The South Central Regional Jail is located in the Capitol City of Charleston, West Virginia, and is one of ten  regional jails that will be operating in our state.  This facility was opened in 1993 and its podular design consists of three upgraded pods which house approximately 350 inmates with a maximum capacity of 372.  The South Central Region is comprised of Kanawha and Jackson Counties; however, until the Western Regional Jail is completed, inmates from Lincoln and Putnam Counties are also housed at the South Central Regional Jail.  Of course, the jail also houses city, state, and federal inmates.       

     The facility contains a modern computerized Booking Department; the state’s only Forensic Evaluation Unit; a closed-circuit video communication system known as the “Courtroom of the Future” which allows various hearings to be held without offenders ever leaving the facility; a gymnasium; a medical unit manned around the clock; a full-time teacher; a counseling staff; a professional training staff and training facility; and much more.  The facility is staffed by 82 uniformed correctional officers and approximately thirty non-uniformed staff members.  The uniformed staff is well disciplined and maintains a military-style rank structure headed by an Administrator,  a Chief Correctional Officer, and a 1st Sergeant.      

     Located in the mid-southern portion of the state, Charleston, as the Capitol City, is culturally diversified.  There are many historical landmarks located within this facility's area of operations including the West Virginia State Capitol, The Culture and History Archives and Museum, and the Kanawha State Forest.  Home to several public and private colleges and universities, the state's largest city offers an array of opportunities for those in pursuit of higher education.  Charleston also has a variety of entertainment for both the culturally refined and the avid sportsman.  Beautifully nestled in the confluence of the Kanawha and Elk Rivers, Charleston offers a variety of water sports, including boating, skiing and fishing.  The newly constructed Haddad Riverfront Park serves as a focal point for the city’s annual Labor Day celebration known as the Charleston Sternwheel Regatta.  Just around the block, visitors will find the Charleston Civic Center, the state's largest concert hall, which attracts a variety of artists from all aspects of the entertainment world.     

     Providing an atmosphere for the traditional American family, Charleston offers several large outdoor parks, including Little Creek, Coonskin, Waterways, Daniel Boone, and Rock Lake.  Within ten minutes of this facility is the area's fastest growing business community offering a wide variety of shopping malls, restaurants, theaters and accommodations.  Prominently situated in Charleston's mountain “skyline” is both Yeager Airport, by far the state's largest, and the home base of the West Virginia Air National Guard and Army Reserves.