USP Hazelton

Hazelton at a glance

USP Hazelton is a high-security federal penitentiary (USP) for men in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia, with a satellite prison camp (SPC). It is part of the Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) Hazelton. The same complex also has the FCI and the Secure Female Facility, which have their own page. The BOP publishes one visiting policy, one handbook and one PREA audit for the whole complex.

How many people

1,092 in the USP and 161 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. The BOP's medical list has one row for the whole Hazelton complex ("HAZ, all facilities"). 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 the USP ("HAZ," high security) and the camp (min security) both 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) ↗

How many people

The BOP feed counts 1,092 at the USP and 161 at the camp. Click here to read the source: BOP facility information (population dated October 29, 2026) ↗

Ages and size (whole complex)

The 2026 audit covered the whole complex. Capacity 2752. Population on the first day 3376. Average over the 12 months before the audit 3550. The audit says it was over capacity at some point. Ages ran from 18 to 85. Click here to read the source: PREA audit report, FCC Hazelton (onsite April 7 to 9, 2026) ↗

Tobacco

"Inmate smoking is prohibited in all BOP facilities." Click here to read the source: FCC Hazelton Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated September 6, 2022) ↗

The BOP's own page for USP Hazelton.

Visiting hours and days

No visitors are processed after 2:00 p.m. Visits end at 3:00 p.m. Processing normally starts no earlier than 8:00 a.m., and visitors are told not to arrive earlier. No one may wait on the grounds, in the lobby or in the parking lot, so line up a ride that can come back if a visit is ended.

The visiting rules list only Saturday and Sunday for the USP and the camp. The rules say any change or cancellation is posted on the BOP website. Click here to read the source: HAX 5267.09I1, Visiting Regulations for FCC Hazelton (June 30, 2026) ↗

The BOP's own papers disagree. Hazelton's handbook is old (updated September 6, 2022). Its visiting table for the USP and camp shows Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and also a federal holidays row. The newer visiting rules (June 30, 2026) list only Saturday and Sunday and do not mention holidays. Go by the newer rules and call 304-379-5000 before you drive, especially on a holiday weekend.

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

Inmate mailing address

JOHN ANTHONY SMITH-JONES
Reg. No. 12345-678
USP Hazelton
P.O. Box 2000
Bruceton Mills, Wv 26525

Put their name and register number. The 2022 handbook gives the addresses: USP: P.O. Box 2000, Bruceton Mills, WV 26525. Satellite camp: P.O. Box 2000, Bruceton Mills, WV 26525. Add their housing unit. Click here to read the source: FCC Hazelton Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated September 6, 2022) ↗

The camp uses the same P.O. Box.

Use the P.O. Box only. Never mail to the street address (1640 Sky View Drive, Bruceton Mills, Wv 26525).

Photocopied

They get a photocopy of regular incoming mail. The originals are destroyed. Legal and special mail are opened in front of them. Click here to read the source: FCC Hazelton Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated September 6, 2022) ↗

Mail days

Mail is handed out Monday through Friday, usually not on weekends or holidays. Click here to read the source: FCC Hazelton Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated September 6, 2022) ↗

Packages

Every package needs approval first. Click here to read the source: FCC Hazelton Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated September 6, 2022) ↗

Books and magazines

Hard cover books and newspapers only from the publisher, a book club or a bookstore. At a medium or high-security prison, soft cover books also only from those sources. At a minimum-security camp, soft cover books (not newspapers) may come from any source. Click here to read the source: FCC Hazelton Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated September 6, 2022) ↗

Their letters to you

At the USP their outgoing letters stay unsealed, and staff may read them (special mail excepted). At the minimum-security camp they may seal them. The envelope needs their committed name, register number and the full return address. Click here to read the source: FCC Hazelton Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated September 6, 2022) ↗

Special mail

Must say "Special Mail - Open only in the presence of the inmate" or similar, and the sender must be clear on the front. Click here to read the source: FCC Hazelton Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated September 6, 2022) ↗

Money

Send money only through the BOP lockbox in Des Moines or Western Union. Never put money in a letter. Click here to read the source: FCC Hazelton Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated September 6, 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

Money never goes to Hazelton. 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: FCC Hazelton Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated September 6, 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

1. Decide the amount. Up to $1,000 in one money order.
2. Go to any Post Office.
3. Bring cash or a debit card. The Post Office does not take credit cards for money orders.
4. Fill it out at the counter with the clerk. Use the boxes below.
5. Pay the amount plus the fee: $2.65 for up to $500, $3.75 for $500.01 to $1,000.
6. 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 ↗

1. Pay toJOHN ANTHONY SMITH-JONEStheir committed name, exactly as the BOP Inmate Locator shows it
2. Address (under Pay to)Federal Bureau of Prisons, P.O. Box 474701, Des Moines, IA 50947-0001
3. FromMARIA SMITH-JONESyour name
4. Address (under From)123 Main Street, Trenton, NJ 08608your address
5. 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.

