Ross Correctional Institution Overview
Ross Correctional Institution, often called RCI, is operated by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. The prison opened in Chillicothe in 1987 and is separate from both Ross County Jail and Chillicothe Correctional Institution. Research sources describe RCI as a higher-security or close-to-maximum state prison for adult male offenders. It is one of the two ODRC prisons on State Route 104 in Ross County.
A federal HRSA profile described RCI as housing approximately 1,800 adult male offenders. Older public references list 2,037 beds, but the research-supported current facility population figure for page use is the approximately 1,800 adult male offender profile. Because prison counts can change, verify a specific person's status through ODRC Offender Search rather than using a facility population figure as a custody confirmation.
The official ODRC Ross Correctional Institution page is the facility source for RCI's institutional identity, address, phone path, and state-prison context.
The facility page should be paired with the ODRC offender locator because physical location in Ross County does not place a prisoner in the county jail roster.
Ross Correctional Institution Contact
RCI is located on State Route 104 in Chillicothe near CCI, but it is an ODRC prison with its own facility phone and fax. Use the prison contact for institutional questions, visit confirmation, and facility-specific instructions. Use ODRC Offender Search for custody status, offender number, sentencing county, parole-board timing, and supervision status. Use Ross County Jail only for local jail custody.
Ross Correctional Institution
16149 State Route 104
Chillicothe, OH 45601
740-774-7050
Fax: 740-774-7055
Ross Correctional Institution Lookup
The correct search system for RCI is ODRC Offender Search. It includes Ohio offenders who are incarcerated, released, under Adult Parole Authority supervision, judicially released, or listed as violators at large. The county jail roster does not list RCI inmates simply because the prison is in Ross County. A local arrestee may start in the downtown jail, but a sentenced state prisoner is tracked through ODRC after transfer.
- Open ODRC Offender Search and search by last name first.
- Add first name, status, or offender number only if needed to reduce similar results.
- Select Incarcerated status when checking current prison custody.
- Read the current institution field to confirm whether the person is housed at RCI.
- Do not treat county of commitment as the current prison. It is the sentencing county.
| Search field | RCI use | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Last Name | Start broad and narrow later. | Entering too much can hide a record. |
| Status | Use Incarcerated for current prison custody. | All can include released and supervised records. |
| County of Commitment | Sentencing county. | It is not proof of housing in Ross County. |
| Offender Number | Most precise search when known. | Must use the prefix and six digits. |
| Next Parole Board Hearing | YYYYMM format. | Not a general date search. |
Ross Correctional Institution Population
Research identified a federal HRSA profile describing Ross Correctional Institution as a higher-security prison with approximately 1,800 adult male offenders. This is the most useful sourced population point for RCI in the local research. Older public references list 2,037 beds, but an older bed number should not replace the more specific current-profile population reference. For individual custody, always use the ODRC offender locator because prison population counts do not show who is currently housed in a specific unit.
Ross Correctional Institution Visits
RCI visitation follows ODRC prison visitation procedures, not Ross County Jail video visitation rules. Visitors should expect approval requirements, scheduling, photo ID, dress rules, search procedures, and possible changes due to security status or institutional operations. ConnectNetwork lists Visitation Scheduling for ODRC under Site ID 86 and directs users to the ViaPath scheduling portal. Call or check ODRC before travel, especially after movement restrictions or facility news.
| Visit topic | RCI process | Verification point |
|---|---|---|
| Approval | Visitor approval follows ODRC and facility rules. | ODRC visitation guidance |
| Scheduling | Use ODRC/ViaPath scheduling when available. | ODRC visitation scheduling portal |
| Entry | Photo ID and security screening should be expected. | RCI instructions |
| Conduct | ODRC controls dress, behavior, and visit termination. | Facility staff |
| Limits | Security status can change visit access. | Call RCI before travel |
RCI Mail Phone and Money
Money, phone, tablets, and visitation scheduling for RCI follow statewide ODRC systems. ConnectNetwork for Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction lists AdvancePay Phone, Pin Debit, Trust Fund, Visitation Scheduling, tablets, and mobile app services. ODRC general mail and email guidance controls correspondence, with facility-specific address and format rules. Do not send money or mail using Ross County Jail instructions for a person in RCI.
| Service | Provider or detail | RCI note |
|---|---|---|
| ODRC general mail and email rules | Use current facility format and offender number. | |
| Phone | ConnectNetwork AdvancePay Phone and Pin Debit | Vendor account rules apply. |
| Money | ConnectNetwork Trust Fund | Confirm identity and ODRC number before deposit. |
| Visits | ViaPath or ODRC scheduling | Approval and schedule are separate steps. |
| Tablets | Listed by ConnectNetwork as an ODRC service | Availability may vary by rollout and status. |
Ross Correctional Institution Death Row
ODRC announced on January 12, 2024 that Ohio's death-row housing would relocate from Chillicothe Correctional Institution to Ross Correctional Institution. That change is relevant to RCI because it altered which Ross County state prison is associated with death-row housing. It also means older references placing that housing at CCI must be read by date. The announcement does not make RCI a county jail facility, and it does not change the lookup path. ODRC Offender Search remains the correct records tool.
The ODRC death-row relocation announcement explains the move from CCI to RCI in official state-prison terms.
Use that item as state-prison context for RCI, not as a county jail roster or local booking source.
RCI Prison Intake
RCI receives prisoners through the state correctional system, not through street-level county booking. Local arrests may first appear in Ross County Jail if the person is held downtown. After conviction and sentencing to ODRC, the person can transfer into state custody and be assigned by classification. Classification is the prison assessment used for security level, housing, programs, and movement. A detainer or court order can also affect where a person is held and when a transfer occurs.
ODRC records can include incarceration, release, parole, post-release control, supervision, violator, county of commitment, and parole-board information. A prison record is not the same as a court docket, and it is not the same as a county booking record. For charges and case events after a Ross County arrest, the court and clerk systems remain separate from RCI's prison custody record.
Ross Correctional Institution News
Research identified one serious recent state-prison news item. On December 25, 2024, ODRC announced that Correction Officer Andrew Lansing died after an inmate assault at Ross Correctional Institution. Associated Press reporting said the prison was under restricted movement, the Ohio State Highway Patrol investigated, and the suspected inmate was transferred to Southern Ohio Correctional Facility. The item is relevant as RCI facility context, but it should not be used to describe Ross County Jail operations or local booking records.
Facility conditions, movement status, and visit availability can change after major incidents. For that reason, visit plans should be confirmed through ODRC or RCI before travel. Records users should still rely on ODRC Offender Search for custody status and on court systems for case details.
Note: Confirm current custody, visit scheduling, and institution status with ODRC before sending money or traveling to RCI.