Federal Correctional Institution - Loretto

Federal Correctional Institution - Loretto, or FCI Loretto, is a low-security federal correctional institution with an adjacent minimum-security satellite camp. FCI Loretto is located in Loretto, Pennsylvania, and it houses a total of 994 male offenders - 905 at the FCI and 89 at the camp.

Inmates at both FCI Loretto and the satellite camp have an open living arrangement in dormitory housing. Most of the offenders are incarcerated for drug charges, with the average sentence being around 12 years. However, there are some inmates with life sentences.

FCI Loretto was originally a Catholic seminary, but it was turned into a federal correctional institution that opened in 1984.

One of the most notable incidents at FCI Loretto occured in December 2012, when Cameron Douglas - son of actor Michael Douglas - suffered a broken leg after being assaulted. He was serving a 9-year sentence for drug trafficking, and was transferred to FCI, Cumberland after the assault.

One of the most notable former inmates at FCI Loretto was former Connecticut governor John Rowland, who served ten months for accepting more than $100,000 in gifts and favors from a contractor who made millions doing business with the state.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Visiting hours at FCI Loretto are on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays from 8:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.

Visiting hours at the satellite camp are on Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays, from 8:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m

The number of adult visitors is limited to four at a time. Children under the age of 16 will not be counted, but must be accompanied by an adult.

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.

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 may bring the following items into the institution:

• A small clear plastic purse no larger than 5" by 8"
• $20.00 in quarters, ones, or five dollar bills for the vending machines
• A small-sized diaper bag which can be readily searched with necessary diapers, pre-mixed formula, 3 clear baby bottles, baby wipes in a clear container and baby food for an infant. Only bring enough of the approved infant items for the length of the visit.

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 that are not allowed in the institution, or you can return these items to your personal vehicle.

Cell phones, pagers, cameras, or electronic 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.

The following clothing items are not allowed in the visiting room:

• Work out type clothing (Gray in color)
• Hot pants, or other shorts above the knee
• Tight fitting pants (including stretch pants unless worn with an oversized shirt)
• Skirts above the knee
• Swimsuits
• Tank tops or halter tops
• Lace shirts, shorts or pants
• See-through blouses (unless worn with a camisole)
• Sleeveless shirts or v-neck shirts
• Crop tops
• Shirts/dresses with open backs
• Clothing with vulgar or obscene language or picture.
• Utility clothing, green or camouflage in color, or clothing similar to inmate dress
• Hats
• Sandals or open toe shoes
• Wallets
• Hygiene products (including lipstick, chapstick, or any lotion)
• Sunglasses
• Gloves
• Scarfs
• Clothing with tears, rips, or holes

At the discretion of the Operations Lieutenant, other clothing resembling the style or color of inmate clothing (i.e., khaki, white, gray or camouflage in color clothing), may not be allowed to be worn into the institution.

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 Loretto.
• 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.

The monthly spending limit at FCI Loretto is $360 per inmate.

​Programs For ​Inmates

• Drug Abuse Education Course
• Non-Residential Drug Abuse Program (NR-DAP)
• Alcoholics Anonymous
• Narcotics Anonymous
• English as a Second Language (ESL)
• GED
• High School Diploma (via paid correspondence)
• Post-Secondary Programs (via paid correspondence)
• FCI Loretto offers advanced occupational education in Automotive Repair. The camp offers CDL, and both offer Personal Fitness Trainer.
• FCI Loretto offers vocational training in Fiber Optics, Retail Sales, and Customer Service
• Both the FCI and camp offers apprenticeships in Cook and Teacher Aide.
• UNICOR facility that produces electronics and plastics
• Hobbycraft activities in fine arts, ceramics, and leatherwork
• Intramural sports

Pictures of Federal Correctional Institution - Loretto

Careers at Federal Correctional Institution - Loretto

If you are interested in pursuing a career with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, you can find available positions at FCI Loretto 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 Loretto report that it was a great work environment although it could be stressful. The hours are long with a lot of overtime required, and the salary and benefits are considered the best part of a career at a Federal Correctional Institution.