Orange Correctional Center

County: Orange

Inmate capacity: 180

Inmate gender: Male

Custody level: Minimum

Staff size: 44

Occupancy:

Administrator: James Lacewell

Orange Correctional Center

Mailing address:
PO Box 1149
Hillsborough NC 27278

Street address:
2110 Clarence Walters Rd
Hillsborough NC 27278

Phone: 919-732-9301
Fax: 919-644-1395

Facility #4240
Courier 17-52-01

Orange Correctional Center

Orange Correctional Center, in Hillsborough, is a minimum security prison for adult males.

Orange was one of 51 county prisons for which the state assumed responsibility with the passage of the Conner bill in 1931. It was one of 61 field unit prisons renovated or built during the late 1930’s to house inmates who worked building roads.

The prison originally housed medium custody inmates and was converted to a minimum security unit in 1966.

Orange was one of the 49 prisons in the Small vs. Martin federal lawsuit brought by inmates in 1985. The class action lawsuit resulted in a settlement agreement that required elimination of triple bunking and limited the number of inmates that could be imprisoned there.

The General Assembly provided two 50-bed dormitories for Orange in the $28.5 million Emergency Prison Facilities Development program authorized in 1987. The dormitory and a multipurpose building were ready when additional inmates arrived in July 1988.

The prison’s original dormitory is still in use. A segregation building was converted into a chaplain’s office and a library building was renovated for medical and office space.

Piedmont Community College works with the prison to provide vocational classes in food service technology and light construction. Classes for adult education and preparation for the GED test are available. Individual tutoring is available through the Orange County Literacy Council volunteers who come regularly to the facility.

Inmates work in a number of jobs. They may be assigned to Department of Transportation road crews, Highway Litter Crew, Community Work Program or work under contract for local government agencies. Inmates may also be assigned to Unit jobs such as: maintenance, kitchen, yard, clotheshouse, library, etc. Inmates may participate in work release, leaving the prison for the part of the day to work for a business in the community. Study Release is available at UNC-Chapel Hill. Inmates are strongly encouraged to participate in substance abuse treatment programs.

The Alamance/Orange Prison Ministry funds a full time Chaplain at the facility and is raising funds to build a Religious Services Center. This group, along with other community organizations is working closely with the Center in developing a Transition Program targeted towards inmates who have shown themselves to be serious about changing their lives and are working to do so.

A 40-man segregation building is also planned for this location.

Visitation is every Sunday from 9 - 11 a.m. and 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. Visitation times alternate every three months based on the inmate's last name. Example: A-J will begin at 9 a.m. and K-Z will begin at 2:30 p.m. for three months and then A-J will begin at 2:30 p.m. and K-Z will begin at 9 a.m. the next three months.

--Special visits at other times are limited and only approved at the discretion of the Superintendent or his designee.

DIRECTIONS: Take I-40 to Hillsborough, exit 261. Travel toward town about one half mile and the prison will be on your right by the Department of Transportation. From I-85, take exit 164 and turn towards McDonalds. The unit is one quarter mile down old N.C. 86 on the left.