West tennessee state penitentiary

The west Tennessee state penitentiary is a known maximum-security prison and correctional facility. Inmates in this facility are given mental health, dental, and other medical services to maintain their sanity. In addition, the prison provides vocational skills training to its inmates. Namely, masonry, carpentry, and even microcomputer technologies help improve the behavioral aspects of its inmates. The facility even employs its inmates through the TRICOR industries program.

WTSP’s site layout

West Tennessee state prison is composed of three sites. WTSP’s site one was used to house the cold creek correctional facility. A medium-security complex later replaced the facility after it closed in 1999. 

Sites 2 and 3 are opposite to each other, only separated by large series of fences. Site 2 holds the more hardened inmates with more severe crimes and consists of four units: maximum, closed, and disciplinary segregation.

Site 3 houses medium and minimum security offenders. Inmates are also provided access to alcohol and substance abuse treatment and are allowed to attend religious worship services for all religions.

Visits at WTSP

The Tennessee Department of Corrections is aware of the importance visits hold and their significantly positive influence on the Inmate’s rehabilitation process. Inmates who are visited more are likely to rehabilitate quickly and have people available to support them when they get discharged from prison.  

To make visits to the correctional facility easier for people, WTSP has assembled some crucial points for visitors to keep in mind when intending to visit a prisoner: 

 Visitors should be on the Inmate’s visitation list before their visit. The Inmate’s visiting list must contain close family members and a limited number of friends. The Inmate establishes the visiting list during the orientation process. Every visitor must fill out an Inmate Visitation form and submit an attached recent photograph of the visitor in the lower left-hand corner of the form. The form then must be mailed back to the facility the Inmate is currently serving. Visitors should address and stamp the envelope with their form inside. The department of corrections will then send a visitors rule/handbook back to the visitors. The form submitted will take around 30 days to be processed. Visitors must be 16 and older and bring a valid photo I. D. which can be their driver’s license, a passport, or military I. D. Correctional facility protocols are expected to be adhered to by all visitors. The facility is equipped with electronic detection systems and canine units to detect and locate illegal contrabands only if suspicious of the visitor as it is not a routine procedure. Additionally, a visitor’s car can be subjected to a detailed search once it is on institutional grounds. Possession of firearms, drugs, knives, and substances like alcohol are all off-limit items within the institutional grounds. Visitors seen or caught violating the rules and regulations of the Tennessee Department of Corrections might lose visiting privileges, get potentially arrested and be charged with a felony, and also have to forfeit their vehicle if it contains illegal contraband.

Some additional information visitors must know when visiting an inmate in WTSP

If visiting with an infant or a small child, visitors are to bring baby sanitary items such as transparent plastic baby bottles, baby wipes, diapers, etc. in a transparent Ziploc bag, and powdered baby formula also in a transparent plastic bag (not exceeding two servings)

Dress code/rules for visiting WTSP

Military doctors/nurse uniforms are restricted from being worn. Camouflage clothing is prohibited. Worn-out clothing with tears, rips, and holes is restricted. Headwears like bandanas, traditional hats, and similar items covering a specific section of the head or face are appreciated, not worn. Clothing that has layers should be avoided. Clothing too large or too small is prohibited. Especially clothing that exposes too much skin. All visitors must wear shoes as it helps to maintain a formal visitation process. Skirts and Shorts covering 3 inches below knee length can be worn. Spandex and Spandex-like material are prohibited. This includes all forms of clothing that stick to the body. Any clothing resembling the Inmate’s or the staff’s clothes is not allowed to be worn.

Visiting hours at WTSP

Visitations are scheduled for Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays from 8 am till 3 pm. If inmates are, on occasion, unable to attend or receive visits on the weekends as a result of work conflicts can have visits on Mondays from 6 pm till 8 pm.

Telephone:

731-738-5044

Inmate Mailing Address:

(Name, Inmate ID Number,) 

​West Tennessee State Penitentiary

P.O. box: 1150

Henning, Tennessee 38041-1150

Physical Address:

West Tennessee State Penitentiary

480 Green Chapel Road

Henning, Tennessee 38041

West Tennessee state penitentiary’s commitment is always to correct its inmates and build them with necessary real-life skills so that once they are released, they can be employed by companies that recognize their skills, allowing released inmates to live a free life by making the most of their second chances.