Broad River Correctional Institution

Broad River Correctional Institution is a maximum-security state prison operated by the South Carolina Department of Corrections, located in Richland County in the city of Columbia, the state capital. The facility opened in 1999 and houses South Carolina's most serious offenders, including those on death row. Its location within Columbia rather than a remote rural area makes it more accessible for families in the Midlands of South Carolina and for those visiting from the state's larger population centers. The facility sits in a largely industrial and institutional area on the western edge of Columbia.

Communication at Broad River operates through South Carolina DOC provider contracts. JPay handles electronic messaging, photo sharing, and money transfers. Families create a JPay account and add the inmate using their South Carolina DOC number to begin sending messages. GTL manages phone calls and video visitation under the SCDOC statewide contract. For families who cannot travel to Columbia regularly, GTL video visits provide a practical remote alternative. The standard two-platform approach — JPay for messaging and money, GTL for phone and video — applies here as it does across the South Carolina state system.

Death row at Broad River means a portion of the population faces stricter communication rules than the general maximum-security population. Families whose loved one is on South Carolina's death row should confirm current communication access with the facility before assuming standard rules apply. For general-population maximum-security inmates, the full JPay and GTL setup is available. Because both platforms serve the SCDOC system statewide, accounts created for Broad River will carry over to any other South Carolina DOC facility if an inmate is transferred.