Minnesota Correctional Facility - Stillwater
MCF-Stillwater is a Level 4 closed-custody state prison for male inmates that is located in Bayport, Minnesota. This facility was built between 1910 and 1914, and it can house approximately 1,600 inmates. There is also a minimum-security area outside of the fence that can house approximately 100 inmates.
MCF-Stillwater is the state's largest close-security institution for adult male felons. The facility has seven living units inside and also has a minimum-security unit outside the main perimeter. The inmates housed in the minimum security area are responsible for the maintenance of the grounds surrounding the prison, and for cleaning office areas within the non-secured areas inside the main prison facility.
The history of corrections in Stillwater dates back to 1853 when the Territorial Prison (Minnesota was not yet a state) was built on the north side of the City of Stillwater. That facility operated until 1914 when it was closed and operations were moved to the new site south of Stillwater in what is today the Town of Bayport.
MCF-STW has recently undergone a number of modernization efforts, including the demolition of an antiquated medical building and construction of a modern segregation unit capable of housing up to 150 inmates.
Minnesota Correctional Facility - Stillwater features the award-winning publication The Prison Mirror, which is the oldest continuously-operated prison newspaper in the United States.
Prison Insights
Minnesota Correctional Facility - Stillwater
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Visiting Hours and Rules
General population | |
Thursday and Friday | 10:15 a.m.- 7:45 p.m. (2 hour visit) Inmates are not paged for visits during count times. Inmate visiting pages will resume at the conclusion of the offender count. Weekday count times 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. |
Saturday and Sunday | 8:15 a.m.- 5:45 p.m. (1 hour visit) Inmates are not paged for visits during count times. Inmate visiting pages will resume at the conclusion of the offender count. Weekend count times 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. |
Monday thru Wednesday | No visiting |
Holidays | No visiting |
Restrictive Housing population - by appointment only | |
Friday | 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. or 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. or 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. or 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. |
Saturday | 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. or 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. or 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. |
Sunday | 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. or 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. or 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. |
Note: To schedule a restrictive housing visit call 651-748-7909 on Thursdays between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. to pre-arrange your visit for Fridays for an 11 a.m, 12 p.m., 1 p.m., or 2 p.m. appointment time. You can call Fridays between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. to pre-arrange your visit for Saturdays at 12:30 p.m.,1:30 p.m., or 2:30 p.m. appointment time. Or lastly, you can call Saturday between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to schedule your Sunday visit for either a 12:30 p.m.,1:30 p.m., or 2:30 p.m. appointment time. Restrictive housing visits are through a TV monitor 'visiphone' located inside the visiting room so all visiting room rules and restrictions apply. | |
Minimum Security Unit | |
Wednesday thru Friday | 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. |
Saturday and Sunday | 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. |
Monday and Tuesday | No visiting |
Holidays | No visiting |
Visiting Applications
You can find Visiting Application Forms in English and Spanish by clicking here. You will need to print off the application and mail in the application.
All visiting applications must be sent to :
MCF-Rush City
Attn: Visiting Unit
7600 525th Street
Rush City, MN 55069
If you have questions about the visiting applications, please contact the Rush City Visiting Unit at 320-358-0400.
General Visiting Rules
For general visiting information, call 651-748-7909. Please note that MCF-Stillwater does not require an appointment for general non-contact visits or in-house restrictive housing visits. These visits are first come first serve with available space.
Lockers are available in the Visiting lobby area to hold any items that cannot go into the Visiting Room at a cost of $0.25 per use.
One or two hour visits are available on weekdays. All weekend visits and non-contact visits are one hour in length.
Registration ends 45 minutes before the end of the visiting day which is 7 p.m. on weekdays and 5 p.m. on weekends.Contact visits may consist of up to four people (children of the age 2 and under will not count toward this number). Non contact visit may consist of up to two people (children of the age 2 and under will not count toward this number).
Personal Property Rules in the Visiting Room
Visitors are not allowed to bring any items in or out of the visiting room without staff approval.
The introduction of contraband to a facility or its grounds is an offense punishable by law. The exchange of any item in the visiting room, without prior approval, may be treated as a smuggling offense.
Dress Code
Conservative clothing is required for all ages. Clothing must cover the upper body to include shoulders, upper and lower back, midriff and cleavage. Visiting staff have the authority to refuse admission to anyone whose attire violates the visiting dress code.
If there are any questions regarding clothing, please call and ask. They do caution against any bra that isn't a spandex sports bra, button fly jeans, any clothing/hair or accessories that have metal of any type on them.
Additional guidelines include, but are not limited to:
- See-through clothing, sheer fabric material, sleeveless clothing, and clothing with holes or lace that would expose any part of skin is prohibited.
- Tight or form fitting clothing that is revealing is prohibited.
- All pants, jeans or slacks must be worn at waist level.
- Undergarments must be worn at all times and must prevent from revealing anatomy. Underwire bras containing metal are not allowed.
- All skirts and dresses must cover the knee when seated.
- All shorts must cover no less than mid-thigh when seated.
- No hooded garments are allowed inside the visiting room.
- No hats, scarves, bandanas, or headgear of any kind. Religious headgear must not interfere with verification of identity and is subject to search.
