Federal Correctional Institution · Phoenix, Arizona
FCI Phoenix
- Security level
- Medium + minimum camp
- Medical care level
- 2 of 4
- Mental health care level
- 2 of 4
- Population
- 1,103
- Phone
- 623-465-9757
Last checked: November 3, 2026 (BOP documents for this prison) Intel last checked: November 3, 2026 BOP status updated: Nov 3, 2026, 9:20 pm ET News updated: Nov 3, 2026, 1:34 pm ET
Your loved one here? Look up their exact committed name
Phoenix at a glance
FCI Phoenix is a medium-security federal prison for men in north Phoenix, Arizona. Next to it is a satellite prison camp (SPC) that holds women. The units named in the visiting rules are Hopi, Papago, Mojave, Navajo, Pima and Yuma (the Yuma unit holds pretrial and holdover inmates).
- How many people
- 906 in the FCI and 197 at the camp (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 mental health list gives Phoenix "Med" security and level 2. 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) ↗
- Last audit snapshot
- The 2025 audit gave the capacity as 1,022 and the population on the first day as 1,194. Ages ran from 19 to 78. Click here to read the source: PREA audit report, FCI Phoenix (onsite July 15 to 17, 2025) ↗
- Counts
- At least five official counts every 24 hours, with another at 10:00 a.m. on weekends and holidays. They must stand at their bed for the 4:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. counts, and for the 10:00 a.m. count on weekends and holidays. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
- Tobacco
- Smoking is prohibited. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
- Camp
- The camp is for women. The camp handbook says the Female Integrated Treatment (FIT) drug program is in Papago B. Click here to read the source: Satellite Prison Camp Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (November 2025) ↗
How far is it from you?
Driving directions (Google Maps) → Bus or train (Google Maps) →
Plan your drive around this: No visitors are processed after 2:00 p.m. Processing starts at 8:00 a.m. and ends one hour before visiting ends. On Saturdays, Sundays and federal holidays processing stops one hour before the 10:00 a.m. count. SHU visitors are not let in after 11:00 a.m. Visiting days and hours can change for the needs and security of the prison.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| FCI (men) | Saturday and Sunday (the 2019 rules also list Monday and federal holidays) | 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. |
| Satellite camp (women) | Saturday, Sunday and federal holidays. No visiting at the camp on Mondays. | 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. |
| FCI Special Housing Unit (SHU) | Mondays only. Up to 2 visitors, a maximum of 2 hours (the 2019 rules say one hour). | 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (last visitor processed at 11:00 a.m.) |
| Camp video visits | Weekdays and weekends. Each session is 20 minutes. Family set up an account. No video visits during inmate work hours. | Weekdays 6:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; weekends 6:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. |
No visitors are processed after 2:00 p.m. Processing starts at 8:00 a.m. and ends one hour before visiting ends. On Saturdays, Sundays and federal holidays processing stops one hour before the 10:00 a.m. count. SHU visitors are not let in after 11:00 a.m. Visiting days and hours can change for the needs and security of the prison.
The FCI handbook (October 2025) lists FCI visiting on Saturday and Sunday only, with Monday for the SHU. No weekday visiting is listed. Click here to read the source: PHX 5267.09a, Visiting Regulations, FCI and Satellite Camp (March 1, 2019) ↗
The BOP's own papers disagree. The Phoenix visiting rules (PHX 5267.09a, March 1, 2019) say the FCI has visiting on Saturday, Sunday, Monday and federal holidays, allow $25.00 in coins for the vending machines, and give SHU inmates one hour on Mondays. The FCI handbook (October 2025) lists FCI visiting on Saturday and Sunday, says up to $20.00 in coins, and gives the SHU a maximum of 2 hours on Monday. The handbook is newer. Call 623-465-9757 before you drive on a Monday or a holiday, and ask what the vending machine limit is.
