USP Canaan Federal Prison: Visiting Hours, Address and Sending Money

Canaan at a glance

USP Canaan is a high-security federal penitentiary for men, with a minimum-security satellite camp. It is in Waymart, Pennsylvania, about 23 miles northeast of Scranton.

How many people: 1,218 in the USP and 96 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: A written treatment plan that is reviewed at least every 12 months, and mental health treatment at least once a month. 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 21 to 82. Click here to read the source: PREA audit report, USP Canaan (onsite January 23 to 25, 2024) ↗
Built for: 1,088 people. On the first day of the 2024 audit, 1,281 were there. The audit says the prison was not over capacity in the 12 months before. Click here to read the source: PREA audit report, USP Canaan (onsite January 23 to 25, 2024) ↗
Counts: They must stand in their cell for the 4:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. counts every day, and for the 10:00 a.m. count on weekends and holidays. Cell doors are locked for counts. Click here to read the source: USP Canaan Inmate Information Handbook (revised April 2022) ↗
Red side and Blue side: The visiting rules include a 2026 calendar that sends the Red Side (units A, B and C) and the Blue Side (units D, E and F) to visit on different weekends. Click here to read the source: CAA-5267.09F, Inmate Visiting Regulations (December 22, 2025) ↗

The BOP's own page for USP Canaan.

How far is it from you?

Driving directions (Google Maps) → Bus or train (Google Maps) →

Plan your drive around this: Visitors are not processed before 8:00 a.m. or after 2:00 p.m. No visitors are escorted in after 9:00 a.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and federal holidays until the 10:00 a.m. count clears. For SHU visits, processing stops at 1:00 p.m. Visiting can be suspended during visiting hours; check www.bop.gov and call 570-488-8000.

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
USP (main prison)	Saturday, Sunday and federal holidays	8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Satellite camp (SPC)	Saturday, Sunday and federal holidays	8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Special Housing Unit (SHU)	During regular visiting hours. Non-contact, up to 2 hours.	Visitors processed until 1:00 p.m.

Visitors are not processed before 8:00 a.m. or after 2:00 p.m. No visitors are escorted in after 9:00 a.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and federal holidays until the 10:00 a.m. count clears. For SHU visits, processing stops at 1:00 p.m. Visiting can be suspended during visiting hours; check www.bop.gov and call 570-488-8000.

No social visiting except Saturday, Sunday and federal holidays. The rules' 2026 calendar puts Red Side (units A, B, C) and Blue Side (units D, E, F) on different weekends, so check the calendar for your loved one's side. Click here to read the source: CAA-5267.09F, Inmate Visiting Regulations (December 22, 2025) ↗

The BOP's own papers disagree. The handbook (revised April 2022) says something different: visiting Friday, Saturday, Sunday and federal holidays from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., 8 points a month (2 points for a weekend, 1 for a weekday, 0 for a federal holiday), and 5 visitors at a time. The newer visiting rules (December 22, 2025) list no Friday, charge 2 points for every visit, and allow 4 visitors at a time. Go by the newer rules and call 570-488-8000 before you drive.