- All blazers, suit jackets, and sweaters must be removed and will be searched prior to coming in.
- No outdoor jackets, vests, or coats (this includes ponchos, shawls and jean jackets).
- Footwear must not present a security or safety concern. Boot height must not exceed midcalf. No sunglasses of any kind are allowed.
- All clothing must pass metal detection.
Video Visitation
Video visitation is available at all Minnesota DOC facilities. To participate in a video visit with an offender, you must be on the offender's approved visitors list.
To schedule a video visit with an offender, go to www.Jpay.com. If the visitor has not already done so, he or she will have to establish an account with JPay. Video visits are 30 minutes long and cost $9.95.
Video visiting scheduling is unique to each facility and each living unit. The JPay website is set up so you can only schedule a visit when the kiosk is available in the offender's living unit.
All video visits are recorded and subject to monitoring.
Joining a video visitation
Scheduling a video visitation
Testing a webcam for a video visitation
Troubleshooting video visitations
Video visitation FAQs
Video Visitation Rules
Physical Address
Minnesota Correctional Facility - Stillwater
970 Pickett Street
Bayport, Minnesota 55003-1490
Driving Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/2ZzeB3eS41ThnqxE7
General Phone Number
(651) 779-2700
Inmate Mailing Address(es)
Inmate Name and DOC Number
Minnesota Correctional Facility - Stillwater
970 Pickett Street
Bayport, Minnesota 55003-1490
Officers open and review all incoming inmate mail for the presence of contraband. You must include the offender's commitment or department recognized legal name and Offender Identification (OID) number on all correspondence.
Incoming mail may include: paper with words/drawings; photographs (Polaroid photos must have the backing removed); periodicals and published materials shipped from the publisher; and clippings or photocopies of published materials that meet criteria.
Signed greeting cards and postcards are allowed, however cards that play music or have electronically recorded material on them are prohibited.
Incoming mail is limited to 16 ounces per item. A maximum of 20 photographs are allowed per envelope. Polaroid photographs must have the backing removed.
The Minnesota Department of Corrections has an online email system for inmates via JPay. To send an email to an offender, please visit JPay to create an account and send letters electronically.
Before you can send an email, you will need the inmate's ID number.
Videogram
Videograms are 30-second videos that you can record and send to an inmate. Visit www.jpay.com for more information on how you can send videograms.
Videograms are reviewed by JPay employees to ensure they meet MN DOC criteria before they are delivered to the inmate. Click here to view the videogram rules. If your videogram is rejected, you will not receive a refund.
How to Call an Inmate
You can’t call an inmate at the Minnesota Correctional Facility - Stillwater, but they do have access to phones and are allowed to make monitored outgoing calls during approved hours. For complete details on how to call an inmate in Minnesota, please click here.
How to Send Money
The Minnesota Department of Corrections uses JPAY and MoneyGram for inmate money services.
How to send money:
- JPAY Website
- MoneyGram locations (including CVS and Walmart). Receive Code is 1279.
- Money Orders and cashier's checks mailed to the lockbox - no charge, however must be mailed with a money order deposit form. Payable to Jpay: PO Box 246450, Pembroke Pines, FL 33024
- Click the links below to download the money order deposit form.
Programs For Inmates
The role of MCF-Stillwater in the DOC is to provide offenders with educational, vocational and industrial programing opportunities during incarceration.
Educational programs include adult basic education, literacy, and general educational development (GED). Certificate programs include computer careers and higher education including degree programs. Vocational programs include carpentry, welding, machining, boiler operation, and electrician.
Through MINNCOR Industries, inmates have the opportunity to work in subcontract assembly and packaging, canteen fulfillment, and warehousing/delivery services.
Stillwater also provides transitional life skills, behavioral change, and restorative justice programming.
The goal of all programming is to provide the opportunity for change in the inmates’ lives and the skills needed for a successful transition back into society.
MCF-Stillwater is also home to The Prison Mirror, the nation's oldest, continuously-operated inmate newspaper. Founded in 1887, The Prison Mirror has won many national awards for outstanding penal journalism.
The prison hosts an industrial program, education programs, and the Atlantis chemical dependency treatment program. A small number of inmates are selected for the facility's fine arts painting program.
The Prison Mirror
The Prison Mirror celebrated its 125th anniversary in August 2012. It was founded in 1887 with the warden's permission using funds from prisoners including the Younger Brothers, members of the James–Younger Gang.
The newspaper has a focus on life in the prison, covering sports such as broom hockey, basketball and dodge-ball, educational pursuits and achievements of the prisoners, notable visitors and available support programs, and other matters.
There is a regular column called "Ask the Warden,” which publishes questions and requests to the warden. Comings and goings of staff members are a regular part of the newspaper, and it also features poetry and art work produced by the prisoners.
In-depth features included an interview with several 'lifers' including Harvey Carignan, an examination of Minnesota's prison commissary prices and the supplier MINNCOR, and a cover story about the aging population of America's prisons.
Pictures of Minnesota Correctional Facility - Stillwater
Careers at Minnesota Correctional Facility - Stillwater
If you are interested in a career with the Minnesota Department of Corrections at the Minnesota Correctional Facility - Stillwater, you can find job listings by clicking here.
