Delaware operates one of the smallest state prison systems in the United States — a reflection of the state's small geographic size and population — but its correctional challenges are proportionally significant. Like Connecticut, Delaware operates a unified prison-jail system: the Delaware Department of Correction (DDOC) is responsible for both sentenced prisoners and pretrial detainees, having consolidated county jails under state management. With a total incarcerated population of 3,118 and an imprisonment rate of 314 per 100,000, Delaware sits near the national average but continues to grapple with issues of racial disparity, prison conditions, and reentry.
Delaware Department of Correction (DDOC)
The Delaware Department of Correction operates 7 adult correctional facilities across the state, as well as a network of community corrections programs and work-release centers. The DDOC is one of the few state correctional agencies that manages both pre-trial detention and sentenced incarceration within the same system — a consequence of Delaware's 1986 correctional consolidation. The department employs approximately 4,200 staff and is headquartered in Dover.
History of Delaware Corrections
Delaware has one of the oldest penitentiary traditions in the United States. The state operated a public whipping post — known as the "Red Hannah" — until 1952, making it the last state in the nation to abandon corporal punishment as a criminal sanction. Public flogging was conducted at the New Castle County Courthouse for a range of offenses, and the abolition of the practice marked a symbolic break with Delaware's punitive colonial-era legal traditions.
The Delaware Correctional Center (DCC) in Smyrna, opened in 1932, was the flagship of the state's prison system for decades. In 2012, DCC was renamed the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in honor of a state corrections officer. Vaughn JTVCC gained national attention in February 2017 when inmates seized Building C during a riot, taking four correctional officers hostage. One officer, Sgt. Steven Floyd, was murdered during the standoff. The uprising, which lasted approximately 18 hours, was attributed by both an independent review and inmates to chronic understaffing, poor conditions, and lack of programming and educational opportunities. The riot prompted significant reviews of Delaware corrections and a commitment to expanded rehabilitation programming.
Scale of Incarceration in Delaware
- 3,118 total incarcerated (unified DDOC system, no separate county jail count)
- 314 per 100,000 imprisonment rate
- 10,150 on probation
- 373 on parole (Delaware's parole population is small relative to its prison population, reflecting the structure of its sentencing laws)
- 3,024 men and 94 women in DDOC custody
- No significant private prison population
Life Sentences in Delaware
Delaware holds 692 individuals serving life sentences — approximately 22% of the state prison population. Of those, 377 are serving Life Without Parole — a notably high LWOP proportion (54% of all life sentences). Delaware's LWOP sentences are most commonly imposed for first-degree murder convictions. The state's aggressive use of LWOP means that a substantial portion of Delaware's long-term incarcerated population will never leave prison.
Delaware retains the death penalty on the books but has not carried out an execution since 2012. The Delaware Supreme Court ruled the state's death penalty sentencing procedure unconstitutional in Rauf v. State (2016), effectively halting executions. Legislation to formally abolish the death penalty has been introduced multiple times but has not passed as of 2024.
Major DDOC Facilities
- James T. Vaughn Correctional Center (Smyrna): Delaware's largest and highest-security prison. Houses maximum-security inmates, Death Row, and a range of programming. The site of the 2017 riot that claimed the life of Sgt. Steven Floyd.
- Sussex Correctional Institution (Georgetown): A medium-security facility in Sussex County serving the southern part of the state.
- Howard R. Young Correctional Institution (Wilmington): A multi-level facility near Wilmington serving New Castle County. Houses both pre-trial and sentenced inmates.
- Baylor Women's Correctional Institution (New Castle): Delaware's primary facility for female inmates.
- Plummer Community Correction Center: A work-release and reentry facility in Wilmington for individuals approaching release.
Response to the 2017 Riot
The February 2017 uprising at Vaughn triggered a comprehensive review of Delaware corrections. The DDOC and state legislature committed to:
- Hiring additional correctional officers to address chronic understaffing
- Expanding educational and vocational programming to address the idleness that inmates cited as a primary grievance
- Improving physical plant conditions in aging housing units
- Reviewing and reducing the use of restrictive housing (solitary confinement)
- Establishing a formal grievance review process with independent oversight
Sixteen inmates were ultimately charged with murder, riot, and related offenses in connection with Sgt. Floyd's death. The trials — which extended from 2018 through 2020 — were among the most consequential criminal proceedings in Delaware's recent history.
DDOC Programs and Reentry
- Education: Adult education, GED preparation, and vocational training. Delaware has expanded post-secondary education programming following the 2017 riot, partnering with Delaware Technical Community College.
- Substance Abuse Treatment: Delaware has a high rate of opioid-related incarceration. The DDOC provides medication-assisted treatment (MAT) including buprenorphine and methadone — making Delaware one of the first state prison systems to offer comprehensive MAT.
- Cognitive Behavioral Programs: Thinking for a Change, Resolve to Stop the Violence Project, and other evidence-based programming.
- Reentry: The DDOC's Reentry Unit connects individuals approaching release with housing, employment, and benefit services. Delaware operates work-release centers in Wilmington and other locations to ease the transition from incarceration to independence.
Resources for Families of Delaware Inmates
- Inmate search: DDOC's Offender Search at doc.delaware.gov lets you search by name or SBI (State Bureau of Investigation) number. Shows current facility and housing unit.
- Visitation: Each facility has specific visiting hours. Visitors must pre-register, carry valid ID, and comply with dress code. Check doc.delaware.gov for current schedules and visitor guidelines.
- Mail: Mail sent to: [Inmate Name, SBI #], [Facility Name], [Address]. Inspected except for legal mail. Delaware accepts standard letters and postcards.
- Phone: Managed through Securus Technologies. Families can set up prepaid calling accounts.
- Money: JPay or money order. Use the inmate's SBI number as identifier.
Services for Families of Delaware Inmates
If you have a loved one incarcerated in a Delaware prison or county jail, AllRecentArrests.us offers four services to help you stay connected and support them:
- Post bail bonds — If your loved one is awaiting trial in a Delaware county jail, connect with a licensed bail agent who can help secure pretrial release for typically 10% of the bail amount.
- Send letters and photos — Write from your phone or computer; we handle printing, formatting to Delaware DOC rules, postage, and delivery so your mail passes inspection.
- Send care packages — Choose from facility-approved snacks, hygiene items, and essentials filtered to what is actually allowed at your inmate's specific Delaware facility.
- Discounted phone calls — Reduce the cost of inmate calls from Delaware facilities using a local routing number that bypasses the long-distance rates typically charged by facility phone providers.