Arkansas has roughly 100 adult correctional facilities when you add up every type of lockup in the state. The Arkansas Division of Correction runs more than 20 state prison units, the Federal Bureau of Prisons operates three facilities at a single complex in Forrest City, each of the state’s 75 counties runs its own jail, and six community correction centers house people under residential supervision. Juvenile treatment centers sit outside that count and operate under a separate state agency.
State Prisons Run by the Division of Correction
The Arkansas Division of Correction (ADC) operates more than 20 units spread across 12 counties, from maximum-security prisons to work release centers.1Arkansas Department of Corrections. Facilities Well-known units include Cummins, Tucker, Varner, and the Ouachita River Correctional Unit, alongside specialized facilities such as the Dr. Mary L. Parker-Reed Women’s Health Unit and several work release centers.
Security levels run the full range. The Varner Supermax Unit houses male death row inmates, and executions take place at the Cummins Unit.2Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Arkansas Department of Corrections The McPherson Unit in Newport serves as the state’s prison for women and holds the female death row population. The Larry B. Norris Unit, formerly the Maximum Security Unit, handles other high-security inmates. Mid-range security roles are filled by units including the Randall L. Williams Correctional Facility, Texarkana Regional Correctional Center, and White River Correctional Center. At the lower end, work release centers in Mississippi County, Pine Bluff, Tucker, and Northwest Arkansas let inmates near the end of their sentences hold outside jobs while remaining under supervision.1Arkansas Department of Corrections. Facilities
As of mid-2025, the ADC’s total jurisdictional population stood at approximately 18,748 people.3Arkansas Department of Corrections. Division of Correction Directors Board Report – July 2025 Arkansas does not use private prisons, so every state facility is publicly operated.
Federal Facilities in Arkansas
All three federal facilities in Arkansas sit inside the Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) in Forrest City, run by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The complex consists of a medium-security federal correctional institution (FCI Forrest City Medium), a low-security institution (FCI Forrest City Low), and a minimum-security satellite camp next to the low-security facility.4Federal Bureau of Prisons. About FCI Forrest City Low These hold people convicted of federal offenses and operate independently of the state system.5Federal Bureau of Prisons. FCC Forrest City
County Jails
Each of Arkansas’s 75 counties operates a local jail, bringing the county total to 75. Arkansas law places management of these facilities under the county sheriff.6Arkansas State Legislature. Arkansas Code 12-41-503 – Management of Local Jail Populations County jails hold people awaiting trial, people serving short misdemeanor sentences, and state inmates waiting for a bed to open in a state prison.
That last group is sizable. In January 2026, an average of 1,936 state inmates were backed up in county jails each day because the state prison system lacked space.7Arkansas Department of Corrections. Division of Correction Directors Board Report – February 2026 County jails were not built for long-term housing, and the backlog strains local budgets.
Community Correction Centers
The Arkansas Division of Community Correction operates six community correction centers across the state.8Arkansas Department of Corrections. Community Correction Centers Quick Reference Guide These residential facilities house people on probation or parole who need more structure than standard supervision provides, while they take part in reentry programs, employment, and treatment services. They sit between full incarceration and release and play a growing role in managing the overall correctional population given the county jail backlog.
Juvenile Facilities Are a Separate System
Juvenile facilities do not fall under the Department of Corrections and are not included in the adult count above. Arkansas handles youth through the Division of Youth Services, which is part of the Department of Human Services and runs several juvenile treatment centers, including the Arkansas Juvenile Assessment and Treatment Center and treatment centers in Dermott, Harrisburg, Lewisville, and Mansfield.9Arkansas Department of Human Services. Facilities Counties may also operate short-term juvenile detention facilities to hold young people before a court hearing; full-service juvenile detention can hold a youth for up to 90 days and must offer educational and recreational programming.10Arkansas Department of Public Safety. Juvenile Detention Facility Standards
Finding Someone in Custody
For state prisoners, the ADC runs a free inmate search at inmate.ark.org, with lookups by name, ADC number, county, facility, offense category, gender, race, or age, and the full database available for download.11Arkansas Department of Corrections. Inmate Search For federal inmates in Forrest City, use the Federal Bureau of Prisons locator at bop.gov. For county jails, you generally have to contact the sheriff’s office directly, since most Arkansas counties do not maintain searchable online databases.