The Indiana Women’s Prison, situated in Indianapolis, Indiana, is a maximum-security facility that accommodates all security levels, including minimum, medium, and maximum. It holds the honor of being the oldest and first established facility for adult females in the United States. Originally established in 1869 on Randolph Street, 1.6 miles from downtown Indianapolis, the prison operated at that location until 2009 when it moved to its current site at 2596 Girls School Road. This new location was previously home to the Indianapolis Juvenile Correctional Facility until 1996.
Indiana Women's Prison has a capacity of over 700 and provides specialized care for all incarcerated women. It features the Officer Breann Leath Memorial Maternal-Child Health Unit, which supports family preservation by allowing mothers to stay with their children and offers education and resources for successful re-entry. Additionally, the facility offers resources and treatment for mental health, substance use, and domestic abuse, as well as various educational opportunities. The goal is to equip incarcerated women with the necessary skills and confidence through treatment and rehabilitation to successfully reintegrate into their communities.
The facility is comprised of twenty-eight primary buildings, including thirteen housing units. Seven of these units are cottages with dual-winged, double-bunk cells, while six are within Unit B secured housing. Four of the units house general population offenders with open central floor plans, and two serve as specialized housing units. Each housing unit can accommodate up to sixty offenders, except for the Restricted Status Housing Unit (RSHU) with single housing and thirty cells. The cottages and Unit B housing units are single-story structures.
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