As an adjunct to FPC Hazelton, a Secure Female Facility (SFF) is now open there, but contrary to some beliefs, it is NOT a camp. It is med. secuirty, two to a cell, and run by the same warden as the penitentiary with essentially the same rules for now. Unior is not yet available there, but is planned. Many are being transferred there, and it is approaching full.

I have one of my best friends there.. Only thing she hates is the controled movements.. You move from your unit the first 10 minutes of the hour and stay where you are at until the next hour unless you have a pass ..She seems to get along there good though.. Havent heard anything bad about the place as of yet

I have a daughter that is there I haven't had any complaints there. I've been there to visit. She seems to be doing okay.

my wife is headed there to hazelton,could you let me know about the prison?there is not much posted online about sff hazelton,thanks

need some info on sff hazelton,my wife is headed up there from tx,her daughter is in carswell in tx and tells my wife its a bad place.any info would help thanks

My best friend is there and a friend that I meet here online is there... From what i gather in their letters to me.. It is not a bad place. Only thing is it is secure menaing they have controled movement.. They aren't free to just walk out the unit whenever they want too.. They can move on the first 10 minutes of the hour.. So after the 10 minutes are up u have to wait until the next hour before u can go anywhere...They have email there.. they are in a cell that has a window, desk, toilet, seperate sink .. I believe they are locked in their cells form 12 am until 6 am.. the rest of the time they can move aorund in their units.. They have a gym in the unit that I know has a tread mill , exercise bike and stair climber..there is a tv room in the unit that has 5 different tvs..My friend has been there since Novemebr and I have not heard of there being any fights or lock downs since she has been there.. For the most part she said the woman help each other out..If u have any other questions just let me know.. and I will ask her if I do not know the answer..

og, I didn't realize they had e-mail there. This is probably better for her son, except hearing each other's voice. I wrote to BMR the other day and I'm sure she hasn't received the letter yet. I read your post about hearing from her and am glad she is doing well. So glad to hear the women help each other out too...but it's the female nature to nurture, esp. if you have children. I'm the type to worry and I'm glad she has adjusted. Hopefully she will get to go to a camp closer home soon!

og,do you know if a inmate at sff hazelton can call out to a cell phone in texas?also can you find out if there are many hispanic women there?how often can a inmate call or email and at what times?thans for your help lkkmcxop

og,do you know if a inmate at sff hazelton can call out to a cell phone in texas?also can you find out if there are many hispanic women there?how often can a inmate call or email and at what times?thans for your help lkkmcxop

Don't know if anyone answered you by PM or not, but I can tell you that I'm sure they can call a cell phone (a good bit of the population of this land has given up a land line and are strictly using cell's)...but of course the telephone number has to be approved first. I'm sure they can't use the phones except when they are doing movements??? I know BMR told me in a letter she was waiting on 9pm to call her children. I'm not familiar with email at all. As for hispanic women there...hard to find that out unless you know someone there. I just mailed a letter to BMR1992, and didn't see your message beforehand. I can next time I write try to remember to ask her.

Over the past two months, SFF Hazelton is becoming increasingly overcrowed... they are now stacking the bunks three-high. For a low security facility, movement is controlled as if med or high. Counselors and case workers are overtaxed.... my wife has now been there for a month, and has still not met with either her counselor or case worker. I have tried to contact them, and they are virtually non-responsive. It is basically becoming a siimple warehouse, with nothing provided once there, and already well over capacity. One good thing I can mention is that they are instituting email for inmates... restricted of course to approved lists only.

My wife has been at SFF Hazeton for a month, transferred there from FCI Tallahassee. I can give you a comparison. At FCI Tallahassee, she had very free movement, with many more things to do. In contrast, SFF Haz is very restricted... controlled movement, as posted above. No contact or support from counselors or case workers. Overcrowed, and they are still shipping them in. Commissary is higher. Phone account is something to beware of. At FCI Tall, she could money in to her phone account, and use it as she chose. In contrast, as SFF Haz, they take all phone funds that might be unused at the end of the month. It just disappears. So a caution is to only put iinto the phone fund what will be used, or it will evaporate into their pockets.

