NC Department of Correction - Prisons - Pender Correctional Institution

County: Pender

Inmate capacity: 764

Inmate gender: Male

Custody level: Medium

Staff size: 325

Occupancy: 1935

Administrator: Ennis Oates

Pender Correctional Institution

Mailing Address:
Box 1058
Burgaw NC 28425

Street Address:
906 Penderlea Hwy
Burgaw, NC 28425

Phone: 910-259-8735
Fax: 910-259-5109

Facility #4150
Courier # 04-68-07

NC State Seal

Ground was broken November 30, 1990 to build the 756-bed medium security prison for adult males, adjacent to the 112-bed medium security Pender Correctional Center.

The old medium security prison was established as a one-dormitory unit in 1935. It was one of 61 field unit prisons renovated or built during the late 1930's to house inmates who worked building roads.

In the 1978, inmates built a 28-cell unit for placing inmates in administrative and disciplinary segregation. A recreation building was constructed by inmates in 1986.

In 1990, lawmakers provided $18 million for a new 756-bed medium security prison at Pender as part of the $75 million prison construction program authorized in July 1990.

The first inmates moved into the new medium security housing area in March 1993. The new prison has six dormitories, education buildings, recreation building, medical building, dining hall, operations center, administration building, programs building, gatehouse and chapel.

Correction Enterprises converted the old dormitory and old recreation building to a sewing plant which manufactures inmate uniforms, ferry workers uniforms and uniforms for state prison officers. Many of the prisons inmates are assigned to work on Department of Transportation road crews, or facility food service, facility maintenance, janitor services or to assist staff.

Cape Fear Community College works with the prison to provide vocational classes in light construction and diesel mechanics. Classes for adult education and preparation for the GED are available.

Inmates who are developmentally deficient are assigned to the horticultural therapy program that trains them for landscaping and gardening jobs. Prisoners may also be assigned to the Drug Alcohol Chemical Dependency Program (DACDP/Pender-AND90) unit at Pender. DACDP is a five week term of intensive treatment for alcohol and drug addiction in a residential facility at prisons. Other self-development, treatment and education programs are offered during evening hours and on weekends.

Pender Correctional Institution was one of the first prisons to have teleconferencing capability which is used for management meetings, staff training and inmate education.

Visitation: For visitation procedures, please click to view or print the standard brochure that is handed out at the facility: .pdf brochure

Word format

DIRECTIONS: From I-40, take exit 398 for Jacksonville/Burgaw and turn towards Burgaw on N.C. 53. After about 1.5 miles, you will pass through a stop light and another half mile down the road, you will reach a stop sign. Then turn right onto Timberly Lane and then left onto Wallace Street. Stay on Wallace for about a mile until you reach the stop sign at the intersection with Penderlea Road. Turn right onto Penderlea Road and the unit will be on the right.