Montana State Prison (MSP) in Deer Lodge — a city of about 3,000 people in Powell County, 80 miles east of Missoula — is Montana's oldest and largest state correctional facility and the center of a capacity crisis that has forced the state to send hundreds of men to private prisons in Mississippi. Understanding what is happening at MSP, and what Montana's long-term plan is for addressing overcrowding, matters for families navigating the Montana prison system.
The Overcrowding Context
Montana's total adult daily prison population is approximately 2,953, according to 2025 data. Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge is the system's flagship facility, but it does not have capacity to house everyone sentenced under state law — a gap that has forced the use of:
- The CoreCivic-operated Crossroads Correctional Center in Shelby, Montana (664 inmates in 2025 — a private facility within the state)
- CoreCivic's out-of-state facility in Mississippi (approximately 600 men)
Together, CoreCivic facilities in Montana and Mississippi house roughly 1,200-1,300 Montana inmates — approaching half of the entire state prison population — under private management.
The Construction Plan: Building Its Way Out
Montana has responded to the overcrowding crisis by investing in new state-owned capacity. The state has been in the process of constructing additional facilities and expanding existing ones at Deer Lodge as a long-term strategy to reduce dependence on private prison contracts. Montana DOC officials and legislators have described the out-of-state private prison contracts as a short-term, expensive stopgap that the state intends to eliminate once new capacity comes online.
However, correctional construction is slow. Design, permitting, funding allocation, and contracting typically take years before the first bed is operational. In the interim — which may span several more years — the out-of-state placements and private contracts at Shelby continue.
The Cost of Private Contracting
The financial argument for in-state, state-run capacity is straightforward: $19 million per year for the out-of-state beds alone, plus per-diem payments to CoreCivic for the Shelby facility, represents a significant and ongoing expenditure that would not recur with state-owned beds. Critics of the private contracting model — including inmate advocacy organizations cited in Montana Free Press coverage — argue that the financial relationship between the state and CoreCivic creates a structural disincentive to building state capacity quickly, since the state continues to pay CoreCivic for as long as the private beds are needed.
Montana State Prison: What It Is
Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge opened in 1871, making it one of the oldest continuously operating state prisons west of the Mississippi River. The facility has been substantially rebuilt and modernized over the decades, but its core infrastructure reflects its age. MSP houses adult men across multiple security levels and serves as the system's hub for reception, classification, and higher-security housing. It also operates the Montana Women's Prison complex on the same grounds.
For Families: What Location Means
Deer Lodge's location in Powell County places it approximately 100 miles from Missoula and 165 miles from Helena — accessible for families in western Montana but a significant drive for those from Billings, Great Falls, or the eastern part of the state. The facility is accessible from Interstate 90 via exit 184.
Montana DOC headquarters: 5 South Last Chance Gulch, PO Box 201301, Helena, MT 59620. Phone: (406) 444-3930. Website: cor.mt.gov. Montana State Prison: 700 Conley Lake Road, Deer Lodge, MT 59722.