JPay Mobile App that is available at the Apple App Store (for iPhones) and Google Play (for Android phones).
• By phone: Call (800) 574-5729 to talk with a live JPay call center agent and send money with a debit or credit card. 
• Mail a money orderㅡmade payable to JPayㅡwith a deposit slip to:

JPay
P.O. Box 260010
Hollywood, FL 33026

A money order deposit slip is available here.

Moneygram

If you would like to use cash, visit a MoneyGram location in person and use receive code 6857. MoneyGram locations include all Walmarts and CVS Pharmacies. 

Programs For Inmates

WORK DETAILS:

Nine off-property details, Correctional Industries Woodworking Furniture, Grounds Maintenance

PROGRAMS:

Academic: General Education Diploma, Adult Basic Education, Literacy Remedial

Counseling: Motivation for Change, Moral Recognition Therapy, Re-Entry, Family Violence, Thinking for a Change, Lifers Group, Matrix Relapse Prevention, Matrix Early Recovery Skills, Alcoholics Anonymous, Sex Offender Psycho-Educational Program (SOPP)

Recreation: General Recreation

Religious Activities: Various Worship Services, Bible Study

Vocational/OJT: Food Preparation, Auto Detailing, Basic Computer Operation, Building Maintenance, Career Clerk, Cook Apprentice, Custodial Maintenance, General Office Clerk, Groundskeeper, Warehouse or Store Clerk, Warehousing and Inventory Control, Correctional Industries Wood Products Manufacturing, Barbering, and Laundry Operations

Pictures of Dodge State Prison

Careers at Dodge State Prison

Located in Dodge County, the mission at Dodge State Prison is to ensure public safety and effectively house offenders while operating a safe and secure facility. They offer rehabilitation programs for inmates, on job training programs, and work details to local municipalities. These programs coupled with professional staff make a positive difference in the state of Georgia.

Ofc. Bianca Chancey likes Dodge State Prison because it is organized and the staff comes together as one team to complete the facility’s mission. Ofc. Benjamin Clark likes that he has good strong supervisors that are always there to assist him and his co-workers. He also likes the teamwork among his co-workers.

Sgt. Miranda Johnson enjoys working at Dodge State Prison because it is like working with a second family, and it provides great advancement opportunities.