The rules at the door: ID, points, what you can bring
- How many visits
- They get 10 visiting points a month (the 2019 rules and the camp handbook). A Saturday or Sunday visit costs 2 points, so that is 5 weekend visits a month. A Monday visit costs 1 point. Federal holidays cost nothing. Any part of a visit counts as a visit. Points do not carry over. The 2025 FCI handbook does not mention points. Click here to read the source: PHX 5267.09a, Visiting Regulations, FCI and Satellite Camp (March 1, 2019) ↗
- How many people
- No more than 5 adult visitors at a time. Children under 16 do not count toward the 5, but must come with an adult who is on the approved list. In the SHU, only 2 visitors unless approved ahead of time. Click here to read the source: PHX 5267.09a, Visiting Regulations, FCI and Satellite Camp (March 1, 2019) ↗
- ID
- Everyone 16 or older needs a valid state or government photo ID (driver's license, state ID, INS card, military ID or passport). Credit cards, store cards, school IDs, birth certificates, Social Security cards and bank cards are not valid. (The camp handbook adds that a non-U.S. passport must come with a U.S. visa.) Every visitor also completes form BP-A0224 (Notification to Visitor) in front of the officer. Click here to read the source: PHX 5267.09a, Visiting Regulations, FCI and Satellite Camp (March 1, 2019) ↗
- Screening
- FCI visitors clear a metal detector and can be searched. A visitor who has a medical reason for not clearing it must give medical papers to the counselor in advance. Some visitors are picked at random for the ION drug scanner. The camp handbook says camp visitors can also be pat-searched or have their car searched, and those who decline cannot visit that day. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
- Money for vending machines
- The 2019 rules say a see-through coin purse (no bigger than 9 by 9 inches) with $25.00 or less in coins, no dollar bills. The 2025 FCI handbook says $20.00 in coins. You cannot put money on their account in the visiting room. Inmates may not go near the vending machines. Click here to read the source: PHX 5267.09a, Visiting Regulations, FCI and Satellite Camp (March 1, 2019) ↗
- What you can carry
- The clear coin purse, life-essential medication, and for a baby a clear diaper bag with two diapers, one unopened pack of wipes, two clear baby bottles, two small store-bought sealed baby food jars and one receiving blanket. No strollers. FCI visitors may use the lockers in the front lobby (a limited number, for people dropped off); put car keys in the locker and keep the locker key with you. There are no lockers at the camp. Click here to read the source: PHX 5267.09a, Visiting Regulations, FCI and Satellite Camp (March 1, 2019) ↗
- Not allowed in
- Cell phones, pagers and other electronics, purses and bags, food, gum, candy, children's toys, pictures, letters, packages, gifts, watches, hats and ball caps. No pets (a service animal needs approval from the Associate Warden of Programs first). Click here to read the source: PHX 5267.09a, Visiting Regulations, FCI and Satellite Camp (March 1, 2019) ↗
- What not to wear
- No shirtless, sleeveless, backless or halter tops, bodysuits or bare midriffs. No shorts (children 12 and under may wear them). No bathing suits, sweatpants or jogging suits. Skirts and dresses must be knee length or longer, with no side slits. No see-through or skin-tight clothing. No open-toe shoes or bare feet. Avoid khaki (the FCI inmate color) and dark green (the camp inmate color). Jackets and coats are allowed when the weather needs them. Staff make the final call. Click here to read the source: PHX 5267.09a, Visiting Regulations, FCI and Satellite Camp (March 1, 2019) ↗
- Touching
- A kiss and an embrace only at the start and end of the visit. At the FCI: no hand-holding or other contact; children under 8 may sit on the inmate's lap. At the camp: hand-holding is allowed, nothing more. Staff assign seats; the inmate sits across from the visitors. Click here to read the source: PHX 5267.09a, Visiting Regulations, FCI and Satellite Camp (March 1, 2019) ↗
- What they wear
- FCI inmates wear khaki pants and shirt and black boots (SHU inmates an orange jumpsuit). Camp inmates wear green pants and shirt. Click here to read the source: PHX 5267.09a, Visiting Regulations, FCI and Satellite Camp (March 1, 2019) ↗
- When it gets crowded
- Staff ask for volunteers to end their visit early, and ask visitors who traveled the shortest distance. If that is not enough, it is first in, first out. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
- Leaving
- Once a visitor leaves, the visit is over for the day and they cannot come back in. FCI visitors are escorted out of the visiting room on the hour and half hour only. Click here to read the source: PHX 5267.09a, Visiting Regulations, FCI and Satellite Camp (March 1, 2019) ↗
How to get on the visiting list
- Right after arrival they fill out a list of proposed visitors and give it to their counselor. Their immediate family (mother, father, step-parents, foster parents, brothers, sisters, spouse, children) is approved for 28 days so there is time to finish the paperwork.
