Federal Correctional Complex - Coleman

The Federal Correctional Complex, Coleman (FCC Coleman) is a federal prison complex for male prisoners located in Sumter County, Florida. It is the largest correctional facility operated by the federal Bureau of Prisons, with 7,120 inmates and over 1,300 employees.

Most prisoners at FCC Coleman are sentenced to prison for drug-related crimes, and the average sentence is ten years.

There are four facilities at FCC Coleman based on security level: Federal Correctional Institution, Coleman Low (FCI Coleman Low), Federal Correctional Institution, Coleman Medium (FCI Coleman Medium), United States Penitentiary I, Coleman (USP Coleman I), and United States Penitentiary II, Coleman (USP Coleman II).

The USP’s are both high-security facilities, while FCI Coleman Low is low-security and FCI Coleman Medium is medium-security.

FCI Coleman Medium also has a low-security satellite camp.

According to former prisoner Nate A. Lindell, USP Coleman II is a “special needs prison” where informants, former cops, ex-gang members, members of the LGBTQ community, and sex offenders can all “walk the yard freely.”

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Visiting hours at FCC Coleman are the same for every facility except the camp -- Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays, and federal holidays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The satellite camp at FCI Coleman Medium has visiting hours on Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The visiting rules and regulations are the same for every facility.

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.

Inmates will be limited to five approved visitors at any one time.

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

You must have a government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, passport), and the only other items you can bring into the facility are $20 for the vending machines (no bill larger than $5), a clear change purse, and a sweater or light jacket.

If you have an infant, you can bring in diapers, baby wipes, empty bottles, unopened formula/food, and a blanket.

All visitors must be dressed in an appropriate manner. Any visitor who arrives inappropriately dressed will be denied the privilege of visiting.

All visitors must be fully attired, including shoes. No open-toed shoes and no strapless heels are authorized. All shoes must be strapped to the foot, and you can’t wear slippers, shower shoes, or flip-flops.

Clothing which is similar to - and resembles the style or color of - what is issued to inmates is not allowed to be worn inside the visiting room.

Visitors should avoid wearing apparel which is revealing or suggestive, or any clothing that contains sexually suggestive/offensive writing or writing/logos that reference gangs.

Visitors can’t wear undergarments containing metal (i.e. underwire bra). Dresses or skirts must be no shorter than two inches above the knee.

The following items will not be permitted:

• Sheer clothing 
• Tank tops
• Halter tops
• Midriff tops
• Strapless tops or dresses
• Spandex
• Scrubs or other uniforms
• Khaki or green clothing
• Smart watches or other electronic wristbands
• No form fitting clothing
• Cell phones, computers, etc...

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 Coleman.

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 Coleman.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

All the facilities at FCC Coleman offer the following programs for inmates:

• Literacy
• GED
• English as a Second Language (ESL)
• Continuing Education
• High School Diplomas or Post-Secondary Programs via paid correspondence

FCI Coleman Low:

• Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP), Non-Residential Drug Abuse Treatment (N-RDAP), Freedom From Drugs course, Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous
• Advanced Occupational Education in culinary arts, cook, HVAC, electrical, custodial maintenance, Microsoft 07, horticulture, and the Mavis Beacon Typing program
• Apprenticeships in dental assistant, HVAC, landscape tech, and plumber
• UNICOR job facility that makes office furniture

FCI Coleman Medium:

• Non-Residential Drug Abuse Program (NR-DAP)
• Advanced Occupational Education in culinary arts, HVAC, electrical. The camp offers cosmetology, horticulture, HVAC, and custodial maintenance
• Vocational training in business education, culinary arts, home health care, typing, baking, heating/air conditioning, landscaping, and electrical
• Apprenticeships in electrician, HVAC, landscape tech, and plumbing
• UNICOR job facility that makes office furniture

USP Coleman I:

• Drug abuse education class
• Non-Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP)
• Challenge Program
• Classes in business, Spanish, commercial driver’s license (CDL), creative writing, parenting, public speaking, pre-release, personal finance, and employment
• Advanced Occupational Education in culinary arts
• Vocational training in culinary arts, custodial maintenance, and MS Office
• Apprenticeships in cook, electrician, HVAC, and plumbing

USP Coleman II:

• Drug abuse education
• Challenge Program
• Alcoholics Anonymous
• Classes in business, Spanish, commercial driver’s license (CDL), creative writing, parenting, public speaking, pre-release, personal finance, and employment
• Advanced Occupational education in culinary arts, electrical, fundamentals of maintenance, HVAC, MS Office, and custodial maintenance
• Apprenticeships in Cook, HVAC, electrical, hotel and restaurant, and plumbing

Pictures of Federal Correctional Complex - Coleman

Careers at Federal Correctional Complex - Coleman

If you are interested in pursuing a career with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, you can find available positions at FCC Coleman 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 Coleman report that it was a happy place to work, and you can learn a lot. It has an average work/life balance, above average pay, and an excellent benefit package.