Ouachita River unit is an intake and classification facility located in Malvern Arkansas. Almost all inmates in the state initially start at this facility and only stay for a few days to a few weeks to be classified and then moved on to their more permanent facility. Because of this the institution houses inmates ranging from minimum to medium custody and often visitation is not possible due to the short duration of their stay. Ouachita River Unit can house approximately 1,837 inmates.
This facility offers a variety of inmate services including substance abuse education, reduction of sexual victimization programs for sex offenders and special needs programs. The facility also has a livestock and forage production and allows inmates to work with animals in the Paws program. Their are educational opportunities such as earning a GED and basic adult education. Laundry processing and construction are just some of the available jobs for inmates.