- They mail the visitor form, BP-A0629 (Visitor Information), to each person. Every proposed visitor, family included, mails it back to the unit team for a background check (NCIC). If immediate family do not send it within the 28 days, they come off the list until they do.
- The list holds up to 20 visitors. Attorneys, ministers of record and children under 16 do not count toward the 20.
- They must have known you before prison. Exceptions need the Warden's approval, usually only for people who have no other visitors.
- Unit staff tell them if you are approved, and they tell you. Do not drive until you are approved.
- Pretrial and holdover inmates (the Yuma unit) may be visited only by immediate family, and only after 28 days. They ask in writing on an Inmate Request to Staff Member, and the Unit Manager approves each visit.
- Transferred from another federal prison? The old list is recognized, but visitors may be asked for a new form if the one on file is more than 5 years old.
- Camp: they ask for new visitors at least 3 weeks ahead.
Driving directions (from the BOP)
- From the north or the south
- Take I-17 to exit 225 and turn west. Follow the road about two miles to the institution. The satellite camp is directly across from the sign that says you are entering federal property. For the FCI, turn left at that sign and go about 300 yards to the main entrance. Park in the visitor lots on the south side of the parking lot, not in the staff lot.
- The address
- The BOP lists the physical address as 37900 N 45th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85086. Phone 623-465-9757. Local transport in the 2019 rules: Sky Harbor Airport taxi service 480-966-8294, Greyhound 800-231-2222.
Street address for your GPS: 37900 N 45th Ave, Phoenix, Az 85086. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
The BOP beats to its own drum. The front desk has the final say. Keep a spare outfit in the car.
FCI Phoenix
Official rules (PDF) En español (PDF)
7 years old. Ask your loved one to check the copy posted in the unit before you drive.
| Skirts and dresses | Skirts and dresses must be knee length or lower; no side slits. |
|---|---|
| Shorts | No shorts, except children 12 and under. |
| Colors to avoid | No khaki when visiting the FCI. No dark green when visiting the camp (SCP). |
| Leggings, spandex | No spandex garments. No skin-tight clothing. |
| Bras and metal | Not in the written rules. Some prisons ban underwire bras anyway, and the penalty can be more than being sent home. Wear a sports bra or a bra with no wire. |
| Camouflage, military | Not in the written rules. Many prisons ban both; leave them home. |
| Shoes | No open-toe shoes or bare feet. No sandals. |
| Children | Children 12 and under may wear shorts. |
All 24 rules, in the BOP's own words
Length and fit
- Skirts and dresses must be knee length or lower; no side slits.
Mini-Skirts (all skirts and dresses must be knee length or lower)
- No shorts, except children 12 and under.
shorts (except children 12 and under),
- No sleeveless shirts or tank tops.
sleeveless shirts, tank tops, shirts with hoods,
- No plunging necklines.
shirts/blouses with plunging necklines,
- No bare midriffs.
e. Bare Midriffs
- No halter tops or backless shirts/dresses.
spandex garments, backless shirts/dresses, body suits, see-through clothing,
- No see-through clothing; if skin tone shows, it's see-through.
See-Through Clothing (if skin tone can be seen through garment, it is defined as “see- through”)
- No skin-tight clothing.
Skirts/dresses with slits up the sides or skin-tight clothing
- No spandex garments.
spandex garments, backless shirts/dresses,
- No bathing suits.
h. Bathing Suits
- No jogging or sweat suits.
jogging or sweat suits, shirts/blouses with plunging necklines,
Colors and uniforms
- No khaki when visiting the FCI.
inmate clothing (i.e., khaki color for the FCI and dark green for the SCP).
- No dark green when visiting the camp (SCP).
inmate clothing (i.e., khaki color for the FCI and dark green for the SCP).
Bras, underwear and metal
- No watches.
Watches, hats, ball caps, food items, gum, candy,
Shoes
- No open-toe shoes or bare feet.
hats, caps, sandals, or open toe shoes.
- No sandals.
hats, caps, sandals, or open toe shoes.
Hats, hoods and coats
- No hats or caps.
hats, caps, sandals, or open toe shoes.
- No shirts with hoods.
sleeveless shirts, tank tops, shirts with hoods,
- Jackets/coats may be worn depending on weather.
