Federal Correctional Institution · Atlanta, Georgia
FCI Atlanta
- Security level
- Low
- Medical care level
- 2 of 4
- Mental health care level
- 2 of 4
- Population
- 1,768
- Phone
- 404-635-5100
Last checked: November 3, 2026 (BOP documents for this prison) Intel last checked: November 3, 2026 BOP status updated: Nov 5, 2026, 12:40 am ET News updated: Nov 4, 2026, 7:00 pm ET
Your loved one here? Look up their exact committed name
Atlanta at a glance
Atlanta is a low-security federal prison (FCI) for men, in southeast Atlanta at 601 McDonough Boulevard SE. The BOP used to call it a penitentiary (USP), and several of its papers still do. The BOP's population report today lists no camp.
- How many people
- 1,768 in the FCI (BOP, October 29, 2026).
- Medical care level 2
- Stable outpatients who need to see a clinician anywhere from monthly to every 6 months. Examples the BOP gives: diabetes controlled with medication, epilepsy, emphysema. Click here to read the source: BOP "Institution Care Levels for Medical Assignment," February 13, 2024 (released under FOIA 2024-03455) ↗
- Mental health care level 2
- Routine outpatient mental health care, or short crisis care such as suicide watch. The BOP does not post care levels on its website. This list is dated February 13, 2024 and came out through a public records request. Click here to read the source: BOP "Institution Care Levels for Medical Assignment," February 13, 2024 (released under FOIA 2024-03455) ↗
- Who is there
- Men. On the first day of the 2024 audit, ages ran from 20 to 77. Click here to read the source: PREA audit report, Atlanta (onsite May 7 to 9, 2024) ↗
- Built for
- 2,270 people. At the time of the 2024 audit it held 1,681 and had not been over capacity in the 12 months before. Click here to read the source: PREA audit report, Atlanta (onsite May 7 to 9, 2024) ↗
- Counts
- Official counts at 12:00 midnight, 3:00 a.m., 5:00 a.m., 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., with a stand-up count at 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. On weekends and holidays there is also a stand-up count at 10:00 a.m. (From the 2012 handbook.) Click here to read the source: USP Atlanta Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2012) ↗
How far is it from you?
Driving directions (Google Maps) → Bus or train (Google Maps) →
Plan your drive around this: Processing of visitors stops at 2:00 p.m. Visitors must leave the visiting room at 3:00 p.m. Visitors may wait in the visitor parking lot from 7:45 a.m. but cannot go inside before that. If it is crowded, a two-hour limit starts, and it is applied first to visitors who live within 200 miles of Atlanta.
Our miles and time are an estimate from your ZIP code's center. Google Maps gives the exact route. Your ZIP code never leaves your phone unless you tap a Google Maps button.
Visiting hours and days
| Who | Days | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Main prison (general population) | Friday, Saturday, Sunday and federal holidays | 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. |
Processing of visitors stops at 2:00 p.m. Visitors must leave the visiting room at 3:00 p.m. Visitors may wait in the visitor parking lot from 7:45 a.m. but cannot go inside before that. If it is crowded, a two-hour limit starts, and it is applied first to visitors who live within 200 miles of Atlanta.
The 2011 rules give no regular visiting Monday through Thursday. Click here to read the source: ATL 5267.08E, Visiting Regulations (April 18, 2011) ↗
The BOP's own papers disagree. Atlanta's visiting rules are dated April 18, 2011, from when this was a penitentiary with a camp and a detention center, and its handbook is from January 2012. A lot has changed since: it is now a low-security FCI. These papers may not match today's rules. Call 404-635-5100 before you drive, and ask about days, hours, the weekend schedule and what is allowed.
