The U.S. prison population was 1,230,100 at the end of 2022, a 2% increase from 2021, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. At the federal level, there were 158,949 offenders incarcerated in the Federal Bureau of Prisons as of January 2023, though not all were serving a sentence for a federal conviction, according to the United States Sentencing Commission. (Also see: The Most Infamous Cases That Rocked the FBI.)
Among those incarcerated in federal prisons, 88.8% were sentenced within the past 10 years, and 68.2% within the past five years. The federal prison population is also overwhelmingly male, as 92.9% are men. Also, the racial makeup skews its representation in the total population. So while 34.6% of offenders in federal prisons are Black, 31.8% are Hispanic, 29.5% are white, and 4.1% are other races, nationwide Black Americans make up 13.6% of the U.S. population and Hispanic Americans make up 19.1% of the population, according to the Census Bureau.
To determine the 25 largest federal prisons in the U.S., 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Federal prisons were ranked by their total inmate population, including in all correctional institutions or penitentiaries in a complex. All data came from the Federal Bureau of Prisons and was collected in late Novermber 2023.
The federal prisons on the list house anywhere from over 1,600 inmates to nearly 6,200 inmates, with two facilities housing both male and female inmates. The rest only have male inmates.
Most of the prisons on this list are in Southern states, though two are in California. Other states with more than one prison on the list include Georgia and West Virginia. Several of the facilities on the list are prison complexes that can include low, medium, or high penitentiaries or correctional institutions and minimum security satellite camp. (These are the darkest crimes in every state’s history.)
25. FCI Jesup
- Inmate population: 1,632 male offenders
- Prisons in complex: FCI Jesup
- Prison(s) type: A medium security federal correctional institution with an adjacent low security satellite prison and a minimum security satellite camp
- Location: Jesup, GA
24. FCI Sheridan
- Inmate population: 1,637 male offenders
- Prisons in complex: FCI Sheridan
- Prison(s) type: A medium security federal correctional institution with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp and a detention center
- Location: Sheridan, OR
23. FCI Gilmer
- Inmate population: 1,680 male offenders
- Prisons in complex: FCI Gilmer
- Prison(s) type: A medium security federal correctional institution with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp
- Location: Glenville, WV
22. FCI Beckley
- Inmate population: 1,712 male offenders
- Prisons in complex: FCI Beckley
- Prison(s) type: A medium security federal correctional institution with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp
- Location: Beaver, WV
21. FCI Seagoville
- Inmate population: 1,727 male offenders
- Prisons in complex: FCI Seagoville
- Prison(s) type: A low security federal correctional institution with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp and a detention center
- Location: Seagoville, TX
20. Tucson Complex
- Inmate population: 1,787 male offenders
- Prisons in complex: USP Tucson, FCI Tucson
- Prison(s) type: A high security U.S. penitentiary with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp; A medium security federal correctional institution with a detention center
- Location: Tucson, AZ
19. USP Atlanta
- Inmate population: 1,874 male offenders
- Prisons in complex: USP Atlanta
- Prison(s) type: A low security U.S. penitentiary with a detention center
- Location: Atlanta, GA
18. FCI Elkton
- Inmate population: 1,964 male offenders
- Prisons in complex: FCI Elkton
- Prison(s) type: A low security federal correctional institution with an adjacent low security satellite prison
- Location: Lisbon, OH
17. Oakdale Complex
- Inmate population: 1,975 male offenders
- Prisons in complex: FCI Oakdale II, FCI Oakdale I
- Prison(s) type: A low security federal correctional institution with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp; A low security federal correctional institution
- Location: Oakdale, LA
16. FCI Edgefield
- Inmate population: 2,000 male offenders
- Prisons in complex: FCI Edgefield
- Prison(s) type: A medium security federal correctional institution with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp
- Location: Edgefield, SC
15. USP Leavenworth
- Inmate population: 2,023 male offenders
- Prisons in complex: USP Leavenworth
- Prison(s) type: A medium security U.S. penitentiary with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp
- Location: Leavenworth, KS
14. Petersburg Complex
- Inmate population: 2,359 male offenders
- Prisons in complex: FCI Petersburg Low, FCI Petersburg Medium