Our member BMR1992 said the same thing about her counselor. Her exact words were "no counseling going on here at all". She said that they have women there in for life, as well as those that are camp eligible.

Why are they doing this to our friends and families? Does not seem fair at all to me!

I understand from some BOP Watchers that the main reason they are bringing low and min. security women into the USP system at Hazelton is that they can do many of the cadre menial jobs that cannot be trusted to the high security inmates. But they then treat them as high security inmates.It took a month, even though she is my wife, and thus immediate family, just to get onto her visitor's list. Little support there. The only bennie my wife sees so far is that the washer and dryer are free to use... only need to buy your own detergetn. By the way, dont use the 304-379-5000 number if you are calling the SFF. That is the USP number, and you might get incorrect lockdown recordings that dont apply to the SFF. The correct SFF number is 304-379-5500.

I made my first visit to SFF Hazelton this weekend. Here is the skinny.
Finding it: It is not marked on any of the major roads, or is the exit. Traveling west on I-83, about three miles over the Md/WVa border, take the first exit (Hazelton Rd) towards Hazelton, then the first right onto Casteel Rd. The USP is about a mile down on the left.
Checking in: First get a locker key. You cannot take any personal keys in, so you will have to at least locker your car keys. No pat down or search is conducted. Belongings and metal items go through x-ray, and you go through metal detector in the usual manner, Wallets were not searched. Coins may also be taken in. They then run a tool quickly over a portion of your clothing and skin to sense for drugs, so don’t wear anything that might have been around someone who has been using anything.
Waiting time both days was short… no more than 5-10 minutes. They will take you back to the visiting room immediately.. you don’t have to wait for the inmate to get there first.
Visiting room: The visiting room is spacious, but there are only ten tables, which filled up each day around 10AM. Tables and chairs are fixed pedestals, but they also have additional plastic chairs. For those bringing children, they have a separate, large play room with toys and a TV where the inmate and his family may go, so the kids don’t have to tolerate the boring main visiting room, and the inmate can have some privacy with them. Kinda nice.
The really nice thing about the visiting room is that it was no-hassle. Hugging, kissing, hand holding, and personal contact was not restricted to just a hug and kiss upon arriving and leaving. We kissed and hugged whenever we wanted, and no one ever said anything. Very low key. They have three vending machines that provide soda ($1.25), coffee ($1.00), sandwiches ($3.00), and candy and snacks ($.75-$1.50). Two microwaves are provided for use. The inmates may use the microwave, but can go no closer than six feet from the vending machines, The vending machines take quarters and dollar bills. Unlocked, clean, and larger rest rooms are provided for visitor use, but inmates may not use them. They must be escorted to a separate rest room, and are strip searched before returning. But it is quick and no-hassle. It was not a problem at all. When in the visiting room, inmates are not subjected to any counts or recalls, so they are not bothered. You and they can stay all day if desired without interruption. It is very low key. I strongly suggest that you take a jacket, sweater or sweatshirt, as the visiting room is very chilly. Sweatshirts may NOT be gray. The guards in the visiting room essentially ignore you, and do not patrol or keep close watch. Overall, a good environment. I was pleased, for the first time, with BOP for the very good visiting atmosphere that they permit.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable my visit was. I hope this helps.
Lodging: Bruceton Mills is about 6 miles further down I-83 (next exit past Hazelton Rd). It is a little bitty town with a small motel called Maple Leaf. Old and plain, but clean and $49 a night for a sinlge. Refrigerator, microwave, cable, and wireless internet. Bruceton Mills has a truck stop restaurant and a small grocery store, but little else. But it is only ten minutes from SFF Haz.

Visiting there seems more like a camp! I am very happy you got to visit! I know it was absolutely wonderful for yall. I feel very sorry for those that were moved so far away for family and friends to visitt though. BMR1992 who is there now recently got a visit from her oldest son (15) who was driven there by their pastor and another church member and they went all the way from TX!
But I don'''t want to take away your happiness talking about them. My heart is with you and I continue to pray as always!:D ;)

SFF Hazelton has lifted the controlled movement of inmates after 4PM on weekdays and all day on weekends. Also, inmate emaill has been implemented.

