Rockville Correctional Facility

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Rockville Correctional Facility is a state prison in Adams Township, Parke County, Indiana, about a mile northwest of Rockville. It is the largest state prison for women in Indiana, housing about 1,200 inmates. It is classified as medium security but houses inmates at all security levels.

History: The site started as Rockville Air Force Station, a radar base opened in the early 1950s and closed about ten years later. In 1970, the Indiana Department of Corrections turned it into a juvenile male facility. Later it served as a co‑ed facility for adolescent males and adult females, and in 1992 it became a prison for adult women because Indiana needed more space for female inmates.

In 1995 the state approved a plan to rebuild Rockville. Twenty‑three buildings were demolished, five upgraded, 13 new buildings built, and the infrastructure replaced. The campus now sits on 52 acres and has 22 buildings and two employee residences. Dorm 1 (built in 1985 for juveniles) now houses the PLUS Unit. Dorm 2 (built in 1993) is the Intake Unit for female offenders. The remaining dorms were completed by 1997. The Town of Rockville provides water and sewer.

Education and programs: Rockville has an on‑site Parkeview School offering GED and courses in culinary arts, building trades, computer literacy, horticulture, home maintenance and business technology. College courses are available through Oakland City University, Indiana State University and Ivy Tech, with Oakland City University offering CAD training.

Programs for inmates include the Hope Center, which provides parenting classes for inmate mothers, and the ICAAN Assistance Dog program, where inmates train dogs to perform tasks such as opening doors, turning off lights, and carrying phones.

Population and demographics: about 1,205 inmates. Roughly 67% are white, 29% Black, 2% Hispanic and 2% other. The average age at intake is 33, and the current average age is 35. About one‑third are there for substance abuse. Most inmates are serving 2–10 years; fewer than 1% have indeterminate or life sentences. About 5% are imprisoned for murder.

Notable: Mass murderer Steven Kazmierczak, who killed 5 people and wounded 21 at Northern Illinois University in 2008, worked as a correctional officer at Rockville from September 24 to October 9, 2007.