The rules at the door: ID, points, what you can bring
- Weekend schedule
- On Saturday and Sunday, general population inmates use an even/odd schedule. The fifth digit of their register number decides it: for example, a number like 12344-000 visits on even-numbered weekends and 12345-000 on odd-numbered weekends. Friday and federal holidays are not on the schedule. Click here to read the source: ATL 5267.08E, Visiting Regulations (April 18, 2011) ↗
- How many visits
- Five visits per calendar month, no matter how long each one lasts. Federal holiday visits ordinarily do not count. Click here to read the source: ATL 5267.08E, Visiting Regulations (April 18, 2011) ↗
- How many people
- No more than 4 adults and 3 children at one time without written approval from their unit team. Seats are for adults. Children are not guaranteed a seat. If more people arrive, a split visit may be arranged, with only one swap per day. Click here to read the source: ATL 5267.08E, Visiting Regulations (April 18, 2011) ↗
- ID
- The 2011 rules ask for two forms of ID, and at least one must be a photo ID, such as a current driver's license, passport or state ID card. Other IDs, such as a birth certificate, can be used with a photo ID. Click here to read the source: ATL 5267.08E, Visiting Regulations (April 18, 2011) ↗
- Hand stamp
- Each visitor has one hand stamped with a black-light stamp, which is checked with a black light lamp. Click here to read the source: ATL 5267.08E, Visiting Regulations (April 18, 2011) ↗
- Screening
- Everyone goes through a metal detector, and your things are looked through. Anyone who fails the metal detector is not let in. Lockers are provided for things not allowed in. Click here to read the source: ATL 5267.08E, Visiting Regulations (April 18, 2011) ↗
- What to wear
- No skirts or dresses more than 3 inches above the knee, shorts (children under 12 may wear shorts), see-through clothing, halter tops, tube tops, tank tops, tops that show the midriff, low-cut tops, backless or strapless clothing, tops with a hood, skin-tight clothing, khaki pants or shirts, or gray sweatpants or sweatshirts. Bras must be worn. No coats or jackets in the visiting room. No shower shoes, house shoes or beach-type shoes. Click here to read the source: ATL 5267.08E, Visiting Regulations (April 18, 2011) ↗
- What you can carry
- One clear plastic container or bag no bigger than 8 by 6 inches. For a baby at the penitentiary: no diaper bag, but two extra diapers and one bottle, opened and inspected. Click here to read the source: ATL 5267.08E, Visiting Regulations (April 18, 2011) ↗
- Vending machines
- Visitors may buy food from the visiting room machines for them. They must never have money. Click here to read the source: ATL 5267.08E, Visiting Regulations (April 18, 2011) ↗
- Touching
- Kissing and embracing are allowed only when the visit starts and just before it ends. Click here to read the source: ATL 5267.08E, Visiting Regulations (April 18, 2011) ↗
- Children
- Anyone 17 or under must come with a responsible adult. No toys, dolls or games inside the visiting room. Click here to read the source: ATL 5267.08E, Visiting Regulations (April 18, 2011) ↗
How to get on the visiting list
- When they arrive, they get a Visiting List Request form. Their unit counselor prepares the official visiting list.
- For people who are not immediate family, the counselor asks for information. If a background check is needed, they send you a release authorization form to sign and return.
- The counselor tells them of each approval or denial. They tell you, and give you the visiting guidelines and directions. Do not drive until you are approved.
- The list can be changed every 90 days.
- They must have known you before prison. Except for immediate family, a visitor is not ordinarily on more than one inmate's list.
- The 2011 rules give no form number for the visitor form. (The BOP national visitor form is BP-A0629; not confirmed in Atlanta's papers.)
Driving directions (from the BOP)
- By car
- Drive Interstate 20 and exit on the Boulevard ramp. The institution is two miles south of I-20 at the corner of Boulevard and McDonough Boulevard. The address is 601 McDonough Blvd. SE, Atlanta, GA 30315.
- Getting there without a car
- The airport is about 15 minutes away by taxi. The 2011 rules say MARTA rapid rail and bus and local taxis serve the institution.
Street address for your GPS: 601 Mcdonough Blvd Se, Atlanta, GA 30315. Click here to read the source: USP Atlanta Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2012) ↗
The BOP beats to its own drum. The front desk has the final say. Keep a spare outfit in the car.