The rules at the door: ID, points, what you can bring

How many visits: 8 points on the 1st of each month. Every visit costs 2 points, so that is 4 visits a month. Legal visits and Prisoner Visitation Service visits cost no points. Click here to read the source: CAA-5267.09F, Inmate Visiting Regulations (December 22, 2025) ↗
How many people: No more than 4 approved visitors at one time, counting adults, children and babies. Exceptions go through the Unit Manager. A "split visit" lets someone leave and another approved visitor come in, usually once. Click here to read the source: CAA-5267.09F, Inmate Visiting Regulations (December 22, 2025) ↗
Children: Children under 16 cannot visit unless a responsible adult supervises them closely. Click here to read the source: CAA-5267.09F, Inmate Visiting Regulations (December 22, 2025) ↗
ID: Valid state or government photo ID. Altered, forged or expired ID is not accepted. Check-cashing cards are not accepted. Click here to read the source: CAA-5267.09F, Inmate Visiting Regulations (December 22, 2025) ↗
Screening: You sign the log book and fill out a Notification of Visitor form, and pass the walk-through metal detector. Staff stamp your hand and check it under a black light when you go in and when you leave. If you have metal plates, pins or a pacemaker, bring medical papers that say what it is and where it is. Click here to read the source: CAA-5267.09F, Inmate Visiting Regulations (December 22, 2025) ↗
Money for vending machines: No more than $30.00, in a small clear plastic bag no bigger than 8 x 10. No wallets. Vending machines are for visitors only. Click here to read the source: CAA-5267.09F, Inmate Visiting Regulations (December 22, 2025) ↗
What you can carry: Vending money, essential medication and feminine hygiene products (only what you need during the visit, held by staff). Handbags and purses go in a front-lobby locker or your locked car. Staff do not secure your property. Click here to read the source: CAA-5267.09F, Inmate Visiting Regulations (December 22, 2025) ↗
For a baby: Per child: 3 diapers, 1 clear package of wipes, 1 change of clothes, 2 clear baby bottles or sippy cups with contents, 2 small unopened jars of baby food, 1 receiving blanket, 1 plastic serving spoon and 1 small clear plastic tote. A private room is available for nursing. Click here to read the source: CAA-5267.09F, Inmate Visiting Regulations (December 22, 2025) ↗
What not to wear: Nothing that shows the upper body or underwear (halter tops, midriffs), no tank tops, tube tops or spaghetti straps, no tights, sweat suits or sports jerseys, no shorts of any kind, nothing above the knee or with high slits. No khaki, tan, light brown or dark green. No camouflage, hats, scarves, hooded tops, scrubs, ripped clothes, plain white t-shirts, flip-flops, sandals, open-toe, heeled or platform shoes, or watches. Women must wear a bra, but not underwire. Click here to read the source: CAA-5267.09F, Inmate Visiting Regulations (December 22, 2025) ↗
Not allowed in: Cell phones, cameras and electronics of any kind. Tobacco of any kind. Watches. Click here to read the source: CAA-5267.09F, Inmate Visiting Regulations (December 22, 2025) ↗
Touching: One brief embrace and one closed-mouth kiss at the start and end, in the marked "Embrace Box" next to the officer's station. Inmates may have limited contact with children, but no child may sit on their lap. Staff may check mouths. Click here to read the source: CAA-5267.09F, Inmate Visiting Regulations (December 22, 2025) ↗
Photos: Tasteful photos in a marked area only, in the order people signed up. Click here to read the source: CAA-5267.09F, Inmate Visiting Regulations (December 22, 2025) ↗
Parking: Park only in the marked red visitor spaces. No loitering. No campers, RVs or tractor trailers. People who are not visiting may not wait on the property. Click here to read the source: CAA-5267.09F, Inmate Visiting Regulations (December 22, 2025) ↗
When it gets crowded: Each visiting room (USP and camp) holds 90 people. When full, visits end in the order people came in. Click here to read the source: CAA-5267.09F, Inmate Visiting Regulations (December 22, 2025) ↗
Non-contact visits: In non-contact booths, visits are limited to 2 hours and booths fill first come, first served. Click here to read the source: CAA-5267.09F, Inmate Visiting Regulations (December 22, 2025) ↗

How to get on the visiting list

At admission your loved one gets a Visitor Information Questionnaire, BP-A0629, and a Visitor Information Handout. They mail them to you, or you can get the form at www.bop.gov. (Indigent inmates can ask the Unit Manager for stamps.)
You fill out and sign the form and return it to their Unit Counselor. Nothing else happens until the counselor has the complete form.
The counselor runs a background check (NCIC). Questionable convictions go to the Associate Warden of Programs; the Warden reviews former federal inmates.
The counselor tells them who was approved or denied. They tell you. Do not drive until you are approved.
The list holds immediate family, other relatives and no more than 10 friends and associates. Friends must usually have known them before prison. The Warden must approve an exception.
They can change the list once each quarter by sending an Inmate Request to Staff to their Unit Team.
Special visits (for a person not on the list) must be requested at least two weeks ahead.

Fill out the visiting form for Canaan →

Click here to read the source: CAA-5267.09F, Inmate Visiting Regulations (December 22, 2025) ↗

Driving directions (from the BOP)

From Scranton: Take I-81 north to Route 6 to the town of Waymart. At the stop light turn right onto State Route 296. Follow Route 296 for 1.4 miles. The prison entrance is on the right.
From New York or Milford: Take I-84 west to exit 17. Turn onto Route 191 north and stay on Route 191 until signs for Route 296 north appear (Route 196 turns into Route 296). Continue on Route 296 until signs for the prison entrance appear.

Street address for your GPS: 3057 Eric J. Williams, Memorial Drive, Waymart, PA 18472. Click here to read the source: USP Canaan Inmate Information Handbook (revised April 2022) ↗

The BOP beats to its own drum. The front desk has the final say. Keep a spare outfit in the car.

