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Mississippi
50
Louisiana
49
Arkansas
48
Oklahoma
47
Idaho
46
Texas
45
Arizona
44
Kentucky
43
Georgia
42
Montana
41
Alabama
40
Ohio
39
Missouri
38
Florida
37
South Dakota
36
Wyoming
35
Indiana
34
Tennessee
33
West Virginia
32
Michigan
31
Nevada
30
Virginia
29
Wisconsin
28
South Carolina
27
Oregon
26
Kansas
24
Pennsylvania
24
Colorado
23
Nebraska
22
Delaware
21
North Carolina
20
Iowa
19
Maryland
18
California
17
Illinois
16
New Mexico
15
North Dakota
14
Alaska
13
Utah
12
Hawaii
10
Washington
10
Connecticut
9
New York
8
Minnesota
7
New Hampshire
6
New Jersey
5
Vermont
4
Rhode Island
3
Maine
2
Massachusetts
1

Worst Prisons by State 2024

Worst Prisons by State 2024

Are State Prisons Worse Than Federal Prisons?

Many people wonder if state prisons are worse than federal prisons. In general, state prisons are worse than federal prisons because they do not get as much funding.

If someone has committed a state crime, they will typically be sent to a State Penitentiary. On the other hand, if someone has committed a federal crime, then they will be sent to a federal prison. Because the federal prison system has more money, federal prisons usually have more amenities. Therefore, state prisons are places that people typically want to avoid, particularly since people who commit violent crimes tend to end up in state prisons.

What Is the Worst Prison in Texas?

Texas is a place that is known for having terrible prisons. The worst prison in Texas is arguably the Allan B. Polunsky Unit. It has developed a reputation for being a difficult place to survive. It is one of the most lethal prisons in the developed world, and where death row for the state of Texas is located. If someone has been given a death sentence, they will generally be transported to this location.

It is one of the worst prisons in the country because people tend to spend 22 hours a day in a single cell. They do not have access to televisions or visitors. People are kept in solitary cages during their one hour of recreation time. This means that even during “free time” there is no human contact. Some people in this prison attempt suicide instead of continuing to live in these conditions.

What Is the Worst Prison in Louisiana?

Louisiana is not a state that is known for its nice prisons; in fact, one of its prisons is actually under investigation. That prison is the Orleans Parish Prison, which is located in New Orleans. There have been a lot of issues with this prison throughout the decades, but many of the issues developed in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

The prisoners who were serving time there right after the hurricane had no utilities. They did not have ventilation, electricity, or clean water. Furthermore, the sewage system backed up, causing it to flood with raw sewage. When this is combined with the high rates of drug abuse and violence, it is easy to see why the FBI decided to open an investigation into this New Orleans, LA prison.

