Potosi Correctional Center

The Potosi Correctional Center is a maximum-security state prison for male inmates located in Mineral Point, Missouri. This facility can house approximately 800 death row, maximum-security, and high-risk inmates. There is also a 46-bed special needs unit (SNU) for inmates with mental illness and those who are developmentally disabled.

Shortly after the Potosi Correctional Center opened, the majority of their non-death row prisoners were serving long sentences, such as life without parole, or sentences with a 50-year minimum before parole eligibility. 

In April 1989, the state transferred its 70 death row inmates from Jefferson City Correctional Center to Potosi. Originally, death row prisoners lived in a 92-bed, two wing facility at PCC. The death row inmates had their own special custody levels: minimum custody, medium custody, close custody, and administrative segregation. 

One-wing housed the minimum custody death row inmates, with another wing housing the others. The classification system was intended to award privileges to death row prisoners exhibiting good behavior. After inmates filed legal challenges, administrators started thinking about integrating death row prisoners into the non-death row population because the majority of non-death row the prisoners at PCC had very long sentences and had committed similar crimes to those committed by death row inmates.

MDOC has stopped using the word "death row” because they believe it is negative. They know refer to death row prisoners as “‘capital punishment’ (CP) inmates." For the first time in MDOC history, the state began to allow death row prisoners to leave their housing units, with staff escorts, to eat meals. When no serious incidents occurred, MDOC officials began to use an escort system so death row prisoners could use the gymnasium. 

The death row prisoners also began to have access to the law library, and death row prisoners were permitted to work in the laundry facility. On January 8, 1991, death row prisoners were fully mainstreamed into the population.

In 2005, the execution chamber was moved to the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center in Bonne Terre, Missouri. Death Row prisoners are still housed at Potosi until being moved to Bonne Terre shortly before their scheduled execution.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Visiting hours at the Potosi Correctional Center are on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 9:30am-1:30pm and from 2:30pm-6:30pm.

Visiting Applications

You must fill out a visitor application before you can visit an inmate at Potosi Correctional Center. 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 bring a photo ID, like a current driver’s license or state 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. 

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

Visitors are allowed to bring in enough change to purchase sodas and snacks from the visiting room vending machines. Wallets, purses, electronics, and other items must be left in your vehicle or put in a locker.

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

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 a letter together in one envelope, they will send it back to you without the inmate receiving it.

How to Call an Inmate

How to Send Money

The easiest and quickest option for sending money to an inmate at Potosi Correctional Center is 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

Please remember to supply all of the 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) 

Offenders who have not yet earned high school diplomas or equivalency certificates upon incarceration are required to participate in adult basic education classes.

• Impact of Crime on Victims

Impact of Crime on Victims Class is a 40-hour class in which the objective is to help the offender recognize who their victims are, and how they have impacted the victim’s life by committing their crime. The class is also to help the inmate understand how to take responsibility and be accountable for their wrong doing and to become victim conscious.

• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

This group presents a comprehensive program in regards to alcoholism

• Substance Abuse Treatment

Institutional treatment centers (ITC) provide structured comprehensive substance use disorder treatment for incarcerated, parole, and probation violators. ITCs offer a more therapeutic alternative to traditional incarceration. Offenders are held accountable for their behavior and are required to successfully complete treatment interventions prior to release. Long-term substance use disorder treatment for chronic and progressive addictions is provided at Potosi Correctional Center.

Pictures of Potosi Correctional Center

Careers at Potosi Correctional Center

If you are interested in a career with the Missouri Department of Corrections at the Potosi Correctional Center, you can find out more information by clicking here.