USP Canaan

Rules dated December 22, 2025 (1 year old)

Official rules (PDF) En español (PDF)

Skirts and dresses	Skirts/dresses must not be above the knee (0 inches); no slits above knee.
Shorts	No shorts of any kind.
Colors to avoid	No khaki, tan, or light brown clothing. No dark green clothing. No colors similar to inmate attire; no plain white t-shirts.
Leggings, spandex	No tights.
Bras and metal	No underwire bras; they set off the metal detector. Female visitors must wear a bra.
Camouflage, military	No camouflage material or fatigues. No military garments of any type.
Shoes	No open-toed, heeled, or platform shoes. No flip flops, sandals, or house slippers.
Children	Not in the written rules.

All 26 rules, in the BOP's own words

Length and fit

Skirts/dresses must not be above the knee (0 inches); no slits above knee.Skirts or dresses which are above the knee in length or have slits extending above the knee.
No shorts of any kind.e Shorts of any kind.
Garments must cover the top of the shoulder; no tank tops.Garments which do not cover the top of the shoulder
No garments revealing upper torso, cleavage, or undergarments.Garments which reveal portions of the upper torso, cleavage, and/or undergarments
No midriff-baring tops.cleavage, and/or undergarments (ex: halter tops, midriffs, etc..).
No halter tops, tube tops, or spaghetti straps.(ex: tank tops, tube tops, spaghetti straps, etc..).
No skin-toned garments or ones showing undergarment outlines.Any garment which appears to be skin toned or allows the outline of the undergarments to be visible.
No tights.Athletic garments (ex: tights, sweat suits, jogging
No clothing with rips, holes, or tears.Any clothing with rips, holes, or tears.
No athletic garments like sweat suits or jogging suits.Athletic garments (ex: tights, sweat suits, jogging suits, sports jerseys, etc..).

Colors and uniforms

No khaki, tan, or light brown clothing.Any clothing items of the following colors, khaki, tan, light brown, dark green,
No dark green clothing.tan, light brown, dark green, or any similar color to inmate attire.
No colors similar to inmate attire; no plain white t-shirts.or any similar color to inmate attire.
No camouflage material or fatigues.Camouflage material or fatigues or any type of
No military garments of any type.Camouflage material or fatigues or any type of military garments.

Bras, underwear and metal

Female visitors must wear a bra.Female visitors will be required to wear a bra.
No underwire bras; they set off the metal detector.wire undergarments are not acceptable, as this will activate the metal detector.
No watches of any kind.e Watches of any kind, wrist, pocket, etc.

Shoes

No open-toed, heeled, or platform shoes.Flip flops, sandals, house slippers, open-toed shoes, heeled type shoes, or platform soled shoes
No flip flops, sandals, or house slippers.Flip flops, sandals, house slippers, open-toed

Hats, hoods and coats

No hats or scarves.e Hats, scarves, heavy outer coats.
No hooded jackets, sweatshirts, or any hooded clothing.Hooded jackets, sweatshirts, or any clothing with a hood.
No heavy outer coats, long coats, or puffy jackets; jackets go on rack.Long coats (ex: trench coats), or overly large, puffy jackets will not be permitted into the visiting room.

Everything else

No sports jerseys.suits, sports jerseys, etc..).
No hospital scrubs or hospital type clothing.Hospital scrubs or hospital type clothing.

If they say no

List not all-inclusive; Operations Lieutenant or IDO decides questionable attire.The above list is not all inclusive. Any attire deemed questionable may prevent visitors from entering the institution.

Inmate mailing address

Use their committed name exactly as the BOP Inmate Locator shows it. The name and number below are examples (JOHN ANTHONY SMITH-JONES, 12345-678).

JOHN ANTHONY SMITH-JONES
Reg. No. 12345-678
USP Canaan
P.O. Box 300
Waymart, PA 18472

The handbook says to put their register number and housing unit (for example A1, A2, B1) on the envelope. The camp has its own P.O. Box (see the address above). Click here to read the source: USP Canaan Inmate Information Handbook (revised April 2022) ↗

Use the P.O. Box only. Never mail to the street address (3057 Eric J. Williams, Memorial Drive, Waymart, PA 18472).

