Smyrna Jail Inmate Search

James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna, Delaware opened in 1971 with a capacity of 441. It currently houses around 2,500 inmates in minimum, medium and maximum security level ranges. Total bed capacity is now over 2,600. The facility also houses inmates on death row. Executions are done on JTVCC grounds.

JTVCC is also the home of the notorious prison uprising that took place on February 1, 2017, in the maximum security "C" Building. The riot was a takeover of the building by inmates. They took three officers and a counselor hostage. It ended up leading to a 20-hour standoff with police and negotiators. Some sources declare that it was just a matter of time before the riot happened. There were numerous inmate protests and rebellions that occurred in the weeks prior, leading up to the siege. The incident left one officer dead, 2 officers injured and 18 inmates indicted, charged and convicted on homicide, rioting and kidnapping charges.

Construction began in 1996 on a $110 million, 888-bed addition to the facility. The renovation included 600 new maximum security cells, the addition of almost 26,000 linear feet (4.8 miles) of security fencing, 6 miles of razor wire, a new central tower and an additional perimeter tower. The expansion also included the installation of new security cameras and enhanced observation points. The 600 maximum security cells have been built in six new housing units with 888 new beds. There are 300 single bed cells, and 300 double-bunked cells, unless they are handicap-accessible, in which case the cell is then single-bunked.

The SHU (Security-level Housing Unit) houses inmates who must be in a setting providing the highest security level for the safety of others. Death penalty inmates are also lodged in the Security Housing Unit. There are 300 cells in the SHU. Each cell is single-bunked. The inmates can have visitors, make phone calls and have a limited number of personal items in their cells. With the exception of those sentenced to the death penalty, inmates can earn their way out of the SHU by good behavior and participation in any applicable work, treatment or educational programs.

The MHU (Medium High-level Housing Unit) is more lenient than SHU and more stringent than the housing accommodations and rules for the general JTVCC population. In a 300-cell unit, the MHU contains 588 beds.

All inmates are classified and assigned security levels consistent with their criminal history, institutional behavior/history, whether or not they are a threat to the public and institutional safety and security, and the needs of the program the inmate to required to complete.