Columbia Correctional Institution Overview
Columbia Correctional Institution, often called CCI, is operated by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, Division of Adult Institutions. It is a state prison for adult male felons committed by Wisconsin state courts to DOC custody. The prison is physically located in Portage, but it is not operated by the Columbia County Sheriff's Office and is not searched through the county jail booking report.
DOC identifies CCI as a maximum-security institution with one minimum-security unit. The institution opened in 1986 and covers 110 acres. Its physical plant includes a visiting room, chapel, meeting rooms, health services area, staff offices, intake and reception area, canteen, laundry, main kitchen, library, recreation field, gymnasium, industry building, school, and vocational education workshops. DOC names Kevin Garceau as Warden on the facility page.
| Category | Columbia Correctional Institution detail |
|---|---|
| Facility type | Wisconsin DOC state prison |
| Security | Maximum security with one minimum-security unit |
| Population held | Adult male felons committed by Wisconsin state courts to DOC |
| Opened | 1986 |
| Campus | 110 acres in Portage |
| Warden | Kevin Garceau |
CCI Custody and Housing
CCI's housing layout is different from a local jail. DOC describes ten maximum-security living units, each with 50 cells, plus one 150-bed minimum-security unit inside the perimeter. Older DOC capacity references listed an 830 population or operating count, but the current DOC facility page in the research describes the unit structure rather than a single present rated-capacity number. For that reason, the most precise page-ready statement is the unit breakdown, not a claim about current population.
The inmate population at CCI is part of the Wisconsin prison system, not the Columbia County jail population. A person may start in the Columbia County Jail after arrest, appear in WCCA after formal charges are filed, and later enter DOC after a prison sentence. Once DOC custody begins, the DOC locator and DOC facility rules control public lookup, visiting, phone, money, mail, and transfer information. The Columbia County inmate population context should therefore separate local jail custody from people housed at CCI.
Look Up CCI Inmates
Use the official Wisconsin DOC Inmate and Offender Search to locate a person at Columbia Correctional Institution. DOC says the locator covers convicted offenders sentenced to incarceration, supervision, or both with DOC. It does not cover all possible offenders, including county jail sentences, adjudicated juvenile offenders, and people who are only persons of interest to DOJ. DOC also warns that information can change quickly and may not reflect true current location, release date, or other status details.
- Open the Wisconsin DOC locator and read the legal and privacy notices before accepting the terms.
- Search by DOC number when known, or use last name with first name, middle name, age, sex, race, or birth-year details to narrow results.
- Review the result for current location or status and confirm whether Columbia Correctional Institution is listed.
- If the person is not found, check whether they are still in a city or county jail, including the Columbia County Jail, or search WCCA for the court case.
- Use DOC facility and Friends & Family guidance for prison visits, money, mail, and phone contact after the prison location is confirmed.
| DOC locator field | Use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Terms acknowledgement | Required before search | DOC legal and privacy notices must be accepted |
| DOC number | Exact offender lookup | Best match when known |
| First, middle, and last name | Name search | Exact spelling helps |
| Sex, race, age, or birth year | Filters | Useful for common names |
| Current location or status | Result review | May change quickly under DOC warning |
Columbia Correctional Institution Contact
Use the prison's DOC contact information for facility-level questions. The address below is the physical institution address from DOC facility materials and the DOC Friends & Family Resource Guide. It should not be used as a substitute for current DOC mail rules for persons in custody, because DOC guidance says facility physical addresses are no longer able to receive mail for persons in DOC custody.
Columbia Correctional Institution
2925 Columbia Drive
Portage, WI 53901-0950
(608) 742-9100
Fax: (608) 742-9111
Wisconsin DOC
Division of Adult Institutions
Statewide prison custody and supervision records
Use DOC locator and facility pages for current rules
Columbia Correctional Institution Visits
CCI visiting is governed by Wisconsin DOC prison rules, not Columbia County Jail video-visitation rules. The DOC facility page links CCI Updated Visiting Information and prison handbooks. The research did not capture a stable public days-and-times schedule for CCI, so no schedule should be invented. Visitors should use the current DOC links for approval, scheduling, identification, dress, conduct, property, and any in-person or video visiting limits.
| Visiting channel | Rule source | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| CCI Updated Visiting Information | DOC CCI facility page | Current visit process, availability, and facility-specific instructions |
| DOC visitor approval | DOC visiting rules and handbook links | Whether the visitor must be approved before scheduling |
| Scheduling | DOC facility guidance | How to reserve a visit and what limits apply |
| Identification and conduct | DOC prison rules | Photo ID, dress, search, property, and behavior requirements |
| County jail visitation | Not applicable to CCI | CIDNET jail visit windows do not govern CCI visits |
Because DOC may change visiting rules for security, health, staffing, or facility operations, verify the current CCI instructions before traveling to Portage. A person listed in the DOC locator may also be transferred, placed on a temporary movement, or have status changes that affect visiting.
CCI Mail, Phone, and Money
DOC prison communication rules differ from Columbia County Jail rules. The county jail uses CIDNET, JailATM, and the 403 Jackson Street mail format. CCI uses DOC Money, Mail & Property guidance and prison phone services. The CCI facility page lists ICSolutions customer service at (888) 506-8407. The DOC Friends & Family guide states that facility physical addresses are no longer able to receive mail for persons in DOC custody, so mail should follow DOC's current mail instructions rather than the institution street address.
| Service | Provider / detail | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Inmate lookup | Wisconsin DOC locator | Not the county jail booking report |
| Phone support | ICSolutions customer service, (888) 506-8407 | Prison phone account support |
| DOC Money, Mail & Property guidance | Physical facility addresses no longer receive mail for DOC custody | |
| Money | DOC money guidance | Do not use JailATM county jail deposit rules for CCI |
| Property | DOC property rules | Prison property rules differ from county jail property release |
The safest rule is to treat CCI as a state prison at every step. County jail mailing rules, Huber paperwork, local jail phone access, and county video visit windows do not apply after a person is in DOC prison custody.
Columbia Correctional Institution Source View
The DOC Columbia Correctional Institution facility page is the direct source for the prison's address, warden, purpose statement, unit structure, and facility resources.
The screenshot reinforces the DOC routing point: CCI information comes from the state corrections system, while Columbia County Jail booking and VINE records serve a different custody stage.
CCI Admission and Records
Admission to CCI follows the Wisconsin prison pathway. A defendant may first appear in Columbia County Jail records after arrest, then in WCCA after charges are filed, and later in DOC systems after a state-prison sentence. DOC classification and placement determine whether the person is sent to CCI or another Wisconsin prison. A DOC location on the locator is a corrections status record, not a county jail booking record.
For court case details, use WCCA. For prison location, custody status, supervision, and institution information, use DOC. For a person recently arrested but not sentenced to DOC, search the county jail and VINE path instead of CCI. Note: Confirm DOC status, visiting approval, and current facility location before making plans, because prison records and rules can change quickly.