Eastern Reception, Diagnostic, and Correctional Center

The Eastern Reception, Diagnostic, and Correctional Center is a mixed-security state prison for male inmates located in Bonne Terre, Missouri. This facility can house approximately 2,684 inmates. Missouri’s lethal injection chamber is located at this facility and executions are carried out at this location.

ERDCC is the point of admission into the Missouri Department of Corrections for male inmates in Eastern Missouri. All male inmates in the eastern part of the state go to ERDCC when they are sentenced for reception, orientation, and diagnostics. This process lasts approximately two months.

After the inmate finishes diagnostics, they are either assigned to the general population at ERDCC or transferred to another facility.

This prison operates a cooked and chilled facility, which is a unit that prepares and transports regular and special diet meals to other prisons in the eastern part of the state, like the Farmington Correctional Center, the Potosi Correctional Center, and the St. Louis Community Release Center.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Visiting hours at ERDCC are on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 9:30 am — 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm — 6:30 pm. 

Inmates who are still in diagnostics (the first 30-60 days) are allowed one two-hour visit every 30 days. General population inmates are allowed regular visits.

Visiting Applications

Before you can visit an inmate at ERDCC, you must fill out a visiting application and be approved by the Missouri Department of Corrections. You can access the online visiting application by clicking here. If you prefer a paper application, you will have to ask your inmate to mail you one.

General Visiting Rules

All adult visitors are required to show photo ID, such as a current driver’s license or Department of Revenue identification card. Visitors 13 years and older are required to show a current school photo identification card that includes their name, or a valid federal or state government-issued identification card before admission to the visiting area. 

Visitors under 18 years old, unless married to the offender, must be accompanied by an authorized adult visitor.

All visitors are subject to a search. A metal detector may be used to detect weapons or other contraband. This may be completed by a walk-through metal detector or a hand-held wand.

Allowed Items at Visit

Only coins for use in the vending machines and specific medical and infant supplies are allowed during visits. Gum, wallets, purses, and other items may not be brought to visits. 

Small lockers are available to store your purses, wallets or keys, if necessary, however, it is requested you bring only necessary items and secure the rest in your vehicle.

Coins may be brought in a clear sandwich bag or transparent plastic pouch for use in the vending machine. 

Medications or medical equipment needed to maintain life may be taken into the facility in their original container and only in the necessary dosage for the visiting period. You should notify staff upon your arrival of the need for medication during visitation.

When you bring a small infant or child, one clear carry-all for infant supplies is allowed. This bag may contain:

• Up to six diapers
• One blanket
• Three clear, plastic, bottles of prepared infant beverage
• One clear, plastic, no-spill toddler cup
• Three unopened vendor containers of baby food
• One, plastic pacifier, teether, and/or rattle
• One small, plastic spoon 
• One unopened package of baby wipes

Dress Code

• Clothing should not be tight, transparent, or revealing. 
• No gang, racial, inappropriate, or inflammatory language or symbols are allowed and clothing may not have a camouflage design. 
• Skirts, dresses, and shorts may be no shorter than two inches above the top of the kneecap. 
• Wrap-around or slit skirts or dresses are not permitted. 
• Holes or slits are not permitted in pants. 
• Shirts, blouses and tops must cover the chest and stomach and have sleeves that cover the shoulders, without display of cleavage or midriff. 
• Appropriate undergarments and shoes must be worn at all times. Undergarments with wire or metal supports are discouraged because you may be required to clear a metal detector. 
• No headwear is allowed except for verified religious purposes and is subject to search.

The Missouri DOC requires you to send pictures and personal correspondence in separate envelopes. If you mail both pictures and personal correspondence together in one envelope, it will be returned.

How to Call an Inmate

How to Send Money

Each inmate has an account for personal funds that can be used to buy items from the prison canteen. You can electronically deposit funds into an inmate’s account through JPay. Your options include their website or their mobile app to deposit money, or you can call 1-800-574-5729.

You also have the option to mail a money order or cashier’s check to be deposited to an offender’s account. It must be made payable to the Missouri Department of Corrections and be accompanied by a DOC deposit slip. Each inmate has access to deposit forms and can send the slips to you at any time. All money orders must be sent to the following address:

Offender Finance Office
Missouri Department of Corrections
P.O. Box 1609
Jefferson City, MO 65102

It is important that you supply all information requested on the deposit slip in blue or black ink. If you have questions, call the Offender Finance Office at 573-526-6445.

You can also deposit cash into an inmate’s account via MoneyGram. The receive code for Missouri DOC is 2439. You can learn more by clicking here.

Programs For Inmates

• Adult basic education (ABE) 

ABE is an integral part of the rehabilitative process. Offenders who have not yet earned high school diplomas or equivalency certificates upon incarceration are required to participate in adult basic education classes.

• Higher Education

The Department of Corrections has partnerships with colleges and universities including Washington University, St. Louis University, Rockhurst University, and State Technical College of Missouri. Through these partnerships, offenders and staff have the opportunity to take college courses and earn credits toward a degree.

• Mental Health Services

All offenders are evaluated during the intake process at the reception and diagnostic centers. Mental health screening and testing determine whether treatment is appropriate and what assistance offenders will need while incarcerated. Additionally, any offender may request mental health services at any time during incarceration.

• Puppies for Parole

Puppies for Parole operates through partnerships with animal shelters and animal advocate groups statewide. In Puppies for Parole, selected offenders have the opportunity to become trainers to rescue dogs. Offenders teach dogs basic obedience skills and socialize them, making them more adoptable. Once the dogs have successfully completed the program, they are adopted through their original shelters.

Pictures of Eastern Reception, Diagnostic, and Correctional Center

Careers at Eastern Reception, Diagnostic, and Correctional Center

If you are interested in a career with the Missouri Department of Corrections at the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic, and Correctional Center, you can find job listings by clicking here.