Dept. of Corrections Names New Warden at Montana State Prison

Located in Deer Lodge, the Montana State Prison has about 1,500 felony offenders incarcerated at the facility, and has almost 700 employees, and will have a new warden.

According to a press release from the Montana Department of Corrections, Jim Salmonsen has been employed by the prison for 30 years and has been hired as Warden of the Montana State Prison.

The announcement was made today by the director of the Montana Department of Corrections Reginald D. Michael.

Warden Salmonsen brings an impressive amount of experience in corrections and institutional knowledge of Montana State Prison to this position. The department is pleased to have an individual of this caliber and enthusiasm take the helm at our largest secure facility to lead as the department continues its work to implement evidence-based programming and navigate the ongoing challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. -Reginald D. Michael, Montana Dept. of Corrections Director

Warden Salmonsen assumed has new duties beginning today, after beginning his career back in 1989 as a correctional officer at the Montana State Prison. According to the press release, Salmonsen has served in various roles at the prison, including a couple of stints as interim warden. Once in 2018, and again this year when warden Lynn Guyer resigned.

I have spent my entire career at Montana State Prison serving the DOC in different capacities, and It is my honor to be selected for the position of warden. I look forward to continuing to work with this dedicated staff to keep Montanans safe, and ensure offenders receive the programming they need to attain the skills to break the cycle of incarceration. -Warden Salmonsen