What to Expect When Your Loved One First Arrives at East Arkansas Regional Unit

East Arkansas Regional Unit (EARU) is a statewide "parent unit." That means once someone is sentenced to the Arkansas Department of Corrections, EARU is one of the places where they're received - coming in from all 75 counties across Arkansas. Because EARU functions as a receiving hub, the early period focuses more on intake and getting oriented to the system than settling into a long-term routine. If you're waiting for updates, keep that role in mind: this is where people land first, not necessarily where they'll stay.

When your loved one arrives at EARU, they may already have program referrals tied to their situation. But here's a timing marker families should know: after completion of 60 days, inmates are enrolled in programs and services. That doesn't mean everything is on hold for 60 days - just that formal program enrollment typically happens after that initial period. If your loved one asks about getting into services, this gives you a realistic framework: referrals may exist early, but enrollment often comes after the 60-day mark.

EARU houses people across a range of custody scores - from C-2 through C-5. At the lower end, C-2 is described as short-term and conforming, with low escape risk. At the higher end, C-5 means long-term and non-conforming, and/or extreme escape or violence risk. The key takeaway: "classification" isn't just a label. It's how the Arkansas Department of Corrections sorts people by security risk while they're at EARU. Where someone lands on that scale can affect day-to-day restrictions and placement decisions, even if those specifics aren't spelled out publicly.

EARU is a large facility. The published numbers help explain why intake can feel busy: rated capacity is 1,496, while the population at the time of the audit was 1,617. The average daily population for the prior 12 months was 1,583. The capacity breakdown includes 500 beds in a Maximum-Security Unit, 470 single cells, and 20 dormitories. That mix signals the unit isn't one-size-fits-all - it's set up to hold people under different security levels and housing arrangements.

Planning ahead for mail or visits? EARU is located at 326 Lee #601 in Brickeys, Arkansas.

Inside EARU, a Master Control Center staffed 24 hours a day manages all inmate movement. This centralized control is how the unit handles safety and coordinates movement across different areas of the facility.

This article covers what public audit-style documentation actually spells out: EARU's role as a parent unit, the broad timing around program enrollment after 60 days, and how custody scores work. It doesn't cover the day-to-day details families usually want right away - current visitation schedules, phone or video setup steps, or how quickly someone can receive mail - because those specifics aren't in the sources we're working from. For answers that change over time (hours, procedures, approved vendor steps, holiday changes), contact ADC's Constituent Services Office or reach out to the unit directly for current instructions.

• ✓ Call ADC Constituent Services: (870) 267-6385
• ✓ Email ADC Constituent Services: ADC.Public.Information@arkansas.gov