Thanks for the info! My sister has been there since May 1st. She was expecting to go to a FPC...what a disappointment! She is having health problems and they are not giving her the medicine she needs. I have spoken to her counselor, health services and her unit mgr. The trick to getting thru to someone is to enter an extension number, like 201, and asked to be transferred to the person you need to talk to. I have the direct phone numbers now to her mgr and health services. Do you know anything about Carswell? It is near where I live, but I have read articles that horrified me!

I'm gonna post a thread about your sister crazydaisy in the General area. She has many friends here on PTO and maybe we can get an answer. It would be nice if she was moved to Carswell FMC to be closer to family, but who knows with the BOP?
I"m working on it and please PM me and keep me up to date on your sister, and if I wrote, PM me the address to send it to, ok?

Thanks SCMom! So far, I have not heard anything good about Carswell!

Good talking with you tonight. I hope you don't get upset with me for calling! I am just concerned about BMR1992. God bless Linda for going to see her and taking her son. Thanks for that info!
Also, I think I finally got the email to go through! I hope so!
You have a good day tomorrow!!!
D

It is my understanding that several of the women are now being transferred back to Danbury because Hazelton does not have the drug program. Can anyone verify this?

I am BMR1992's sister. She is doing much better. I am going to visit her in a few weeks, around Aug 10th. I have spoken to her counselor and unit mgr and they have been very nice. The deal with the phones is this: she can call whenever she wants, but is limited to 300 minutes a month. Once she makes a phone call, which is limited to 15 minutes, she has to wait 30 minutes to make another call. If you write her a letter, spray it with some perfume...she says that the place stinks! The only things she can receive are softcover books, letters, magazines. Nothing over one pound. One of her counselors told me to write"BOP Authorized" in the top right corner of the envelope containing a book that weighs over a pound.

I am BMR1992's sister. She is doing much better. I am going to visit her in a few weeks, around Aug 10th. I have spoken to her counselor and unit mgr and they have been very nice. The deal with the phones is this: she can call whenever she wants, but is limited to 300 minutes a month. Once she makes a phone call, which is limited to 15 minutes, she has to wait 30 minutes to make another call. If you write her a letter, spray it with some perfume...she says that the place stinks! The only things she can receive are softcover books, letters, magazines. Nothing over one pound. One of her counselors told me to write"BOP Authorized" in the top right corner of the envelope containing a book that weighs over a pound.

Good to know this about mags. My last letter to her I tore out pages from "Guideposts"...now I know I can send the whole mag. I still haven't received the letter she sent a few days ago. I will from now on, put purfume or even colongne on her letters! I am so glad I got your email and that she will have visitors! Thank goodness for her church and for such a sweet sister like you! Even though she is incarcerated.......we have many things to be thankful for.....one her gettig well.

LU all!

I regularly send books to my wife at Hazelton, and have never had a problem with a "one pound limit" as long as the book is shipped directly from the seller, such as Amazon.

SFF Haz policy is now that magazines may be sent directly from family. However, books must still come directly from the publisher/dealer, such as Amazon. I have sent my wife several hardback books from Amazon, and she gets them with no problems. It takes a week once they hit the Bruceton P.O., but she gets them. However, check with her first, for the Warden is instituing a new policy of limiting what inmates may have as personal property because they are now triple-bunking in the cells, which is limiting their personal storage space. Haz is the pits.

I hope I can dispell some Hazeltonian confusion. USP Hazleton is a complex, and not one address for mail. When the BOP locator shows someone being at Hazelton, they only show the designation as USP Hazelton. Yet Hazelton actually has three components. The BOP web site is simply incomplete. The actual main USP Haz is max security for males only, and their address is PO Box 2000, USP Haz. 26525, as posted on the web site. But what the BOP website also lists simply as USP Hazelton also includes a min. security "camp" for males only, and a secure female facility (SFF) that are not the same, either in security designation, sexual occupancy, or mailing address, as is the male max USP. Any female at Haz MUST be at the SFF, period. No females are at either the camp or the main USP. Unfortunately, the "SFF" designation is not even a published designation on the arcane BOP website,and they have made no effort to define it or to clarify this confusion. So do not think, for one minute, that your female loved one at Haz is being put into a max security male USP prison simply because she is designated on the BOP locator as being as USP Hazelton. BOP unfortunately uses the term USP Hazelton as the general designation of all those in the entire HAZ complex, but it does NOT designate actual location, security level or mailing addresss for anyone there. They could be, if male, in either the USP or the camp.
but if female, trust me, NO females at Hazelton are at the main Prison (USP) there, or at the camp (there is NO female camp at Haz, periiod), and all females at the SFF have this address:
NAME, BOP No.
SFF Hazelton
PO Box 3000
Bruceton Mills, WV 26525

