Federal Correctional Complex - Lompoc

The Lompoc Federal Correctional Complex (FCC Lompoc) is a federal prison complex for male prisoners located in Lompoc, California and it contains both the Federal Correctional Institution, Lompoc (FCI Lompoc) and United States Penitentiary, Lompoc (USP Lompoc).

FCI Lompoc is a low-security federal correctional institution for male offenders. USP Lompoc is a medium-security United States Penitentiary with an adjacent minimum-security satellite camp for male offenders.

There are nearly 3,000 inmates housed at FCC Lompoc. Inmates at the FCI are housed in dormitories and inmates at the USP are in one and two-person cells. Inmates at the camp are in dorms.

Notable former inmates at the FCI include Christopher John Boyce and Andrew Daulton Lee. They were convicted in 1977 for selling classified information to the Soviet Union. Boyce served 24 years and was released in 2003. Lee served 19 years and was released in 1998.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours at FCC Lompoc are on Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal Holidays from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm.

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

A maximum of four persons, to include children under the age of 16, are permitted to visit an inmate at one time. Visitors under 16 years of age must be accompanied by a responsible adult, who is also on the approved visiting list.

Children must be the son, daughter, brother, or sister of the visitor or inmate.

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

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.

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.

Vending machines are provided in the visiting room for the convenience of those interested in purchasing snacks and beverages. Visitors are limited to $20 in U.S. currency (either in quarters, one or five dollar increments) per adult for use of the vending machines.

Any money exceeding the $20 limit will not be allowed in the visiting room. There is no Automatic Teller Machine available on the premises.

One Clear or see-through purses (8 inches or smaller) may be taken into the visiting area; however, they will be inspected by the staff prior to admittance.

Only a reasonable amount of prescription medication, in its original container,necessary for the immediate preservation of life of a visitor (i.e., asthma sprayer and nitroglycerin) will be allowed in the visiting room.

Such medications will be dropped off at the visiting officer's station and returned at the end of the visit.

Visitors with special needs for medications or medical devices shall notify the institution with the return of their visiting application forms, in order to obtain advance approval to retain the medication or medical device.

Infant care items must be limited for security reasons. Only pre-mixed formula, other liquids, or baby foods, in sealed manufacture original containers, are permitted.

Other infant care items will be limited to nursing bottles (empty) (total of 2), six (6) diapers, wet wipes (in sealed, clear factory container or clear plastic bag), one change of clothing, and two (2) baby blankets (no larger than 21 x3').

Not permitted items are powders, creams, ointments, bowls, cups, etc. Additionally, no baby carriers or strollers will be permitted.

Mothers who breastfeed must have a small blanket or other type of covering to ensure the breast is not exposed during nursing of infants.

No other items are allowed in the visiting room unless authorized by the IDO or the Operations Lieutenant.

Unauthorized items in the possession of visitors will be stored in the visitor's vehicle. A limited number of lockers are available for visitors who arrived, via public transportation or were dropped off, to utilize in the front lobby area. A locker key may be obtained from the Lobby Officer during processing.

Clothing regulations apply to all visitors, regardless of age. Questions pertaining to a visitor' s attire are to be referred to the Operations Lieutenant or the IDO who will make the decision to permit or to deny the visit.

Visitors are expected to use good taste in their dress. Persons who arrive immodestly and/or provocatively dressed may be denied the privilege of visiting.

Watches, open toed shoes, see-through clothing, tight pants, tight or revealing shirts or blouses, halter or sleeveless shirts, hoodies, athletic pants or jogging shorts are not allowed. However, knee length Bermuda-type shorts are permitted.

No slitted skirts or dresses that come above the knee more than three inches will be permitted.

Female visitors must wear undergarments (bra).

Visitors will not be allowed to wear plain white T-shirts as their only shirt.

Shoes must be worn at all times.

The wearing of any type of club, gang, or other organization symbols is strictly prohibited. Any type of khaki colored clothing or gray sweat pants or shirts are also prohibited.

The wearing of prohibited clothing items under coats or jackets is also prohibited. No professional sports team related items or clothing will be permitted inside the visiting room.

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.The process for sending money is the same for prisoners at every facility at FCC Lompoc.

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 Lompoc.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 Lompoc:

• Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP)
• Non-Residential Drug Abuse Treatment (NR-DAP)
• Drug abuse education course
• Drug abuse program
• GED
• English as a Second Language (ESL)
• Parenting Classes
• Literacy
• Adult Continuing Education (ACE)
• High School Diplomas and Post-Secondary Programs via paid correspondence
• UNICOR facility that produces signs
• Wellness programs and recreation

USP Lompoc:

• Anger Management
• HIV/AIDS Awareness
• Criminal Thinking
• Non-Residential Drug Abuse Program (NR-DAP)
• Alcoholics Anonymous
• 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 Welding, Barber, and Construction
• Vocational training in hydroponics and construction
• UNICOR facility that produces electronics and plastics
• Fitness and Wellness programs

Pictures of Federal Correctional Complex - Lompoc

Careers at Federal Correctional Complex - Lompoc

If you are interested in pursuing a career with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, you can find available positions at FCC Lompoc 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 FCC Lompoc report that it is a great place to work, and management is very helpful. Jobs at FCC Lompoc offer an excellent work/life balance, plus good pay and benefits.