Western Reception, Diagnostic, and Correctional Center

The Western Reception, Diagnostic, and Correctional Center is a minimum-security state prison for male inmates located in St. Joseph, Missouri. This is the reception facility into the Department of Corrections for inmates who are sentenced in the western part of the state. 

Because this is a reception and diagnostic center, most inmates are only at this facility for a few weeks for evaluation. They will then be transferred to their permanent facility after they are processed, tested, and evaluated. 

Western Reception, Diagnostic, and Correctional Center can house approximately 2,000 inmates, including the 595-bed Western Region Treatment Center for inmates who have been sentenced to substance abuse treatment.

Family orientation meetings are also available at this facility, which occur once per month.  These meetings last approximately one hour, and families can learn the policies and procedures of the Missouri Department of Corrections. 

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Visiting hours for inmates in the general population at the Western Reception, Diagnostic, and Correctional Center are on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 9:30am-1:30pm and from 2:30pm-6:30pm.

Inmates who are still in receiving are not allowed to receive visits during their first 30 days on camp. After thirty days, inmates are allowed a two-hour, non-contact visit with as many as two adults and two children.

Visiting Applications

You must fill out a visitor application before you can visit an inmate at Western Reception, Diagnostic, and 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 ID card that includes their name, or a valid federal or state government-issued identification card.

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

You are allowed to bring change in a clear sandwich bag or transparent pouch to buy drinks 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.

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 Western 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 can also mail a money order or cashier’s check that is made payable to the Missouri Department of Corrections and 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

Write 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 that aims to help the inmate 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)

A comprehensive program that deals with alcoholism.

• Substance Use & Recovery Treatment Services

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. The department partners with the Department of Mental Health's Division of Behavioral Health to provide treatment services in the community for offenders and facilitate the continuity of care from institutions to treatment and recovery support services in community settings.

Six-month treatment is provided at Western Reception, Diagnostic, and Correctional Center. Short-term treatment (approximately 84 days) is also provided.

The Department of Corrections provides substance use assessment services at the Western Reception, Diagnostic, and Correctional Center for all incoming inmates into the Department of Corrections. A program tailored to meet the needs of parole violators is also provided at WRDCC.

Pictures of Western Reception, Diagnostic, and Correctional Center

Careers at Western Reception, Diagnostic, and Correctional Center

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