FCI Lewisburg (minimum-security camp)

MALE

Gender

MINIMUM

Security Level

493

Population (Nov. 2025)

RDAP

The Lewisburg Federal Prison Camp sits right next to the medium-security Federal Correctional Institution, Lewisburg. It's known as one of the more open, less restrictive places in the federal system. The facility runs on a dormitory model with lots of outdoor space and direct ties to the main institution. What really sets Lewisburg apart is its Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP), which lets qualified inmates earn sentence reductions by completing structured substance-use treatment.

Notes from Alumni

• Reddit user u/MyPrisonAccount did time at the camp in 2023, sharing details in a thread about the experience.
• Jason Safford talked about his time at Lewisburg between 2022 and 2023 on the Nightmare Success podcast.
• Matthew O'Callaghan wrote Letters From Lewisburg Federal Prison: A Day In My Life in late 2021. He described it this way: "The physical structure of the building is brighter, less intimidating and quite inspirational in comparison to the prototypical prison environment. I would liken the building to a suburban grade school with large windows and low ceilings. The living quarters is a large room that houses many bunkbeds and lockers. The theory of this close living is to promote a tight knit community feel that will aid in behavioral recovery."
• Shan Sultan wrote a blog series about his time at Lewisburg from 2020 to 2022. He painted this picture: "The facility is made up of 3 sections: the Camp Section, the RDAP Section and the Medium Security Prison. The Medium Security Prison looks like a gothic church surrounded by a 15-foot white wall encased in barbed wire. The Camp is to the left of the Prison, approximately 0.25 miles away. The Camp consists of two residential buildings, a gym and an administration building. The Camp reminds me of a state park with residential buildings. There are no fences and no cement. There is green grass, baseball fields, a running/walking track, basketball courts, bocci ball and handball ball courts. It's very large and things are widespread. You never get the feeling of confinement in this camp. Dare I say... it looks beautiful. The camp also has a 6000-square-foot gym, with tons of free weights, machine weights and cardiovascular equipment. It looks like a Bally's gym from the early 2000s. I was told that it's the best gym in the BOP."
• Craig Carton discussed his experience on a podcast.

Please remember that experiences are unique and may not reflect today's experience.

Notable Alumni

Name	Sentence	Offense	Dates
Craig Carton	42 months	Securities and Wire Fraud	July 2019 - June 2021

History

The Federal Correctional Institution, Lewisburg, often called Lewisburg Penitentiary, is a historic federal prison in Union County, Pennsylvania. Built in 1932 as the Northeastern Penitentiary, it was one of the first facilities created under the newly formed Federal Bureau of Prisons. Officials chose the site for its central location in the Northeast, good rail access, and plenty of land for agriculture, which became a key part of early operations. Architect Alfred Hopkins designed the prison with a striking, imposing style marked by large brick structures, arched details, and a fortress-like layout that reflected early-20th-century thinking about how prisons should look and function.

For much of its history, Lewisburg held many notable federal inmates. It gained a reputation as one of the system's toughest, most secure places. From the mid-20th century through the early 1980s, reports described it as running with maximum-security practices, including restrictive housing units and serious physical security measures. But things changed. The institution's role shifted over time, and today it's officially a medium-security federal correctional facility.

The Lewisburg complex includes a minimum-security satellite camp just outside the main prison. It started as a "farm camp" in the 1970s. The camp housed lower-risk inmates who had work assignments and benefited from a more open environment, no perimeter fencing, and a system based on inmate responsibility rather than heavy-duty barriers. By 1976, the camp had moved into modern buildings next to the penitentiary, complete with dormitory-style housing and recreational areas. Historical accounts mention its small population and its role as a place for inmates considered trustworthy enough to live in an unfenced setting with minimal supervision.

The satellite camp operates today as a minimum-security facility for male offenders. You'll find dormitory housing, recreational fields for athletics, and a layout that looks more like a small campus than a prison. Like other federal prison camps, it serves individuals with low security scores, shorter sentences, and backgrounds that fit a less restrictive setting. Even though it's connected to the main institution administratively, the camp has its own daily structure and culture. It represents one of the least restrictive forms of federal custody in the entire Bureau of Prisons system.

Location & Visitation

Location

Physical location: LEWISBURG, PA 17837

Mailing address: 2400 ROBERT F. MILLER DRIVE, LEWISBURG, PA 17837

Visitation

Planning a visit? There are specific rules and procedures you need to know about. Check out our Visitation Guide for details.

For the most current visiting rules and how to schedule, always check the institution's official page: Official BOP Page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does FCI Lewisburg allow conjugal visits?

No. The Federal Bureau of Prisons doesn't permit conjugal visits at any facility, regardless of security level. This applies across all minimum-security federal prison camps, low-security FCIs, medium-security facilities, and high-security USPs. Only four state prison systems (California, Connecticut, New York, and Washington) allow conjugal visits for state prisoners. Federal inmates can't access conjugal or extended family visits anywhere in the BOP system.

Q: What types of visitation are allowed at FCI Lewisburg?

FCI Lewisburg offers contact visits during designated visiting hours, usually on weekends and holidays. You're allowed brief embraces at the start and end of visits, but prolonged physical contact isn't permitted. All visits happen in supervised visiting rooms. Visitors need pre-approval through a background check and must follow dress code rules. For specifics, see the Visiting Policies and Procedures page.