McConnell Unit: Everything You Need To Know About McConnell
This article discussed everything you need to know about McConnell Unit: Everything You Need To Know About McConnell.
William G. McConnell Unit (also known simply as McConnell Unit) is a maximum security prison that houses inmates ranging from minimum (G1) to maximum (G5) security levels, as well as security detention, safekeeping, and transient inmates.
The facility spans over 299 acres (approx. 121 ha) of land. The facility rests along Texas State Highway 181, 1 mile (approx. 1.6 km) east of the city limits of Beeville, a city in Bee County. McConnell Unit is located in unincorporated Bee County, Texas, and is considered one of the toughest prisons in America.
The Unit consists of 504 cells that are utilized for administrative segregation, dedicated to adult male inmates. The McConnell Unit can hold 2,956 inmates. It also consists of a seventeen-bed assisted living unit used for housing inmates that are too old or sick to be living with other inmates.
The McConnell Unit was named after William G. "Bill" McConnell, the former chief of police of Beeville who passed away in 1987.
The prison employs a total of 473 employees, which include 326 security employees, 95 non-security employees, 12 Windham education employees, 38 contracts medical, and 2 mental health employees. The facility is operated under the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ).
The unit opened in September 1992 and has since remained functional. The facility lies in the proximity of Corpus Christi, which is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas.
As of 2001 the "administrative segregation" area of McConnell Unit, with 504 cells, had 504 prisoners segregated by race to avoid gang violence. The cells are divided into pods and labeled by letters of the alphabet.
The pods are classified according to the disruption level with the A pod including gang leaders who do not wish to disturb the situation around them and therefore remain quiet, while the F pod has lower-ranking members who make a racket and are tenser. Many of these pods are used to hold members of the Mexican Mafia. This segregated section is considered the most dangerous place in Texas.
Rehabilitation facilities at McConnell Unit
Inmates at McConnell Unit are encouraged to take classes for adult literacy, and adult basic education, and can obtain their GED during their incarceration. Vocational training is provided to inmates in stone masonry, bricklaying, and carpentry.
The facility operations are under unit maintenance as well, which gives inmates plenty of chances to do work on-site. Additionally, inmates at the McConnell Unit are provided work opportunities in the facilities garden and in caring for security horses and canines.
Off-site medical, mental health, and dental services are provided to all inmates. Those inmates who are aged or bedridden are provided the facility of a seventeen-bed assisted living unit within the institution.
As many of the inmates at McConnell Unit are serving life sentences, it isn’t unexpected for old inmates to fall sick and need assistance eventually. The facility makes sure they are not neglected. The facility also runs a manufacturing and logistics operation by providing opportunities for inmates to work in a garment factory.
Educational services at McConnell Unit are provided by Windham School District (WSD). WSD is a non-geographical school district that has been providing educational services to inmates in the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, although it is a separate entity from TDCJ.
Its headquarters are located in Building B in the Wynne Unit in Huntsville. The district operates schools on 89 sites. Although many prisoners at McConnell Unit are sentenced to life and are likely to never have to look for a job, they still need education to be productive while serving their time in the facility.
Inmates at McConnell Unit begin at the sixth-grade level when they start an educational program. After earning adult basic education, they can qualify for adult secondary education. Inmates are provided everything they need to prepare for and pass the GED exam and get their diplomas.
How do we search inmates in the McConnell Unit?
When an inmate is incarcerated at the McConnell Unit, their information is subsequently added to TDCJ’s database as the McConnell Unit is operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
For those who are looking to find information about an inmate incarcerated at the McConnell Unit, several steps can be followed. First and foremost, what they should know are the inmate's first and last name, and ID number. Upon being incarcerated at McConnell Unit, inmates are assigned unique IDs which act as their identity and while looking for an inmate, this ID plays a key role.
Read Marion County Inmate Roster: Complete Information, Sheriff's Office, Visiting Hours
To find any information on a particular inmate, start by heading over to and browsing the McConnell Unit’s database by providing the inmate's first name, last name, and ID number.
Other than using the website, you can also call the McConnell Unit visitor Information Line at (361)-362-2300 (**048).
Upon the receipt of the correct credentials, the facility will disclose information about whatever it is that you want to know about the inmate, which may be about their prison account, visiting hours, or other prison policies and regulations. General population offenders and segregated offenders have separate visiting days. Some inmates might also be stripped of their right to receive visits.
To confirm the situation, you have the choice to visit the McConnell Unit and get the required information about an inmate directly. Although, if the inmate hasn’t recorded your name in their visitor’s list, you won’t be allowed to meet them.
What type of facilities is available at the McConnell Unit?
The McConnell Unit is strict in how it keeps the inmates but it doesn’t deny them basic facilities. As inmates serve a long time in the facility, it is necessary to give them enough indulgences so they can keep on going. Following are some of the major facilities available at the McConnell Unit.
- Educational Programs: All inmates have access to educational programs and are encouraged to take part in the study of literacy (Adult Basic Education/GED preparation and test), CHANGES/pre-release program, and cognitive intervention. These educational programs are all provided by WSD which works alongside the TDCJ to provide educational programs to inmates in most Texas prisons.
- Career and Technology Programs: The facility provides work opportunities to prisoners so they can keep themselves busy and where they can learn while working. Some of these programs include bricklaying/stone masonry, construction, and carpentry.
- Medical Capabilities: McConnell Unit has medical assistance available for inmates, managed by the University of Texas Medical Board. These medical services include ambulatory medical, dental, and mental health services. Medical care is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and inmates are monitored closely for possible health deteriorations, especially common in older inmates.