Maximum security (women) · State Prison · Indiana DOC

Indiana Women's Prison

Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: (317) 244-3387 Info last verified: June 2026

Indiana's flagship women's prison, in Indianapolis — the oldest women's prison in the United States, a maximum-security facility and the designated facility for any woman under a death sentence.

Statewide rules that apply at every Indiana state prison

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

Dress code

Dress modestly: no revealing, sheer, see-through, or tight clothing; no shorts, miniskirts, or skirts and dresses above the knee; and no tank tops, halter tops, or bare midriffs.
Do not wear clothing that resembles what incarcerated people or staff wear (for example, all-khaki outfits) or any gang-related attire, and wear appropriate undergarments. Each facility sets and enforces the specific dress code, so confirm it before visiting.

ID: Every visitor must first register and be approved on the incarcerated person's visitor list (up to 12 approved visitors) through ViaPath — visitors are not added at the door — and each visitor age 16 or older must show a valid government-issued photo ID at every visit.
What to bring: Bring only what the facility allows — generally a photo ID and a car key; phones, bags, and gifts are not permitted inside, and money for the person is sent through ViaPath (ConnectNetwork), never handed over at a visit. Confirm the specific facility's rules on lockers and any vending.
Scheduling: Register and schedule visits through ViaPath at idoc.gtlvisitme.com; all visit scheduling uses Eastern time, even at facilities in Indiana's Central-time zone. Each prison sets its own visiting days, hours, and limits, so confirm them with the facility. A newly committed person is held at a reception center — the Reception-Diagnostic Center in Plainfield for men, Rockville for women — until classification, then transfers to a permanent prison, with limited visiting during reception.

Full statewide rules: Visiting in Indiana

Overview

The Indiana Women’s Prison, on Girls School Road on the west side of Indianapolis, is the state’s flagship maximum-security prison for women. Founded in 1872, it is the oldest women’s prison in the United States; it moved to its current west-Indianapolis site in 2009. It is the designated facility for any woman under a death sentence in Indiana, though no women are currently held under an Indiana death sentence. It holds about 700 women.

What Makes the Indiana Women’s Prison Different

It is the oldest women’s prison in the United States, founded in 1872.
It is the designated facility for women under a death sentence in Indiana (none currently held).
It is a maximum-security women’s prison in Indianapolis, separate from the women’s intake center at Rockville.
It is on the west side of Indianapolis, in the Eastern time zone.

Visiting

The statewide IDOC rules above — the approved visitor list, the dress code, ID, and item limits — apply at the Indiana Women’s Prison. The facility’s own arrangements:

The full registration process is in Visiting in Indiana.

Getting There and Parking

The prison is on Girls School Road on the west side of Indianapolis.

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

Nearby Services

Indianapolis has the full range of gas, food, and lodging. The Indianapolis metro has several 24-hour emergency rooms, including Eskenazi Health and IU Health hospitals.

Mail

Incoming personal mail goes to the prison, but the incarcerated person receives a photocopy, not the original. Indiana does not use an off-site mail vendor — each prison’s mailroom opens and photocopies incoming letters and photos in black and white and delivers the copy. Address mail with the person’s full name and IDOC number to the facility’s mailing address (above), and confirm the current mailing address before sending. Legal mail is opened in the person’s presence, and books must be new and shipped directly from a publisher or retailer. Full rules are in Mail & Packages.

Learn More

For detailed information about visiting and communicating with someone in an Indiana state prison:

Visiting in Indiana — registering visitors, the dress code, and scheduling through ViaPath
Mail & Packages — in-facility mail photocopying and what goes to the prison
Phone & Video Calls — ViaPath calls, tablets, video visits, and GettingOut messages
Sending Money — depositing through ViaPath (ConnectNetwork)
Medical & Mental Health — sick call, the co-pay, and the Ombudsman Bureau
Transfers & Finding Someone — reception, classification, and the locator

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.