Fort Dodge Correctional Facility
The Fort Dodge Correctional Facility (FDCF) is a medium-security prison located in Fort Dodge, Iowa. It was originally designed to house 762 adult male offenders in a double occupancy celled environment. Construction began in October 1996 and the facility opened April 1998.
Recognizing the on-going need for public safety even before the first offenders arrived at the facility the legislature and Governor approved an expansion for an additional 400 beds and program space. Work on this addition was completed in late 1999. In 2001, 127 two-man cells were converted to house three offenders. Current capacity at Fort Dodge is 1,392 inmates.
Fort Dodge is based on a campus model, and features administration and treatment buildings, five living units, and support structures such as warehouse and power plant buildings. The living areas are divided into units to provide easier supervision and control of inmates. Perimeter security is provided by a double fence with electronic detection.
Prison Insights
Fort Dodge Correctional Facility
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Visiting Hours and Rules
The visiting hours at Fort Dodge Correctional Facility are:
- Friday 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Saturday 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Sunday 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Monday 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Before you can visit an inmate at Fort Dodge Correctional Facility, you must get on their approved visiting list. In order to be on an offender’s visiting list, the visitor’s application must be completed and mailed to the Central Visiting Authority. If you have questions, please call Centralized Visiting at 319-385-9511. You can access the IDOC Visitation Application by clicking here.
All visitors are required to have current photo identification to get into the institution, and they are be subject to search.
Searches may include but are not limited to: a pat down, metal detectors, electronic ion scanners, other electronic devices, or visual searches. Staff of the same sex as the visitor shall conduct pat searches. Visitation will be denied if the visitor is not willing to submit to a required search.
Visitors may use a Debitek Card to purchase canteen items for their inmate during visits. The Fort Dodge Correctional Facility has the written guidelines posted in the visiting room.
Dress Code
Visitors must be properly attired prior to entering the visiting room. The dress code at Fort Dodge Correctional Facility is as follows:
- All visitors must wear shoes
- Visitors wearing miniskirts, shorts (that are above the knee), muscle shirts, see-through clothing or halter tops will not be allowed to visit
- Institutional procedure will address the wearing of shorts by children under 12
- Visitors wearing clothing with slogans, pictures, or words intended to deprecate race, sex, or cultural values shall not be allowed entry
- Visitors may be required to remove for the duration of the visit outerwear such as, but not limited to, coats, hats, gloves, or sunglasses
- A medical need for sunglasses must be verified by a prescription
Visitor Property
Items not allowed in the visiting room include:
- Weapons of any type (including pocket knives)
- Cell phones
- Any personal device with independent Internet connection capabilities (i.e., Kindle, Nook, Iphone, smart phone, smart watch with SIM card, etc.)
- Medications (unless necessary, i.e. nitro, etc.)
- Tools
- Cameras
- Tobacco/tobacco items (lighters)
Baby items allowed for visitors with infants:
- Two diapers
- Clear baby bottle (non-glass) with milk or formula only
- Clear sippy cup (empty)
- One baby blanket
- One burp cloth
- One factory sealed clear plastic container baby food
Physical Address
Fort Dodge Correctional Facility
1550 L Street
Fort Dodge, IA 50501-5767
Driving Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/UpfbkzVgmpGdcQb26
General Phone Number
(515)-574-4700
Inmate Mailing Address(es)
Inmate Name and DOC Number
Fort Dodge Correctional Facility
1550 L Street
Fort Dodge, IA 50501-5767
Envelopes must be properly addressed and include the offenders full name, IDOC Identification number, and valid return address.
If you would like to send an email to an inmate, you can register for O’mail at www.corrlinks.com. The cost for each O’mail sent is $0.25
Offenders add minutes to their O'mail account in the same way they do their phone account. They request a transfer from their banking account and are charged 6% tax for O’mail credits. O'mail credits are kept in a separate account like phone minutes.
O'mails are limited to 13,000 characters or 100 lines, whichever comes first. The 100 lines equal two pages maximum.
How to Call an Inmate
Inmates at the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility can’t receive incoming calls. However, they do have access to a phone during assigned times, and they can call you. For complete details on how to call an inmate in Iowa, please click here.
How to Send Money
Inmate Banking
The Iowa Department of Corrections has centralized offender banking operations. All incoming money for offender spending/commissary accounts is received and handled by a central location, the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility (FDCF).