Worst Prisons by State 2024

  • Factors influencing whether a prison is considered among a state's worst include whether the prison is overcrowded or understaffed, the age and state of repair of the prison, the level of violence present between prisoners and one another or guards, and overall treatment of the prisoners.
  • Rankings for Low Incarceration Rate, Leasy Juvenile Incarceration, and Equality in Jailing are taken from the US News Best States Rankings. Lower numbers/higher rankings are preferable.
State
Low Incarceration Rate Rank 2024
Least Juvenile Incarceration Rank 2024
Equality in Jailing Rank 2024
Worst Prisons
Mississippi501820
  • Central Mississippi Correctional Facility
  • East Mississippi Correctional Facility
  • Marshall County Correctional Facility
  • Mississippi State Penitentiary
  • South Mississippi Correctional Institution
  • Walnut Grove Correctional Facility
  • Wilkinson County Correctional Facility
Louisiana494732
  • David Wade Correctional Center
  • Elayn Hunt Correctional Center
  • Louisiana State Penitentiary (Angola)
Arkansas484313
  • Cummins Unit
  • East Arkansas Regional Unit
  • McPherson Unit
  • Northeast Arkansas Community Corrections
  • Southwest Arkansas Community Correction Center
  • The Supermax units
  • Tucker Unit
  • Varner Unit
  • Wrightsville Unit
Oklahoma47510
  • Cimarron Correctional Facility
  • Davis correctional facility
  • Great Plains Correctional Institution
  • Lexington Assessment and Reception Center
  • Mack Alford Correctional Center
  • North Fork Correctional Center
  • Oklahoma State Penitentiary
Idaho46463
  • The Bonneville County Jail East Boise Correctional Center
  • Idaho State Correctional Institution
  • Idaho State Maximum Security Institution
  • Pocatello Women's Correctional Center
  • South Boise Women's Correctional Center
Texas45384
  • Allan B Polunsky Unit
  • Dolph Briscoe Unit
  • Ferguson Unit
  • Ellis Unit
  • George Beto Unit
  • Huntsville Unit
  • Terrell Unit
  • Wayne Scott Unit
  • United States Penitentiary Beaumont (Jefferson County)
  • Wallace Pack Unit
Arizona441117
  • Arizona state prison complex – Ayman
  • Arizona state prison complex – Douglas
  • Arizona state prison complex – Florence
  • Arizona state prison complex – Lewis
  • Arizona state prison complex – Perryville
  • Arizona state prison complex – Phoenix
  • Arizona state prison complex – Tucson
Kentucky43158
  • Big Sandy
  • Green River Correctional Complex
  • Kentucky Correctional Institute for Women
  • Kentucky State Penitentiary
  • Kentucky State Reformatory
  • Luther Luckett Correctional Complex
  • United States Penitentiary
  • Western Kentucky Correctional Complex
Georgia421815
  • Baldwin State Prison
  • Georgia State Prison
  • Hays State Prison
  • Johnson State Prison
  • Smith State Prison
  • Telfair State Prison
  • Ware State Prison
Montana413431
  • Crossroads Correctional Facility
  • Montana State Prison
  • Montana’s Women's Prison
  • Pine Hills Correctional Facility
  • Riverside Special Needs Unit
Alabama403226
  • Bibb Correctional Facility
  • Easterling Correctional Facility
  • Elmore Correctional Facility
  • Kilby Correctional Facility
  • St. Clair Correctional Facility
  • William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility
Ohio394139
  • Allen Oakwood Correctional Institution
  • Cuyahoga County Jail
  • Dayton Correctional Facility
  • Lebanon Correctional Institute in Ohio
  • Lucasville Prison in Ohio
  • Ohio State Penitentiary
  • Toledo Correctional Institute
Missouri384518
  • Algoa Correctional Center
  • Chillicothe Correctional Center
  • Crossroads Correctional Center
  • Diagnostic and Correctional Center
  • Eastern Reception
  • Jefferson City Correctional Center
  • Moberly Correctional Facility
  • Potosi Correctional Center
  • South Central Correctional Center
  • Southeast Correctional Center
  • Tipton Correctional Center
  • Western Missouri Correctional Center
  • Women's Eastern Reception
Florida372311
  • Charlotte Correctional Institution
  • Columbia Correctional Institution
  • Desoto Annex
  • Lowell Prison
  • Martin Correctional Institution
  • Santa Rosa Correctional Institution
  • Suwannee Correctional Institution
  • Union Correctional Institution
  • Walton Correctional Institution
South Dakota362649
  • G. Norton Jameson Annex
  • Hughes County Jail Mike Durfee State Prison
  • Rapid City Community Work Center
  • South Dakota State Penitentiary
  • South Dakota Women's Prison
  • Yankton Community Work Center
Wyoming35509
  • Wyoming Honor Farm
  • Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution
  • Wyoming State Penitentiary
  • Wyoming Women’s Center
Indiana344419
  • Correctional Industrial Facility - Pendleton
  • Federal Correctional Institution - Terre Haute
  • Indiana State Prison
  • Indiana Women's Prison
  • Miami Correctional Facility - Bunker Hill
  • Plainfield Juvenile Correctional Facility - Plainfield
  • Rockville Correctional Facility - Rockville
  • The United States Penitentiary - Terre Haute
Tennessee33724
  • Bledsoe County Correctional Complex
  • Lois M. DeBerry Special Needs Facility
  • Morgan County Correctional Complex
  • Northeast Correctional Complex
  • Riverbend Maximum Security Institution
