Kentucky State Reformatory

The Kentucky State Reformatory is located in LaGrange, Kentucky, which is approximately 30 miles Northeast of Louisville. It is a medium-security state facility with a 1051-bed capacity.

The Kentucky State Reformatory was the third prison built in the Commonwealth of Kentucky following the establishment of a penal system by Kentucky's Legislature in 1798. The Reformatory, whose history is closely linked with Kentucky's political history and correctional philosophy, has undergone many changes during its existence.

The 12-story administration building was designed to house the offices of key staff members, a hospital and medical offices, together with living quarters for correctional staff. The eleventh floor houses, the machinery of the elevator; the twelfth floor houses a now-defunct 150,000-gallon water tank.

There are five dormitories made up of individual rooms. KSR maintain 148 beds in the correctional psychiatric treatment unit (CPTU). it is divided into a 50-bed program wing, 25-bed program wing, 50-bed stabilization wing, and 23-bed restrictive housing unit. The Reformatory also maintains a 75-bed Nursing Care Facility (NCF), a 20-bed open wing maintained in the Medical Service Building, a 50-bed open wing Daily Assisted Living Unit (DAL), and five temporary holding cells.

KSR's primary mission is to be a specialized institution to provide extensive mental health and medical services to inmates within the system. The Medical Department provides on-site chemotherapy and dialysis treatments. Additionally, they coordinate Health Care Services which includes the direct provision of routine and emergency medical and dental care and the provision of medical care of outside hospitals and private practitioners.

Other buildings making up the Kentucky State Reformatory include an Academic/Vocational School, Gymnasium, Chapel, Dining Facility, Inmate Canteen, Correctional Industries, Visitation Building and Medical Services Buildings.

In the early 1980's, inmates at the Kentucky State Reformatory and the Kentucky State Reformatory brought a Federal lawsuit against the two prisons over living conditions. They alleged that the living conditions at both institutions violated their civil rights. Judging that it would not be prudent to litigate, the Department of Corrections entered into a Consent Decree. The Reformatory has obtained a ruling of substantial compliance with the Federal Court Consent Decree under which it has operated since 1980. The institution underwent many changes and improvements during the past years to meet the requirements of the Consent Decree and presented evidence of substantial compliance at a trial held in July, 1986, receiving the final ruling from Chief Judge Edward Johnstone on March 13, 1987. This ruling of substantial compliance has been the most expedient in the history of U.S. Corrections thus far.

To provide an efficient and effective service delivery system, the Kentucky State Reformatory is divided into individual departments specializing in an area of service or institutional support. Each department is directed by a department head who answers to a Deputy Warden responsible for the administration and management of that general service area. 

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Visit hours at Kentucky State Reformatory are on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. Each visitor is allowed to enter the institution beginning at 8:00am. Visitors shall continue to be admitted into the institution until 2:20pm. 

Visitors are not allowed to enter between 11:15am and when the 12:00 (noon) count clears. All visits must be concluded by 3:00pm. You must have an original photograph identification card in your possession in order to be admitted for a visit.

Before you can visit an inmate, they must submit your name and other personal information to his Classification and Treatment Officer in advance and request that you be added to his list of approved visitors. If your name has not been added to the inmate’s visiting list, you will not be allowed to enter the institution.

An inmate on “Hold Ticket Status” from the Assessment and Classification Center is not allowed to have a visit until he has resided in the state correctional system for a period of sixty days.

Inmates who are housed in the Special Management Unit or in the Correctional Psychiatric Treatment Unit-Special Management Unit are only allowed an inside visit in the non-contact security booth area. These visits can not exceed one hour in duration, and the inmate must make an advance written request to receive the visit.

Registration for all security booth visits must take place 30 minutes prior to the time the visit is scheduled.

No more than two adult visitors shall visit an inmate during a controlled visit.

