South Carolina Department of Corrections

safety, service, stewardship the mission of the south carolina department of corrections is: safety--we will protect the public, our employees, and our inmates. service--we will provide rehabilitation and self-improvement opportunities for inmates. stewardship--we will promote professional excellence, fiscal responsibility, and self-sufficiency. about scdc the original correctional system in south carolina was established in 1866 when the south carolina legislature passed an act that created the first state-level prison for felons that were housed in county facilities. in 1960, the governor of south carolina decided to end the abuses of the correctional system and therefore created a new state agency. the agency was named the south carolina department of corrections. today, the department of corrections is still a state agency, reporting directly to the governor. the department of corrections currently has some 4,900 employees, just under 20,000 inmates, and operates 21 institutions