Montana Women's Prison

Montana Women's Prison is a mixed-custody prison for female inmates that is located near Billings, Montana. Even though it has the capacity to house approximately 194 inmates, the current population is over 200.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Visiting hours at Montana Women's Prison are as follows:

• Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 7pm-8:30pm
• Saturdays at 8:30am-10:30am, 1:30pm-3:30pm, and 7pm-8:30pm
• Sundays at 8:30am-10:30am and 1:30pm-3:30pm  

Special housing cases – Offenders in maximum and administrative segregation may be allowed one visit a week, in the non-contact booth if approved by the Visitation Supervisor or Deputy Warden of Security.

If you have questions about visiting you can call the visiting staff at (406)-247-5118.

Approval of Visitors

Family and friends who wish to visit an inmate must first complete a Visitation Questionnaire and be added to the inmate’s approved visitor list.

• Questionnaires must be filled out completely and include the prospective visitor's full name, Social Security number, date of birth, and gender. The form is available online or the offender may mail it to prospective visitors.
• Mail the completed questionnaire to:
  • Visitation Officer
    701 South 27th Street
    Billings, MT 59701
  • Phone: (406) 247-5118
• Individuals must be approved at least 72 hours prior to their planned visit to the Montana Women's Prison. Approval is based on a criminal background check.
• The offender notifies prospective visitors of their approval or denial. Questions regarding denial must be directed to the Visiting Officer. You may appeal a denial by writing a letter to the Deputy Warden of Security.
• Visitors may be on only one inmate's visiting list at a time, unless an exception is approved by the Warden or Deputy Warden of Security.
• Unless pre-approved, no more than five approved people (including children) may visit an offender at one time.

Visitor Searches

All visitors entering the facility are subject to search via a walk-through or hand-held metal detector, drug detection dogs and, when appropriate, pat-down searches.

Allowed Items

Most personal items must be left outside the facility. All visitors over the age of 16 must bring a photo ID. In addition to the required photo identification, visitors may bring the following into the prison:

• one handkerchief
• one small plastic comb (no pick, brushes or rat-tail combs)
• eyeglasses
• prescribed medical appliances (must have medical need documentation)
• medications approved on a case-by-case basis – contact the Visitation Officer at (406) 247-5118 for pre-approval
• no more than $15 in quarters in a clear plastic bag

Visitors with small children may also bring one diaper bag containing the following items (secured in the visiting foyer):

• one clear, plastic bottle of formula/juice
• one new factory-sealed container of baby formula
• one factory-sealed jar of baby food and a plastic spoon
• four diapers
• one baby blanket (not quilted and no larger than 3' x 3')
• baby carrier (secured in the visiting foyer)
• one small toy

Conditions of Visiting

Visitors and offenders are permitted a brief front-to-front embrace, including a brief facial kiss at the beginning and at the end of a visit. They may hold hands during the visit. All other forms of physical contact are prohibited and are cause for ending a visit. PETTING and FONDLING are prohibited, and hands must be kept in view of the Visiting Room Officer at all times.

Children 10 and under may sit on the offender's lap during visiting. The offender and visitor are responsible for supervising the behavior of children during the visit. If after being warned, they fail to control a child's behavior, the visit will be ended.

Separate bathroom facilities are designated for offenders and visitors. Visitors must accompany children 10 and under to the restroom. With the exception of using the restroom, if visitors leave the visiting area, the visit has ended. Visitors may not return to the same visiting session.

No items may be directly exchanged between offenders and visitors – Visitors are provided a pamphlet (LINK) that explains in more detail the dos and don'ts, and other rules governing visitation.

Dress Code

Appropriate clothing must be worn throughout a visit. Visitors are expected to be well-groomed. All visitors must stay appropriately dressed throughout the visit; this includes wearing footwear at all times. Violations of the dress code are cause for ending the visit.

Coats, shawls, ponchos, down-filled vests, jackets, headscarves, hats, and caps are checked in and kept on a coat rack in the visiting foyer.

The following clothing is not allowed:

• tank tops, tube tops, spandex, Lycra, see-through fabric, or clothing with holes
• tops that expose the midriff or show excessive cleavage
• tops with hoods
• bib overalls and wind pants
• culottes, shorts, skirts, and dresses that are above mid-thigh level

How to Call an Inmate

All housing units at the Montana Women's Prison are equipped with telephones, but the inmates can’t receive incoming calls. However, they do have access to phones during daytime hours and can make outgoing calls, which are typically made collect or through a prepaid account. 

At no time are incoming calls accepted for inmates, nor are messages taken. For complete details on how to call an inmate in Montana, please click here.

How to Send Money

Programs For Inmates

Recovery & Reentry Program

The Montana Women’s Prison provides an environment that is designed to improve outcomes for women’s recovery and reentry into Montana communities, by emphasizing personal accountability, public safety, and restorative justice for crime victims.

The state-run prison’s operation utilizes a recovery/reentry model as part of the process for preparing women for reentry into their communities. Programs that are available to the women are medical and dental services, mental health, chemical dependency, educational, work, and parenting.

More than 90 percent of all inmates at the Women’s Prison are involved in educational, vocational, and recovery/reentry programmings.

The prison strives to promote child-parent bonding and development of parenting skills in preparation for family reunification. Special family, “Kids’ Day,” events occur once a month under the supervision of parenting staff to promote positive relationships.

The prison’s educational programs include classes to obtain high school-equivalency diplomas, college preparation classes, and courses to learn computer, personal, and job-related skills.

In partnership with the prison, correctional enterprises offer inmates vocational training opportunities through the prison industries program. Industries such as garment and apparel print-screening, direct-printing, design work and embroidery, as well as assembling hygiene kits for prisoners. 

The prison paws program was started in 2004. It is a canine training program which allows inmates an opportunity to learn new skills and improve self-esteem while socializing canines, and teaching them basic manners so the canines are better community members. 

A garden project, launched in 2012, has enhanced the nutritional variety available to inmates and when an abundance of produce is available donations are made to the community food bank. 

The women who work in the garden and greenhouse can earn their master gardener certification in addition to life-skills and technical on-the-job training in greenhouse operations.

Montana Women's Prison offers the, "Prison Paws," dog training program. Other programs offered include parenting courses, educational classes, and substance abuse treatment.

Victims who participate in restorative justice programs such as a victim awareness panel often experience healing; and it strengthens the inmate’s accountability and understanding of the harm they created through their crime while promoting a social bond to the community. 

These programs encourage change in inmates and provide ties to community, while allowing them to give back in a positive and productive way through interactions and community service projects.

The Billings Area Reentry Task Force is a collaborative partnership made up of community stakeholders; the Montana Department of Labor, Montana State University Billings, Montana Department of Corrections, other government entities, faith, and community-based organizations and other interested local parties who promote the removal of barriers which may impede successful offender re-entry. 

This holistic approach starts at the point of contact with the criminal justice system focusing on employment, relationships and family, health services, alcohol, and other drug treatment, and housing needs during an inmate’s transition from prison to the community.

Pictures of Montana Women's Prison

Careers at Montana Women's Prison