Central Mississippi Correctional Facility

Central Mississippi Correctional Facility is a state prison for male and female inmates that is located in Pearl, Mississippi. It can house approximately 4,100 offenders.

Of the three State Prisons, CMCF is the only facility to house female offenders and youthful offenders. Its population consists of both male and female offenders of all custody levels (minimum, medium, and close) to include female offenders sentenced to death. 

CMCF is the first stop for individuals sentenced to the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC). It provides initial orientation and classification, as it includes the state’s Receiving and Classification Unit (R&C). Most inmates entering the state’s DOC system will spend a few weeks at this prison before they are transferred to their permanent facility.

Most inmates who are sentenced to prison by the courts or who are returned to MDOC as parole violators, probation violators, intensive supervision program (ISP) violators, earned release supervision (ERS) violators, and suspension violators are placed at R&C. 

Male inmates on death row do not go to CMCF. Instead, they are transferred to the Mississippi State Penitentiary. 

The Central Mississippi Correctional Facility (CMCF) was established in 1986 and built on 171 acres in Pearl in Rankin County. The facility was expanded in 1996 and now includes 18 housing units and 10 support buildings. 

Youthful offenders are housed in a separate facility. The Youthful Offender Unit (YOU) opened on Dec. 12, 2012, as a separate, independent facility to serve individuals under the age of 18. It offers a wide range of programs to include academic classes, vocational programs, mental health counseling, psychological and psychiatric services in a group and individual basis, alcohol and drug treatment, social services, and religious and recreational services.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

It is the responsibility of the offender to notify his/her visitors of the days and hours of visitation at Central Mississippi Correctional Facility.

• Quick-bed A building B custody offenders will be allowed to visit the first and third Saturday of each month.
• Quick-bed B building B custody offenders will be allowed to visit the second and fourth Saturday of each month.
• “C” custody offenders will be allowed to visit the second Tuesday of each month and the fifth Sunday.
• All approved offenders will be allowed to receive visitors from 8:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. on scheduled visiting days.

General Visiting Rules

APPROVED VISITORS

• Under the age of eighteen, must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian
• Visitors fourteen and older must have photo ID each time they wish to visit.  Visitors will not be permitted entrance to the institution without photo ID.
• Individuals on probation or parole or other forms of conditional release will obtain the permission of both their program supervisor and the Superintendent prior to being allowed to visit

UNAPPROVED VISITORS

• Individuals who have been convicted of a felony will be prohibited from visiting offenders except in those cases where immediate family relationships can be established.
• Individuals who, through investigation, are believed to pose a threat to the offender or institution will be excluded from visitation.
• A visit between an offender and the offender’s victim will not be permitted unless approved, in advance, in writing by the Superintendent.

Tobacco and tobacco related products are prohibited in all MDOC facilities and property.

Wallets, purses, handbags, change purses, money, and electronic devices are not allowed in the visiting area. 

Visitors with small children may bring a clear diaper bag with four diapers, two bottles, one change of baby clothes, one pacifier, baby wipes in a clear plastic bag, and any necessary medication for the infant.

All cars are to be parked in the assigned parking areas and are subject to search.

Visitors will not be allowed to maintain possession of their personal keys while in the visitation center.

Visitors will be allowed to bring in $20.00 currency and coins to purchase bagged items at the visitation processing center. No money is allowed in the visitation center.

Visitors will be allowed to bring prescribed medication into the institution only in the necessary dosage.

Visitors are prohibited from trading or selling anything to a visitor.

If you have any questions about visiting an inmate at Central Mississippi Correctional Facility, please call:

Sgt. Emma Redd and Sgt. Belita May (CMCF I-QB)
(601) 932-2880 Ext. 6519/6548 

Sgt. Kelvin Rhodes and Sgt. Latisha Swinney (CMCF II-720)
(601) 932-2880 Ext. 6725/6608 

Felicia Garner, Case Manager (CMCF YOU)
(601) 932-2880 Ext. 6855

Dress Code

Visitors will be dressed appropriately. No tank tops, see-through clothing, low-cut articles of clothing exposing the upper torso, miniskirts or mini-dresses, or any form of seductive garments will be allowed.

Shorts and skirts must be no more than three inches above the knee. Visitors must wear full-length shirts (long or short sleeve). Shoes designated for street wear, including tennis shoes, must be worn. House slippers, beach sandals (i.e. thongs, flip-flops) and shower shoes are not permitted. Individuals improperly or inappropriately dressed will not be allowed to visit.

How to Call an Inmate

How to Send Money

There are three different ways to put money on an inmate’s account:

Money orders

The Central Mississippi Correctional Facility only accepts Postal Money orders. The money order should be filled out completely and sent to:

Central Mississippi Correctional Facility (INMATE NAME, POD NUMBER AND BED NUMBER)
Post Office Box 88550
Pearl, MS  39208

You must include the facility name, the inmate’s booking number (county inmates), or MDOC number (state inmates), and the inmate’s name on all money orders.

Online Deposit

Waycross Bank & Trust offers you a fast and secure way to deposit money into an inmate's account using a credit or debit card. In order to deposit money, you will need to know the inmate's id or name. 

Kiosk machine

Machine located in the lobby of the building can only be used on visitation day.

Programs For Inmates

Inmates at Central Mississippi Correctional Facility can participate in the following programs:

• Alcohol & Drug Treatment
• AA/NA
• Adult Basic Education
• Inmate Legal Assistance Program
• Pre-Release
• Religious Services
• Kairos Prison Ministry
• Bible Study
• Therapeutic Recreational Programs
• Veterans Program “Solder On”
• Prison-to-College Pipeline Program
• Recidivism Reduction Program
• Academic & Vocational Programming
• Library Services
• Barbering & Cosmetology Services
• Family Dynamics Class
• Business Technology
• Apparel & Textile
• Mentoring and Tutoring
• Life Skills & Anger Management
• 1A Mental Health Program
• Art Therapy/Expressions
• Dance to be Free
• In 2 Work Food Service Program
• Prison Industry
• Lifers/Extended Sentences Program 
• Gardening & Landscaping 
• Family Visitation

Mississippi Prison Industries Corp. (MPIC) operates a commercial print shop, a Johnson & Johnson Clean Room, which provides cleaning and sterilization of suture spools for its suture manufacturing operations: and a metal fabrication shop at CMCF.

Pictures of Central Mississippi Correctional Facility

Careers at Central Mississippi Correctional Facility