- Prison(s) type: A low security federal correctional institution with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp; A medium security federal correctional institution
- Location: Hopewell, VA
13. Florence Complex
- Inmate population: 2,560 male offenders
- Prisons in complex: USP Florence – High, FCI Florence, USP Florence ADMAX
- Prison(s) type: A high security U.S. penitentiary; A medium security federal correctional institution with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp; An administrative security U.S. penitentiary
- Location: Florence, CO
12. Pollock Complex
- Inmate population: 2,595 male offenders
- Prisons in complex: USP Pollock, FCI Pollock
- Prison(s) type: A high security U.S. penitentiary with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp; A medium security federal correctional institution
- Location: Pollock, LA
11. Terre Haute Complex
- Inmate population: 2,615 male offenders
- Prisons in complex: USP Terre Haute, FCI Terre Haute
- Prison(s) type: A high security U.S. penitentiary; A medium security federal correctional institution with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp
- Location: Terre Haute, IN
10. Allenwood Complex
- Inmate population: 2,626 male offenders
- Prisons in complex: USP Allenwood, FCI Allenwood Low, FCI Allenwood Medium
- Prison(s) type: A high security U.S. penitentiary; A low security federal correctional institution; A medium security federal correctional institution
- Location: Allenwood, PA
9. Lompoc Complex
- Inmate population: 3,019 male offenders
- Prisons in complex: FCI Lompoc, USP Lompoc
- Prison(s) type: A low security federal correctional institution; A medium security U.S. penitentiary with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp
- Location: Lompoc, CA
8. Forrest City Complex
- Inmate population: 3,460 male offenders
- Prisons in complex: FCI Forrest City Low, FCI Forrest City Medium
- Prison(s) type: A low security federal correctional institution with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp; A medium security federal correctional institution
- Location: Forrest City, AR
7. Hazelton Complex
- Inmate population: 3,621 male and female offenders
- Prisons in complex: FCI Hazelton, USP Hazelton
- Prison(s) type: A medium security federal correctional institution with a secure female facility; A high security U.S. penitentiary with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp
- Location: Bruceton Mills, WV
6. FCI Fort Dix
- Inmate population: 3,797 male offenders
- Prisons in complex: FCI Fort Dix
- Prison(s) type: A low security federal correctional institution with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp
- Location: Joint Base MDL, NJ
5. Butner Complex
- Inmate population: 4,101 male offenders
- Prisons in complex: FCI Butner Low, FCI Butner Medium I, FCI Butner Medium II, FMC Butner
- Prison(s) type: A low security federal correctional institution; A medium security federal correctional institution with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp; A medium security federal correctional institution; An administrative security federal medical center
- Location: Butner, NC
4. Victorville Complex
- Inmate population: 4,307 male and female offenders
- Prisons in complex: USP Victorville, FCI Victorville Medium I, FCI Victorville Medium II
- Prison(s) type: A high security U.S. penitentiary; A medium security federal correctional institution with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp; A medium security federal correctional institution
- Location: Victorville, CA
3. Yazoo City Complex
- Inmate population: 4,398 male offenders
- Prisons in complex: USP Yazoo City, FCI Yazoo City Low, FCI Yazoo City Medium
- Prison(s) type: A high security U.S. penitentiary; A low security federal correctional institution with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp; A medium security federal correctional institution
- Location: Yazoo City, MS
2. Beaumont Complex
- Inmate population: 4,750 male offenders
- Prisons in complex: USP Beaumont, FCI Beaumont Low, FCI Beaumont Medium
- Prison(s) type: A high security U.S. penitentiary; A low security federal correctional institution with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp; A medium security federal correctional institution
- Location: Beaumont, TX
1. Coleman Complex
- Inmate population: 6,186 male offenders
- Prisons in complex: USP Coleman II, USP Coleman I, FCI Coleman Low, FCI Coleman Medium
- Prison(s) type: A high security U.S. penitentiary; A high security U.S. penitentiary; A low security federal correctional institution with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp; A medium security federal correctional institution
- Location: Sumterville, FL
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