Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women

Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women (LCIW) is the state's only female correctional facility operated by the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections. Its history dates back to the 1880s, when women convicted of felonies were sentenced to hard labor at a women’s camp within the Louisiana State Penitentiary (LSP). Over time, the institution has evolved, expanding rehabilitation opportunities while remaining committed to its core mission of public safety. Elayn Hunt Correctional Center is immediately west of LCIW.^[1]

In 1961, operations moved to the site now known as the Louisiana State University Agricultural Research Center. Eleven years later in 1972, a new prison was built about 15 miles outside Baton Rouge, replacing the previous penal farm.

In August 2016, unprecedented flooding forced the emergency relocation of inmates and staff. Over 30 inches of rain fell within 48 hours, overwhelming drainage systems and causing widespread flooding in what the National Weather Service called a “500-year event.” More than 1,000 inmates were displaced, and 250 employees mobilized to coordinate temporary housing and maintain security at multiple facilities, including LSP, C. Paul Phelps Correctional Center, Louisiana Transitional Center for Women, and parish jails. Despite personal and community losses, LCIW staff sustained operations under extreme conditions.

In 2017, the previously closed Jetson Youth Center near Baker that was shuttered in 2014, was renovated to house roughly half of the original inmate population. Initially intended as a short-term solution, this arrangement lasted nine years.

In September 2022, the state began construction on a new $160 million, 280,000-square-foot prison in St. Gabriel, Louisiana. The first state-built prison in decades, the facility is designed with a strong emphasis on rehabilitation, safety, and resilience. Features include:

• Comprehensive medical and mental health services • Career and technical training facilities • Educational resources • Infrastructure engineered to withstand 500-year flood events This investment reflects Louisiana’s commitment to modernizing correctional care for women.

LCIW has an operational capacity of 953 inmates.

The facility’s medical department operates 24/7, providing inpatient, outpatient, and emergency care. Services include mental health, dental, radiology, pharmacy, optometry, and prenatal/postpartum care, delivered under the oversight of the Health Authority and a full team of nurses and medical staff.

Through a partnership with Woman’s Hospital of Baton Rouge, LCIW ensures comprehensive care for pregnant inmates from the antepartum stage through delivery and postpartum recovery. Managing pregnancy in a secure environment requires close coordination among correctional officers, onsite medical teams, and external providers to safeguard both mother and child.

The Education Department at LCIW is deeply committed to fostering a rigorous and encouraging learning environment. LCIW strives to produce individuals who are hardworking, disciplined, and prepared to succeed beyond the walls of the institution by holding them to high academic and professional standards

LCIW’s Education Department promotes a disciplined, supportive learning environment that prepares inmates for success beyond incarceration. Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs are accredited and provide hands-on training in:

• Furniture Restoration • Cosmetology (Louisiana State Board of Cosmetology licensure) • Medical Laboratory Assisting (Louisiana State Medical Board licensure) • Horticulture (Department of Agriculture certification) • Welding, Heavy Equipment Operation, and additional NCCER-certified trades

The New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS) Extension Center at LCIW provides incarcerated women with the opportunity to earn a Bachelor's degree in Christian Ministry while receiving theological education and ministry training to serve as Peer Ministers, mentors, and facilitators of faith-based programs within the prison. Established in 2010, with its first graduating class in 2016, the program is modeled after the pioneering NOBTS program at the Louisiana State Penitentiary. Graduates provide pastoral care and spiritual guidance throughout the facility, supporting cell block visitation, “sidewalk counseling,” grief counseling, memorial services, and other religious services. They also facilitate numerous faith-based programs, including trauma healing, parenting classes, recovery groups, and other discipleship initiatives. The program’s purpose is to foster transformation, discipleship, and hope while meeting the spiritual and emotional needs of the prison population.

Intensive Incarceration and Corrections Reentry Court Workforce Programs are alternatives to long-term incarceration aim to reduce recidivism and enhance public safety. Participants complete interpersonal skills courses and, in the Reentry Court Workforce Program, learn a marketable trade before returning to the community.

LCIW hosts annual events such as the Easter Extravaganza, Christmas Extravaganza, and Teen Day, fostering meaningful connections between inmates and their children or grandchildren through games, activities, and shared experiences.

^[1]

• Discher, Emma (2017-02-03). "Louisiana's women's prison finds flood recovery a slow, difficult road". The Advocate.

• "Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women." Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections
• "08-406 Corrections Services - Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women." (Archive)

30°15′47″N 91°04′23″W / 30.26306°N 91.07306°W / 30.26306; -91.07306