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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 almost 5,700 employees, 22,000 inmates and operates 26 institutions.