All incoming money for an inmate’s account must be sent to the following address:
IDOC Offender Fiduciary Account
1550 L Street, Suite B
Fort Dodge, IA 50501
All deposits must be in the form of a cashier’s check or money order. All cashier’s checks and money orders must be made payable to: IDOC offender Fiduciary Account.
The cashier’s check or money order must include the following: offender name, offender number, sender’s name, and sender’s complete address. All writing should be legible. If the deposit does not follow these guidelines, it will be returned to the sender by mail.
Access Corrections
Access Corrections deposit services provides friends and family an easy, reliable, and inexpensive way to send money to an incarcerated loved one in the Iowa Department of Corrections system.
- Online: visit www.accesscorrections.com for deposit rates starting at $3.49. Access Corrections accepts Visa and MasterCard credit or debit cards.
- Online: Make deposits directly from your CorrLinks account, the website used to send O-Mail messages (www.Corrlinks.com) and get the same low rates starting at $3.49. Just click on the “Send Money” button to get started.
- Toll Free Telephone Number: Call 1(866)345-1884 to make a credit or debit card payment over the phone for as low as $4.49.
- Walk-In: Don’t have a credit card or debit card? No problem! You can deposit at any:
- CashPayToday for a flat fee of $6.95.
- Visit www.cashpaytoday.com or call 1(844)344-CASH (2274) to register and find a location near you. You will need to provide the following information: Inmate ID #, your name, address and other important information.
- Dollar General, Family Dollar, and Kum & Go stores are part of the CashPayToday program.
- ACE Cash Express* (www.acecashexpress.com) location for a flat fee of $5.95
- There is a $900.00 maximum limit per cash transaction.
JPay
JPay services are available for anyone wishing to send money to an offender in the Iowa Department of Corrections system.
- Online: The website www.JPay.com will accept payments made with a Visa or MasterCard-branded debit or credit card. Fees range from $3.95 to $10.95 based upon the deposit amount.
- Toll Free Telephone Number: Credit or debit card payments can also be made over the phone at (1-800-574-5729). Fees range from $4.95 to $11.95 based upon the deposit amount.
- Walk–In Location: Cash payments can be made at any MoneyGram Agent location. There are 30,000 MoneyGram location in the United State, including Wal-Mart, CVS, 7-11, and Albertsons. A fee of $8.95 will apply for each transaction.
WESTERN UNION
The Iowa Department of Corrections accepts wire transfers from Western Union for Offender Accounts. This does NOT include telephone accounts. Money may be sent in any of the following three ways:
- Via the internet at www.westernunion.com/corrections
- By phone at 1-800-634-3422
- By walk–in cash payments at any Western Union site
The process used is “Quick Collect.” Senders must use the “Pay to” as the Iowa Dept of Corrections. The “Code City” is IOWADOC and the “State” is IA. The “Sender’s account #” is the offender ID number and offenders last name. For example, 1234567Jones.
If the offender number and last name do not match the IDOC records the payment will be rejected. Fees for this service vary by amount sent.
Programs For Inmates
FDCF supports offender responsibility and progress through participation in targeted evidence-based treatment opportunities. Cognitive-Based programs address issues of criminal thinking, domestic abuse, and substance abuse; offering offenders opportunities to increase their skills related to interpersonal relationships, self-care, decision making, and employment preparation.
The facility also provides educational opportunities through its partnership with Iowa Central Community College. Daily classes include HISET (high school equivalency diploma), Literacy, ELS (English as a second language), Special Education, and Life Skills.
Vocational classes vary from year to year depending on funding availability and have included welding, culinary, baking, building trades, and supply chain management.
FDCF offers Apprentice Programs in the following disciplines: Cook, Electrician, Painter, Plumbing, Welding, Computer Operator, Landscaping, Sewing Machine Repair, Carpenter, and Housekeeping. Additionally, offenders are able to complete the National Career Readiness Certificate that assesses areas deemed critical for successful employment.
Iowa Prison Industries currently provides onsite vocational training with their textiles program.
FDCF also offers a five-month program called RIVERS (Redirecting Individual Values, Energy, Relationships, and Skills) that helps inmates adjust to life and employment outside the correctional system.
Pictures of Fort Dodge Correctional Facility
Careers at Fort Dodge Correctional Facility
If you are interested in a career with the Iowa Department of Corrections at the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility, you can click here for more information.
