Palmer Pre-Release Center Overview
Palmer Pre-Release Center is operated by the South Carolina Department of Corrections. SCDC lists Palmer under Florence County as Palmer P.R.C. (MO), with MO meaning Minimum-Out. The institution opened in 1975 and is a male pre-release center focused on work programming, pre-release training, and reintegration. It is physically located in Florence County, but it is not run by FCSO and does not use the Florence County Detention Center roster.
SCDC's institutions page listed Kenneth Sharp as warden in the research and gave Palmer's address as 2012 Pisgah Road, Florence, SC 29501. The facility phone numbers in the research are (843) 661-4770 and (803) 734-9487. Minimum-Out inmates are generally in community-based pre-release or work centers and may be eligible for work-release programs when within 36 months of release.
The SCDC institutions page identifies Palmer as the Florence County state facility.
That SCDC source should control Palmer details when it conflicts with a county jail roster assumption.
Palmer Pre-Release Center Population
Palmer has sourced population figures in the SCDC population report viewed June 29, 2026. The report listed 292 total capacity, 196 physical count, zero out of service, and 67.1% utilization. Those numbers belong to the state prison portion of the Florence County inmate population. They should not be added to the FCDC jail count without clearly labeling the custody systems.
Look Up Palmer Pre-Release Center Inmates
The correct lookup system for Palmer is the SCDC inmate search disclaimer and locator entry, followed by the public SCDC search application. SCDC says its internet inmate search displays photographs and public information for inmates currently sentenced to and incarcerated in SCDC as of midnight the previous day. It does not cover released SCDC offenders, county detainees, parole, probation, community supervision, juvenile offenders, or current fugitives.
- Open the SCDC inmate search disclaimer and proceed to the public locator.
- Search by SCDC ID or SID if a prison number is known.
- Search by first and last name when a number is not known.
- Confirm the current facility field before assuming the inmate is at Palmer.
- Use the SCDC toll-free information line, 1-866-727-2846, if locator details need confirmation.
The SCDC public inmate locator screenshot shows the statewide search interface used for Palmer Pre-Release Center inmates.
Use this locator for sentenced state prisoners, not for current Florence County jail bookings.
Palmer Pre-Release Center Contact
Palmer contact should go through SCDC facility channels rather than the Florence County Detention Center booking desk. The county jail can confirm county custody, but it is not the operator of Palmer and should not be used for SCDC visit approval, prison mail, or state-prison classification questions.
Palmer Pre-Release Center
2012 Pisgah Road
Florence, SC 29501
(843) 661-4770 or (803) 734-9487
SCDC Minimum-Out male pre-release facility
Visit Palmer Pre-Release Center Inmates
SCDC visitation rules apply at Palmer. SCDC family information says visitation applications are online, visits are scheduled through GTL, visitors must be on the approved list, and each inmate may have a maximum of 15 approved visitors. Visitors age 10 and older need public-safety picture ID, younger children need a long-form birth certificate, and minors must meet relationship or eligibility rules. The SCDC visitation inquiry line is 803-896-1838.
| Item | SCDC Rule for Palmer |
|---|---|
| Approval | Visitor application and approved visitor list required. |
| Scheduling | Visits are scheduled through GTL. |
| Visitor limit | Up to 15 approved visitors per inmate. |
| ID | Public-safety picture ID for visitors age 10 and older. |
| Inquiry line | 803-896-1838. |
| County jail rules | FCDC SmartInmate video rules do not control Palmer visits. |
The SCDC family and visitation page is the official source for approved visitor and scheduling rules.
Check SCDC before traveling because state-prison visits can be restricted by approval status, schedule, custody, or facility notice.
Palmer Mail Phone and Money
Palmer uses SCDC family, mail, phone, and money rules, not Florence County jail vendors. Do not send Palmer mail to the FCDC Smart Communications P.O. Box, and do not use FCDC jail deposit tools for an SCDC inmate unless SCDC specifically directs that payment path. SCDC rules should be checked on the family page and facility notices before mailing funds, sending documents, or scheduling calls.
| Service | Where to Confirm | Key Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Visitation | SCDC family page and GTL scheduling | Approval list required. |
| SCDC mail and facility instructions | Not the FCDC Smart Communications jail-mail address. | |
| Money | SCDC family and inmate account instructions | Not FCDC jaildeposits rules. |
| Phone | SCDC phone rules and facility notices | Not the FCDC tablet and unit-phone schedule. |
Palmer Pre-Release Programs
Palmer's public profile includes more program detail than the county jail pages. SCDC describes work programming, pre-release programming and training, reintegration, Adult Basic Education, GED Preparation, Work Keys, routine medical care two days a week by Lee Correctional Institution medical staff with 24-hour emergency care available, religious services, volunteer services, financial wellness programming through Truist Bank, recreation, additional recreational programs, and a satellite library.
Community service crews support the City of Florence, Florence County, S.C. Vocational Rehabilitation, the Florence National Guard Armory, Darlington County DOT, and the Darlington County National Guard Armory. That local work-program role is why Palmer belongs in the Florence County facility map even though it is a state prison rather than a jail.
Palmer Records and County Cases
A person may start in Florence County Detention Center after arrest, move through court, and later enter SCDC custody after sentencing. Once that happens, the county roster may no longer show current custody. The SCDC locator becomes the public custody source. Court records, however, remain with the Florence Public Index, Clerk of Court, solicitor path, or other court source depending on the case.
Note: Confirm the current facility in the SCDC locator before mailing, scheduling a visit, or traveling to Palmer.
Palmer Conditions and Reporting
SCDC publishes PREA resources and audit materials for state facilities, including Palmer-related audit information in the research. PREA reporting is separate from ordinary visitation or mail questions. SCDC says inmates can call the appropriate sexual assault center by dialing *63 on the inmate phone without recording and without using the inmate PIN. Facility-specific safety, grievance, and classification questions should be routed through SCDC rather than FCSO.
Palmer also differs from the county jail in its daily purpose. FCDC is a booking and pretrial custody facility. Palmer is a sentenced-prisoner institution built around work, reentry, and pre-release functions. That distinction controls which locator to use, which visitor rules apply, and which agency should answer record questions.
The research did not locate a BOP prison, ICE detention facility, or separate regional jail inside Florence County. Palmer is therefore the main non-county facility in the local map. Federal or immigration custody after a Florence arrest still requires BOP or ICE searches, while Palmer questions stay with SCDC. When a former Florence jail inmate appears in the SCDC locator, the county roster is no longer the current custody source.