SFF Hazelton

FEMALE

Gender

SECURE

Security Level

~500

Population

Only SFF

in the BOP

The Secure Female Facility, Hazelton (SFF Hazelton) is the only Secure Female Facility (SFF) in the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It is the highest-security setting for women in the federal system and is part of the Federal Correctional Complex, Hazelton (FCC Hazelton) near Bruceton Mills, West Virginia. Because it is the system's single dedicated secure women's facility, women across the country who require higher-than-low custody are consolidated here.

The BOP does not publish a single numeric security level for the SFF; it is designed to hold women across multiple custody levels, functioning as the women's equivalent of a higher-security institution. Reporting and government oversight materials have described it as the only medium-security-caliber women's facility in the system, and it houses roughly 500 women.

The Hazelton complex

FCC Hazelton is a men's-majority complex that also includes USP Hazelton (a high-security penitentiary for men), a men's FCI, and a minimum-security satellite camp. Importantly, the Hazelton satellite camp houses men only, there is no women's camp at Hazelton. Women at the complex are housed exclusively in the standalone SFF, separate from the men's institutions.

Daily life and programs

The Secure Female Facility (SFF) Hazelton is a federal women's prison located at 1640 Sky View Dr. in unincorporated Preston County, near Bruceton Mills, West Virginia. Operated by the Bureau of Prisons, it serves as one component of the Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) Hazelton. The broader complex also holds USP Hazelton for high-security men, FCI Hazelton for medium-security men, and a minimum-security satellite camp. SFF Hazelton is the BOP's only facility carrying the 'Secure Female Facility' designation, and it is widely described as the highest-security setting for women in the federal system. Because women's security classifications top out lower than men's, published sources describe the institution inconsistently as medium-security or high-security. It was activated as part of the Hazelton complex in the mid-2010s and houses roughly 450 to 500 female inmates. The prison is located about 193 miles from Washington, D.C., which is why the D.C. Corrections Information Council (CIC) inspects it on behalf of D.C. residents held there.

CIC inspection reporting has documented significant overcrowding and staffing problems. Compared to a rated capacity of 384, the housing population at times exceeded 500, representing more than 130% of capacity and resulting in triple-bunking in housing units. Furthermore, roughly 50 staff vacancies were recorded during a 2019 pay period. D.C. inmates interviewed by inspectors raised concerns about mass punishment, specifically facility-wide lockdowns, alongside limited programming availability and inadequate medical and dental services. The facility provides Level 2 medical and mental-health care, chronic-care and dental clinics, mental-health screening, and individual and group counseling. Inmates also have access to a law library and leisure library, as well as recreation including sports, fitness, and hobbycraft. Standard visitation is conducted on Saturdays and Sundays from roughly 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Programming at SFF Hazelton features the Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP), which serves as the BOP's flagship 500-hour treatment program and can yield up to a year of sentence reduction. The facility also provides the Non-Residential Drug Abuse Program (NR-DAP), a drug-education class, and AA/NA. Additionally, the institution administers the Resolve Program, a non-residential trauma-treatment program designed specifically for women with histories of physical and sexual abuse. Available education offerings include GED, English as a Second Language (ESL), Adult Continuing Education (ACE), parenting, pre-release (RPP) coursework, and computer classes. Furthermore, vocational training is delivered through apprenticeships in Electrician, HVAC, Industrial Maintenance Repairer, Plumber, and Welder.

Documented incidents at the women's facility include a 2024 federal prosecution in which several SFF Hazelton inmates were sentenced for smuggling or attempting to smuggle drugs (fentanyl, suboxone/buprenorphine, and K2/'spice') into the prison. Separately, women held at SFF Hazelton have publicly alleged medical neglect, unsanitary lockdown conditions, and abusive staff conduct, most prominently through a seven-page letter co-authored by nine incarcerated women and covered under the headline 'We Still Matter.' The complex's most notorious violence, including the 2018 killing of James 'Whitey' Bulger, occurred at the men's USP Hazelton, not at the women's Secure Female Facility; the two should not be conflated.

