Indiana State Prison
Indiana State Prison is a prison for men that is located in Michigan City, Indiana. It houses maximum-security inmates, and the current population is 2,300.
Indiana gained statehood in 1816, and the first Indiana State Prison was built in Jeffersonville, Indiana in 1822. In 1858, the state was looking for a second location to build another prison. A Michigan City businessman, Chancy Blair, happened to own 102 acres of land on the western edge of the city limits, and he offered to sell his property to the state for the sum of $4,500.
After purchasing the land, and gaining financial support from the State Legislature the first Warden, C.W. Seely was selected and began construction on the prison with 100 offenders from Jeffersonville. To date, there have been 33 men who have served as Warden. Ron Neal is the current Warden of the Indiana State Prison.
The Prison’s first perimeter wall enclosed 8.3 acres and each wall was 600 feet long. Through the years, as additional room was needed, the facility was enlarged to 24 acres inside the wall.
There are ten towers on the walls and they are manned every day, 24 hours. Both prisons in Michigan City and Jeffersonville were named the Indiana State Prison, one designated Prison North and the other Prison South. In 1922, Prison South was destroyed by a fire and the designation was no longer necessary, and this prison became the oldest facility in the system.
The staff at Indiana State Prison takes pride in keeping the buildings and grounds clean and presentable. Each spring and summer, the sidewalks are lined with flowers, as are certain areas inside the wall. The prison is designated a level four maximum security facility, which houses offenders with long sentences and/or individuals convicted of violent crimes.
Also located on the prison grounds is a level two facility, formerly known as Lakeside Correctional Facility. It has a capacity of 385 offenders and the prison uses these inmates to maintain the grounds, perform building maintenance, and take care of food preparation for the Staff Dining Room.
Prison Insights
Indiana State Prison
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What Do Inmate Families Think?
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Visiting Hours and Rules
Visiting hours at Indiana State Prison are as follows:
- GENERAL POPULATION*: 11:00am – 5:15pm, Monday-Friday; Weekend/Holiday, 7:00am - 3:00pm
- ADMINISTRATIVE RESTRICTED HOUSING*: 7:00am – 10:30am, Monday-Friday; Weekend/Holiday, 3:30pm to 5:15pm
- ADMINISTRATIVE NON-CONTACT*: 8:00am – 4:00pm, Monday-Friday ONLY, excluding holidays
- DISCIPLINARY RESTRICTED HOUSING: 8:00am-1:00pm, Monday-Friday ONLY, excluding holidays.
- X-ROW and PROTECTIVE CUSTODY: 7:00am – 3:30pm, daily.
*Visitors must be signed in a minimum of one hour and 15 minutes PRIOR to the visitation hours ending. Please remember, for the latest visit updates contact the facility prior to visit. Call 219-874-7256, and press the # sign.
Visitors List
If you wish to visit an inmate at Indiana State Prison, you must be on their visitors’ list. If you are unsure about your status, please contact the inmate via mail. Do not call the facility for this information. It cannot be given over the phone.
Searches
All visitors entering the facility are subjected to a frisk search by staff which includes the breast and groin area being physically searched.
Additionally, visitors entering visiting areas are subject to additional searches using metal detectors and ion scanning equipment. Specially trained search dogs (K-9s) may be used as a part of the search process both prior to a visitor entering the visiting area and in the actual visiting room during visits.
If a visitor does not wish to be searched either by hand or by using other means, they should not attempt to enter.
A security device has been implemented at the Indiana State Prison called a Cell Sense. Cell Sense is the best cell phone and contraband detector, made by Metrasens. This device is very sensitive and therefore, special precautions must be taken by all visitors.
Everyone will pass in front of the Cell Sense detector, turn around, and walk past it again. If the Cell Sense detector alarms, make sure that all metal items are removed from pockets and person including hair pins (bobby pins/metal barrettes). Be aware that undergarments containing underwire support have been known to cause alarms.
Visitors unable to clear the Cell Sense machine will not be allowed to enter the facility, however they will be permitted to obtain other garments and try again. If they don’t pass the Cell Sense after the second, entrance will be denied.
Registration
Visitors must register with staff prior to entering the visiting area. You will be required to sign the entry log and be approved for the visit before you are allowed to enter the visiting area.