  • Tennessee Prison for Women
  • West Tennessee State Penitentiary
West Virginia324814
  • Denmar Correctional Center
  • Lakin Correctional Center Jail
  • Martinsburg Correctional Center
  • Mount Olive Correctional Complex
  • Ohio County Correctional Center
  • Pruntytown Correctional Center
  • St Marys Correctional Center
Michigan313744
  • Carson City Correctional Facility
  • Central Michigan Correctional Facility
  • Earnest C. Brooks Correctional Facility
  • Ionia Correctional Facility
  • Newberry Correctional Facility
Nevada30426
  • Ely State Prison
  • Florence McClure Women's Correctional Center High Desert State Prison
  • Lovelock Correctional Center
  • Southern Desert Correctional Center
  • Warm Springs Correctional Center
Virginia292022
  • Augusta Correctional Center
  • Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women
  • Green Rock Correctional Center
  • Indian Creek Correctional Center
  • Red Onion State Prison
  • Sussex II State Prison
  • Wallens Ridge State Prison
Wisconsin283050
  • Green Bay Correctional Institution
South Carolina272834
  • Berkeley County Detention Center
  • Evans Correctional Institute
  • Kirkland Correctional Institution
  • Lee Correctional Institution
  • McCormick Correctional Institution
  • Perry Correctional Institution
  • Richland County (Alvin S. Glenn) Detention Center
Oregon26492
  • Coffee Creek Correctional Facility
  • Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution
  • Federal Correctional Institution
  • MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility
  • Oregon State Penitentiary
  • Snake River Correctional Institution
  • Two Rivers Correctional Institution
Kansas243030
  • El Dorado Correctional Facility
  • Hutchinson Correctional Facility Lansing Correctional Facility
  • Leavenworth; Midwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility
  • Topeka Correctional Facility
  • The United States Disciplinary Barracks
  • United States Penitentiary
Pennsylvania243933
  • SCI Benner Township
  • SCI Camp Hill
  • SCI Coal Township
  • SCI Fayette
  • SCI Forest
  • SCI Rockview
Colorado232928
  • Administrative Maximum Facility (Florence)
  • Camp George West Historic District (Golden)
  • Colorado State Penitentiary (Canon City)
  • La Vista Correctional Facility (Pueblo)
  • Sterling Correctional Facility (Sterling)
Nebraska22241
  • Community Corrections Center-lincon
  • Douglas County Correctional Center
  • Nebraska Correctional Youth Facility
  • Nebraska State Penitentiary
  • Omaha Correctional Center
  • Tecumseh State Correctional Institution
Delaware213538
  • Correctional institution for women
  • Gander Hill
  • James T. Vaughn Correctional Center
  • New Bilibid Prison
  • Sabayon prison Delaware
  • Wilmington facility
  • Wilmington’s Howard R. Young Correctional Institution
North Carolina201629
  • Alexander Correctional Institution
  • Columbus Correctional Institute
  • Lanesboro Correctional Institution
  • Scotland Correctional Institution
  • Tabor City Correctional Institution
Iowa192135
  • Anamosa State Penitentiary
  • The Clarinda Correctional Facility
  • The Fort Dodge Correctional Facility
  • The Iowa Department of Corrections
  • The Iowa Medical and Classification Center
  • The North Central Correction Facility
Maryland18540
  • FCI Cumberland
California172123
  • California Medical Facility
  • California State Prison
  • Folsom State Prison in California
  • Kern Valley State Prison
  • Pelican Bay State Prison
  • San Quentin State Prison
Illinois16736
  • Centralia Correctional Center
  • Dixon Correctional Center
  • Illinois River Correctional Center
  • Logan Correctional Center
  • Menard Correctional Center
  • Pinckneyville Correctional Center
  • Stateville Correctional Center
New Mexico153212
  • The Central New Mexico Correctional Facility
  • The Guadalupe County Correctional Facility
  • The Lea County Correctional Facility
  • The New Mexico Women's Correctional Facility
  • The San Juan County Adult Detention Center
  • The Springer Correctional Facility
  • The Torrance County Detention Facility
North Dakota142547
  • Dakota Women's Correctional and Rehabilitation Center
  • James River Correctional Center
  • Missouri River Correctional Center
  • North Dakota State Penitentiary
  • North Dakota Youth Correctional Center
  • Tompkins Rehabilitation and Corrections Center
  • Williams County Correctional Center
Alaska133925
  • Anchorage Correctional Complex
  • Anvil Mountain Correctional Center
  • Fairbanks Correctional Center
  • Goose Creek Correctional Center
  • Spring Creek Correctional Center
  • Wildwood Correctional Complex
Utah121727
  • Central Utah Correctional Facility
  • Ely State Prison
  • Salt Lake Metro County Jail
  • Timpanogos Women's Facility
  • Uintah County Jail
  • Weber County Jail
  • Utah State Prison
  • Wasatch County Jail
Hawaii10121
  • The Halawa Correctional Facility
  • The Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility
  • Hilo Correctional Center
  • The Kulani Correctional Facility Waiawa Correctional Facility
  • The Women's Community Correctional Center (WCCC)
Washington10277
  • Airway Heights Corrections Center
  • Coyote Ridge Corrections Center
  • Monroe Correctional Complex
