WRDCC Offender Search Overview
Western Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center, often shortened to WRDCC, is operated by the Missouri Department of Corrections. DOC lists the facility at 3401 Faraon in St. Joseph, with security level Minimum, Diagnostic. The facility is physically in Buchanan County, but it is not run by the Buchanan County Sheriff's Office and is not searched through the county Inmate Inquiry. It holds Missouri DOC offenders, including diagnostic and reception population, after court and DOC custody processes place a person in the state system.
The facility map and DOC page make the core distinction clear. The Buchanan County Jail / Law Enforcement Center is the local sheriff jail at 501 Faraon Street. WRDCC is the state prison at 3401 Faraon. The similar street name can confuse families after sentencing, transfer, or reception. A person arrested in Buchanan County may first appear in the county jail roster, then later appear in Missouri DOC systems after sentencing or DOC admission. The exact route depends on court status and DOC classification.
Search WRDCC DOC Records
The correct lookup for WRDCC is the Missouri DOC Offender Search. The DOC landing page says it provides information about offenders supervised by the Missouri Department of Corrections, including active offenders, probationers, and parolees unless excluded. It searches first and last names, including aliases, after the user completes a CAPTCHA. DOC states that the search does not provide discharged-offender information and that certain offenders may be omitted for safety, security, or confidentiality reasons.
Do not use the Buchanan County jail roster as the main search for WRDCC. The county roster is for sheriff custody at the local jail. It can show a local booking, bond, court dates, and jail housing, but it does not replace the state offender locator for a sentenced person in DOC custody. If the person's status is unclear, check both systems in sequence: county jail first for current local custody, then DOC offender search for active state custody.
- Open the Missouri DOC Offender Search page.
- Complete the CAPTCHA and proceed to the search form.
- Search by first and last name, including aliases when known.
- Confirm that the result is an active DOC offender and review the posted location when available.
- If no result appears, consider county jail custody, discharge status, confidentiality limits, or a different spelling.
The DOC offender search screenshot shows the CAPTCHA landing page used before the search form. Source: Missouri DOC Offender Search.
The CAPTCHA is part of the state lookup flow, so a failed automated search does not mean the person is absent from DOC custody.
Western Reception Contact Details
DOC publishes a facility contact block for Western Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center. The research captured the main phone, fax, warden, address, security level, and institution visiting periods. Contact the facility or DOC before travel, mailing, or deposit activity because prison rules differ from county jail rules and can change by status, custody level, or institutional need.
Western Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center
3401 Faraon
St Joseph, MO 64506
816-387-2158
Fax: 816-387-2217
Warden: Neil Wofford
Missouri Department of Corrections
State agency for WRDCC
Security level listed as Minimum, Diagnostic
Use DOC facility and family/friends resources
WRDCC is not a county jail roster facility.
WRDCC Visiting Hours
WRDCC visiting follows Missouri Department of Corrections prison rules. The facility page lists institution visiting periods on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with morning and afternoon blocks. DOC visiting generally requires approval and compliance with prison-specific rules. Visitors should check the current DOC visiting resource and the WRDCC facility page before making the trip because prison visiting rules can involve approval lists, identification, dress rules, security checks, and schedule limits.
| Day | Hours | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Friday | 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 2:30-6:30 p.m. | DOC institution visiting |
| Saturday | 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 2:30-6:30 p.m. | DOC institution visiting |
| Sunday | 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 2:30-6:30 p.m. | DOC institution visiting |
The official facility screenshot shows WRDCC's address, security level, warden, and visiting periods. Source: Western Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center facility page.
The WRDCC schedule is different from the Buchanan County Jail's Saturday public visiting system, which is one reason the two facilities should not be treated as one lookup route.
WRDCC Mail Phone and Money
DOC personal mail for Division of Adult Institutions facilities goes through the Digital Mail Center-Missouri DOC, not through the Buchanan County Jail address. The research states that personal postal mail is sent to Digital Mail Center-Missouri DOC, PO Box 25678, Tampa, FL 33622-5678, with the offender name and DOC ID. Mail is scanned and delivered electronically or printed if no tablet access is available. Personal mail received at correctional centers after July 1, 2022 is returned to sender.
