Federal Correctional Complex - Tucson

The Tucson Federal Correctional Complex (FCC Tucson) is located in Tucson, Arizona, and it contains both the Federal Correctional Institution, Tucson (FCI Tucson) and United States Penitentiary, Tucson (USP Tucson).

FCI Tucson is a medium-security federal correctional institution for male offenders that has an adjacent detention center for male and female inmates.

USP Tucson is a high-security facility that has an adjacent minimum-security satellite camp.

The USP and satellite camp house a total of 1,497 inmates, while the FCI and detention center house a total of 592 inmates.

USP Tucson is part of the Sex Offender Management Program (SOMP), which means that the general population has a high number of sex offenders to help them feel safe in participating the program. USP Tucson also houses many high-profile sex offenders.

Notable former inmates include Charles Keating, the owner of the now-defunct Lincoln Savings and Loan Association. He pleaded guilty to bankruptcy and wire fraud for stealing $1 million from the company before it failed in 1989. He served five years, and the failure of his S&L cost taxpayers $3.4 billion.

Brian David Mitchell is serving a life sentence at USP Tucson after he was convicted of interstate kidnapping and unlawful transportation of a minor across state lines in connection with the 2002 abduction of Elizabeth Smart.

Ross Ulbricht is serving two life sentences plus 40 years at USP Tucson with no possibility of parole after he was convicted in 2015 for operating the Silk Road marketplace, which was an online black market known for selling illegal drugs.

Prison Insights

Visiting hours at FCI Tucson are on Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal Holidays from 8:15 am to 3:00 pm.

Visiting hours at the detention center are on Mondays and Tuesdays from 5:00 pm to 8:30 pm.

Visiting hours at USP Tucson are on Fridays from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal Holidays from 8:15 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Visiting hours at the camp are on Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal Holidays from 8:15 am to 3:00 pm.

Inmates will be limited to three total approved adult visitors (age sixteen and over) and three children (excluding infants) at any one time, not to exceed six total visitors.  

Children under the age of 16 may not visit unless accompanied by a responsible adult.

The visiting rules and regulations are the same for all facilities in the complex.

Getting on the Approved Visit List

Authorized visitors who can visit an inmate include family, friends, and associates. You can't visit an inmate unless he or she puts you on the visiting list.

Everyone must fill out a visitor form, and they must have a relationship with the inmate prior to incarceration. If a potential visitor does not have a prior relationship with the inmate, their request will be reviewed by the warden.

Once the inmate requests to add someone to their visit list, a correctional counselor will provide them with a visiting form, and the inmate is responsible for mailing these out and letting the potential visitor know that they need to fill out the form and return it to the institution staff.

The unit team will do a background check and determine if a visitor application is approved. They make their decision based on constructive and security factors. The process takes about a week, and the unit staff will notify the inmate when the requested visitor is approved or refused.

It is the inmate’s responsibility to notify the visitor of the decision, and the process is the same for both adult and minor visitors.

Basic Visit Procedures and Rules

All visitors are subject to a visual and pat search by an officer. You will also be scanned by a metal detector and an ION spectrometry device, plus you will be stamped with ultra violet ink.

All visitors entering the institution will be randomly screened for the presence of narcotic residue on their person. This test will be conducted using the drug screening machine.

Any item you bring into the facility will be opened and searched by a staff member, and anyone who refuses a search of themselves or their property will not be allowed to visit with the inmate.

Visitors 16 years of age or older must have a current government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, passport). Birth certificates and expired photo IDs are not proper forms of identifications.

Metal lockers are provided for visitor storage. All coats, hats, jackets, personal keys, and billfolds must be stored in the lockers. All materials stored in the lockers will be examined by the Front Lobby Officer.

No unopened parcels will be permitted in the Visiting Room. Purses, packages and toys will not be permitted into the institution. Social visitors are not authorized to bring anything to give or show the inmate.

No cell phones/cameras or electronic devices of any kind will be permitted in the Administration Building or the institution at any time. The items will be returned to the visitor’s secured vehicle.

Only the following articles are authorized to be carried into the institution by visitors:

• Small (no larger than six inches by six inches) clear plastic bag or change purse
• Money to be used for refreshments, no more than $25.00, increments of $5.00 or less
• Photo identification
• Essential Medication; limited to the amount needed during the visiting period, and will be controlled by the Visiting Room Officer. 

The following items will be permitted, per child, when infants are visiting:  

• Four (4) diapers  
• One (1) clear package of baby wipes  
• One (1) change of infant clothing  
• Two (2) clear baby bottles (3/4 full) – liquids only  
• Two (2) small plastic jars of baby food (unopened)  
• One (1) receiving blanket  
• One (1) clear drinking cup  
• One (1) plastic serving spoon  
• One (1) small clear plastic tote

All visitors will be dressed in an appropriate manner and in good taste. Any visitor who arrives provocatively or inappropriately dressed will be denied the privilege of visiting.

Clothing MUST be appropriate for a correctional setting and should not demonstrate disrespect to others who may be present in the visiting room.

Visitors are to refrain from wearing apparel which is revealing, sexually suggestive, contains offensive writing, or writing/logos that reference gangs.

Visitors are not permitted to wear gray colored sweat wear, or any clothing khaki, orange, or green. Plain T-shirts in the following colors; gray, khaki, green, orange, white, red or yellow are not permitted.

No medical scrubs or clothing resembling staff uniforms.

Shorts will not be permitted unless on a child under the age of twelve (12).

Dresses or skirts must be no shorter than knee-length, and may not have a slit above the knee.

Any clothing that reveals any part of the buttocks or crotch area, sheer clothing, tank tops, halter tops, midriff tops, strapless tops/dresses and spandex style clothing WILL NOT be permitted.