  • Olympic Corrections Center
  • Stafford Creek Corrections Center
  • Washington Corrections Center
  • Washington State Penitentiary
Connecticut9448
  • Cheshire correctional institute
  • Corrigan-Rogowski Correction institute
  • Hartford correctional institute
  • MacDougall-walker Correctional institution
  • Robison correction institute
  • York correctional institute
New York81446
  • Attica Prison
  • Dutchess County Jail
  • Erie County Correctional Facility
  • Great Meadow Correctional Facility
  • Greene County Jail
  • Onodaga County Justice Center
  • Rikers Island
  • Sing Sing Correctional Facility
Minnesota72345
  • FCI Waseca
New Hampshire625
  • Concord State Prison
  • Grafton County House of Corrections
  • Hillsborough County Department of Corrections
  • Merrimack County Department of Corrections
  • New Hampshire State Prison
  • Strafford County House of Corrections
  • The Sullivan County Department of Corrections
New Jersey51242
  • Bayside State Prison
  • East Jersey State Prison
  • Garden State Youth Correctional Facility
  • New Jersey State Prison
  • Northern State Prison
  • South Woods State Prison
  • Southern State Correctional Facility
Vermont4116
  • Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility
  • FCI Berlin
Rhode Island33543
  • Department Of Corrections: Women Facilities
  • Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility
  • John J. Moran Facility
  • Minimum Security Facility
  • State of Rhode Island Department of Corrections
Maine21021
  • Bolduc Correctional Facility
  • Maine Correctional Center
  • Maine State Prison - Worst Prison in Maine
  • Mountain View Correctional Facility
  • Southern Maine Women's Reentry Center
Massachusetts1737
  • Boston Pre-Release Center
  • Massachusetts Correctional Institution – Cedar Junction
  • Massachusetts Correctional Institution – Concord
  • Massachusetts Correctional Institution – Framingham
  • Massachusetts Correctional Institution – Norfolk
  • North Central Correctional Institution
  • South Middlesex Correctional Center
showing: 50 rows
  1. Rankings: Correction Outcomes 2024 - US News
  2. 18 Worst Prisons in the US [2024 Edition] - USA By Numbers
  3. 6 Worst Prisons in the State of Alaska - Prisons Info
  4. 7 Worst Prisons in the State of Arizona - Prisons Info
  5. 9 Worst Prisons in the State of Arkansas - Prisons Info
  6. 10 Worst Prisons In The State of Connecticut - Prisons Info
  7. 9 Worst Prisons In The State of Delaware - Prisons Info
  8. 10 Worst Prisons In The State of Florida - Prisons Info
  9. 10 Worst Prisons In The State of Georgia - Prisons Info
  10. 6 Worst Prisons In The State of Hawaii - Prisons Info
  11. 10 Worst Prisons In The State of Idaho - Prisons Info
  12. 7 Worst Prisons In The State of Illinois - Prisons Info
  13. These 8 Deadly Prisons Can Only Be Found In Indiana - Only In Your State
  14. These 8 Deadly Prisons Can Only Be Found In Iowa - Only In Your State
  15. 10 Worst Prisons In The State of Kansas - Prisons Info
  16. 10 Worst Prisons In The State of Kentucky - Prisons Info
  17. 10 Worst Prisons In The State of Maine - Prisons Info
  18. 10 Worst Prisons In The State of Michigan - Prisons Info
  19. 10 Worst Prisons In The State of Mississippi - Prisons Info
  20. 12 Worst Prisons In The State of Missouri - Prisons Info
  21. 10 Worst Prisons In The State of Montana - Prisons Info
  22. 10 Worst Prisons In The State of Nebraska - Prisons Info
  23. 10 Worst Prisons In The State of Nevada - Prisons Info
  24. 10 Worst Prisons In The State of New Hampshire - Prisons Info
  25. 7 Worst Prisons In The State of New Jersey - Prisons Info
  26. 10 Worst Prisons In The State of North Carolina - Prisons Info
  27. 10 Worst Prisons In The State of North Dakota - Prisons Info
  28. 7 Worst Prisons In The State of Ohio - Prisons Info
  29. 10 Worst Prisons In The State of Oklahoma - Prisons Info
  30. These 7 Deadly Prisons Can Only Be Found In Oregon - Only In Your State
  31. 7 Worst Prisons In The State of Pennsylvania - Prisons Info
  32. 10 Worst Prisons In The State of Rhode Island - Prisons Info
  33. 7 Worst Prisons In The State of South Carolina - Prisons Info
  34. 7 Worst Prisons In The State of South Dakota - Prisons Info
  35. 10 Worst Prisons In The State of Virginia - Prisons Info
  36. They’re “worst of the worst” - The Seattle Times
  37. Worst Prisons In The State Of West Virginia - Prisons Info
  38. Green Bay Correctional Institution: The most dangerous place in Wisconsin? - 26 Northeast Wisconsin
  39. 5 Worst Prisons In The State of Wyoming? - Prisons Info
  40. 10 Worst Prisons In The State of Alabama - Prisons Info
  41. 7 Worst Prisons In The State of California - Prisons Info
  42. 5 Worst Prisons In The State of Colorado - Prisons Info
  43. 7 Worst Prisons In The State of Louisiana - Prisons Info
  44. 7 Worst Prisons In The State of New Mexico - Prisons Info
  45. Two inmates stabbed at Western Correctional Institution - Cumberland Times News
  46. Waseca prison has biggest COVID-19 outbreak in country - Mankato Free Press
  47. Chaplain at federal prison in Berlin sentenced for smuggling contraband in for inmates - New Hampshire Union Leader
  48. 9 Worst Prisons In The State of Texas - Prisons Info

Sources