FCI Atlanta
Official rules (PDF) En español (PDF)
15 years old. Ask your loved one to check the copy posted in the unit before you drive.
| Skirts and dresses | Skirts/dresses no more than 3 inches above the knee. |
|---|---|
| Shorts | No shorts, except children under 12. |
| Colors to avoid | No khaki pants or shirts. No gray sweatpants or shirts. |
| Leggings, spandex | No skin-tight clothing. |
| Bras and metal | Bras must be worn. |
| Camouflage, military | Not in the written rules. Many prisons ban both; leave them home. |
| Shoes | Open-toe shoes are permitted. Sandals allowed; no shower shoes, house shoes or beach shoes. |
| Children | Children under 12 may wear shorts; elderly and small children may wear sweaters. |
All 19 rules, in the BOP's own words
Length and fit
- Skirts/dresses no more than 3 inches above the knee.
not be allowed into the institution in skirts or dresses exceeding three (3)
- No shorts, except children under 12.
inches above the knee in length, shorts, see-through clothing, halter tops,
- No tank tops.
tube tops, tank tops or any kind of top that reveals the midriff area of the
- No low-cut shirts or blouses or revealing fronts.
anatomy, low-cut shirts or blouses, revealing front, or backless/strapless
- No tops revealing the midriff.
tube tops, tank tops or any kind of top that reveals the midriff area of the
- No halter tops, tube tops, backless or strapless clothing.
anatomy, low-cut shirts or blouses, revealing front, or backless/strapless
- No see-through clothing.
inches above the knee in length, shorts, see-through clothing, halter tops,
- No skin-tight clothing.
clothing, or any kind of shirt with a hood. Bras must be worn. No skin-tight
Colors and uniforms
- No khaki pants or shirts.
clothing, khaki pants or shirts, gray sweatpants or shirts will be allowed.
- No gray sweatpants or shirts.
clothing, khaki pants or shirts, gray sweatpants or shirts will be allowed.
Bras, underwear and metal
- Bras must be worn.
clothing, or any kind of shirt with a hood. Bras must be worn. No skin-tight
Shoes
- Open-toe shoes are permitted.
Regular street shoes, open toe shoes, sandals, and tennis shoes are
- Sandals allowed; no shower shoes, house shoes or beach shoes.
permitted. Prohibited footwear includes; shower shoes, house shoes and
Hats, hoods and coats
- No shirts with a hood.
clothing, or any kind of shirt with a hood. Bras must be worn. No skin-tight
- No coats or jackets in USP visiting room; FPC allows coats.
beach type shoes. At no time will coats or jackets of any kind will be worn
Children
- Children under 12 may wear shorts; elderly and small children may wear sweaters.
Children under the age of twelve (12) may wear shorts.
Everything else
- Provocative attire is grounds to deny visiting.
Provocative attire is reason to deny and/or preclude visiting. Visitors will
If they say no
- Visits may be denied for noncompliance with dress rules.
Visitors without proper attire will be denied entrance into the
- Shift Lieutenant or Institution Duty Officer decides denial for noncompliance.
be denied for noncompliance by the Shift Lieutenant or Institution Duty
Inmate mailing address
JOHN ANTHONY SMITH-JONES Reg. No. 12345-678 FCI Atlanta P.O. Box 150160 Atlanta, GA 30315
Put their name and register number on the envelope. Click here to read the source: USP Atlanta Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2012) ↗
Use the P.O. Box only. Never mail to the street address (601 Mcdonough Blvd Se, Atlanta, GA 30315).
- Books and magazines
- The 2012 handbook says they may get softcover books from any source. Hardcover books must come from a publisher or book club. They may keep no more than 5 magazines, not more than 60 days old. Click here to read the source: USP Atlanta Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2012) ↗
- Mail days
- There is no mail service on weekends and holidays. Click here to read the source: USP Atlanta Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2012) ↗
- Old paper
- Atlanta's handbook is from 2012. It may not show today's rules on paper color, cards or photos. Click here to read the source: USP Atlanta Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2012) ↗
- Money
- Never put money in a letter. Use the BOP lockbox in Des Moines, Iowa, or Western Union or MoneyGram (see the Money tab). Click here to read the source: USP Atlanta Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2012) ↗
Books and magazines: at a low security prison, soft-cover books and magazines can come from anyone. Hardcovers only from a publisher or bookstore.
