FCI Waseca (low-security)

FEMALE

Gender

LOW

Security Level

830

Population (July 9, 2026)

Notes from Alumni

The following people have spoken about their time at FCI Waseca (low-security) on the Nightmare Success podcast, hosted by Brent Cassity (himself formerly incarcerated in the federal system):

Shawntelle Fisher: A Journey from Felon to Advocate for Children (Nightmare Success podcast)

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

Location

Physical location: WASECA, MN 56093

Mailing address: 1000 UNIVERSITY DR, SW, WASECA, MN 56093

Visitation

There are many specific rules and procedures to be aware of when you're considering visiting the institution. Read more on our Visitation Guide.

For full, current visiting rules and scheduling, always check the institution's official page on the Bureau of Prisons website: Official BOP Page.

Daily life and programs

FCI Waseca is a low-security federal prison for women located in Waseca, Minnesota, roughly 75 miles south of Minneapolis. The facility is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons within its North Central Region. Prior to its conversion into a prison in 1992, the site functioned as a University of Minnesota campus. The institution initially opened in 1995 as an all-male low-security facility before being converted into an all-female institution in 2008. During its all-male period, the prison briefly held former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling in 2006; he was transferred to FCI Englewood in Colorado when Waseca became a women's prison. Reported population figures vary by source, ranging from 728 according to Wikipedia, to roughly 830 to 840 women based on reports from prison consultant and local news sources; the Bureau of Prisons' own population report, dated July 9, 2026, lists 830 women at the facility.

Rehabilitation programming at Waseca is primarily centered on the Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP), a voluntary nine-month, 500-hour residential treatment track that allows eligible women to earn up to a 12-month sentence reduction. The facility provides diverse psychology services, including Trauma and Life workshops, the Resolve program for trauma and recovery, and instruction in basic cognitive skills. Additional therapeutic groups focus on criminal-thinking and emotional self-regulation, while the Illness Management and Recovery program is specifically instituted for women with serious mental illness. Vocational and occupational training opportunities have included cosmetology, horticulture, and woodworking. Inmates may also pursue a Business Office Specialist track or engage in the PAWS program (Prisoners Assisting With Service dogs). Available work assignments encompass food service, facilities maintenance, landscaping, laundry, and library-aide roles, all of which provide a standard BOP pay of roughly $0.12 to $0.40 an hour. Medical care is administered through a sick call system requiring a $2 co-pay for inmate-initiated visits, alongside a chronic-care pill line and annual dental exams. Finally, inmates are subject to a commissary spending limit capped around $360 per month, with phone access restricted to about 300 minutes per month.

In early 2023, the DOJ Office of the Inspector General conducted its first unannounced inspection of FCI Waseca, which took place from January 30 to February 4, 2023. While inspectors described the institution as 'generally well-run,' and noted that staff and inmates typically reported feeling safe, they simultaneously flagged a number of serious concerns. The assessment revealed that some women were housed in basements with beds situated near leaking pipes, and deteriorating roofs required an estimated $3.5 million in repairs. Furthermore, the official report documented severe staffing shortages among correctional officers. These deficits forced heavy overtime and the reassignment of non-custody staff to security posts, ultimately undermining facility maintenance and inmate programming. Additionally, reviewers highlighted a low-resolution camera system with coverage gaps in high-traffic areas, persistent contraband problems focused on synthetic cannabinoids and suboxone, and First Step Act program wait lists exceeding 300 names.

FCI Waseca drew heavy scrutiny in 2024. After the Bureau of Prisons abruptly closed FCI Dublin in California in April 2024, roughly 90 women were transported by bus to Waseca. Upon their arrival, attorneys reported that the facility utilized frequent lockdowns alongside prolonged solitary confinement. The women spent an average of about 90 days in the Special Housing Unit and lost phone and email access. One transferred woman, Courtney Marie Chicoine, described being locked in her cell and punished during facility-wide lockdowns that were triggered by other inmates' drug incidents; she further reported being denied mental-health care and medication. Separately, the deaths of two incarcerated women drew legal action and family complaints. This included a lawsuit filed on behalf of the estate of Starsha Silva, which alleged that the facility failed to provide proper medical care. Additionally, following the suicide of an Indigenous woman, her family stated that her belongings were withheld for months. Finally, local reporting referenced allegations of sexual abuse involving inmates and staff.

First-hand accounts

First-person accounts and reporting about life at this facility. Experiences are individual and may not reflect current conditions.

Deaths at Waseca prison draw legal action, family complaints — Mankato Free Press. Regional investigative journalism on in-custody deaths and family complaints at FCI Waseca.
Questions swirl around practices at FCI Waseca — Southern Minnesota (local paper). Local investigative reporting on drug-use and discipline practices at the facility.
Just released from federal prison, AMA — Reddit AMA. First-person account from a recently released FCI Waseca inmate describing women's-facility dynamics.
Help me finish my PhD — Reddit (r/ExCons). First-person post from a Waseca alum, 76 months served, now finishing a PhD post-release.