How Many State Prisons are there in Texas?

Texas has both state prisons and federal prisons as well in the state. Learn more about the state prisons in Texas till 2022

How Many State Prisons are there in Texas?
How Many State Prisons are there in Texas?

Under the supervision of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice TDCJ, there are several prison facilities ranging from low to high-level security standards. Texas is often criticized for having the most number of citizens incarcerated, however, it rather believes this is necessary to ensure the streets within the state are well safe, and those who do a crime are convicted for their wrongdoings and only go back to society when they are fully rehabilitated.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has over 37,000 well-trained officials who are experienced and well-trained to handle different prison facilities. TDCJ acts as the civilian body armed with the rights to guard, operate and administer 50 prisons located in the state of Texas.

Prison system in the state of Texas:

In 2022, there are 50 prisons in the state of Texas and all of them are operated by TDCJ. Prisons are not the only type of facilities that TDCJ operates but also have several different kinds of correctional facilities under their jurisdiction that include private jails, psychiatric criminal facilities, state of Texas jails, and drug rehabilitation programs.

The state of Texas has a separate prison system for criminals who are to serve a long-term for the crime that they have been convicted of. While there is no hand-to-fast rule that TDCJ uses to separate jails from prisons but largely TDCJ has reserved prisons for those convicted inmates who are serving a sentence minimum of 5 years.

Additionally, the TDCJ has subdivided the prisons under their jurisdiction into 6 different regions. These regions are named as:

  • Region I
  • Region II
  • Region III
  • Region IV
  • Region V
  • Region VI

List of prisons in the state of Texas:

The following includes the list of prisons in the state of Texas. All of these prisons come under the control of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice TDCJ and the state of Texas.

  1. Region I

Eastham Unit or J Dale Wainwright Unit:

The prison is for men and is located in unincorporated Houston County, Texas. It was opened in 1917 and houses over 2,153 inmates. The prison is located in a huge complex that covers an area of 12,789 acres.

Elis Unit:

O.B. Elis Unit is a male prison located in Walker County, Texas. It was opened in July 1965 and houses over 2,073 prisons.

W.J Estelle Unit:

W. Jim Estelle Unit is a male prison that is located in unincorporated Walker County, Texas, on the farm to market road 3478. The prison was opened in the year 1984 and houses over 3,148 prisoners out of which the majority of them include those who are on the substance abuse felony punishment. The prison facility is spread across 5,459 acres.

Jim Ferguson Unit:

The prison is located on Farm to Market road 247, northwest of Huntsville. It houses over 2,100 prisoners and was opened in 1962.

Thomas Goree Unit:

The prison is located on Texas State Highway 75 south. It was opened in 1907 and currently houses 1000 inmates.

Huntsville Unit:

Nicknamed as Walls Unit, the prison is located in Huntsville, Texas. It was opened in 1849, and houses over 1705 prisoners.

Gib Lewis Unit:

The prison was opened in 1990 and has a capacity of over 2,232 prisoners.

Allan B. Polunsky Unit:

The prison was opened in 1993 and is considered a high-level security prison. It has a capacity of 2,984 prisoners.

Wynne Unit:

The prison was opened in 1883 and has a capacity of 2,300 prisoners.

  1. Region II

George Beto Unit:

The prison was opened in 1980 and has a capacity of 3,150 prisoners.

William R. Boyd Unit:

The prison was opened in 1992 and has a capacity of 1,372 prisoners.

Coffield Unit:

The prison was opened in 1965 and has a capacity of 3,818 prisoners.

Mark W. Michael Unit:

The prison was opened in 1987 and has a capacity of 2,984 prisoners.

Louis C. Powledge Unit:

The prison was opened in 1982 and has a capacity of 816 prisoners.

Barry Telford Unit:

Located on Texas State Highway 98, south of interstate 30. The prison was opened in July 1995 and has a capacity of 2,872 prisoners.