How to send money to an inmate here
Money never goes to Atlanta. It goes to the BOP, and the BOP puts it on their account. There are 3 ways. Each one below shows you the actual form and exactly what to write in each box, already filled in with their name and number.
First, they must sign the power-of-attorney form (BP-A0407) when they arrive. Until they do, MoneyGram and Western Union money cannot post. Click here to read the source: Program Statement 4500.13, Trust Fund/Deposit Fund Manual (May 7, 2026) ↗
1. Postal money order Our pick
"Postal" means the U.S. Post Office. A postal money order is one you buy at the counter of a U.S. Post Office, from the United States Postal Service. Money orders sold at Walmart, a grocery store, a bank, Western Union, MoneyGram or a check-cashing store are not postal money orders.
Why it matters: a postal money order has no hold. Once the BOP's lockbox in Des Moines gets it, it goes on their account. Every other money order and every personal or company check is put on a 15-day hold first, and the 15 days only start when the lockbox receives the envelope. Add the days it spends in the mail, and it can be close to three weeks before they can spend it.Click here to read the source: BOP, Sending money by U.S. mail ↗ Click here to read the source: USP Atlanta Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2012) ↗ Foreign money orders and checks are held 45 days. The postal money order is also the cheapest way.
The Post Office's own steps
- Decide the amount. Up to $1,000 in one money order.
- Go to any Post Office.
- Bring cash or a debit card. The Post Office does not take credit cards for money orders.
- Fill it out at the counter with the clerk. Use the boxes below.
- Pay the amount plus the fee: $2.65 for up to $500, $3.75 for $500.01 to $1,000.
- Keep your receipt. You need it to track the money order or replace it if it is lost.Click here to read the source: U.S. Postal Service, Money Orders ↗
- Pay toJOHN ANTHONY SMITH-JONEStheir committed name, exactly as the BOP Inmate Locator shows it
- Address (under Pay to)Federal Bureau of Prisons, P.O. Box 474701, Des Moines, IA 50947-0001
- FromMARIA SMITH-JONESyour name
- Address (under From)123 Main Street, Trenton, NJ 08608your address
- MemoReg. No. 12345678their 8-digit register number, no dash
Unconfirmed: the BOP does not say in writing what goes on the "Pay to" line. Their name is what families use. The name and number on the envelope are what the BOP requires.
123 Main Street
Trenton, NJ 08608
Federal Bureau of Prisons JOHN ANTHONY SMITH-JONES 12345678 Post Office Box 474701 Des Moines, Iowa 50947-0001
Lost it? Tracking and replacing a money order
- Keep the receipt. You need the serial number, post office number and amount to track it at tools.usps.com/money-orders.htm.
- Lost or stolen: take the receipt to any post office and ask for a Money Order Inquiry. It costs $23 and can take up to 60 days.
2. MoneyGram
Posts in about 2 to 4 hours if sent 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern, any day. Up to $300 per payment. In a store, you fill out the blue ExpressPayment form. This is the BOP's own filled-in sample:
- Company NameFederal Bureau of Prisons
- City & StateWashington, DC
- Receive Code7932always the same
- Account Number of the Bill to Pay12345678SMITHJONESone letter or number per box
- Amount to Payup to $300
- Message to Biller or Beneficiary NameJOHN ANTHONY SMITH-JONES
Top section: your own name, address, phone and signature. Pay cash. Keep the receipt with the reference number.
Unconfirmed: some stores now type it into a screen instead of using the paper form. The boxes are the same.
Doing it online or in the MoneyGram app instead
- Go to moneygram.com (Pay Bills) or the MoneyGram app and log in or sign up.
- Search the biller 7932 or "Federal Bureau of Prisons."
- Enter the amount (up to $300) and the account number
12345678SMITHJONES. - Pay with a debit or credit card. A credit card can charge a cash-advance fee.
