Federal Correctional Institution - Estill

Federal Correctional Institution, Estill or FCI Estill is a medium-security facility with an adjacent minimum-security satellite camp. Located in South Carolina, this all-male facility houses a total of 1,229 inmates - 956 at the FCI and 273 at the camp.

Inmates at FCI Estill are housed in a two or three-person cell. Inmates housed at the satellite camp live in dormitories in two-person cubicles.

The FCI houses all kinds of criminals, but it specializes in housing felons who have committed violent crimes.

On March 15, 2016, former corrections officer Jermaine Creech pleaded guilty to providing inmates with marijuana. Although marijuana was the only drug he was caught giving to inmates, nobody knows the extent of the contraband he provided to inmates over the entirety of his employment.

Prison Insights

The visiting hours at the FCI and Satellite Camp are:

Friday 5 :00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Satellite Camp Only)
Sunday 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Federal Holidays 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

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.

Inmates will be limited to four adult visitors at one time. Children less than 16 years are not limited.

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.

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.

Anything that is not on the list below is NOT permitted to the visit and MUST be left in your vehicle or placed in a locker before entering the visiting room.

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

• One small, clear change purse (No larger than 6" x 8")
• Money to be used for refreshments, no more than $25 (nothing larger than $5 denominations) per person
• Identification papers (i.e., photo identification)
• Essential medication (will be limited to the amount needed during the visiting period and controlled by the visiting room officer)
• Wigs are authorized to be worn into the visiting room if good reason exists, such as the visitor has cancer and is receiving treatment and has no hair, or extensive or significant hair loss.
• Feminine Hygiene Products

The following items will be permitted when infants are visiting:

• Five diapers
• Baby wipes in a small, clear plastic bag
• One change of infant clothing
• One infant knit hat
• Three pre-mixed baby bottles with contents
• Three small jars of baby food, unopened, plastic
• One clear plastic bag of dry cereal
• One receiving blanket
• One plastic spoon
• One clear and empty infant/toddler plastic/, sippy cup

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

Visitors will be expected to wear clothing which is within the bounds of good taste. Skirts must extend below the knees to be allowed into the visiting room. Any splits in front, back, or sides of the skirt must extend below the knees to be allowed into the visiting room.

The following clothing will not be permitted:

• Spandex-type tops or bottoms 
• Sweat suits 
• Wind suits 
• Backless, sleeveless, braless, halter tops, bare midriffs, bathing suits 
• Figure or form-fitting (tight) clothing of any type 
• Shorts of any type (children under the age of 10 may wear shorts)
• Khaki type/colored button-down shirts, trousers similar to institution-issued clothing
• Green-colored clothing similar to institution-issued clothing
• Camouflage or combat military-type clothing 
• Inappropriate logos, quotes, lettering on clothing that is offensive 
• Hats, hoods, hair wraps, or scarves, with the exception of the "Hijab" 
• Skirts above the knees, including splits 
• Watches of any kind 
• Flip-flops or bedroom slipper-type footwear

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 FCI Estill and the FCI Estill Satellite Camp.

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 a FCI Estill.
• 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

• Drug Abuse Education CourseNon-Residential Drug Abuse Program (NR-DAP)Alcoholics Anonymous
• Narcotics Anonymous
• Literacy
• GED
• English as a second language
• Pre-release training
• Parenting ClassesHigh School Diploma (via paid correspondence)Post-Secondary Programs (via paid correspondence)
• Advanced occupational education in Manage First, Carpentry, Electrical, and Welding. The camp offers Electrical and Plumbing. Both the FCI and the camp offer Serve Safe
• Apprenticeship opportunities are available in Baking, Cooking, Electrical, Housekeeping, HVAC, and WeldingHobby craft program (leather, art, drawing, beadwork, and crochet), musical and sports equipment, intramural team sports

Pictures of Federal Correctional Institution - Estill

Careers at Federal Correctional Institution - Estill

If you are interested in pursuing a career with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, you can find available positions at FCI Estill 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 Estill report that it was a teamwork-oriented place. The work/life balance is average, and the jobs have a good salary and benefits.