Legal and privileged mail, pre-approved certified mail, publications from vendors, and visitor applications follow separate DOC rules. Money transfer, secure email, and phone service also run through DOC family/friends systems, not the Buchanan County Turnkey kiosk, InmateCanteen, or county Securus page unless DOC specifically directs otherwise. Families should use DOC resources for current vendor instructions, allowed payment methods, account setup, and restrictions.
| Service | WRDCC / DOC detail |
|---|---|
| Personal mail | Digital Mail Center-Missouri DOC, PO Box 25678, Tampa, FL 33622-5678, with offender name and DOC ID |
| Legal mail and publications | Separate DOC rules apply for privileged mail, certified mail, publications, and visitor applications |
| Money transfer | Use Missouri DOC family/friends money transfer resources |
| Secure email | Use DOC secure email resources for state offenders |
| Phone service | Use DOC offender phone service resources, not the county jail phone page |
WRDCC Reception and Diagnostic Custody
WRDCC should be described as a state reception and diagnostic facility, not as a booking jail. County jail booking begins after arrest and creates a local roster record. WRDCC custody begins within the state corrections system after a person becomes a DOC offender or otherwise falls under DOC supervision. Reception and diagnostic custody can involve intake into the state system, records review, classification, and placement decisions. DOC lists WRDCC as Minimum, Diagnostic, which signals both security level and diagnostic function.
Sentenced Buchanan County defendants can move from county jail to DOC custody after judgment and sentence, but the exact post-sentence path depends on court orders and DOC classification. A person may still appear in the county roster for a local booking or a transitional custody label before transfer. Once active in DOC custody, the Missouri DOC Offender Search becomes the better record access point. For the local jail facility that handles arrests and bond processing, see the Buchanan County Jail / Law Enforcement Center.
- DOC
- Missouri Department of Corrections, the state agency that operates WRDCC and other state correctional centers.
- Reception
- The state intake stage for a DOC offender after court and custody transfer events.
- Diagnostic
- A prison function tied to assessment and classification before longer-term placement decisions.
- Discharged offender
- A person no longer active in DOC custody or supervision, which DOC says is not covered by its offender search.
WRDCC Records and Notifications
WRDCC records should be routed by custody stage. Current active state offenders are searched through Missouri DOC. County jail custody and booking data are searched through the sheriff roster. Court charges after a Buchanan County arrest are checked through Missouri Case.net or the Buchanan County Circuit Clerk. Federal inmates are searched through the BOP locator, and immigration detainees are searched through ICE ODLS. The research did not locate a federal Bureau of Prisons institution or an ICE detention facility in Buchanan County.
VINELink is also relevant because the sheriff and prosecutor pages link VINE for victim notification. It should be treated as a notification tool, not as a full court record, jail roster, or DOC profile replacement. If a person cannot be found in the DOC search, the reason may be discharge, spelling, alias use, safety or confidentiality limits, or the person being in another custody system. The Buchanan County inmate population page explains how the county jail, WRDCC, federal, and immigration routes fit together.
Note: Confirm WRDCC visiting approval, location, and offender status through DOC before traveling to the prison.
WRDCC Programs and Conditions
The research did not capture a WRDCC-specific program catalog beyond the official facility page and DOC family/friends resources. Missouri DOC describes statewide support for treatment, education, job training, rehabilitative services, institutional treatment programs, academic education, career and technical training, Missouri Vocational Enterprises, restorative justice, Puppies for Parole, quilting and sewing programs, gardens and food donations, and reentry services. Program access can depend on custody status, classification, facility assignment, and DOC eligibility rules.
WRDCC's facility page lists a chaplain contact, Efrem Byrd, with extension 1564 and an official DOC email address. DOC mail rules also include grievance and appeal paths for mail censorship: an offender may appeal through the grievance process, and a sender may request independent review within 30 days. The research did not locate an official WRDCC recent litigation page or a published facility capacity figure, so no capacity number should be assigned to the prison.