What Really Goes On Inside a Minimum Security Prison

Published May 23, 2021

In the US, a minimum-security prison is a dorm-type federal facility that resembles a college camp more than a prison. Also known as federal prison camps, they are usually reserved for non-violent offenders, most of whom are white collar criminals. Thus, minimum security prisons are also referred to as “Club Fed”.

But contrary to popular belief, life inside a minimum security prison is far from luxurious. Yes, minimum-security inmates may have it better than most in some aspects. But the problems that inmates face in other facilities also exist in minimum-security prisons.

Former inmates have reported incidents of abuse by jail guards. And although the population is classified as “non-violent”, riots and murders still do happen. Albeit, at a lesser frequency than prisons with higher security levels.

So, the rumor that inmates are living the time of their life in these prisons is all a myth. To give you a better perspective of what really goes on inside a minimum-security prison, we dug into official statistics and inmate testimonies. Here’s what we found.

Prisoners

As mentioned, minimum-security prisons are reserved for non-violent offenders. In other words, those people who have committed crimes of non-violent nature. This is why most white collar criminals end up in this type of prison.

But this doesn’t mean that these prisons are exclusive for white-collar offenders. There are also those who have committed very minor infractions and are not considered flight-risk.

Most inmates who get sent to this type of prison also have shorter sentences. It can range from six months to less than ten years. Inmates who only have a few years left on their sentence and have shown excellent behavior may also be sent to minimum-security. In the same vein, white-collar criminals with more than ten years of sentence are sent instead to medium security prisons.

Amenities

Most minimum-security prisons have better amenities than other prisons. But it’s certainly far from posh.

For one, they don’t have swimming pools as what the rumors would lead you to believe. There are recreation facilities but they are usually limited to televisions and some exercise equipment.

Inmates, however, have access to a library with books ranging from general knowledge to educational ones. There’s also a computer they can use to send emails. But that’s usually the only internet access they’ll ever get.

Like most federal prisons, minimum-security inmates are allowed only 300 minutes of outside calls per month. Each call can’t last more than 15 minutes. Plus, they can only call numbers that are on their “approved contact” list.

As to the accommodation, minimum-security prisons have a dormitory-style set-up. Inmates sleep in bunk beds in a room they have to share with 8 to 10 other people. The pillows and mattresses are covered in some sort of vinyl material – a standard in most prisons

A recreation yard can also be found within the prison camp. These “rec yards” usually open at breakfast and close after dark. In here, inmates can engage in outdoor activities like basketball, football, soccer, and even Frisbee.