Federal Correctional Complex - Hazelton

The Hazelton Federal Correctional Complex (FCC Hazelton) is a federal prison complex for male and female prisoners located in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia, and it contains both the Federal Correctional Institution, Hazelton (FCI Hazelton) and United States Penitentiary, Hazelton (USP Hazelton).

FCI Hazelton is a medium-security federal correctional institution for male offenders, and it also has a secure female facility. USP Hazelton is a high-security United States Penitentiary with an adjacent minimum-security satellite camp for male offenders.

Inmates at FCI Hazelton are housed in cells and dormitories, and inmates at USP Hazelton are in one and two-person cells. Inmates at the satellite camp are housed in dormitories. The USP also has special housing for especially dangerous criminals.

There are over 3,000 inmates housed at FCC Hazelton.

Former notable inmates include Whitey Bulger, the leader of Boston’s Winter Hill Gang and long-time fugitive. He was murdered on October 30, 2018, just hours after he arrived at USP Hazelton.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

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

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

The maximum number of visitors an inmate may have at one time is six, including children. A maximum of four adult visitors will be allowed in at one time. Children age 16 and above will be counted as one adult visitor.

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 or she 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.

All visitor dress should be within the bounds of good taste and should not possibly offend others who may be present in the Visiting Room.

The following items WILL NOT be allowed: Hats, watches, transparent or sheer clothing, bib overalls (due to clearing security devices), open-toed shoes or sandals, spiked heel shoes, halter tops, sleeveless tops or dresses, shorts, miniskirts, culottes, Capri pants, or spandex.

Clothing items will not be skin tight or sexually suggestive in nature. Dresses will not be shorter than the top of the knee. Blouses or other apparel of a suggestive nature (i.e., low-cut, V-neck, tank tops, any garment which reveals the mid-section, or skirts with slits above the knee) will not be allowed.

No clothing with derogatory, sexually suggestive, or gang-related logos is allowed.

Because inmates wear similar clothing in the institution, jogging and/or sweat suits will not be permitted to be worn into the institution. Sweatshirts/sweatpants and jogging outfits (pants or jackets) are not allowed to be worn in conjunction with regular civilian style clothing if similar to inmate clothing.

All visitors will wear underclothing garments. All female visitors are required to wear a bra.

Any other clothing that, at the discretion of the Operations Lieutenant or Institution Duty Officer, resembles the style or color of inmate clothing (i.e., khaki-colored clothing) will not be allowed to be worn into the institution.

At the discretion of the Operations Lieutenant or Institution Duty Officer, children under the age of twelve (12) will be allowed to wear shorts. No bare feet will be permitted (excluding babies).

Chewing Gum is not authorized in the Visiting Room for any reason. Personal keys or electronic devices will not be allowed into the Visiting Room. Electronic devices will include the following: beepers, cellular phones, car alarm remote or any remote operating device.

Lockers will be available to visitors for the storage of personal items.

Papers, packages, money orders, handbags and/or gifts are not to be allowed into, or exchanged in, the Visiting Room.

An inmate's visitor may not leave money with any staff member for deposit in the inmate's commissary account.

All visiting areas are "No Smoking Areas." No tobacco products of any kind are allowed in the visiting areas.

ONLY THE FOLLOWING ITEMS LISTED BELOW ARE AUTHORIZED TO BE TAKEN INTO THE VISITING ROOM BY VISITORS:

• One (1) wallet or transparent change purse no larger than 5"x8"x4" 
• $20.00 in change (quarters only) to purchase food items from vending machines located in the Visiting Room
• Four (4) diapers
• Two (2) jars of Baby Food, unopened
• Three (3) baby bottles clear and half full
• One (1) baby blanket
• Female sanitary napkins or tampons
• Heart and epilepsy medication only 

The above will be the only items allowed into the Visiting Room. No other item(s) will be allowed. No car seats or strollers are allowed. No written messages may be exchanged during a visit.

ALL VISITORS ARE SUBJECT TO SEARCH PRIOR TO ENTERING AND UPON DEPARTING THE INSTITUTION. THE USE OF CAMERAS OR RECORDING EQUIPMENT WITHOUT WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE WARDEN IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.

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 Hazelton.

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 Hazelton.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 Hazelton:

• Resolve Program (for female inmates)
• Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP) (FCI only)
• Non-Residential Drug Abuse Treatment (NR-DAP)
• Alcoholics Anonymous
• Narcotics Anonymous
• Drug education classes
• GED
• English as a Second Language (ESL)
• Parenting Classes
• Pre-Release Program
• Adult Continuing Education (ACE)
• High School Diplomas and Post-Secondary Programs via paid correspondence
• Apprenticeships in Electrician, HVAC, Maintenance Repairer Industrial, Plumber, and Welder (Secure Female Facility Only)
• Wellness programs and recreation

USP Hazelton:

• The Challenge Program
• Non-Residential Drug Abuse Program (NR-DAP)
• Alcoholics Anonymous
• Drug education class
• GED
• English as a Second Language (ESL)
• Microsoft 2010
• High School Diplomas and Post-Secondary Programs via paid correspondence
• Apprenticeships in Electrician and Powerplant Mechanic (camp only)
• UNICOR facility that manufactures Army Combat Uniforms, trousers, GSA Tarps, and Diplomatic Bags
• Fitness programs

Pictures of Federal Correctional Complex - Hazelton

Careers at Federal Correctional Complex - Hazelton

If you are interested in pursuing a career with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, you can find available positions at FCC Hazelton 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 Hazelton report that there is low morale in the workplace because the facility is understaffed. Jobs at FCC Hazelton offer an less than average work/life balance, but there is decent pay and good benefits.