Memo to Western Missouri Correctional Center Family & Friends

Jan. 19, 2022

Dear family and friends of Western Missouri Correctional Center offenders:

We want to tell you about a proposal included in Governor Parson’s FY 2023 annual budget to transfer operations from Western Missouri Correctional Center (WMCC) to Crossroads Correctional Center (CRCC).

Over the last few years, Missouri’s prison population has declined. In 2019, we consolidated CRCC with WMCC to help improve staffing, safety and services in our prisons. At that time, WMCC was selected to remain operational, as it was the larger facility and could accommodate the consolidation without creating overcrowding at other facilities.

As you might know, COVID and other significant challenges facing the department have placed a strain on employees, offenders and families. At some facilities, staff shortages have affected program time, recreation time and other rehabilitative activities for offenders.

Missouri’s prison population decline has allowed the department to empty some housing units and operate facilities with smaller offender populations. We now see an opportunity in Cameron. With the reduced offender population, we can move operations from the larger WMCC to the smaller CRCC. CRCC is a newer and more modern facility with a better infrastructure. It is equipped with air conditioning in the housing units.

Aside from moving from WMCC to CRCC, it is not anticipated that offenders will need to be transferred to any other facilities. Additionally, no other prisons are scheduled for similar moves. This plan also does not include or require additional offender releases and will not result in overcrowding at other facilities. It will be designed to minimize disruptions for staff and offenders, as well as for friends and families who visit offenders.

This move must still be approved by the Missouri General Assembly before it can occur, and, if approved, it will not occur immediately. If approved, it will likely occur in 2022.

For more information, please consult the department’s Family & Friends handbook or our website. If you have additional questions, please contact the facility where your loved one is housed, or contact Constituent Services at constsrv@doc.mo.gov or 573-526-2695.