Multiple custody levels (women), including women's death row · Women's Unit (statewide women's reception center) · ADC

McPherson Unit

Newport, Jackson County, Arkansas

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: (870) 523-2639 Info last verified: June 2026

Arkansas's main state prison for women, in Newport. It is the women's reception and intake center, holds women at all custody levels including the state's women's death row, and is where women serving life are permanently assigned.

Statewide rules that apply at every Arkansas state prison

These rules are set by ADC and apply at every unit. The full list — including all permitted and prohibited items and the approval process — is in Visiting in Arkansas.

Dress code

No white or camouflage clothing — both resemble what inmates wear (Arkansas inmates wear white).
Shoulders must stay covered: no sleeveless shirts, tank tops, or halter tops, and no shorts, miniskirts, or short dresses.
No see-through clothing, leggings, or jeggings, and nothing low-cut or otherwise provocative; children 10 and under may wear shorts of an appropriate length.
Avoid metal in clothing and accessories (underwire, buckles, snaps), which can stop you from clearing the metal detector; the authoritative dress code is printed on the back of the visitation form.

ID: Every visitor must be approved on the inmate's visiting list first — the inmate mails the application form to the visitor (it is not available online or from staff), and a criminal-history check is run on each applicant. Visitors 12 and older must show a government-issued photo ID.
What to bring: Bring a clear plastic bag with a small amount of cash for the vending machines (some units are moving to coins or debit and credit cards only), prescription medication in the visitor's name, a photo ID, car keys, and baby items. Phones, tobacco, and other items must stay locked in the vehicle.
Scheduling: Visits are pre-scheduled, not walk-in — request an appointment through the state TeleGov portal or by calling the unit's Visitation Clerk. Routine visits are on weekends, and how many visits a month a person gets depends on the inmate's class level; ADC does not post per-unit hours online, so confirm with the unit.

Full statewide rules: Visiting in Arkansas

Overview

The McPherson Unit, in Newport, is Arkansas’s main state prison for women and the statewide women’s reception and intake center — every woman entering the ADC is processed here first. It holds women at all custody levels, including the state’s women’s death row, and women sentenced to life or life without parole are assigned here permanently. ADC lists a capacity of about 1,050; it does not publish a current count. ADC also operates a second women’s facility, the Hawkins Unit in Wrightsville, where some women serve their initial assignment, so McPherson is the main and intake women’s prison but not the only one. McPherson sits in the same Newport complex as the men’s Grimes Unit (a separate prison next door); both opened in 1998.

What Makes McPherson Different

It is the statewide women’s reception center, so a newly sentenced woman is processed here first.
It holds women at all custody levels, including the state’s women’s death row.
Women serving life sentences are assigned here permanently.
It shares a complex with the men’s Grimes Unit, so confirm the person is at McPherson (302 Corrections Drive), not Grimes (300 Corrections Drive).

Visiting

The statewide ADC rules above — the approved visitor list, the no-white dress code, ID, and pre-scheduled visits — apply at McPherson. The facility’s own arrangements:

The full approval process is in Visiting in Arkansas.

Getting There and Parking

The unit is on Corrections Drive, off Arkansas Highway 384, about 4 miles northeast of Newport.

Distances are approximate, based on map routing. Visitor parking is on site.

Nearby Services

Newport, about 4 miles away, has the nearest restaurants and lodging; larger services are in Jonesboro. The nearest hospital emergency room is Unity Health – Harris Medical Center in Newport, the closest 24-hour ER to the unit.

Mail

Personal mail does not go to the unit. Since September 2025, ADC routes non-legal personal letters and photos to an off-site scanning center in Tampa, Florida, addressed with the person’s name and ADC number; the person receives the mail electronically. Legal mail, books, magazines, and packages still go directly to the unit at 302 Corrections Drive. Full addressing details are in Mail & Packages.

A Note on History

McPherson opened in 1998 and was originally run under private contract before returning to state operation. From 2002 to 2007, McPherson and the neighboring Grimes Unit were the subject of a U.S. Department of Justice investigation under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act; Arkansas entered a settlement in 2004, and the case closed in 2007 after the facilities were accredited. This is documented in the sources cited above.

Learn More

For detailed information about visiting and communicating with someone at an Arkansas state prison:

Visiting in Arkansas — the approved list, dress code, and scheduling
Mail & Packages — the Tampa scanning address and what still goes to the unit
Phone & Video Calls — Securus calls, messaging, and video
Sending Money — CorrectPay, Access Corrections, and the trust account
Medical & Mental Health — the co-pay and how to raise a concern
Transfers & Finding Someone — reception units and the inmate search

Sources

This page is compiled from the following publicly available sources. Policies change without notice — confirm current details with the facility before relying on them.