White only: Regular-mail envelopes must be white. Click here to read the source: USP Canaan Inmate Information Handbook (revised April 2022) ↗
Nothing on it: Glitter, stickers, lipstick, fragrance, stains, crayon or marker, or anything oily: the mail may be rejected. Write in pen, pencil or type. Click here to read the source: USP Canaan Inmate Information Handbook (revised April 2022) ↗
Photocopied: Regular mail, photos included, is photocopied. They get the copy. It is handed out Monday through Friday, except holidays. Click here to read the source: USP Canaan Inmate Information Handbook (revised April 2022) ↗
Books and magazines: All publications must come from the publisher, a book club or a bookstore. Hardcover only from the publisher or a book club. They may keep 3 magazines, 1 newspaper and 5 books. Click here to read the source: USP Canaan Inmate Information Handbook (revised April 2022) ↗
Packages: Every package needs approval first. Click here to read the source: USP Canaan Inmate Information Handbook (revised April 2022) ↗
Their letters to you: Outgoing mail goes in the mailbox unsealed. It is inspected, read and sealed by staff. Click here to read the source: USP Canaan Inmate Information Handbook (revised April 2022) ↗
Legal mail: Special mail is opened in front of them. Click here to read the source: USP Canaan Inmate Information Handbook (revised April 2022) ↗
Money: Never put money in a letter. It goes to the BOP lockbox in Des Moines, Iowa (see the Money tab). Click here to read the source: USP Canaan Inmate Information Handbook (revised April 2022) ↗

Books and magazines: at a high 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

Use their committed name exactly as the BOP Inmate Locator shows it. The name and number below are examples (JOHN ANTHONY SMITH-JONES, 12345-678).

Money never goes to Canaan. 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 Canaan Inmate Information Handbook (revised April 2022) ↗ 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 ↗

A U.S. Postal Service money order, the red and blue design, with the 5 boxes you fill in marked and numbered — The Postal Service's own sample of the new red-and-blue money order, with our example filled in. The clerk prints the amount, date and serial number. Tap to enlarge. Click here to read the source: U.S. Postal Service, Money Orders (sample images) ↗

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

The older green U.S. Postal Service money order — The older green design is still in use until the Post Office runs out of it. The boxes are the same. Click here to read the source: U.S. Postal Service, Money Orders (sample images) ↗

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.

Maria Smith-Jones
123 Main Street
Trenton, NJ 08608

STAMP

Federal Bureau of Prisons
JOHN ANTHONY SMITH-JONES
12345678
Post Office Box 474701
Des Moines, Iowa 50947-0001

The envelope. Nothing else inside: no letters, no photos.

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:

The MoneyGram blue ExpressPayment form, filled in by the BOP, with the 6 boxes you fill in marked 1 to 6 — The BOP's sample (2012). Fill in only the left "Pay a Bill" side. Tap to enlarge. Click here to read the source: the BOP's MoneyGram sample form ↗

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:

A Western Union Quick Collect payment form filled in for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, with the 5 boxes you fill in marked 1 to 5 — A 2008 version of the form, posted by a family-help site. The form in your store may look different, but the box names are the same. Tap to enlarge.

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

Canaan's handbook (revised April 2022) says the spending limit is $180.00 twice a month for regular items, validated on the 1st and 15th. Stamps, over-the-counter medicine and copy cards do not count against it. National BOP policy (PS 4500.13, May 7, 2026) raised the monthly limit to $460, plus $50 more in November and December. Canaan's handbook has not caught up. In "refuse" status (court-fine payment plan) the limit is $25.00 a month. Click here to read the source: USP Canaan Inmate Information Handbook (revised April 2022) ↗ Click here to read the source: Program Statement 4500.13, Trust Fund/Deposit Fund Manual (May 7, 2026) ↗

How shopping works at Canaan

They shop on their unit's scheduled date and time.
They pay with their ID card or by fingerprint.
The handbook says the limit "is subject to change at the Warden's discretion."

The price list: Canaan'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. Each call is limited to 15 minutes. They ordinarily get an extra 100 minutes a month in November and December. Click here to read the source: USP Canaan Inmate Information Handbook (revised April 2022) ↗
Hours: Phones on weekdays: 6:30 to 9:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 4:00 to 8:30 p.m. for the day schedule, with shorter windows for people on the work schedule. Weekends and holidays follow the day schedule. Not during work hours. Click here to read the source: USP Canaan Inmate Information Handbook (revised April 2022) ↗
Paying: Phone money moves from their commissary account in even dollar amounts. Calls can be monitored and recorded. Click here to read the source: USP Canaan Inmate Information Handbook (revised April 2022) ↗

