Allan B. Polunsky Unit, 3872 FM 350 South, Livingston, TX 77351, USA
The Allan B. Polunsky Unit is a state-run maximum security prison operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) in the United States, best known for its role as a death row facility for male offenders. It is located in Polk County, near Livingston, Texas, about five miles southwest of the town on FM 350 South in a rural area of East Texas. The facility is located on a sprawling 472-acre site and is part of the state’s prison infrastructure. The Polunsky Unit opened in November 1993, originally under the name Terrell Unit. In 2001, it was renamed in honor of Allan B. Polunsky, who was the long-time chairman of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice and the Public Safety Commission and thus had a significant influence on correctional and security issues in the state.
Architecturally and functionally, it is a maximum security prison with approximately 2,984 places for male inmates of all security levels from G1 to G5, including administrative accommodation (restrictive housing) and death row. The facility consists of several buildings with specialized areas for administration, visiting, dining, medical care, education, recreational facilities, workshops, laundry, and a chapel. In addition, the unit operates agricultural projects such as tree nurseries and gardening programs, as well as a dog breeding program and security horse units.
A striking feature of the Polunsky Unit is the death row for men, which has been housed there since 1999. Previously, death row was located at the Ellis Unit near Huntsville, until a spectacular escape attempt there in 1998 prompted officials to transfer the men to a more modern and heavily guarded facility. At Polunsky, those sentenced to death are housed in single cells with windows and have very limited opportunities for movement and social interaction – in some cases, they spend 22 to 23 hours a day in their cells and are taken out individually. The actual executions do not take place at Polunsky, but at the Huntsville Unit, where the prisoners are transferred shortly before the execution.
The facility’s function extends beyond death row: it serves as a maximum-security prison for problem and high-risk inmates, including those convicted of serious violent or repeat offenses. Security measures include extensive surveillance systems, multiple barbed wire fences, guarded passageways, and centrally controlled electronic access to cells. Inside the prison, there are also programs for education, vocational training, and rehabilitation, including basic education, preparation for the GED diploma, and technical training in areas such as automotive technology and electrical engineering. Medical support, outpatient care, dental, and psychological services are available around the clock. Due to its function and security structure, the Polunsky Unit is often the subject of public and legal debate, particularly with regard to the conditions for death row inmates in administrative segregation. Since the 2000s, cases and lawsuits have been brought to light that question the effects of long-term solitary confinement and its compatibility with constitutional standards. Overall, the Allan B. Polunsky Unit plays a central role in the Texas prison system: it is an important maximum-security prison of the TDCJ, as well as the exclusive location for male inmates on death row, and represents the state’s strictest prison and security standards.