Everyone 16 years old or older is required to show a picture identification. All visitors must present valid identification each time they visit. The only forms of identification accepted by the DOC are: valid driver’s license from the state of residence, valid state photo identification card from the state of residence, valid photo military identification card (active duty only), or a valid passport.
Children
Visitors under the age of 18 years of age must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian at all times while on facility grounds.
Dress Code
Visitors must wear clothing that poses no threat to the security, custody or maintenance of order at the facility. The following standards are to be met:
- Undergarments must be worn at all times.
- Shoes must be worn, except for infants who are carried. Spiked heels or shoes with a heel longer than three inches shall not be worn.
- Tight fitting pants or leggings (yoga, stirrup or Lycra) shall not be worn.
- Dresses, skirts, or shorts must be no shorter than two inches above the knee and shall not have deep slits.
- Halter or tank tops, tube tops, sheer, see-through, or low-cut clothing is not permitted.
- All visitors must wear a shirt/blouse with sleeves.
- No jewelry, except a wedding band or set, may be worn in the visitation area.
- Hats or other head coverings are not permitted, except as required by religious beliefs.
- Heavy winter coats or sweaters are NOT allowed in visiting room; however, suit coats, sport coats, nylon windbreakers (without hoods) ARE allowed in the visiting area.
- Tops, jackets, and hooded jackets with a “kangaroo” pocket shall not be worn.
- No sandals or flip flops will be authorized in the visiting area.
- Clothing shall not be worn out, torn (holes), or frayed.
- No personal wheelchairs will be allowed beyond the Information Desk. The facility will supply a wheelchair during the visit.
What you can and can’t bring to a visit
Visitors are not permitted to possess or carry the following items into the visiting area:
Firearms, weapons, knives, ammunition, narcotics, medication, controlled substances, alcoholic beverages, marijuana, tobacco, and tobacco-related items, cameras, video and audio recording equipment, and electronic devices.
Visitors with infants may not carry anything into the visiting area except one clear, plastic baby bottle and/or pacifier, one small blanket, and one diaper.
Video Visitation
Video visitation is a great way to connect with your loved one over the internet, without having to worry about unpredictable crowds and overly busy visitation hours.
Visits can be scheduled and paid for in advance, allowing you to visit with inmates at times that are convenient for you. For more information on video visitation, please visit the GTL website.
Physical Address
Indiana State Prison
1 Park Row
Michigan City, IN 46360
Driving Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/yfgu4dwJeosRhsHq5
General Phone Number
(219)-874-7258
Inmate Mailing Address(es)
Inmate Name and DOC Number
Indiana State Prison
P.O. Box 41
Michigan City, IN 46361
To write to an offender at Indiana State Prison, you need the offender's name and DOC number. You can look up an offender's DOC number on the IDOC website by clicking here.
All incoming and outgoing mail is opened, examined, and read by designated facility staff.
Inmates may receive correspondence, legal mail, and publications from publishers only, which are reviewed to determine whether they are obscene or constitute a danger to safety and security.
Electronic messages can be sent to an inmate through the GTL Network.How to Call an Inmate
You can’t call an inmate at the Indiana State Prison. However, they do have access to a phone during assigned times, and they can make outgoing calls. For complete details on how to call an inmate in Indiana, please click here.
How to Send Money
Money orders must be sent with the lockbox deposit slip and must be complete with the inmate name, IDOC inmate number, sender’s name, and address.
You can find deposit slips by clicking here and selecting the JPay option. The money orders should be sent with a deposit slip, be made payable to JPay, and sent to the following address:
JPay
PO Box 531399
Wabash Valley Shores, FL 33153
Programs For Inmates
The Indiana Department of Correction offers a wide selection of programming, courses, and activities based on both facility and offender need, as well as available resources. Listed below are a number of current programming opportunities available at Indiana State Prison.
- Thinking for a Change
- PLUS
- Substance Abuse
- PINS (Parenting Inside/Outside Dads)
- Pen Products
- Organic Gardening
- Aramark's IN2WORK
- MPOP/SPOP
- Culinary Arts
- USDOL Apprenticeship
- Barber
- Fire fighter
- Landscape Gardener
- Offset-Press Operator
- Landscape Management Technician
- Teacher Aide
- Housekeeper
Pictures of Indiana State Prison
Careers at Indiana State Prison
If you are interested in a career with the Indiana Department of Corrections at the Indiana State Prison, you can click here for more information.