3. Western Union
Posts in about 2 to 4 hours. In a store, ask for the Quick Collect form ("To Send Money Form for Bill Payments"). Do not ask for a regular money transfer. This is a real Quick Collect form filled in with the BOP's values:
- Dollar Amountyour amount
- Pay toFederal Bureau of Prisons
- Code CityFBOP, DC
- AttentionJOHN ANTHONY SMITH-JONES
- Account # with Company (in the SENDER section: this is where people get lost)12345678SMITHJONES
Leave Promo Code blank. Put your own name, phone and address in the rest of the Sender section and sign at 3. Pay cash (some stores take debit). You get a 10-digit tracking number (MTCN). Keep it.
Unconfirmed: some stores have the blue Quick Collect form, some a "Pay a Bill" section, and some a phone to an agent.
Doing it online (Send2Corrections), screen by screen
You need a photo ID to set up the account: your name must match your ID exactly.
- Go to send2corrections.com or the Send2Corrections app. Log in or register.
- "Who are you sending to?" Choose the facility Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP DC).
- Receiver first name, middle name (optional), last name: exactly as the BOP has it.
- Commissary number: type only the 8 digits,
12345678. No dash, no name. The site adds the last name itself and shows the full account number in a grey box you cannot type in. - Ignore the pop-up that says "BOP number will not work." That text shows for every prison. The register number is what works.
- Amount: $1 to $300. Pay by card, or choose "Pay Cash (in-store)" and pay at a Western Union counter within 12 hours, or it cancels.
Hyphenated last name? The site drops the hyphen: Smith-Jones becomes 12345678SMITHJONES.
Money sent to the wrong person is not returned by Western Union. Western Union payments cannot be changed after they are sent.
Commissary: what they can spend
Atlanta's handbook (January 2012) says they may spend $320 a month, effective March 1, 2011. Stamps and phone credits do not count. National BOP policy (PS 4500.13, May 7, 2026) is now $460 a month, plus $50 more in November and December. Click here to read the source: USP Atlanta Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2012) ↗ Click here to read the source: Program Statement 4500.13, Trust Fund/Deposit Fund Manual (May 7, 2026) ↗
How shopping works at Atlanta
- The commissary is in the Education complex on the lower compound.
- Their account is checked and restarted once a month.
The price list: Atlanta's official list is a scan or an older layout we could not turn into a reliable searchable list, so we don't retype prices we can't be sure of. Ask your loved one for the current list, or see the prison's page on bop.gov.
Phone calls and email
- Minutes
- 300 minutes a month (2012 handbook). Calls are monitored and recorded. Click here to read the source: USP Atlanta Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2012) ↗
They have to add your number and email to their list first. Emails come through CorrLinks: you get an invitation by email once they add you.
Health care at Atlanta
Medical care level 2 and mental health care level 2 (of 4). Stable outpatients who need to see a clinician anywhere from monthly to every 6 months. Examples the BOP gives: diabetes controlled with medication, epilepsy, emphysema. Click here to read the source: BOP "Institution Care Levels for Medical Assignment," February 13, 2024 (released under FOIA 2024-03455) ↗
- Sick call
- Sign-up is 6:30 to 7:00 a.m. in the Health Services waiting room. They fill out a form and medical staff triage it. Urgent problems are seen the same day. Others are scheduled with their provider, and until then they report to their work detail. (From the 2012 handbook.) Click here to read the source: USP Atlanta Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2012) ↗
- Pill line
- Controlled and restricted medicines are given out at pill line. Over-the-counter medicine is sold in the commissary. Click here to read the source: USP Atlanta Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2012) ↗
Programs
- RDAP (drug program; can mean up to a year off for those eligible)
- Atlanta is not on the BOP's RDAP list (updated June 4, 2026). Click here to read the source: First Step Act Approved Programs Guide (May 2026) ↗
- UNICOR (prison factory)
- The BOP's guide lists Atlanta (ATL) among the sites that may offer Federal Prison Industries work. The 2012 handbook says the Unit Team can recommend priority hiring for people with large court-ordered obligations. Click here to read the source: First Step Act Approved Programs Guide (May 2026) ↗