  1. Region III

Clemens Unit:

Located on farm to market road 2004, city of Brazoria. The prison was opened in 1983 and has a capacity of 894 prisoners.

Darrington Unit:

Renamed Memorial Unit (DA), it is located at 59 Darrington Road, Texas. The prison was opened in 1933 and has a capacity of 1,610 prisoners.

LV Hightower Unit:

Located on 902 FM, 686 Dayton Texas. The prison was opened in 1990 and has a capacity of 1,384 prisoners.

Jester III Unit:

Formerly known as Beauford H. Jester III Unit. It is located at 3 Jester Road Richmond, Texas. The prison was opened in 1982 and has a capacity of unknown prisoners.

Ramsey Unit:

Located on 1100 FM, 655 Rosharon, Texas. The prison was opened in 1908 and has a capacity of 1,570 prisoners.

Wayne Scot Unit:

Located at 6999 Retrieve Angleton, Texas. The prison was opened in 1919 and has a capacity of 809 prisoners.

Mark Stiles Unit:

Located on 3060 FM 3514 Beaumont, Texas. The prison was opened in 1993 and has a capacity of 2,981 prisoners.

Stringfellow Unit:

The prison was opened in 1908 and has a capacity of 893 prisoners.

Terrell Unit:

The prison was opened in 1983 and has a capacity of 1,389 prisoners.

Carol Vance Unit:

The prison was opened in 1855 and has a capacity of 378 prisoners.

  1. Region IV

Dolph Briscoe Unit:

The prison was opened in 1992 and has a capacity of 1,384 prisoners.

John B. Connally Unit:

The prison was opened in July 1995 and has a capacity of 2,232 prisoners.

James Lynaugh Unit:

The prison was opened in 1994 and has a capacity of 1416 prisoners.

William G. McConnell Unit:

The prison was opened in 1993.

Clarence N. Stevenson Unit:

The prison was opened in 1994 and has a capacity of 1384 prisoners.

Ruben M. Torres Unit:

The prison was opened in 1993 and has a capacity of 1,384 prisoners.

  1. Region V

James V. Allred Unit:

The prison was opened in 1995 and has a capacity of 3,722 prisoners.

William P. Bill Clements Unit:

The prison was opened in 1990 and has a capacity of 3,780 prisoners.

Dalhart Unit:

The prison was opened in 1995 and has a capacity of 1,520 prisoners.

Price Daniel Unit:

The prison was opened in 1989 and has a capacity of 1,384 prisoners.

Rufe Jordan Unit:

The prison was opened in 1992 and has a capacity of 1,008 prisoners.

Nathaniel J. Neal Unit:

The prison was opened in 1994 and has a capacity of 1,732 prisoners.

T.L Roach, Jr. Unit:

The prison was opened in 1884 and comprises a boot camp.

Preston E. Smith Unit:

The prison was opened in 1992 and has a capacity of 2,234 prisoners.

Daniel Webster Wallace Unit:

The prison was opened in 1994 and has a capacity of 1,428 prisoners.

  1. Region IV

Crain Unit:

The prison was opened in 1980 and has a capacity of 1,498 female prisoners.

Hilltop Unit:

The prison was opened in 1981 and has a capacity of 341 female prisoners.

William P. Hobby Unit:

The prison was opened in 1989 and has a capacity of 1,342 prisoners.

Alfred D. Hughes Unit:

The prison was opened in 1990 and has a capacity of 2,980 prisoners.

O.L Luther Unit:

The prison was opened in 1982 and has a capacity of 1,316 prisoners.

Mountain View Unit:

The prison was opened in 1975 and has a capacity of 645 female prisoners.

Dr. Lane Murray Unit:

The prison was opened in 1995 and has a capacity of 1341 prisoners.

Wallace Pack Unit:

The prison was opened in 1983 and has a capacity of 1,157 prisoners.

French M. Robertson Unit:

The prison was opened in 1992 and has a capacity of 2,984 prisoners.

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