Walker State Prison

Walker State Prison is a medium-security facility for adult male inmates that is managed by the Georgia Department of Corrections. It is located in Rock Springs, Georgia, and it can house up to 444 inmates. 

This specially designated Faith & Character Based prison provides a pro-social, programmatic environment for change to those offenders who voluntarily request to participate in the program. It fosters moral character development and cultivates pluralistic spiritual enrichment.

The housing consists of twelve open dormitories, with ten dorms housing between 50 to 74 offenders and one housing nine incentive offenders. It also houses up to 200 probation RSAT male detainees in the NW RSAT center. Eight offenders are housed at the Fire Hall, and this facility also houses a Fire Station.

More than a quarter of the inmates released from Georgia prisons end up back behind bars within three years, but at Walker State Prison, that rate is less than 2%. Inmates credit the prison's Faith and Character Based program, which is one of 18 across Georgia.

"The difference here is you don't have to worry about your safety. You don't have to worry about looking over your shoulder," said inmate Garrett Anderson. "You can focus strictly on you and your growth and your potential to be a better person."

The program includes four very structured phases, and inmates start with classes that require them to reflect on how they ended up behind bars. Once they've worked on themselves, the focus shifts towards what work they can do for others in a career with classes like computer science and welding.

Establishing a new relationship with God and strengthening old relationships with loved ones are also at the heart of the program. The prison holds church services for different faiths seven days a week and regularly invites inmates' families to participate in prison events.

Prisoners say at Walker State, they're treated like humans instead of inmates, and that's what will make the transition from custody to community permanent.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Walker State Prison visiting hours for the general population are on Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays from 9:00 AM until 3:00 PM. 

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

The only items you can bring to a visit are:

• an identification card (All visitors, age 16 and over, must have a photo ID)
• car keys
• a maximum of twenty dollars ($20.00) in coins to be used for the vending machines

Walker State Prison does not allow visitors to bring in outside food and beverages into the visiting roomㄧother than bottled formula or store-bought products for babies. Phones or electronic devices of any kind are prohibited in the visiting area.

You will be searched by electronic surveillance instruments (metal detectors, etc.) when you arrive, and anything you bring into the facility will be searched by officers assigned to the visitation area.

Visitors must wear appropriate clothing, and shoes are required at all timesㄧincluding 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

Walker 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.

All inmate mail is monitored by prison staff. It’s best to keep things simple with regular paper, a regular envelope, and pics of family and friends. They won’t allow any mail with stickers or glitter, greeting cards with music, or inappropriate pics.

In addition to regular mail, you can send a package to an inmate through the Georgia Inmate Package Program. However, your own homemade packages are not allowed.

With a JPay account, you can also send and receive videograms and emails, which cost between one and three stamps each.

How to Call an Inmate

You can’t call an inmate at Walker State Prison, 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

You must use JPay or MoneyGram to send money to an inmate at Walker State Prison. 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 or check instead of a debit or credit card, visit a MoneyGram location in person and use receive code 6857. MoneyGram locations include all Walmarts and CVS Pharmacies. 

Programs For Inmates

• Academic: Get Motivation for Change, Moral Reconation Therapy, Thinking for a Change, Matrix, Faith & Character Based Programming, Spectrum Program and a Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) program that offers; Individual and Group Counseling, a Career Center, Veterans Services, Family Services, Cross Roads program, Fatherhood Services, and Prison Fellowship Mentoring.
• Recreation: General Recreation/Wellness Walk
• Religious Activities: Various Worship Services, Bible Study
• Counseling: Motivation for Change, Moral Reconation Therapy, Thinking for a Change, Matrix, Faith & Character Based Programming, Spectrum Program and a Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) program that offers; Individual and Group Counseling, a Career Center, Veterans Services, Family Services, Cross Roads program, Fatherhood Services, and Prison Fellowship Mentoring
• Vocational/OJT: Food Preparation, Building Maintenance, Mechanics, Laundry, Warehousing, Custodial Maintenance, Metal Fabrication, Baker, Cooking, Barber, Outside Maintenance and Outside Grounds

Classes offered to inmates participating in Walker State Prison's Faith and Character Based Program:

GED Prep/Test, Drum Dynamics, Foundation Phase Character Development, Practical Theology, Spanish Bible Study, Marriage & Relationships, Active Parenting, Confronting Self, Transformational Leadership, Kairos Monthly Reunion, Choose to do Right, Welding lab, Revolutionary War, Anger Management, Sleep Research, Gavel Club, Intro to Computers, Peer Mentor Meetings, GED Typing Class, Effective Communications, Bee Keeping, Agriculture, Spanish I, World Religions, Advanced Writing, Psychology, Systematic Theology, Advanced Signing Class, Computer Science, Intro to French, Mentoring class.

WORK DETAILS:

Provides work to Catoosa and Walker counties as well as the City of Fort Oglethorpe.

Pictures of Walker State Prison

Careers at Walker State Prison

Walker State Prison is located among the beautiful mountains of Northwest Georgia, and it stands as the only male Faith and Character Facility in the State of Georgia. 

The mission of the staff at the specially designated Faith & Character Based prison is to provide a pro-social, programmatic environment for change to those offenders who voluntarily request to participate in the program. The program fosters moral character development and cultivates pluralistic spiritual enrichment. 

If you are interested in a job at Walker State Prison, click here.