General Rules

An inmate at Kentucky State Reformatory is allowed two separate visits in the visiting building per week. An inmate is allowed to have a maximum of three adult visitors over the age of 18 and three child visitors per visit.

Each visitor may be subject to a personal search of his person, which includes any object brought with him and any vehicle brought on to the institutional grounds.

Dress Code

All visitors must comply with the dress code. The visit will be denied if a visitor is not properly attired.

1. Any visitor, child or adult, shall not be admitted if barefooted.

2. For female visitors, underclothes (bra and panties, and a slip with a dress) must be worn.

1. Clothing which does not completely cover the midriff, cleavage, or bosom is not acceptable.

2. Blouses must be buttoned so that the cleavage cannot be viewed.

3. Halter tops, hot pants, short skirts, wrap-around skirts, and see-through clothing is not allowed.

4. Dresses and skirts can have a two-inch split in the back only and the skirt or dress can be no shorter than four inches above the knee.

5. Sleeveless garments are not allowed.

3. A male visitor is expected to wear underclothes, long or short pants, long or short sleeve shirt.

1. Bermuda or mid-thigh shorts are not permitted.

2. Sleeveless garments, cutoffs, or see-through clothing of any type are not allowed to be worn by male visitors over twelve years of age.

4. Shorts must be four inches above the middle of the knee or longer.

5. A visitor can’t wear spandex clothing.

6. Hats will not be permitted.

7. Smart Watches and Fitbits are prohibited.

What can you bring to a visit?

The following items have been approved for a visitor to bring into the visiting building during the visit:

1. Jewelry the visitor is wearing (wedding ring, one watch, one necklace, one pair of earrings)

2. Forty dollars ($40.00) in currency with nothing larger than a five ($5) dollar bill

3. A small change purse or clear plastic baggie

4. Visitors may bring two car keys (one ignition key and one door key, or a remote locking/unlocking device)

5. Diapers (limit of three), plastic baby bottles (limit of two), no toys

6. Sunglasses

7. Photograph identification card

8. Umbrella or weather gear for inclement weather

9. Canes, walkers, or wheelchairs

10. Any necessary medication requires prior approval by the Deputy Warden for Security or Duty Officer

All incoming mail must be sent via the US Postal Service and is subject to be inspected or read to determine if contraband is enclosed or any rule violation has occurred.

How to Call an Inmate

How to Send Money

​Programs For ​Inmates

Alcoholics Anonymous

This program is based on the twelve-steps to promote personal recovery from alcohol and to prevent relapse. The program is open to any inmate, but specifically geared toward those with alcohol addictions whose lives have become powerless due to alcoholism.

Anger Management

Anger Management is a cognitive-skill program that promotes growth and positive change in mood development. The program takes approximately six months to complete, but there is no set time frame, as the inmate must complete each of his steps.

Behavioral Modification Therapy

This program is geared towards inmates with repeated and severe behavioral issues. It is a cognitive behavioral therapy program geared to changing thinking and a commitment to change.

Boy Scouts of America - Troop 825

Troop 825 was started at KSR in 1990 and is the only Boy Scout Troop located inside a correctional facility in the United States. The troop has a membership limit of 25 members, which stays full. The Troop meets once a month for fellowship and study programs.

Camp K-9 Program

The Camp K-9 Dog Program places homeless shelter dogs with carefully selected inmate handlers/trainers to be trained in obedience and socialization. This is an intensive program and upon graduation, these dogs are highly adoptable and possess several obedience skills. These dogs are also house-trained, crate-trained, leash-trained, and respond to voice and hand commands. The dogs arrive spayed or neutered, have been checked for all injury and illness, and vaccinated.

Emergency Medical Technician Program

This intensive program is housed in the Minimum-Security Unit. Inmates must meet stringent requirements and complete a comprehensive training program. They must take a state licensing examination to be certified as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). Inmate EMTs provide services on the Kentucky State Reformatory's ambulance servicing several institutions providing emergency medical care to Inmates.

