If Everything Is Bigger in Texas, How Big Is Its Biggest Prison? HUGE and Intimidating!

Texas does everything in a big way. We have more than our fair share of "World's Biggest" roadside attractions. We have insanely big food challenges from one end of this state to the other. Everything we do in Texas is done on a massive scale. In a state where everything is bigger, what would the biggest prison look like?

What Is The Biggest Prison In Texas?

The biggest prison in Texas is the all-male Coffield Unit. It's near a place called Tennessee Colony. It's a small town with a population of about 300 as of 20 years or so ago. The Coffield unit has a capacity of 4,319 inmates.

That's a lot of inmates.

The Coffield Unit was established in 1965. It has 518 total employees. That's everyone from officers to contracted medical professionals. Of that 518, 355 of them are "security employees".

How Big Is The Biggest Prison In Texas?

Supposedly, this prison is so big that it has its own employee housing area. An inmate tried to escape once. He didn't make it out, and the employee housing area was along his "escape route."

Gateway Church, a mega-church that got its start in Southlake, Texas, has a prison ministry there. The mega-church also has prison ministries in several other prisons across the state.

There's everything from adult education to agriculture happening at this massive prison. It co-inhabits over 20,000 acres with a handful of other units; none of which are the same size as Coffield. If you want to get a master's degree while you do your time, there is a program for that. Want to learn a trade? There are programs for that too.