When appropriate, and depending on weather conditions, jackets and/or coats may be worn into the visiting room.
Children
- Children 12 and under may wear shorts.
Shorts (Except on children 12 and under)
Everything else
- No offensive wording, logos, or drug references.
clothing with offensive wording, logos, or drug references,
- No sexually suggestive clothing or body suits; shirts required.
Visitors may not wear sexually suggestive clothing, miniskirts, halter tops,
If they say no
- Inappropriately dressed visitors will not be allowed to visit.
Visitors arriving at the institution dressed in an inappropriate manner shall not be allowed to visit.
- List not all-inclusive; IDO/Operations Lieutenant make final call.
This list is not all-inclusive and is subject to staff discretion.
Inmate mailing address
JOHN ANTHONY SMITH-JONES Reg. No. 12345-678 FCI Phoenix 37910 N 45th Ave Phoenix, Az 85086
The BOP lists the inmate mail address for the FCI as 37910 N 45th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85086, and for the camp as 37930 N. 45th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85086. Put their committed name, 8-digit register number and the institution name on the envelope, with your return address. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
Use exactly this address. Phoenix has no P.O. Box for inmate mail.
- White only
- Envelopes and paper must be white. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
- Nothing on it
- Glitter, stickers, lipstick, crayon or marker: rejected. Mail that looks stained, oily or wet, or smells of perfume or anything else, is rejected too. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
- Mail is copied
- All incoming general mail is photocopied. Photos are copied in color. The handbook says the original is kept 30 days and then destroyed, and they cannot send originals home, so do not send things of sentimental value. They may get 25 photographs a day. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
- Outgoing mail
- FCI outgoing general mail is dropped unsealed in the unit mailbox and may be read by the unit officer. They put a TRULINCS mailing label on it. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
- Legal mail
- Marked "Special Mail - open only in the presence of the inmate," with the attorney's name on it. The envelope is photocopied and they get the copy, within 24 hours. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
- Money
- Never put money orders or checks in a letter to the prison. They go to the BOP lockbox in Des Moines (see the Money tab). Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
Books and magazines: at a medium security prison, books and magazines must come straight from a publisher, book club or bookstore (Amazon, for example), never from home.
How to send money to an inmate here
Money never goes to Phoenix. 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: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗ 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
The Phoenix handbook (October 2025) says two things: a monthly spending limit of $360.00, and, further down, a national spending limit of $320.00 that the prison may restrict. National BOP policy (PS 4500.13, May 7, 2026) is now $460 a month, plus $50 more in November and December. Ask your loved one what limit is in force now. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗ Click here to read the source: Program Statement 4500.13, Trust Fund/Deposit Fund Manual (May 7, 2026) ↗
How shopping works at Phoenix
- They may shop <strong>once a week</strong>. Sales are Monday to Thursday during breakfast and lunch mainline. The sales unit is closed on weekends, federal holidays and the last week of March and September for inventory.
- Shopping days rotate every quarter and are posted by the 4th and 5th digits of the register number, on the TRULINCS bulletin board.
- They turn in a written list of items from the approved list. No substitutions.
- All sales are final. Problems with an order must be settled before leaving the sales window. Items are sold as-is (MP3 players and tablets have a 90-day warranty).
- The commissary list is a scan with unreliable prices, so it is not shown here.
