History of NC Prisons

1950s prison guard

In 1970, correction custody staff's job title changed to correctional officer from guard or matron. In 1974, the state Criminal Justice Academy was founded and began certification training for correction staff.

The Government Reorganization Act of 1973 created the Department of Social Rehabilitation and Control which included prisons, probation and parole and juvenile facilities.

In 1974, the agency was renamed the Department of Correction with two major subdivisions, the Division of Prisons and the Division of Adult Probation and Parole. In 1975, lawmakers transferred the Division of Youth Development and the responsibility of managing the state's training schools from the Department of Correction to the Department of Human Resources.

In the early 1970s, the state prison system increased prison capacity for male youth constructing Western Youth Institution which opened in 1972 and converting state facilities into the Sandhills Youth Center in 1973; Fountain Youth Center in 1976; and Morrison Youth Institution in 1977. In 1978, state prison capacity increased by 822 with the addition of a number of modular housing units, mainly at minimum security prisons.

In the 1980's major renovations were completed at Central Prison. A new administration building, maximum security building and workers residence building provided 500 cells replacing cellblocks in the old castle-like structure which was torn down. Three more prisons were constructed: Piedmont Correctional Institution which opened in 1979; Eastern Correctional Institution which opened in 1983; and Southern Correctional Institution which opened in 1983. Other state facilities were converted into the Wayne Correctional Center in 1979 and McCain Correctional Hospital in 1983.

In 1987, lawmakers established the department's division for substance abuse treatment and the first Drug/Alcohol Recovery Treatment program at Wayne Correctional Center. The state's first boot camp program for male youth opened in Richmond County in October 1989.

In the 1980's, a series of lawsuits filed by inmates complained about conditions in state prisons, mainly minimum and medium security units built in the late 1930's. Small v Martin, filed in 1985, affected 49 of these prisons. During this same time, annual prison admissions nearly doubled from 17,500 in 1986 to 30,800 in 1992.

In response, the General Assembly capped the prison population, initiated a study of state sentencing laws, provided for increased community supervision and launched a major prison construction program. Lawmakers provided for $185 million in prison construction between 1985 and 1990. Voters gave their approval to a $200 million prison construction bond issue in 1990. Lawmakers approved another $62 million for prison construction in 1994.

1990s Correctional Officers
1990s Correctional Officers

Gov. Hunt and Correction Secretary Franklin Freeman pushed the prison population from 20,351 at the end of 1992 to 30,775 at the end of 1996. They sped up planned construction, pushed through legislation for additional construction and leased space in county jails and out-of-state prisons to immediately meet the state's needs and bring an end to the policy of using early parole to free up prison space. Paroles decreased from a high of 26,784 in 1993 to 12,461 in 1996.

Four new close security prisons opened in the early 1990s including Nash Correctional Institution in 1993; Foothills Correctional Institution in 1994; Marion Correctional Institution in 1995; and Pasquotank Correctional Institution in 1996.

Three new medium security prisons opened in the early 1990s including Brown Creek Correctional Institution in 1993 and Pender and Lumberton correctional institutions in 1994. A new minimum security prison, Neuse Correctional Institution opened in 1994.

The IMPACT boot camp program quadrupled in size with the opening of a new dorm at IMPACT East and the opening of IMPACT West in 1994. A second dorm opened at IMPACT West in 1995.

Construction also added dormitory space at existing minimum and medium security prisons with available utilities.

In 1993, the General Assembly enacted Structured Sentencing. It went into effect for crimes committed after October 1, 1994. The new criminal sentencing law replaced the Fair Sentencing statutes.

In 1994, the General Assembly provided for expansion of prison substance abuse treatment programs and created the community service work program, to provide local governments with minimum custody inmates under the supervision of correction staff for short-term work projects. Lawmakers also allowed the department to contract for private substance abuse treatment of minimum security inmates and contract for housing state prisoners in out-of-state facilities and NC county jails.

Under legislative direction, the department closed Richmond and Moore correctional centers in 1995. Earlier condition of confinement lawsuits had increased staffing requirements while reducing the number of inmates allowed at several of these 1930s-era prisons reducing the efficiency of operations.

In 1996, lawmakers removed the state prison cap. They authorized the department to contract for two 500-bed private confinement facilities to be located in Avery and Pamlico counties. The department closed the Division of Prisons South Central Area Office, and six small prisons--Granville, Halifax, Person, Rockingham, Vance and Washington correctional centers.

On February 20, 1997, U.S. District Judge Earl Britt issued a court order ending federal court jurisdiction over state prisons. "We are glad to see the end of federal court oversight," said state Correction Secretary Mack Jarvis. "But even more important has been the leadership of Gov. Hunt and Franklin Freeman and the hard work of correction professionals in re-establishing public trust in our system."

In 1998, the minimum security Tyrrell Prison Work Farm opened. DOC Engineering directed inmate crews in the construction of this prison, similar to Dan River. Opening Tyrrell allowed the department to close Washington Correctional Center.

In the legislative session that ended in October 1998, the General Assembly ordered the closing of Alexander, Martin, Mecklenburg and Sandy Ridge correctional centers and eliminated lethal gas as a method of execution.

History of the North Carolina Prison System 1970 to present

History of the North Carolina Prison System
1970 to present