Montana Correctional Enterprises

Administrator Gayle Butler
350 Conley Lake Road
Deer Lodge, MT 59722
Phone: (406) 415-6373

MCE logo

Montana Correctional Enterprises (MCE), a division of the Department of Corrections, headquartered near Montana State Prison at Deer Lodge, employs 97 civilians and provides daily training for approximately 700 inmates at Montana State Prison and Montana Women’s Prison in Billings.

The Montana Correctional Enterprises Division provides general and vocational education, on-the-job training, and work experience to inmates in industry, vocational and agricultural programs. Inmates training and working in these programs develop marketable job skills, a strong work ethic and self-esteem through a feeling of pride in their accomplishments, often for the first time in their lives. In addition, inmates earn a wage to pay for hygiene items and personal clothing, victim restitution and court-ordered fines, and to save for their release.

MCE programs benefit public safety in our prisons and communities. They improve prison security by keeping inmates active and engaged while incarcerated, and provide inmates who will return to our communities with opportunities to learn life and job skills, and develop a work ethic that enables them to become productive employees, good neighbors and law-abiding, tax-paying citizens. Several national studies indicate that inmates involved in correctional industry training programs are less likely to reoffend and between 20 to 40 percent more likely to stay out of prison. Learn more about the importance of Reentry Focused training on the National Correctional Industries Association website.

The majority of the MCE training programs are self-supporting. 92% ($18.8 million) of MCE funding is generated from self-supporting enterprise fund programs. The general fund budget of $1.7 million covers the education and vocational program’s educational component and the canteen’s three civilian staff.

MCE has a great website that provides information about our many Products and Services.

Vision

Promote and contribute to the success of individuals engaged with the criminal justice system while providing safety and security for victims and Montana communities.

Mission

Montana Correctional Enterprises provides meaningful education, work experience and transitional services to assist offenders reentering our communities become productive employees, good neighbors and taxpaying citizens, supporting victims of crime and creating safer communities.

Values

Our employees are our most valuable asset.
Our employees are professional, dependable and dedicated.
Our programs are 92% self-supporting and provide valuable education and training that instills offenders with job skills, a work ethic and interpersonal communication skills.
Our offenders are prepared to reenter their communities as productive employees, good neighbors and taxpaying citizens.
Our offenders pay crime victim restitution, court ordered fines and provide community service.
Our offenders save for release, lessening their dependence on our social welfare system.
Our products are built with pride, quality workmanship and materials and provided at competitive prices.
Our customers are important stakeholders that assist MCE in achieving our mission.

Initiatives

Improve employee development and career ladders
Increase offender training opportunities and industry-recognized certifications
Improve product quality and timeliness of product delivery
Reduce costs and eliminate inefficient use of resources
Improve communication with all stakeholders
Enhance information technology to streamline operations and decision-making
Increase the public and private sectors understanding on the importance of correction training programs.

Montana Correctional Enterprises Goals and Objectives FY2020 and FY2021