Pender Correctional Institution

Pender Correctional Institution has six dormitories, education buildings, recreation building, medical building, dining hall, operations center, administration building, programs building, gatehouse and chapel.

Cape Fear Community College works with the prison to provide vocational classes in light construction and diesel mechanics. Classes for adult education and preparation for the GED are available.

Offenders who have development disabilities are assigned to the horticultural therapy program that trains them for landscaping and gardening jobs. Offenders may also be assigned to the Drug Alcohol Chemical Dependency Program (ACDP/Pender-AND90) unit. ACDP is a 12-week term of intensive treatment for alcohol and drug addiction in a residential facility at prisons. Other self-development, treatment and education programs are offered during evening hours and on weekends.

Ground was broken on November 30, 1990 to build the 756-bed medium security prison for adult males, adjacent to the 112-bed medium security Pender Correctional Center. The old medium security prison was established as a one-dormitory unit in 1935 as one of 61 field unit prisons renovated or built during the late 1930's to house offenders who worked building roads.