- Mental Health Step Down
- A unit-based residential program. The BOP's guide lists Atlanta as a site. Click here to read the source: First Step Act Approved Programs Guide (May 2026) ↗
- Education
- The 2012 handbook lists basic education, GED, college courses, occupational education, social education and adult continuing education. Click here to read the source: USP Atlanta Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2012) ↗
The BOP's First Step Act guide (May 2026) lists Atlanta as a site that may offer Federal Prison Industries (UNICOR) work, FPI Lean Basic Training, FPI Lean Six-Sigma Green Belt, Mental Health Step Down and CBT for late-life depression. The guide says "may be offered", so this is not a promise that each runs now. Click here to read the source: First Step Act Approved Programs Guide (May 2026) ↗
Safety record
Criminal cases at Atlanta
- April 2026A correctional officer was convicted of bribery and of smuggling contraband and drugs into the Atlanta federal prison. (WSB-TV)
Deaths announced by the BOP
- October 7, 2026A 36-year-old man was found unresponsive at about 5:30 p.m. Staff began life-saving measures, and EMS pronounced them dead. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was notified. Click here to read the source: BOP press release, "Death at FCI Atlanta," October 8, 2026 ↗
- January 15, 2021A 65-year-old man died in a hospital. They had tested positive for COVID-19 in March 2020. (The BOP called the prison USP Atlanta then.) Click here to read the source: BOP press release, "Inmate Death at USP Atlanta," January 22, 2021 ↗
- August 7, 2020An 80-year-old man died in a hospital after testing positive for COVID-19. (The BOP called the prison USP Atlanta then.) Click here to read the source: BOP press release, "Inmate Death at USP Atlanta," August 7, 2020 ↗
These are deaths the BOP announced in a press release. The BOP does not publish a full count of deaths at each prison, so this is not a total.
Sexual abuse audit (PREA)
The last federal sexual-abuse (PREA) audit visited Atlanta May 7 to 9, 2024 (the report calls it USP Atlanta). Result: 1 standard exceeded, 40 met, 0 not met. In the 12 months before the audit, Atlanta recorded 15 sexual-abuse allegations (all against other inmates, none against staff) and 2 sexual-harassment allegations (both against other inmates). Click here to read the source: PREA audit report, Atlanta (onsite May 7 to 9, 2024) ↗
An allegation is a report, not a finding. The audit counts reports made, not what investigators concluded.
News about Atlanta
- Add Us On Google Add as a preferred source on Google ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Four convicted sex offenders, including a former doctor, have been indicted for allegedly sharing child pornography while serving time in an Atlanta federal prison forInstagram · Nov 4, 2026
- 4th FCI Atlanta inmate indicted after child sexual abuse material found on contraband phonesYahoo · Nov 4, 2026
- Inmate dies at federal prison in Atlanta11Alive.com · Oct 8, 2026
- FCI Atlanta Pilots New Prison Visitation ProgramBOP: Federal Bureau of Prisons (.gov) · Aug 17, 2026
- Atlanta prison among targets in massive drone smuggling operation95.5 WSB · Jun 25, 2026
- Man of Tomorrow Starts Filming at Atlanta Prison as Inmates Reportedly ComplainCosmic Book News · Apr 23, 2026
- 'Superman' Production Upsets Atlanta Prisoners Over Alleged Security RestrictionsTMZ · Apr 23, 2026
- Former Atlanta Federal Correctional Officer Convicted in Inmate Drug Smuggling SchemeFEDagent · Apr 9, 2026
- Correctional officer convicted of conspiring with inmates to smuggle drugs inside Atlanta prisonAtlanta News First · Apr 6, 2026
- Inmate gets additional time in Atlanta prison after headbutting federal officer in face11Alive.com · Nov 13, 2025
Stories from news outlets that name FCI Atlanta, checked every day. Last updated Nov 4, 2026, 7:00 pm ET. We link to the original story; we did not write these.
Intel from the Inside
Intel last checked: November 3, 2026
Reports from people inside, in their own words. It is how the place really runs, not official policy, and it can change. We never publish names.
No Intel reported for Atlanta yet.
Know something about Atlanta that families should know? Tell Scooter. Our team checks every report before it goes up, and we never publish names.