The price list: Phoenix'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. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Commissary List (PDF created February 10, 2025) ↗
Phone calls and email
- Minutes
- 300 minutes a month. Each call is limited to 15 minutes. They usually get 100 extra minutes in November and December. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
- Hours
- In the units, one phone is open from 6:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for people who are off work or on an early or late shift. After a call they cannot make another for 60 minutes. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
- Contacts
- Up to 30 phone numbers and email addresses (counted as the first 30 entered), plus up to 100 contacts for printing mailing labels. They must add you before you can talk or email. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
- TRULINCS email has no monthly time limit. Each session is a maximum of 60 minutes. You first accept their request on corrlinks.com. Messages are limited to 13,000 characters. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
- Rules
- All calls are recorded. No three-way calls. Misusing the phone can mean losing phone use for 6 to 18 months. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
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 Phoenix
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 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9:00 to 9:30 a.m. No sick call on Wednesday, weekends or holidays. After 7:45 a.m. they cannot walk in without an appointment. For an emergency they tell any staff member. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
- Provider on site
- Health Services staff work 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Sunday to Saturday. Someone is always on call. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
- Dental
- Dental emergency sign-up is Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 7:00 to 7:30 a.m. Routine care (fillings, cleaning, dentures) is requested with a cop-out to the dental clinic. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
- Pill line
- Morning Monday to Friday 6:30 a.m., weekends 7:00 a.m. Evening pill line is at the end of the 4:00 p.m. count on weekdays and 2:30 p.m. on weekends and holidays. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
- Co-pay
- $2.00 for each visit they ask for. Not charged: staff referrals, follow-up for a chronic condition, preventive care, emergencies, chronic infectious disease, mental health care and drug treatment. No charge if they are indigent. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
- SHU
- A health services staff member visits the SHU daily. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
Programs
- RDAP (drug program; can mean up to a year off for those eligible)
- The FCI handbook says RDAP is available at Phoenix. The camp handbook says RDAP is at the camp too. Treatment is a minimum of 9 months, half-day, in a unit apart from the rest. To apply they send a cop-out at Open House. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
- When they are interviewed
- Interviews are usually 24 to 48 months before release, by nearness to release. Those diagnosed with a drug use disorder qualify. The 1994 law allows up to 1 year off for non-violent inmates who finish. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
- Other drug programs
- The Drug Abuse Education Course and non-residential drug treatment, and follow-up treatment after the unit part of RDAP. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
- First Step Act groups
- Local groups include Anger Management, Basic Cognitive Skills, Criminal Thinking, Emotional Self-Regulation, Trauma Education Workshop and Seeking Strength. They complete the needs surveys on TRULINCS and are placed on a list. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
- UNICOR (prison factory)
- Hired from a waiting list. Most prisons give priority to people with large court-ordered fines or restitution. Someone who has not done a required Drug Education course cannot work for UNICOR. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
- Education
- GED and English-as-a-Second-Language classes. Above entry-level pay needs a high school diploma, GED or exemption. Click here to read the source: FCI Phoenix Admission and Orientation Handbook (October 2025) ↗
The BOP's First Step Act guide lists both "FCI Phoenix" for RDAP and "SCP Phoenix" for the Female Integrated Treatment (FIT) program, which includes an RDAP part (list updated June 4, 2026). The FCI handbook says RDAP is "in Tahoe B," which is not one of the unit names in the visiting rules, so ask which unit. Click here to read the source: First Step Act Approved Programs Guide (May 2026) ↗
Safety record
Criminal cases at Phoenix
Deaths announced by the BOP
- May 19, 2021A 67-year-old woman at the satellite camp was found unresponsive and pronounced dead by EMS. The woman had tested positive for COVID-19 on July 2, 2020 and was recovered by July 28, 2020. The BOP release is dated May 24, 2021. Click here to read the source: BOP press release, "Inmate Death at FCI Phoenix," May 25, 2021 ↗
- December 26, 2020A 79-year-old man who tested positive for COVID-19 on December 17, 2020 was taken to a hospital with breathing trouble on December 22 and was pronounced dead there. Click here to read the source: BOP press release, "Inmate Death at FCI Phoenix," December 28, 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. We found no newer BOP death releases for Phoenix.
Sexual abuse audit (PREA)
The last federal sexual-abuse (PREA) audit visited Phoenix July 15 to 17, 2025. Result: 0 standards exceeded, 45 met, 0 not met. In the 12 months before the audit, Phoenix recorded 3 sexual-abuse allegations (all against other inmates) and 2 sexual-harassment allegations (both against other inmates). Click here to read the source: PREA audit report, FCI Phoenix (onsite July 15 to 17, 2025) ↗
An allegation is a report, not a finding. The audit counts reports made, not what investigators concluded.
News about Phoenix
- Phoenix federal prison union members call for warden, regional director to be removedazcentral.com and The Arizona Republic · Jun 3, 2025
- Investigation underway after several employees at Phoenix federal prison fell ill from an unknown substance12News · May 23, 2025
Stories from news outlets that name FCI Phoenix, checked every day. Last updated Nov 3, 2026, 1:34 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 Phoenix yet.
Know something about Phoenix that families should know? Tell Scooter. Our team checks every report before it goes up, and we never publish names.