Friends of the Library

The Friends of the Library promote literacy and assist inmates with literacy problems with tasks such as writing letters and reading books. They are also a service club who raise money to purchase books for the Inmate Library and donate to the Inmate reentry fund.

Hospice Program

The inmate volunteers, trained by Hosparus, a Louisville-based non-profit that provides hospice care around the region, are charged primarily with serving other Inmates at the end of their lives. They complete a training program that includes compassionate communication, medical care issues and spiritual concerns.

In 2 Work

This program is designed to provide hands-on training that consists of three phasesㅡkitchen basics, retail basics, and servsafe certificationㅡwhich is highly regarded in the food service industry. The program is available to inmates assigned to the food service area and those closest to their release date. Basic reading and writing skills are taught.

Malachi Dads

This program is to help incarcerated fathers to become better fathers. The program develops their skills in five key areas: fathering, spiritual, educational, moral, and vocational.

Moral Reconation Therapy

Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT) is a systematic, cognitive-behavioral, step-by-step treatment strategy designed to enhance self-image; promote growth of a positive, productive identity; and facilitate the development of higher stages of moral reasoning. Some of the early steps are done in a group setting, with the group deciding if the inmate has successfully completed each step.

NAACP

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is an organization that has an affiliation with the National NAACP organization. The purpose of this organization is to improve the political, educational, social, and economic status of minority groups. The club helps to fund Educational Program and some Social events. The NAACP also promotes good behavior, as members must keep clean conduct to participate in the program.

Narcotics Anonymous

Narcotics Anonymous program is a self-referred, twelve-step program of recovery from drug addiction and is based on the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous. The program is open to any inmate, but targeted toward those with substance abuse issues and teaches measures to prevent relapse.

New Directions

New Directions is a reentry program to help inmates with the barriers they may be facing once released. These barriers may include money management, employment, parenting, housing, supervision, etc.

Out-Patient Substance Abuse Program (OSAP)

The Substance Abuse Program (SAP) is a core incentive program that consists of, at a minimum, a six-month program. The program uses Nationally recognized models for the population including components such as psycho-education about chemical dependency, relapse prevention strategies, cognitive strategies to correct criminal thinking and aftercare programming.

Seeking Safety

Seeking Safety is a program for inmates who have a history specifically related to PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) and substance abuse. The program takes approximately six months to complete, but there is no set time frame, as the inmate must complete each of his steps.

Soft Skills Boot Camp

This a nine-module/video and two bonus program module/video program. Soft Skills Boot Camp is designed to assist inmates in getting a job upon release and is limited to inmates releasing within one year.

SOTP

Sex Offender Treatment is a program that consists of individual and group counseling geared to provide tools that inmates can use for controlling their sexually assaultive behavior. Inmates apply and are screened for acceptance into the program that typically takes eighteen months to two years to complete. 

The program provides treatment for sex offenders to allow them to manage their deviant behavior and thoughts. Inmates who committed their crimes and who were convicted after July 15, 1998 are mandated by law to complete the program before they are eligible to meet the parole board.

Therapeutic Communities

The Kentucky State Reformatory currently has three therapeutic community Programs: Phoenix, Star, and Thrive. Each program is different and administered by a Licensed Psychologist. The programs address mental health, criminogenic and non-criminogenic needs.

Veterans Club

The Veterans Club is an organization available to all military veterans of the United States, regardless of status of discharge, provided they have documented record of service verified by either a DD from 214 or Certificate of Service. The organization serves as a forum for items of interest to the Veteran, resource center for areas of assistance to Veterans, and a gathering place to share common experiences, concerns, and solutions specific to an Incarcerated Veteran.

Pictures of Kentucky State Reformatory

Careers at Kentucky State Reformatory

If you are interested in a career with the Kentucky Department of Corrections at the Kentucky State Reformatory, you can click here for more information.