Wise Correctional Unit
The Wise Correctional Unit is a level 1 facility for male inmates that is located in Coeburn, Virginia. This prison is operated by the Virginia Department of Corrections and can house 116 inmates.
Wise Correctional Unit opened in 1964 and features two general population housing dorms, two special housing units, a dining hall and kitchen, a laundry facility, classrooms, a library, commissary, a visitation building, a maintenance shop, farm buildings, and greenhouses.
Inmates at this facility operate a large farm with an apple orchard. They grow vegetables in one of the five greenhouses using hydroponics. The food that is cultivated on the prison farm is used for inmate meals. Wise Correctional Unit is considered one of the best places in the state of Virginia to serve time.
Prison Insights
Wise Correctional Unit
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Visiting Hours and Rules
Wise Correctional Unit visiting hours are on Saturdays and Sundays. The schedule rotates, so call the facility to get information about your inmate's specific visiting times.
Applying for Visitation
You must get approval from the Virginia DOC before you are allowed to visit an inmate at Wise Correctional Unit. You can submit a visitation application online. Minor visitors must attach their application to an adult application. If you are not the minor's parent or legal guardian, you must include a Notarized Statement – Minor Visitor form.
After the DOC processes your application and performs a background check, you will receive an email informing you of your application's approval or explaining the reason(s) for disapproval.
What to Bring to a Visit
All adult visitors must have a valid photo ID to visit an inmate. Before entering the visiting room, you will be searched by electronic scanning and detection devices. You may also be subject to pat-down frisk searches and contraband detection canines.
The only items visitors are allowed to take into the visiting room are:
- A visitor's pass
- A maximum of $20.00 in coins (no paper money) per adult visitor
- Personal vehicle key only (“keyless” keys are not authorized)
- DOC locker key
- Essential items for infant feeding
You must keep all property locked in your vehicle. Visitors are not allowed to bring in food, cash money, checks, money orders, or lottery tickets. No cell phones or electronic devices.
Dress Code
All visitors must follow the dress code. You must be covered from the neck to the kneecaps, and you must also wear underwear and footwear. Clothing with symbols or signs with inappropriate language or graphics is prohibited.
Physical Address
Wise Correctional Unit
3602 Bear Lane
Coeburn, VA 24230
Driving Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/kei2uKA6CbRoNvHUA
General Phone Number
(276)-679-9204
Inmate Mailing Address(es)
Inmate name and DOC number
Wise Correctional Unit
P.O. Box 1198
Coeburn, VA 24230-1198
Inmate mail can be letters (limited to three pages, front and back), greeting cards, postcards, and appropriate photos (no pornographic, obscene, or offensive imagery).
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However, the inmates receive photocopies of their mail, not the originals. Prison staff shreds all original mail contents, including personal photos after they are copied. Watch this video to see how the Virginia DOC distributes mail.
The following items will be rejected:
- Money orders, cash, checks, or other items of monetary value (send money to an offender with JPay)
- Postage stamps, prepaid postage envelopes and postcards
- Nude or semi-nude images of anyone
- Contraband or other items not in compliance with Operating Procedure 802.1
How to Call an Inmate
You can't call an inmate at Wise Correctional Unit, but they do have access to phones during daytime hours. For complete details on how to call an inmate in Virginia, please click here.
How to Send Money
To send money to an inmate at Wise Correctional Unit, there are a few different options:
- Online or Mobile App: The fastest way to send money is by using a credit or debit card and making an online payment or using the JPay mobile app (Android, Apple iOS).
- Phone: Call JPay at 1 (800) 574-5729 to make payments anytime 24/7
- Send all money orders with a deposit slip to:
JPay
P.O. Box 278170
Miramar, FL 33027
- Cash: Make a cash deposit at any MoneyGram agent location (including Walmart and CVS Pharmacy). View the list of nearby MoneyGram locations.
Programs For Inmates
Adult Basic Education: Students learn literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving skills. ABE students graduate to adult secondary studies in preparation for High School Equivalency (HSE).
Decision Points: Inmates learn alternative ways to examine their thinking and the actions that get them into trouble. The program targets antisocial thoughts and skill deficits through an interactive behavioral approach.
High School Equivalency: Adult secondary level instruction that ends when offenders pass the GED exam.
Ready to Work: Participants in this program create resumes, conduct job searches, complete job applications, practice interviewing, learn about the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, practice dealing with rejection, and learn job retention skills.
Reentry Money Smart – Making Cents Out of Your Finances: This video program teaches inmates money management. Segments include: Understanding Your Paycheck, Planning for Rainy Days and Your Future, Managing Your Expenses Online, Borrowing and Paying Your Debts, and Living Within Your Means and Sharing With Others.
Special Education: Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) that meet the needs of inmates who qualify for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA).
Thinking for A Change: The goal of this course is to decrease criminal thinking through cognitive behavioral changes and skill development.
Pictures of Wise Correctional Unit
Careers at Wise Correctional Unit
If you are interested in a career with the Virginia Department of Corrections and would like more information about job listings at the Wise Correctional Unit, click here.
