NC Department of Correction - Prisons - Robeson Correctional Center

County: Robeson

Inmate capacity: 304

Inmate gender: Male

Custody level: Minimum

Staff size: 84

Occupancy: 1931

Administrator: Paul Taylor

Robeson Correctional Center

Mailing Address:
PO Box 1979
Lumberton NC 28359

Street Address:
NC Hwy 711
Lumberton NC 28359

Phone: 910-618-5535
Fax: 910-618-5532

Facility #4340
Courier # 14-92-07

Robeson Correctional Center

Robeson Correctional Center, in Lumberton, is a minimum security prison for adult males.

Robeson 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's original dormitory was built in 1930. In 1950, new buildings including a kitchen, administrative office, segregation unit, clothes house and barn were added and Robeson was designated to hold the state's growing population of Native American inmates. Before that time, the prison had housed black inmates that worked building North Carolina roads.

Further construction at the prison provided a boiler room and canteen in 1959, pump house and laundry house in 1960, dormitory and chapel in 1964, operations building in 1974, mobile unit for education classes and medical station in 1974, 28 cell segregation unit in 1980 and dormitories in 1988 and 1997. The administrative building was remodeled in 1997 and the programs staff moved into their new office area in the Operations Building in 1998.

Robeson has 21 buildings on its 102 acres. The prison's original dormitory is still in use. The prison's chapel was built in 1964 with the help of the Prisoners' Friends Society, a group of Robeson County citizens. In 1980, inmates built the 28-cell unit for putting inmates in administrative and disciplinary segregation. In 2003 inmates built outside exercise cells for segregation inmates.

In 1987, lawmakers provided for 100 beds to be added at Robeson as part of the $28.5 million Emergency Prison Facilities Development program and two 50-bed dormitories were built. Another 50 bed dormitory was added by lawmakers as part of the $87.5 million prison construction program authorized in 1993.

The prison's operating capacity is 304 and includes felons and misdemeanants. Program activities include work release, religious programs, volunteer programs, Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, DART Aftercare, library services, health maintenance and vocational rehabilitation. Robeson Community College works with the prison to provide classes to prepare for GED tests.

Prisoners are assigned to various jobs. They are assigned to three community work squads, contract labor services with public agencies or Department of Transportation road crews or two Paper Litter Crews. They may work as kitchen help or maintenance workers at the prison. All inmates have job assignments at Robeson.

DIRECTIONS: Take I-95 to Lumberton and take exit 17 onto N.C. 711 west for approximately 2.5 miles. The unit will be on the left.