Avery-Mitchell Correctional Center

County: Avery and Mitchell

Inmate capacity: 856

Inmate gender: Male

Custody level: Medium

Staff size: 328

Occupancy: November 1999

Administrator: Robert Cooper

Avery/Mitchell
Correctional Institution

Mailing address:
600 Amity Park Road
Spruce Pine NC 28777

Street address:
600 Amity Park Road
Spruce Pine NC 28777

Phone: 828-765-0229
Fax: 828-765-0946

Facility #4680
Courier 12-70-08

Avery-Mitchell Correctional Institution

Avery Mitchell Correctional Institution is a 856-bed medium security facility housing male inmates. It sits on a 100-acre tract of land beside the Avery and Mitchell County line. The prison is designed with three 272-bed units, dormitory style, supported by a central administration building and 40 segregation cells.

In 1992, a legislative study committee recommended building more efficient, larger prisons that would allow for the consolidation of small, older units. The General Assembly authorized construction of Avery/Mitchell Correctional Institution in 1995.

Watauga and Yancey Correctional Centers closed in late 1998 and early 1999. The prison's employees were assigned to work at Avery/Mitchell Correctional Institution and nearby prisons. Avery Correctional Center continued to operate to house inmates working construction and cleanup until September 1999.

The prison's three dormitories are named Avery, Watauga and Yancey for the three facilities that were consolidated. The prison cost $26.7 million to build. The estimated gross payroll budget for its 340 employees is $9.7 million a year. Local purchases including utilities, food, hardware and medical is estimated to be $945,000.

Inmate assignments include 96 Department of Transportation positions supervised by armed correctional officers and performing work in the prison's kitchen, clothes house, maintenance and janitorial positions. Inmates will participate in the educational and vocational training offered through Mayland Community College.

Visitation for inmates at Avery/Mitchell Correctional Institution is determined by their housing assignments as follows:

REGULAR POPULATION
Saturday
8:30am-10:30am Avery Unit
1:30pm-3:30pm Watauga Unit

Sunday
1:30pm-3:30pm Yancey Unit

Note: AMCI staff will begin registering visitors at 8:00am on Saturday morning and at 1:00pm on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

SEGREGATION
Segregated inmates may visit by appointment only, provided his visiting privileges have not been suspended. Inmates in segregation will be restricted to non-contact visits.

SECURITY THREAT GROUP (STG) INMATES
Any inmate that is a validated STG member level 3 or higher, must visit by appointment only and will be restricted to non-contact visits.

NON-CONTACT VISITS
All non-contact visits are by appointment only.

SPECIAL VISITS
Monday – Friday
9:00am-10:00am, 10:00am-11:00am, 1:00pm-2:00pm, 2:00pm-3:00pm

AMCI Special Affairs staff must approve all special visits. If you would like to make an appointment for a special visit, please call (828) 765-0229, ext. 506.

DIRECTIONS: Travel Interstate 40 West to Exit 86. Turn right off exit ramp onto 226 North.
Continue north on 221/226 approximately 13 miles. Turn left on 226 North toward Spruce Pine.
Travel 226 North to 19E North. Travel 19E North approximately 4 miles. Turn right on Amity Park Road. Facility is at the end of the road.