ODRC – Belmont Correctional Institution (BECI)

ODRC – Belmont Correctional Institution (BECI) basic information to help guide you through what you can do for your inmate while they are incarcerated. The facility's direct contact number: 740-695-5169

This facility is for adult inmates.

The inmates housed at Belmont CI located at 68518 Bannock Rd
in St. Clairsville, OH are placed according to their custody level (determined by a number of factors including the past criminal history and the length of their sentence). There are ample educational and vocational training programs for all inmates, especially ones that show a willingness to learn new things that will prepare them for a better life when they are released. The mission is to promote and prepare the offender to leave in better shape than when they arrived, giving them the best chance to never come back and thus lower the state's recidivism rate.

ODRC – Belmont Correctional Institution is a state prison for men located in St. Clairsville, Belmont County, OH, and is operated by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC). The facility was opened in 1995, and houses a maximum of 2713 inmates at a mix of minimum and medium security levels.

Inmates at BECI can receive re-entry programming, have access to library services, and can receive an adult basic education and obtain a GED during their incarceration.

Inmates with a clean record at Belmont CI are allowed to participate in community service work that includes creating banners, decorations, and signs for many nearby high schools, working in the collection of food donations and recycling, creating ornaments for the elderly in a nursing home, and even training dogs through several local animal rescues. Inmates can take vocational and apprenticeship courses in plumbing, horticulture, barbering, HVAC, carpentry, automotive repair, landscaping, and custodial/building maintenance.

Religious worship services and biblical studies are available to all inmates.

Offender Programs

Community Services

• Thoburn United Methodist Church – Landscaping and Signs
• American Legion Post 159 – Landscaping, Chairs and Signs
• Shadyside Local Schools – Landscaping, Grounds Maintenance
• OSU Extension – Benches
• Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witness – Benches
• City of St. Clairsville, – Landscaping
• City of Martins Ferry/Riverview Cemetery – Turf Maintenance
• Boy Scouts of America – Make Neckerchiefs
• Union Local Elementary School – Posters
• Toys for Tots
• Ronald McDonald House – Hats, Scarves and Stuffed Animals
• Belmont Volunteer Fire Department – Wash and Waxing of Fire Trucks
• Barnesville Public Library – Backdrops
• Local Dog Rescue Training Program
• St. Clairsville Saints Club – Banners
• St. Clairsville High School – Signs and Banners

Academic

• Adult Basic Education (ABLE)
• Pre-GED
• GED
• High School Options
• Transitional Education Program (TEP)

Apprenticeship Programs

• Animal Trainer
• Auto Mechanic
• Carpenter, Maintenance
• Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
• Janitor
• Landscape Management Technician
• Maintenance Repairer, Building
• Recovery Operator

Education Services

• Computer Aided Instructional Laboratories (CAIL)
• Correctional Education Association (CEA) Tutor Training
• Ohio Reentry Connections
• Special Education Services
• Distance Learning Center
• Library Services
• Title One Services

Career-Technical (Vocational) Programs

• Horticulture (Camp)
• Administrative Professional Support (APS)
• Applied Academics
• Barbering
• Plumbing

Vocational Horticulture and Turf/Landscape Management

This is a 600-hour educational program that takes approximately 6 to 8 months to complete and obtain a certificate. The students have the opportunity to prepare for and take the Landscape, Grower and Garden Center Ohio Certified Nursery Technician exams that are offered through the Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association. Students that pass one or more of these exams are issued a two-year interim certification. They may apply for permanent certification if they obtain employment in the green industry. This BeCI vocational program entails classroom work and is community service approved which permits the students direct on the job training while servicing the community. The offender has the opportunity to meet with community partners, listen to their needs, apply their knowledge, make recommendations, supply a material list and complete the project.

visitation Info

ODRC – Belmont Correctional Institution -Visitation

Visitation is available Wednesday through Sunday, there is no visiting on Monday, Tuesday, or state holidays.  
There are two sessions per day:  morning session from 7:45 am – 11:15 am and an afternoon session from 11:45 am – 3:00 pm.  

Visitors must be processed in no later than 10:00 am for the morning visiting session and 1:30 pm for the afternoon session.Visits are by appointment only and can be made 30 days in advance Wed-Sun by calling 740-695-8138 for the main compound or 740-695-5169 ext. 3916 for the minimum level camp.  

Appointments may also be scheduled via email at:  DRC.VisitationBECI@odrc.state.oh.us.  
Please include the name and number of the offender, names of the visitors, and up to 3 possible dates you would like to visit.

Video Visitation

The Belmont Correctional Institution maintains two (2) video visiting kiosks in every housing unit. The hours of availability for video visits are as follows: 7:30-10:30 AM; 12:30-3:30 PM; and 5:00-8:00 PM with one (1) kiosk in each dorm designated as a visitation kiosk.  Signs are posted in each unit indicating hours of operation for video visiting & “All electronic communications are subject to monitoring & recording.”

An approved visitor is defined as: a visitor that submitted an application for visitation, processing has been completed, and approval by institutional staff has taken place.  Any approved visitor may request a video visit.   Approved visitors must create an account and register with JPAY. When family members register to have a video visit, they are prompted by JPAY through a series of steps to achieve their visit. Video visits must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance of the time that they are requesting.