Maximum security — men's reception and diagnostic center · State Prison · Indiana DOC

Reception-Diagnostic Center

Plainfield, Hendricks County, Indiana

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: (317) 839-7727 Info last verified: June 2026

Indiana's intake and classification center for men, in Plainfield — where newly committed men are received and assessed before transfer to a permanent prison. During intake, only legal and clergy visits are allowed.

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 Reception-Diagnostic Center, on Moon Road in Plainfield, is Indiana’s intake and classification center for men — the statewide point where newly committed men are received, assessed (medical, mental health, and custody classification), and then assigned and transferred to a permanent prison. Because of that role, a man is usually here only briefly, and the prison shown in the locator changes once he is classified and transferred. It holds about 600 men at intake. During the reception period, the center allows legal and clergy visits only.

What Makes the Reception-Diagnostic Center Different

It is the men’s intake and classification center, so a newly committed man usually begins here before transferring to a permanent prison.
Only legal and clergy visits are allowed during intake — friends and family generally cannot visit here.
Stays are usually short, and the prison shown in the locator changes after classification and transfer.
It is in Plainfield, west of Indianapolis, near the state’s other Plainfield-area prisons.

Visiting

The statewide IDOC rules above — the approved visitor list, the dress code, ID, and item limits — apply once the person transfers to a permanent prison. At the Reception-Diagnostic Center itself:

The full registration process is in Visiting in Indiana.

Getting There and Parking

The center is on Moon Road in Plainfield, west of Indianapolis.

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

Nearby Services

Plainfield and the west side of Indianapolis have the full range of gas, food, and lodging. The nearest 24-hour emergency room is Hendricks Regional Health, in the Plainfield–Danville area.

Mail

Incoming personal mail goes to the facility, 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), but confirm the person’s current location first, since people transfer out of intake quickly. 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.