Bib overalls and camouflage clothing WILL NOT be permitted.

Clothing which interferes with the operation of the metal detector or other security devices which cannot be reasonably inspected will not be permitted unless medical reasons dictate that they are necessary. These items include, garter belts, clothing with costume jewelry, large metal buttons, etc. Undergarments containing metal (i.e. underwire bra) are not permitted.

HOWEVER, UNDERGARMENTS ARE REQUIRED FOR ADMISSION.

All visitors must be fully attired, including shoes. Shoes must have a heel or be able to strap to the foot. Slipper type shoes, shower shoes or flip-flops are not permitted.

Only religious head wear may be worn.

There is no limit on the amount of mail that inmates receive, but all correspondence must have the inmate’s complete name, registration number, facility name, and address.

You can only send cards or letters to these addresses. Paperback books, newspapers, and

magazines must come directly from the publisher via a subscription or mail order.

Inmates cannot receive packages through the mail, with the exception of a package of release day clothing. You can't send the release day package until 30 days prior to the scheduled release date.

How to Call an Inmate

Federal inmates are not allowed to have cellphones and they can't receive inbound calls. They can make outbound calls during approved hours, and they must pay for them with the money that is on their personal account or call collect.

Inmates will use TRULINCS to call to both landline and cell phones. This is also how inmates are able to send and receive emails. Your number must be added to the contact list for approval.

How to Send Money

Sending money is one of most important things you can do for an inmate. The prison will issue each prisoner the minimum amount of clothing and hygiene items, and provide them with three meals a day. But, it is extremely difficult for prisoners to have any level of comfort when living with just the items that are prison-issued.

Inmates can receive outside funds while incarcerated at a BOP-managed facility, which are deposited into their commissary accounts.The process for sending money is the same for prisoners at every facility at FCC Tucson.

Postal Service

For federal prisoners, you can send money through the United States Postal Service by MONEY ORDER to the following address:

Federal Bureau of Prisons
Inmate Name
Eight-Digit Register Number
Post Office Box 474701
Des Moines, Iowa 50947-0001

Send the funds to the address above. Replace the second line with the inmate's valid, full committed name. Replace the third line with the inmate's eight digit register number.

Never send money directly to the prison. If you are using the postal service, you must always send your money order to the bureau of prisons using the above address.

MoneyGram

You can send an inmate funds electronically using MoneyGram's Express Payment Program.To send funds using this method, please read and follow these steps carefully:

Wait until an inmate has physically arrived at FCC Tucson.Gather the information you'll need. Which includes the inmate’s name and number.Visit moneygram.com to complete your payment.

Information needed to complete MoneyGram payment:

Account Number: Inmate's eight-digit register number with no spaces or dashes, followed immediately by the inmate's last name (example: 12345678DOE).
Company Name: Federal Bureau of Prisons
City & State: Washington, DC
Receive Code is always: 7932
Beneficiary: Inmate's full committed name

Western Union

If you would like to see a sample Western Union form click here. On their website, they have a special form for sending money to inmates, and you go directly to it by clicking here.

You will need to know the inmate’s full name and number, and you can pay with a debit or credit card at westernunion.com. Remember, any time you send money to an inmate you must always include their name and registration number on everything.

There are a few things that inmates can spend their money on. This includes phone calls, emails, and commissary.  The commissary is the prison store, where inmates can buy things like beverages, meals and snacks, OTC medications, stationary, personal hygiene items, electronics, clothing, or other miscellaneous products.

Please be aware that prisoners have their own economy inside the prison walls just like we do in the real world. Inmates that have a lot of money can do a lot of things both legal and illegal.

Prisoners can potentially use the money in their account to buy things for other inmates in exchange for drugs and paraphernalia. This activity is illegal and can get an inmate in a lot of trouble.

Is important to keep track of how much money you are sending your incarcerated loved one, and watch out for any suspicious behavior.

​Programs For ​Inmates

FCI Tucson:

• Non-Residential Drug Abuse Program (NR-DAP)
• Drug Abuse Education Course
• Narcotics Anonymous
• Alcoholics Anonymous
• GED
• English as a Second Language (ESL)
• Literacy
• Advanced Occupational Education in Custodial Maintenance, Basic & Advanced Baking, Serve Safe, NRAEF, and Business & Accounting
• High School Diplomas and Post-Secondary Programs via paid correspondence
• Vocational training in Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing, Cooking/Baking
• Apprenticeships in Cook, Electrician, HVAC, Pastry Cook, and Plumber
• UNICOR facility that handles recycling
• Art and music program

USP Tucson:

• Challenge Program
• Non-Residential Sex Offender Treatment Program (SOTP-NR)
• Non-Residential Drug Abuse Program (NR-DAP)
• Drug Abuse Education
• GED
• Literacy
• English as a Second Language (ESL)
• High School Diplomas and Post-Secondary Programs via paid correspondence
• Advanced Occupational Education in Basic & Advanced Baking, Business Management, and ServSafe
• Apprenticeships in Cooking, Custodial Maintenance, Electrician, HVAC, Plumbing, and Pastry Cook
• Arts and crafts
• Intramural sports
• Wellness programs

Pictures of Federal Correctional Complex - Tucson

Careers at Federal Correctional Complex - Tucson

If you are interested in pursuing a career with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, you can find available positions at FCC Tucson by visiting USAJobs.gov. The salaries at the facility begin around $40,000 and can go up into the six-figure range, depending on the position.

Reviews from employees report that FCC Tucson is a decent place to work, has an okay work/life balance, and the salary and benefits are above average.