Washington State Department of Corrections

08/26/2026

Dolly Parton brought hope and healing to children with incarcerated parents in Washington state. 📖 Thanks to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, we were able to bring literacy programs to the visit rooms in all of our prisons, putting books in the hands of children visiting their parents in prison. Her legacy will live on in our prisons, offering incarcerated parents the unique opportunity to build stronger, healthier relationships with their children through the magical wonder of books. 💟

08/20/2026

Mug shots have a new meaning at Clallam Bay Corrections Center! ☕ Incarcerated individuals are learning the ropes of running an espresso stand, serving as baristas and small business operators. The much-anticipated new stand, “Mug Shots,” is a unique opportunity to teach these incarcerated individuals a range of new skills, which is critical to their successful reentry. All proceeds from the coffee sales go right back to supporting the stand, allowing these baristas to continue learning and expanding the menu.

Mug Shots was made possible through a partnership with the Washington Way!

08/18/2026

It was a great turnout at Olympic Corrections Center’s incentive field day and BBQ! 🏀🍔🎯 Nearly 140 infraction-free incarcerated individuals signed up and participated in activities ranging from basketball and darts to co****le and capture the flag. The event was also a fundraiser, with each registration being a donation to the West End Youth League in Forks.

The Drug/Violence Reduction groups teamed up with the O-UT (Overhaul-Unrelenting Transfiguration) program to make this event a success, promoting acts of service, inclusivity, and rehabilitation.

08/14/2026

8/26 UPDATE: Visiting will resume at the Washington Corrections Center for Women on Friday, August 28.

ORIGINAL POST: Visiting is closed at the Washington Corrections Center for Women due to a maintenance issue. We will provide an update when visiting resumes. Please check the DOC alerts page for updates: https://doc.wa.gov/news/public-alerts-notices

08/13/2026

On a beautiful, sunny Sunday afternoon, the Tribal Sons Native American group residing at the Washington Corrections Center in Shelton held its annual powwow for nearly 200 attendees. Prayer, song, dance, and drums filled the air, as bells and cones jingled and beaded moccasins carved a path on the newly landscaped grounds.

Special thanks to those who participated and made this possible, including our volunteers and community sponsors, and our contractor Unkitawa who oversees all services for the state's incarcerated Native American population.

08/13/2026

Update: Visiting is also canceled for the Echo Unit at WSP on Friday, August 14.

Original Post: Visiting is canceled on Thursday, August 13, for the Delta Unit at the Washington State Penitentiary.

Check the DOC website for updates: https://doc.wa.gov/news/public-alerts-notices

08/11/2026

Thanks to Ronnie and The Redwoods for putting on a concert at the Washington State Penitentiary! 🥁🎤🎺 About 100 residents gathered in the medium custody yard during their recreation period to hang out, enjoy the music, and interact with the band. An event like this provides these incarcerated men with the opportunity to momentarily escape their daily stress and lift the weight of prison off their shoulders, which is a step toward improved wellness for everyone. 👏

08/10/2026

Jon is an artist, scholar, counselor-in-training, and cm laude college graduate. He’s also a former member of a hate-based prison gang. His journey through incarceration to higher education was the catalyst for change in his life.

Jon found himself in and out of prison, but the tattoos he received to show his gang allegiance were a greater hindrance to his reentry than his criminal record. The cycle finally broke following his incarceration at the Washington State Penitentiary. Upon his release, he enrolled in classes at Walla Walla Community College. His mindset shifted, and he began the process of removing his tattoos, which he documented for his art class in an exhibit titled “Lost & Found: Emerging from the Ink” – finally aligning his outward appearance with his inner transformation.

Read more about Jon's transformation here: https://doc.wa.gov/news/2026/painting-over-canvas-how-jon-saunders-erasing-marks-hate-and-designing-future-hope

08/07/2026

The Arcadia 20 Crew is on the frontlines in Spokane, fighting to control the flames.

A majority of the ARC-20 crew members are residents at the Eleanor Chase House Reentry Center in Spokane, while others are participants in Graduated Reentry or on supervision in the community. They are all full-time DNR employees, earning full benefits, retirement, and union representation for the duration of the 18-month employment opportunity.

Thank you, ARC-20 👏

The Arcadia 20 team worked on preventing the spread of the Autumn Lane fire that continues to threaten areas of Spokane, Washington.

08/06/2026

The devastating wildfires across Washington have had far-reaching impacts. In addition to the extreme loss felt by so many, at DOC, members of our staff have had to evacuate their homes. Families have not been able to visit their loved ones in prisons. Supervised individuals have been displaced.

We are grateful to the first responders and emergency personnel who have mobilized to help fight the fires. DOC staff are supporting the Okanogan County Sheriff Office, the Washington Emergency Management Division, and are assigned to the Spokane County Emergency Operations Center. They are also relieving Okanogan County Jail staff who have been impacted by the fires and are assisting fellow staff and residents in Spokane and Stevens counties.

Thank you to everyone who has stepped up. If you are looking for ways you can help or if you need assistance, here are a few resources:
https://wa211.org/emergency-management/wildfire-resources/
https://governor.wa.gov/news-media/washington-wildfire-resources from Governor Bob Ferguson
https://2-harvest.org/ Second Harvest Inland Northwest
https://tinyurl.com/3bs5cuuy list from KREM 2 News
https://www.spokanelibrary.org/fires/ Spokane Public Library