Oklahoma State Penitentiary

Oklahoma's oldest prison, in McAlester; a maximum-security prison for men that holds the state's men's death row and the execution chamber (the H-Unit).

Overview

Oklahoma State Penitentiary (OSP), known locally as “Big Mac,” is a maximum-security state prison for men in McAlester, Pittsburg County. It is operated by the Oklahoma Department of Corrections (Oklahoma DOC). Opened in 1908, it is the oldest prison in the state system.

OSP holds men classified to maximum custody, including a restrictive-housing population and men under a death sentence. Because custody assignments and housing change, the prison listed on the Oklahoma DOC Offender Lookup may differ from where a person was previously held; the locator uses each person’s seven-digit ODOC number.

What Makes Oklahoma State Penitentiary Different

• It is Oklahoma’s oldest prison, in continuous operation in McAlester since 1908.
• It is the state’s maximum-security prison for men, holding the highest-custody male population, including restrictive housing.
• It holds the men’s death row and the state execution chamber, both in the H-Unit. Women under a death sentence are held separately, at the Mabel Bassett Correctional Center in McLoud.

Visiting

The statewide Oklahoma DOC rules above — the approved visitor list, the dress code, ID, and item limits — apply at Oklahoma State Penitentiary. The facility’s own arrangements:

Getting There and Parking

Oklahoma State Penitentiary is at 1301 N. West St., McAlester, OK 74501, in Pittsburg County, in southeastern Oklahoma. McAlester is on U.S. Route 69, roughly two hours southeast of Oklahoma City and about two and a half hours from Tulsa. Confirm visiting days, the schedule, and the person’s custody and visitation status before making the trip.

Nearby Services

McAlester is a regional hub with lodging, fuel, and restaurants along the U.S. 69 corridor and in town. Hospital emergency services are available in McAlester.

Mail

Oklahoma DOC routes incoming personal mail through an off-site digital vendor. As of September 1, 2024, letters and photos are mailed to the Securus Digital Mail Center in Dallas, where they are scanned and delivered to the inmate as a digital color image on a Securus tablet or kiosk — the original is not delivered. Inmates without device access get a free black-and-white printout. Address personal mail exactly as:

Inmate’s Full Name + ODOC Number Securus Digital Mail Center - Okla. Dept. of Corrections P.O. Box 223566 Dallas, TX 75222-3566

Illegible or incorrectly addressed mail may be returned or delayed.

Legal mail and special correspondence are not sent to the digital center — they go directly to the facility and are handled under the rules for privileged mail. Publications (magazines, newspapers, books) also go to the facility and must come directly from the publisher or an approved vendor. Packages cannot be sent to the digital mail center and must go to the facility.

Learn More

• Visiting in Oklahoma — the approved visitor list, scheduling through the Visitation Unit, dress code, and what you can bring.
• Mail in Oklahoma — how Oklahoma’s digital mail scanning works and where to send letters, legal mail, and publications.
• Phone & Video in Oklahoma — setting up calls, tablets, and video visits through Securus.
• Sending Money in Oklahoma — depositing to a trust account through JPay.
• Medical Care in Oklahoma — how health care works in Oklahoma DOC facilities.
• Transfers & Reception in Oklahoma — intake at LARC (men) and Mabel Bassett (women) and how people move between facilities.