Federal Correctional Institution - Phoenix

Federal Correctional Institution - Phoenix, or FCI Phoenix, is a medium-security federal correctional institution with an adjacent minimum-security satellite camp and a detention center (FDC).

The FCI and FDC houses a total of 977 male inmates, and the satellite camp houses 286 female inmates.

The inmates at the FCI live in two and three-person cells, and inmates in the Phoenix camp live in dormitories that are divided into two-person cubicles.

Two notable former inmates at FCI Phoenix are Cris Kirkwood and Jerry Posin. Kirkwood is the former bassist for the rock band Meat Puppets. He pleaded guilty in 2004 to assault with a dangerous weapon after hitting a Phoenix post office security guard with a baton, and served 11 months before his release in 2005.

Posin is the former drummer for Steppenwolf, and he served five years before his release in 2009.

Posin and Kirkwood collaborated during their time at FCI Phoenix and played in several prison bands.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Visiting hours at FCI Phoenix are on Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays, and Federal Holidays from 8:00 a.m.to 3:00 p.m.

Visits for the camp are on Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal Holidays between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m

A maximum number of five adult visitors may visit an inmate at one time at the FCI, and the limit at the camp is six. There is no limit on children.

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 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

If you are 16 years of age or older, you must bring a valid photo ID with you to the visit, like a state or federal ID card, driver's license, or current passport. Birth certificates are not valid forms of ID.

All visitors are subject to a visual and pat search by an officer. You will also be scanned by a metal detector and stamped with invisible ink.

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.

Only see-through coin purses (no larger than approx. 9" x 9") may be taken into the institution, and all coin purses will be opened and searched in the presence of the visitor by the front entrance officer. You can also bring up to $25 for the vending machines.

Visitors will only be permitted to carry an appropriate amount of diapers and baby bottles (if applicable) into the visiting room. Baby food must be store-bought and in its original sealed container. If it is necessary for objects to be removed from the purse, the front entrance officer will do so.

Visitors are not authorized to bring any item into the institution to give to an inmate. Lockers are available to visitors for the storage of personal items not allowed in the institution. Or, you can return the items to your personal vehicle.

Visitors are prohibited from bringing food items, pictures, packages, letters, money over $25.00, gifts, or other contraband items into the visiting room.

Cell phones, pagers, cameras, or devices of any type are not authorized inside the institution.

Visitors should dress within the bounds of good taste and should not wear clothing which would offend others who may be present in the visiting room.

Visitors who are not properly attired will be denied a visit. Anyone wearing sexually provocative clothing will be prohibited from admission to the institution visiting room.

Visitors must dress appropriately and avoid clothing styles that are sexually suggestive or could easily be confused with inmate clothing (i.e., khaki).

A visit may be terminated in order to maintain good taste and consideration for others. Questionable attire will be referred to the Institution Duty Officer prior to denial of the visit.

When appropriate, and depending on weather conditions, jackets and/or coats may be worn into the visiting room.

Types of clothing that are not considered appropriate to wear in the Visiting Room are as follows:

• Backless Outfits 
• Bare Midriffs
• Halter Tops or Tank Tops
• Shorts (Except on children 12 and under)
• Bathing Suits
• Mini-Skirts (all skirts and dresses must be knee length or lower)
• See-Through Blouses or Pants
• Bare Feet
• Skirts/dresses with slits up the sides
• Sweatpants
• Sleeveless shirts
• Bodysuits

Final determination of appropriate dress, should there be a question, will be made by the Operations Lieutenant or the Institution Duty Officer.

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.

All phone calls are limited to 15 minutes, and will be monitored and recorded.

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.

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 FCI Phoenix.
• 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, 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

• Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP)
• Drug Education Class
• Non-Residential Drug Abuse Program (NR-DAP)
• Alcoholics Anonymous
• Anger Management
• Literacy
• English as a Second Language (ESL)
• Pre-GED and GED (English and Spanish)
• High School Diploma (via paid correspondence)
• Post-Secondary Programs (via paid correspondence)
• Adult Continuing Education (ACE)
• Parenting
• Advanced occupational education courses in Principles of Construction
• Vocational training in Carpentry, Electrical, Plumbing, and ServSafe
• Apprenticeships in Cooking, Electrical, Electronics Tester, Electronics Utility Worker, HVAC, Landscape Tech, Plumbing, Quality Control, Recreation Assistant, and Front-End Mechanic
• UNICOR facility produces electronics and plastics
• Intramural sports leagues
• Exercise and Wellness
• Music Room

Pictures of Federal Correctional Institution - Phoenix

Careers at Federal Correctional Institution - Phoenix

If you are interested in pursuing a career with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, you can find available positions at FCI Phoenix 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 at FCI Phoenix report that it is a great place to work, especially if you don’t mind the rattlesnakes. It is a great place to have a career, and the salary and benefits are considered the best part of being employed at FCI Phoenix.