Southwestern Illinois Work Camp

The Southwestern Illinois Work Camp is a minimum-security prison located in East St. Louis, Illinois.

The mission of Southwestern Illinois Correctional Center Work Camp is to provide community service to government and non-profit groups within a 45-mile radius of the institution. The Work Camp offenders also actively participate in the Correctional Recovery Program. 

The Correctional Recovery Program is designed to protect the public through incarceration and to provide a safe, secure environment in which men can receive quality substance abuse treatment in partnership with professional corrections and treatment staff. All offenders involved at the facility attend substance abuse treatment groups five days per week for a minimum of 15 hours per week.

The facility consists of one building totaling 10,038 square feet that is located within the perimeter of the Southwestern Illinois Correctional Center, which comprises more than 195,214 square feet and includes Health Care, Educational, and Dietary Services. The facility sits on a 24-acre site, with 22 acres being enclosed by fencing.

The current population at the Southwestern Illinois Work Camp is 78 inmates.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Visiting Room hours at the Southwestern Illinois Work Camp are from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and official State holidays only. No visits will be processed after 5:00 p.m.

General visiting guidelines

You must be on your inmate’s approved visitation list in order to be granted a visit.  The inmate is responsible for arranging their visits and notifying their visitors of their visiting status.  

To check if you are on the offender’s visitor list, you should write a letter to your inmate because staff can’t tell you whether or not you are on an offender’s visitation list when you call the facility.  

All adult visitors, age 18 and over, must complete a Prospective Visitor's Interview (PVI) form on their first visit to Southwestern Illinois Work Camp. This PVI form can be completed in advance and brought in on the first visit.

Visitors must submit to a body search by officers at the Visitor Center. If you are intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you will not be allowed to visit.

Visitor Property Policy

You are not allowed to bring electronic devices such as cell phones or tablets to a visit. Other items not allowed in the visiting room include food, drink, smoking materials, currency, packages, purses, bags, sacks, books, magazines, sunglasses, or personal keys.   

Small lockers are available in the Visiting Center for 25 cents to store personal items.  

No baby food, except two plastic baby milk bottles are to be taken into the Visiting Room.  Baby items may consist of one baby blanket and two diapers.

Required Identification

All adult visitors will be required to produce photo identification (ID) and verification of his or her date of birth.  Be sure to bring two forms of identification with you. One should be a current state issued photo ID.

Dress Code

All visitors must be dressed appropriately for a prison environment or the visit will not be permitted.  Clothing must be in good taste and not advertise or suggest any items in such a manner to signify a Security Threat Group or other illegal activity.  

Visitors should not wear clothing that is sexually explicit, offensive, or degrading.  All visitors must wear underwear and female visitors must wear a bra. Visitors should not wear clothing which reveals the buttocks or breasts.

Examples of inappropriate dress for visitors are: short shirts or dresses, wrap around skirts, see-through clothing, see-through or low-cut blouses, tube tops, halter tops, tank tops, swim suits or swim suit tops, short shorts, clothing with “cutouts” or leggings.  Dresses or skirts should extend to the knees.

Contraband

Bringing contraband into an Illinois DOC facility is a criminal offense as specified in the Illinois Criminal Code of 1961. Do not attempt to bring in contraband to your visit!

"Contraband" is anything that is prohibited by criminal law, departmental or facility rules, or posted notices.  They are items which an inmate is not allowed to have while they are behind bars.

Information about Vending Machines

The visiting rooms at the facilities offer a variety of products for purchase in vending machines provided by outside vendors.

Vending machine items may only be purchased using a debit card.  Visitors may purchase a debit card at the facility, normally at the gatehouse. The price of the debit card will vary by facility depending upon the vendor providing the service.

How to Call an Inmate

Inmates at the Southwestern Illinois Work Camp can’t receive incoming calls. However, they do have access to a phone during assigned times and can make outgoing calls. For complete details on how to call an inmate in Illinois, please click here.

How to Send Money

​Programs For ​Inmates

Academic:

• ABE (Adult Basic Education)
• Pre-GED (Pre-General Education Development)
• GED (General Education Development)

Vocational:

• Commercial Custodial
• Horticulture
• Vocational Business
• Construction
• Warehousing
• Remedial Skills

Volunteer Services:

• Alcoholics Anonymous
• Narcotics Anonymous
• Storybook Project
• Pell Grant Seminars
• Vocational Seminars
• Salvation Army

Other:

• Life Skills
• Substance Abuse
• Anger Management/Domestic Violence
• Parenting
• Family/Interpersonal Relationships
• 12-Step Group
• Incarcerated Veterans Transition Program
• Leisure Time Activity
• Chaplaincy
• Library
• Community Work Crews

Pictures of Southwestern Illinois Work Camp

Careers at Southwestern Illinois Work Camp