Washington Corrections Center (WCC)

North side viewed from SR 102
Location in Washington
Location	Shelton
Coordinates	47°14′13″N 123°11′35″W / 47.23694°N 123.19306°W / 47.23694; -123.19306
Status	Operational
Security class	Medium, Close, Maximum
Capacity	1,268
Opened	1964
Managed by	Washington State Department of Corrections
Warden	Daniel White, Superintendent
Street address	2321 West Dayton Airport Rd.
City	Shelton
County	Mason County
State/province	Washington
Postal code	P. O. Box 900
Country	United States
Website	www.doc.wa.gov/corrections/incarceration/prisons/wcc.htm

Washington Corrections Center is a Washington State Department of Corrections men's prison located in Shelton, Washington.^[1] With an operating capacity of 1,300, it is the sixth largest prison in the state (after Stafford Creek Corrections Center) and is surrounded by forestland. It opened 60 years ago in 1964, seventy-five years after statehood.^[2]

Washington Corrections Center is located at 2321 W Dayton Airport Rd

Facilities and Programs

Washington Corrections Center facilitates Educational and Offender Change programs, Work and Vocational programs, and Sustainability programs.

• Educational and Offender Change programs include: GED programs, Computer basics programs, and a prison library.^[1] their intent is to teach incarcerated new skills, and help them to transition into the outside world.
• Work and Vocational programs include: groundskeeping and vehicle maintenance,^[1] these are how prisoners earn prison salaries or commissary.
• Sustainability programs include: Composting, and Vegetable Gardens.^[1] Their intent is to allow prisoners to practice skills learned in prison, and make the prison self-sustaining.

Organization

Washington Corrections Center is located on a 400-acre campus in Shelton, Washington.^[3] On campus, there is 9 housing units by the names of:

• Cedar
• Evergreen
• R-1
• R-2
• R-3
• R-4
• R-5
• R-6
• IMU

These vary from minimum to maximum security.^[4]

History

Washington Corrections Center was opened 60 years ago in 1964, making it the 5th oldest prison in Washington state.^[1] All prisoners entering the Washington State Prison System must pass through Washington Corrections Center in order to be permanently assigned to another prison.^[5] In 2014, two prisoners at Washington Corrections Center committed successful suicides, leading the Washington State Department of Corrections to reform their official policy on suicides.^[6] In September, 2015 Washington Corrections Center became the second prison (after Snake River Correctional Institution in Oregon)^[7] to install a "Blueroom" inside of solitary confinement to play nature videos for prisoners.^[8]