Location & Visitation

Physical location: BRUCETON MILLS, WV 26525

For current visiting rules and scheduling, always check the institution's official page: Official BOP Page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is a Secure Female Facility?

A Secure Female Facility (SFF) is a fenced, higher-security federal institution for women. SFF Hazelton is the only one in the Bureau of Prisons, so women who require higher-than-low custody are generally consolidated there. It is distinct from a minimum-security camp, where most federal women serve their time.

Q: Is there a women's camp at Hazelton?

No. The satellite camp at FCC Hazelton houses men only. Women at Hazelton are housed exclusively in the standalone Secure Female Facility.

Background

The Secure Female Facility (SFF) Hazelton is a federal women's prison in unincorporated Preston County, near Bruceton Mills, West Virginia (1640 Sky View Dr.), operated by the Bureau of Prisons as one component of the Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) Hazelton. The complex also holds USP Hazelton (high-security men), FCI Hazelton (medium-security men), and a minimum-security satellite camp. SFF Hazelton is the BOP's only facility carrying the 'Secure Female Facility' designation and is widely described as the highest-security setting for women in the federal system; because women's security classifications top out lower than men's, published sources describe it inconsistently as medium- or high-security. It was activated as part of the Hazelton complex in the mid-2010s and houses roughly 450 to 500 female inmates. It is located about 193 miles from Washington, D.C., which is why the D.C. Corrections Information Council (CIC) inspects it on behalf of D.C. residents held there.

CIC inspection reporting has documented significant overcrowding and staffing problems: a rated capacity of 384 against a housing population that at times exceeded 500 (more than 130% of capacity), triple-bunking in housing units, and roughly 50 staff vacancies during a 2019 pay period. D.C. inmates interviewed by inspectors raised concerns about mass punishment (facility-wide lockdowns), limited programming availability, and inadequate medical and dental services. The facility provides Level 2 medical and mental-health care, chronic-care and dental clinics, mental-health screening and individual/group counseling, a law library and leisure library, and recreation including sports, fitness, and hobbycraft. Standard visitation is Saturdays and Sundays, roughly 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Programming at SFF Hazelton includes the Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP) - the BOP's flagship 500-hour treatment program that can yield up to a year of sentence reduction - alongside the Non-Residential Drug Abuse Program (NR-DAP), a drug-education class, and AA/NA. The facility runs the Resolve Program, a non-residential trauma-treatment program specifically for women with histories of physical and sexual abuse. Education offerings include GED, English as a Second Language (ESL), Adult Continuing Education (ACE), parenting, pre-release (RPP) coursework, and computer classes. Vocational training is delivered through apprenticeships in Electrician, HVAC, Industrial Maintenance Repairer, Plumber, and Welder.

Documented incidents at the women's facility include a 2024 federal prosecution in which several SFF Hazelton inmates were sentenced for smuggling or attempting to smuggle drugs (fentanyl, suboxone/buprenorphine, and K2/'spice') into the prison. Separately, women held at SFF Hazelton have publicly alleged medical neglect, unsanitary lockdown conditions, and abusive staff conduct - most prominently through a seven-page letter co-authored by nine incarcerated women and covered under the headline 'We Still Matter.' Note that the complex's most notorious violence, including the 2018 killing of James 'Whitey' Bulger, occurred at the men's USP Hazelton, not at the women's Secure Female Facility; the two should not be conflated.

First-hand accounts

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

• We Still Matter: Women Jailed in Hazelton Report Abuse, Unsafe Living Conditions - Black By God / The West Virginian. First-person reporting from women held at SFF Hazelton. Named inmates quote their own words: Cynthia Young (serving 228 months) on going nine months without seeing a PA and being called 'degrading names,' and Marlo Young on missed hormone injections and a five-day lockdown in which women had to shovel human feces. Nine women co-signed a seven-page letter: 'This affects our lives... we still matter.'

Notable inmates

Name	Sentence	Offense	Dates
Heather Mack	26 years (sentenced Jan. 17, 2024; projected release 2044)	Conspiracy to murder her mother, Sheila von Wiese-Mack, whose body was stuffed in a suitcase during a 2014 Bali vacation	Transferred to SFF Hazelton after 2024 federal sentencing