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

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:

1. Company NameFederal Bureau of Prisons
2. City & StateWashington, DC
3. Receive Code7932always the same
4. Account Number of the Bill to Pay12345678SMITHJONESone letter or number per box
5. Amount to Payup to $300
6. 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

1. Go to moneygram.com (Pay Bills) or the MoneyGram app and log in or sign up.
2. Search the biller 7932 or "Federal Bureau of Prisons."
3. Enter the amount (up to $300) and the account number 12345678SMITHJONES.
4. 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:

1. Dollar Amountyour amount
2. Pay toFederal Bureau of Prisons
3. Code CityFBOP, DC
4. AttentionJOHN ANTHONY SMITH-JONES
5. 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.

1. Go to send2corrections.com or the Send2Corrections app. Log in or register.
2. "Who are you sending to?" Choose the facility Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP DC).
3. Receiver first name, middle name (optional), last name: exactly as the BOP has it.
4. 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.
5. Ignore the pop-up that says "BOP number will not work." That text shows for every prison. The register number is what works.
6. 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 2022 handbook says the national spending limit was $360.00 but may be restricted at the local level, and that accounts are revalidated monthly, bi-weekly or weekly. National BOP policy (PS 4500.13, May 7, 2026) is now $460 a month, plus $50 more in November and December. The BOP links a commissary list from this prison's page, but it is headed "FCI Hazelton General Population List," so we did not use it for the penitentiary. If they refuse to pay under the court-fine payment plan ("refuse" status), their limit is $25.00 a month. Click here to read the source: FCC Hazelton Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated September 6, 2022) ↗ Click here to read the source: Program Statement 4500.13, Trust Fund/Deposit Fund Manual (May 7, 2026) ↗

The price list: Hazelton'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. The handbook says they ordinarily get an extra 100 minutes in November and December. Click here to read the source: FCC Hazelton Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated September 6, 2022) ↗

Hours

Phones work from 6:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. at the latest. Monday through Friday (not holidays), access is usually limited from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and from 12:30 p.m. until after the 4:00 p.m. count. They may not use the phone during work hours. Click here to read the source: FCC Hazelton Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated September 6, 2022) ↗

Paying

Phone credit comes from their commissary account, in even dollar amounts. Calls can be monitored and recorded. Click here to read the source: FCC Hazelton Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated September 6, 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 Hazelton

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. The BOP's medical list has one row for the whole Hazelton complex ("HAZ, all facilities"). Click here to read the source: BOP "Institution Care Levels for Medical Assignment," February 13, 2024 (released under FOIA 2024-03455) ↗

Emergency care

Emergency care is available 24 hours a day in all BOP facilities. BOP clinical staff usually cover the day and evening shifts. When they are not on site, community emergency staff respond. Click here to read the source: FCC Hazelton Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated September 6, 2022) ↗

Sick call

The handbook describes sick call but gives no sign-up times. Ask your loved one. Click here to read the source: FCC Hazelton Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated September 6, 2022) ↗

Co-pay

$2.00 for health care they ask for themselves, such as sick call. No fee for staff referrals, chronic care follow-up, emergencies, prenatal care, mental health care and substance abuse treatment. If they have not had $6.00 in their account in the past 30 days, they are indigent and are not charged. Click here to read the source: FCC Hazelton Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated September 6, 2022) ↗

Write a sick call request →

Programs

RDAP (drug program; can mean up to a year off for those eligible)

The 2022 handbook says the Secure Female Facility is the only place in the complex that offers RDAP, so people at the USP and camp would have to be transferred to another institution for it. The BOP's 2026 RDAP list does not name Hazelton. To ask, they send an Inmate Request to Staff Member to Psychology Services. They need about 20 months left to serve. Click here to read the source: FCC Hazelton Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated September 6, 2022) ↗