Sending mail to PO 2000 is not the correct address for any female inmate.

Update on motel accomodatios:
There is a new motel directly across from the entrance to USP/SFF Hazelton. It is on Casteel Rd. It is called Microtel Inn. The phone mumber is 304-379-7900. They offer free local and long distance phone calls, free wireless internet, free cable TV with HBO, and free continental breakfast. Average rate for a single is $60. Absolutely the most convenient.

A unit manager at the SFF in Hazelton has notified the female inmates that BOP will be converting the facility into a max. security facility, and that inmates with a security designation of 10 or less can expect to be sent elsewhere.
This is a big change. A little background may be helpful. There are currently NO designated max security facilities in BOP for females. Max security now (i.e., federal penetentaries) are all male facilities. An SFF is a hybrid, and currently not even an officially posted designation by BOP, and now holds female inmates at all different security levels. Apparently, BOP is re-evaluating this.
If anyone has additional info on this, please post. The impact could be widespread.

Most recent SFF Haz news.... and not good....
IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE AT SFF HAZ, READ THIS!!!!
My inmate wife was told a few weeks ago that BOP plans were to convert the current SFF into a maximum security female faciity, and those currently there with a lower security desig of 10 or less might be shipped out.
Unfortunatley, BOP does not post such information on their web site or information releases, so we, as the public loved ones, have little idea of what is going on.
But I see the tide rising, from my own recent experiences.
SFF Haz is getting much tighter, and gearing to be a Female Max!
SFF Haz was in the process, for the last six months, of setting up a UNICOR facility onsite. UNICOR is a federally contracted industry within BOP that gives inmates work opportunity at a much higher hourly rate. It was supposed to be a contract work site answering 411 information calls under contract with the telephone companies.
Well, sad to report... the expected UNICOR facility at SFF Haz has now been scrubbed, due to some kind of unspecified "contract dispute." I dont believe it. They are making changes there, on their own, and are not publishing their plans.
There has also recently been a noticable change there is security monitoring of visitors, much more akin to what is done in a max-security facility.
My wife was recently told by her unit BOP manager (and thus not just inmate rumor mill), that the SFF is going to be converted into a female max security facility, and that current inmates with security level of 10 or less migh be shipped out.
I have been visiting there for over eight months now. In the last month, security regs have been slowly ratcheted up. We can no longer take folding money into the visiting room. Cant even take in a wristwatch. They are now doing random pat-searches of visitors, which were not done before. And, the most demeaning, they now strip searh each inmate, but upon entering and exiting the visitors room. These are not idle changes.. they portend a big change in the SFF.
So all that is left are the pitiful level of any instutional jobs jobs there that pay little more than to even support a few phone calls, or a bar of decent soap from the dismal commissary.
I may be cynical, but I see much more to the thread of converting to FemaleMax and cancellation of UNICOR. This may be tied into the recent reports that SFF HAZ is being converted into a FemaleMax.
While BOP thinks it is immune from Freedom of Information (FOIA) requests, I am about to shoot out to the DOJ a FOIA request to find out what they are planning to do with OUR, and yes i repeat, OUR, taypayer money, let alone our loved-ones. Their plans are our plans, and I am going to get them.
I will keep all you SFF loved ones advised. I think that big changes are going on there that they are not telling us about, but FOIA can compel them for disclosure.

