Watkins Pre-Release Center

Looking for somebody in Watkins Pre-Release Center? Watkins Pre-Release Center is a state correctional institution in the state prison system in South Carolina. This page tells you information about everything you might need to know about Watkins Pre-Release Center: Find out who’s in prison at this facility? How to visit Watkins Pre-Release Center inmates. The address and phone number. How to send mail and money to an inmate at Watkins Pre-Release Center. And much more…

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On this page you will find: (click to jump to section)
General Information	Location
Address	Phone Number
Inmate Search	Visitation & Phone Calls
Records	Statistics
Parole	Release
Life In Prison	Send Money to Inmate
News	Photos & Video
Family Resources	Victim Resources
Jobs	Reviews
History	Links

General Prison Information

Official Name:	Watkins Pre-Release Center
Year Opened:	1983
Type:	Male
State:	South Carolina
County:	Richland County,
DOC:	South Carolina Department of Corrections
Security Level:	1-A
Warden Name:	David Dunlap

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Contact Information

Here you have the street address and mailing address for Watkins Pre-Release Center. Use the mailing address if you are sending a package or letter to an inmate there, and use the street address if you want to know the actual location of the facility.

Mailing Address

Be sure to check the Inmate Mail and Package Procedures section on this page before you send something to a prisoner to make sure that you correctly address the package or letter, and do the appropriate steps for sending a package or letter. If you do not follow the appropriate protocol, the package or letter might get sent back.

INMATE NAME AND INMATE ID NUMBER
Watkins Pre-Release Center
1700 St. Andrews Terrace Rd
Columbia SC, 29210

Street Address / Prison Location

Address

Watkins Pre-Release Center
1700 St. Andrews Terrace Rd
Columbia SC, 29210

Phone Number and Fax Number

Phone Number: (803) 896-8584
Fax Number:

Map and Directions

Click Here for Map & Directions

Use this address if you plan to visit a prisoner. You should read the Inmate Visitation Schedule and Inmate Visitation Procedures headings below if you are going to go to visit someone in prison at Watkins Pre-Release Center.

Watkins Pre-Release Center
1700 St. Andrews Terrace Rd
Columbia SC, 29210

Directions

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Phone Number

Inmates don’t have phones, so you can’t call the inmate, but, there are some times when it may be helpful to know the telephone number to Watkins Pre-Release Center.

(803) 896-8584

Watkins Pre-Release Center prisoners can sometimes make calls using various methods:

Calling Cards
Collect Calls
Dedicated Phone Line
Prison Calling Plan

Fax Number

Watkins Pre-Release Center inmates don’t have fax machines, so you won’t get to fax a letter to inmates, but there might be times when it is necessary to have the fax number to Watkins Pre-Release Center.

Email Address

The email address listed below is the main email for the prison. You can’t contact prisoners at this email address. If you need to send an email to an inmate, read the Inmate Email heading further down on this page.

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Inmate and Staff Statistics

Total Inmates:
Total Staff:

Inmate Email

In order to send email to a prisoner at Watkins Pre-Release Center you must use an exact process to ensure that the email message gets to your inmate.

Inmate Internet Access

State prisoners can’t access the web.

Inmate Mail and Package Procedures

There are important steps that you have to follow when sending postal mail to a prisoner. If you don’t follow these rules then letter or package might not be received.

Before you send a package or letter, be sure to read the sections below:

Mail Monitoring

Prison officials do open and read all received general mail and packages. Received general mail and packages can be read as frequently as necessary to maintain safety and security or watch problems having to do with a certain inmate.

How to Address a Letter to an Inmate

Here is the proper format for how you must address mail to a prisoner at Watkins Pre-Release Center:

INMATE NAME AND INMATE ID
Watkins Pre-Release Center
1700 St. Andrews Terrace Rd
Columbia SC, 29210

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Inmate Money

Each state correctional institution has a Commissary which was started to provide a bank-like account for inmate monies and for purchasing things not provided by the correctional facility.

How to Send an Inmate Money

Anyone may deposit funds to inmate’s Commissary accounts using the U.S. Postal Service and Western Union.

Via U.S. Postal Service: An inmate’s family and friends can choose to send inmates funds in the postal service and will have to send money to this address and do so in accordance with the steps shows below:

The deposit has to be in a money order made out to the prisoner’s full committed name and complete eight-digit register number. You are advised to use a U.S. Postal Service money order, since all non-postal money orders processed through the National Lockbox will be subject to a 15-day hold, and during this hold period the prisoner will not have access to the money. The Bureau of Prisons will return to the sender any funds that do not have valid inmate info if the envelope has an adequate return address. Cash and personal checks will not be deposited to the prisoner’s account so don’t send cash or checks.