Challenge Program

An intensive residential program for people with drug abuse and/or mental health problems, in most BOP penitentiaries. People live in a separate unit. They can volunteer at any time. It is typically 9 months. To apply they send an Inmate Request to Staff Member to Psychology Services. The BOP guide lists the USP as a site that may offer it. Click here to read the source: FCC Hazelton Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated September 6, 2022) ↗

Other drug programs

Non-residential drug treatment, available in every BOP institution: treatment groups over 12 to 14 weeks. Click here to read the source: FCC Hazelton Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated September 6, 2022) ↗

Resolve (trauma program)

The handbook says the only place in the complex that has it is the Secure Female Facility. The BOP guide lists HAZ as a site that may offer it. Ask Psychology Services. Click here to read the source: FCC Hazelton Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated September 6, 2022) ↗

Education

GED. Without a high school diploma they must attend at least 240 instructional hours. Correspondence college courses are paid for by the inmate. Click here to read the source: FCC Hazelton Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated September 6, 2022) ↗

UNICOR (prison factory)

The handbook mentions UNICOR only to say refusing the court-fine payment plan bars them from working there. It gives no factory details. Click here to read the source: FCC Hazelton Admission and Orientation Handbook (updated September 6, 2022) ↗

The BOP's First Step Act guide (May 2026) lists HAZ (the penitentiary) as a site that may offer the Challenge Program and the Resolve program. Its RDAP list (updated June 4, 2026) does not name Hazelton. Click here to read the source: First Step Act Approved Programs Guide (May 2026) ↗

Safety record

Criminal cases at Hazelton

• January 2026Three inmates were injured in a stabbing at USP Hazelton. (WBOY.com)
• November 2024Three former Hazelton correctional officers pleaded guilty to roles in the assault of an inmate at USP Hazelton. (WCHS)

Deaths announced by the BOP

• May 26, 2026A 46-year-old man was found unresponsive at about 9:05 p.m. on May 25, 2026, and pronounced dead by EMS staff. The FBI was notified. Click here to read the source: BOP press release, "Death at USP Hazelton," May 26, 2026 ↗
• March 19, 2026A 35-year-old man was found unresponsive at about 8:35 p.m. on March 17, 2026, and pronounced dead at a hospital the next day. The FBI was notified. Click here to read the source: BOP press release, "Death at USP Hazelton," March 19, 2026 ↗

These are deaths the BOP announced in a press release for USP Hazelton; the dates are the dates of the releases. The BOP does not publish a full count of deaths at each prison, so this is not a total. Deaths at the FCI are on the FCI Hazelton page.

Sexual abuse audit (PREA)

The last federal sexual-abuse (PREA) audit covered the whole complex (USP, FCI, women's facility and camp together). It visited April 7 to 9, 2026. Result: 45 standards met, 0 not met, and none exceeded. In the 12 months before the audit, the complex recorded 38 sexual-abuse allegations (24 against other inmates, 14 against staff) and 13 sexual-harassment allegations (10 against other inmates, 3 against staff). These numbers cover all four facilities, not just this one. Click here to read the source: PREA audit report, FCC Hazelton (onsite April 7 to 9, 2026) ↗

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

News about Hazelton

• South Carolina woman, FCI Hazelton inmate indicted after attempted meth delivery during prison visitationWDTV 5 · Aug 10, 2026
• Inmate dies at USP HazeltonWDTV 5 · May 26, 2026
• Hazelton federal prison hosts hiring event for correctional officers, staffWDTV 5 · May 19, 2026
• Two inmates at Hazelton prisons die this monthThe Dominion Post · Mar 20, 2026
• 2nd inmate dies at FCC Hazelton prison complex in 1-month periodWTAP · Mar 19, 2026
• 3 inmates injured in stabbing at USP HazeltonWBOY.com · Jan 8, 2026
• Hazelton guard blames mail policies for recent exposures to drugsWAJR · Aug 12, 2025
• 2nd former Hazelton guard gets 16-month fed prison term for inmate beatdownWV News · Jun 9, 2025
• Three former correctional officers plead guilty following assault of USP Hazelton inmateWCHS · Nov 4, 2024

Stories from news outlets that name USP Hazelton, checked every day. Last updated Nov 3, 2026, 4:49 am 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 Hazelton yet.

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