Surrendering to Hazelton female on May 7...what should I expect the first few days...
what or how many sets of clothes are u givin?...Don't know when my $ will be available...any and all info would be greatly appreciated! I have a 15 month sentence and not sure if I am staying there the whole time or moving to halfway house in Buffalo -the last 6 months of my sentence...do u have an idea?..HELP~

For the first days, or maybe weeks, after you arrive, you will be in the Special HOusing Unit (SHU) while processing. That will depend on when they get your records ans establishe your custody, medical, and security status, etc. YOu get no phone, commissary, or visitation during SHU processing time. It is a higher security area, and not the place to be. After that, you go to what is called the general populatin "bus stop," which is a general, open bunking area. How llong you remain there depends upon availability and assignment to cell. Cells are double and tripe bunked, but at least out of the "bus stop." After getting into gen pop, you then need to meet with your case manager, which can take weeks, to generate your approved visitation list, apply for email, etc. So dont expect many rights in the first month there.
Report in to the the SFF (Secure Female Faciity), and NOT to the USP! It is the very first right turn about a mile up the road into the facility. As for money it is all requred to be deposited by money order sent to Des Moines Iowa, per the BOP web page instructions, but you cant use this while in the SHU. Do not take any $$ with you. They wont put it into your account through deposit from the SFF. Further, new BOP regs last year freezes all money orders sent for deposit in your account for 15 days, so if sent today, it wont be cleared until 15 days after it is received at Des Moines. So deposit it before you go in to avoid the 15 day freeze delay. Spending limit at commissary is $200 per month, and phone and email accounts are separate, so deposit $300 if you can.

have you heard anymore about it going to high security?? the prison people say it not true and just rumors....what do you know???

The high security issue has apparently died, and originated from an uniformed case manager there. It has proven, from statements down from the wardens office, to be just idle gossip, but unfortunately it first originated from SFF staff, so as given creditbility.
I think the rumor originated from the fact the BOP is in final contract negotiations to build a new med security male facilty on the existing Hazelton complex grounds.
That will result in no change at the SFF.

Many BOP institutions have begun implementing the new mailing label program for outgoing inmate mail, and SFF Haz has announced they will begin implementation in January, 09. Each inmate will have a list of 30 adresses they can send mail to. The list does not have to be pre-approved, but no outgoing mail will be sent unless it uses a computer generated label generated off of their mailing list.
The purpose is apparently to eliminate inmate-to-inmate mailings within BOP.
My problem with the procedure is not one of principle, it is one of practicality. Inmates must now rely upon availabilty of a computer and proper operation of printers, including being stocked with paper, before mail can be sent.

How often can that address list be changed? I am reporting to SFF Hazelton on monday.. and while I knew the number of people you could email was limited, its news to me that they are now also limiting the number of people you can write.

So.. speaking as one who is self-reporting there on mon- if you can't use commissary and can't use phone, how can you even get stamps and paper to write? can those be mailed to you? can you still get mail like books?


For the first days, or maybe weeks, after you arrive, you will be in the Special HOusing Unit (SHU) while processing. That will depend on when they get your records ans establishe your custody, medical, and security status, etc. YOu get no phone, commissary, or visitation during SHU processing time. It is a higher security area, and not the place to be. After that, you go to what is called the general populatin "bus stop," which is a general, open bunking area. How llong you remain there depends upon availability and assignment to cell. Cells are double and tripe bunked, but at least out of the "bus stop." After getting into gen pop, you then need to meet with your case manager, which can take weeks, to generate your approved visitation list, apply for email, etc. So dont expect many rights in the first month there.
Report in to the the SFF (Secure Female Faciity), and NOT to the USP! It is the very first right turn about a mile up the road into the facility. As for money it is all requred to be deposited by money order sent to Des Moines Iowa, per the BOP web page instructions, but you cant use this while in the SHU. Do not take any $$ with you. They wont put it into your account through deposit from the SFF. Further, new BOP regs last year freezes all money orders sent for deposit in your account for 15 days, so if sent today, it wont be cleared until 15 days after it is received at Des Moines. So deposit it before you go in to avoid the 15 day freeze delay. Spending limit at commissary is $200 per month, and phone and email accounts are separate, so deposit $300 if you can.

My inderstanding is that the address list can readily be changed by the inmate. The primary purpose is to have a list that can be used to assure inmates arent corresponding with other inmates. I dont think this is a mjaor issue.