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Inmate Locator

Prisoners are from time to time moved to various prisons in the state, so you may have to look up where an inmate is located using the inmate locator. Click on the link here to locate a state prisoner.
Inmate Search

To find other South Carolina state prisons: South Carolina State Prisons

South Carolina Department of Corrections Inmate Search

Inmate Visitation

Before you go to visit an inmate at Watkins Pre-Release Center, you must know the following:

Visitation Schedule
Visitation Rules
Visitation Application

Inmate Visitation Schedule

Inmate Visitor Procedures

Each state prison has their own procedures for prisoner visitation and they change regularly. The policies below might be changed now, so you should also read Watkins Pre-Release Center’s website to read the most recent rules for visitation.

Visitation Sign-In and Check-In

The entrance guard will make sure every visitor signs the prisoner visitors log before they enter the correctional facility and also when they leave.

Identification Required

Picture id of visitors is required. Acceptable forms of id are Driver’s License and Social Security Card; although, a state picture ID is OK.

For all of the points listed below, check the official Watkins Pre-Release Center website because this information is changed frequently:

Visitation Rules
Visitation Dress Code
Things You Can and Cannot Take to Visitation
Special Rules For Children, Special Visits, Pastoral or Attorney Visits

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Prison Records

More information about Watkins Pre-Release Center records coming soon.

Such as:

Inmate records
Health records.

If you have any information on these topics to share, please post a comment using the form below.

Death Row

More information about Watkins Pre-Release Center death row will be posted ASAP.

If you have any information on these topics to share, please post a comment using the form below.

Parole

Info about South Carolina parole process coming soon.

For example:

Parole hearings.
Review boards.
Who qualifies for parole.

If you have any information on these topics to share, please post a comment using the form below.

Release

More information about release procedures for Watkins Pre-Release Center coming.

Inmate Programs

30-day pre-release program; religious services, recreational services, volunteer

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Prison Life

Information about life at Watkins Pre-Release Center will be posted ASAP.

Activities.
Daily schedule and routine.
Recreational facilities available.
What’s allowed, and what’s not allowed.
What the food is like.
What to expect.
Jobs and work release available.

If you have any information on these topics to share, please post a comment using the form below.

News

A Watkins Pre-Release Center news section will be posted ASAP.

Photos

Watkins Pre-Release Center photos to be added later.

For example, photos of:

Cells at Watkins Pre-Release Center
The yard.
What inmates wear at Watkins Pre-Release Center.

If you have any photos of Watkins Pre-Release Center that you would like to share, please contact us using the ‘Contact’ link at the bottom of the page.

Prison Jobs & Hiring

Trying to find a job at a correctional facility? Do you have experience? Have you worked at a prison facility before?

If so, click here: Watkins Pre-Release Center Jobs

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Website

The official website: Watkins Pre-Release Center Website

Victim Resources

Important Note: If you, or someone you know, are in immediate danger, call 911.

Victim’s Rights

The Victim Rights Act grants victims the following rights:

You have the right to protection from the accused.
You have the right to notification.
You have the right to attend proceedings.
You have the right to speak at criminal justice proceedings.
You have the right to consult with the prosecuting attorney.
You have the right to restitution.
You have the right to a speedy trial.
You have the right to be treated with fairness, dignity and respect.

The definition of victim includes:

Spouses and children of all victims.
Parents and guardians of minor victims.
Parents, guardians and siblings of mentally or physically incapacitated victims or victims of homicide.
Foster parents or other caregivers, under certain circumstances.

There are a number of services and programs designed to help victims and their families. You can find out about these services by contacting the courthouse, or local law enforcement agency.

Victim Notification

The Department of Justice Victim Notification System (VNS) is a system that provides victims with information pertaining to their case and/or any defendants in the case. You will receive a Victim Identification Number (VIN) and a Personal Identification Number (PIN) that will allow you to access VNS via the internet or by phone. Here, you will find information about future court hearings, historical court events, and detailed information about the defendant. This will include criminal charges filed, the outcome of charges, sentence imposed, custody location, projected release date and any other release information. The VNS website is updated daily. You will also receive any ongoing information by mail or email.

Have you, a family member or friend ever used the Victim Notification System? If so, was it effective? Did you get the information in a timely manner? Was the system difficult to use? We would like to hear from you, so please post any comments here.

Click here to leave a comment

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Family Resources

Information about family resources to be added later.

History

A history section to be added later.

Such as:

Famous Watkins Pre-Release Center inmates.
Escapes and prison breaks.
Executions.

If you have any information on these topics to share, please post a comment using the form below.

Links

Information About Other South Carolina State Prisons: South Carolina State Prisons