Reception and diagnostic center with general population (men) · State Prison · Missouri DOC

Western Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center

St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: (816) 387-2158 Info last verified: June 2026

The reception and diagnostic center for men in western Missouri, in St. Joseph — where newly committed men from the western part of the state are received and classified, alongside a general population.

Statewide rules that apply at every Missouri state prison

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

Dress code

No tight, baggy, transparent, or revealing clothing; skirts, dresses, and shorts must reach the top of the kneecap; and shirts must cover the chest, cleavage, back, stomach, and shoulders.
No camouflage and no gang-related symbols or colors. Dress standards are enforced at the door, so confirm the specific facility's current rules before visiting.

ID: Every visitor must be on the incarcerated person's approved visitor list before visiting — apply online through the Missouri DOC visiting application, which requires the person's DOC ID number and a background check. Adults show a valid government photo ID; visitors age 13 to 18 show a school or government photo ID, and anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an approved adult.
What to bring: Bring as little as possible: a photo ID and, for the vending machines, coins in a clear bag (food brought into a food visit must be in clear containers). Phones, bags, and gifts are not allowed inside, and money for the person is sent through JPay, never handed over at a visit.
Scheduling: Apply for visits through the Missouri DOC online visiting application (web.mo.gov/doc/pubVisit); each prison sets its own visiting days, hours, and limits, so confirm them with the facility. Up to three visitors may visit at once, plus up to three children age five and under. A newly committed person is held at a reception and diagnostic center — Fulton, Bonne Terre (ERDCC), or St. Joseph (WRDCC) for men, and Vandalia (WERDCC) for women — until transfer to a permanent prison.

Full statewide rules: Visiting in Missouri

Overview

The Western Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center (WRDCC), on Faraon Street in St. Joseph, is the reception and diagnostic center for men in western Missouri — one of three regional intake points, with Fulton and Bonne Terre. Newly committed men from the western part of the state are received, screened, and classified here, and it also holds a general-population men’s population. Because of its reception role, a man received for intake may be transferred after classification, so the prison shown in the offender search can change.

What Makes WRDCC Different

It is a men’s reception and diagnostic center for western Missouri, so a newly committed man may begin here before transferring.
It is one of three regional intake points in Missouri, with Fulton and Bonne Terre.
It holds both reception and general-population men, with the offender-search location subject to change after classification.
It is in St. Joseph, in northwest Missouri, north of Kansas City.

Visiting

The statewide Missouri DOC rules above — the approved visitor list, the dress code, ID, and item limits — apply at the Western Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center. The facility’s own arrangements:

The full application process is in Visiting in Missouri.

Getting There and Parking

The prison is on Faraon Street in St. Joseph, in northwest Missouri.

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

Nearby Services

St. Joseph has gas, food, and lodging. The nearest 24-hour emergency room is Mosaic Life Care, in St. Joseph.

Mail

Personal mail does not go to the prison. Since 2022, Missouri routes incoming letters and photos to an off-site Securus digital-mail center in Tampa, Florida, where they are scanned and delivered to the person’s tablet; address them to [person’s name and DOC ID#], C/O Digital Mail Center–Missouri DOC, P.O. Box 25678, Tampa, FL 33622-5678. Legal mail still goes directly to the prison, and books come publisher-direct to the facility. Full rules are in Mail & Packages.

Learn More

For detailed information about visiting and communicating with someone in a Missouri state prison:

Visiting in Missouri — the approved visitor list, dress code, and applying to visit
Mail & Packages — the off-site digital-mail center and what still goes to the prison
Phone & Video Calls — Securus calls, JPay tablets, and video visits
Sending Money — depositing through JPay
Medical & Mental Health — sick call, the co-pay, and grievances
Transfers & Finding Someone — reception, classification, and the offender 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.