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 Canaan

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: At the USP, sick call is Monday through Friday during the morning meal. They fill out a sick-call request slip. If they leave without being seen, they are a "no show" and are not rescheduled. At the camp: Monday through Friday at 6:00 a.m. with a handwritten request. In the Special Housing Unit and Alpha units they hand a written request to the clinician on daily rounds. Click here to read the source: USP Canaan Inmate Information Handbook (revised April 2022) ↗
Pill lines: Three times a day at the USP, with the meals. Twice a day at the camp, Alpha units and Special Housing Units. Click here to read the source: USP Canaan Inmate Information Handbook (revised April 2022) ↗
Dental: Emergency dental requests are seen at sick call Monday through Friday during breakfast. Routine care goes on a waiting list. Click here to read the source: USP Canaan Inmate Information Handbook (revised April 2022) ↗
Co-pay: $2.00 for health care visits they ask for themselves. No charge for care directly tied to a chronic care condition. Click here to read the source: USP Canaan Inmate Information Handbook (revised April 2022) ↗

Write a sick call request →

Programs

RDAP (drug program; can mean up to a year off for those eligible): Canaan has RDAP. It is a 500-hour program, with structured activities Monday through Friday. They ask by cop-out or email. Those who are eligible may qualify for up to 1 year off for a non-violent offense. Click here to read the source: USP Canaan Inmate Information Handbook (revised April 2022) ↗
Challenge Program: An intensive residential program for HIGH security inmates (24 points or more), with a substance abuse track or a mental health track. Three phases: Orientation, Core Treatment and Transition. Click here to read the source: USP Canaan Inmate Information Handbook (revised April 2022) ↗
Other drug programs: Drug Education (12 to 15 hours; required if the judge recommended treatment, drugs are tied to the charge, or the PSI shows use) and Non-Residential Drug Treatment (about 18 to 22 weeks, voluntary). Click here to read the source: USP Canaan Inmate Information Handbook (revised April 2022) ↗
UNICOR (prison factory): The handbook says there are jobs in the UNICOR factories, with a waiting list. Click here to read the source: USP Canaan Inmate Information Handbook (revised April 2022) ↗

The BOP's First Step Act guide lists USP Canaan on its RDAP list (updated June 4, 2026) and names CAA as a site for the residential Challenge Program. The guide's last column says where a program "may be offered", not that it is running today. Click here to read the source: First Step Act Approved Programs Guide (May 2026) ↗

Safety record

Criminal cases at Canaan

October 2026A USP Canaan inmate was sentenced for stabbing another inmate with a homemade weapon. (fox56.com)
August 2026A federal inmate was convicted in the 2019 killing of a cellmate at USP Canaan. (fox56.com)
May 2026A USP Canaan inmate was indicted on a federal assault charge. (fox56.com)
May 2026A Justice Department inspection found "serious issues" at the prison, WVIA reported. (WVIA Public Media)

Deaths announced by the BOP

January 5, 2026A 29-year-old man was found unresponsive and pronounced dead. Click here to read the source: BOP press release, "Death at USP Canaan," posted January 5, 2026 ↗
December 19, 2025A 57-year-old man was found unresponsive and pronounced dead. Click here to read the source: BOP press release, "Death at USP Canaan," posted December 22, 2025 ↗

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. Names are left out. The Justice Department Inspector General also inspected USP Canaan (E&I Report 26-055, May 2026, as listed in the Inspector General's report 27-002). We did not read that report.

Sexual abuse audit (PREA)

The last federal sexual-abuse (PREA) audit visited Canaan January 23 to 25, 2024. Result: 2 standards exceeded (hiring and promotion decisions; employee training), 39 met, 0 not met. Four standards were audited at the agency level only. In the 12 months before the audit, Canaan recorded 16 sexual-abuse allegations (4 against staff, 12 against other inmates) and no sexual-harassment allegations. This audit is more than two years old; a newer one has not been posted on the BOP page. Click here to read the source: PREA audit report, USP Canaan (onsite January 23 to 25, 2024) ↗

An allegation is a report, not a finding. The audit counts reports made, not what investigators concluded.

News about Canaan

USP Canaan inmate sentenced for stabbing another inmate with homemade weaponfox56.com · Oct 7, 2026
Federal inmate convicted in 2019 killing of cellmate at USP Canaanfox56.com · Aug 5, 2026
Inmate found dead at USP Canaan in Wayne Countyfox56.com · Jun 17, 2026
USP Canaan inmate indicted on federal assault chargefox56.com · May 1, 2026
Inmate Dies at Wayne County’s USP Canaan in WaymartRadio Catskill · Dec 22, 2025
Inmate Death in Wayne County’s USP Canaan PrisonRadio Catskill · Jul 28, 2025
Federal inmate death investigation at USP Canaanfox56.com · Dec 31, 2024

Stories from news outlets that name USP Canaan, checked every day. Last updated Nov 4, 2026, 8:20 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 Canaan yet.

Know something about Canaan that families should know? Tell Scooter. Our team checks every report before it goes up, and we never publish names.