FCI Tallahassee Low

You can support your loved ones at FCI Tallahassee on InmateAid, if you have any immediate questions contact the facility directly at 850-878-2173.

When a loved one is in federal prison, they need more than just visits or calls due to their generally longer sentences. This webpage offers insights into FCI Tallahassee procedures, helping you provide the best support possible. From sending magazines to exploring distance learning options, this guide has all you need to assist your loved one effectively.

FCI Tallahassee, a low-security federal prison (with a detention center) for female inmates in Florida, was established in 1938 and is one of only four federal prisons for women in the US (the other three are Aliceville, AL, Dublin. CA, and Waseca, MN). Adjacent to the facility is a detention center that houses administrative security-level male inmates. Situated 3 miles east of downtown Tallahassee, on Highway 319 at its intersection with Park Avenue and Conner Boulevard, FCI Tallahassee accommodates inmates in dormitories, while the detention center inmates are housed in cells.

Women in prison are the primary or sole caregivers of children before incarceration. For offenders who will give birth during their incarceration, there are two programs offered to assist are often these mothers before, during, and after childbirth; these include Mothers and Infants Together (MINT) and the Residential Parenting Program (RPP). The MINT Program is a community residential program that aims to assist offenders during the last two months of pregnancy. Eligible inmates are transferred to a Residential Reentry Center and remain there for up to three months after birth to bond with their children before returning to the institution to complete their sentence. Inmates may be permitted to stay longer. MINT locations include Dublin, CA. The Program Statement, Female Offender Manual, is the agency's primary policy addressing the management of incarcerated women. The agency also issued an Operations Memorandum requiring all female sites to provide five types of feminine hygiene products to inmates free of charge.

Notable inmates at FCI Tallahassee include Ghislaine Maxwell, serving a 20-year sentence for trafficking underage girls for billionaire Jeffrey Epstein. Russian spy Maria Butina spent 5 months for espionage before departing in 2019. Narcisa Veliz Novack serves life for orchestrating the beating deaths of her ex-husband and mother-in-law. Colleen LaRose, also known as "Jihad Jane," pleaded guilty in 2011 to conspiracy to provide material support to terrorism and conspiracy to kill in a foreign country. Earth Liberation Front (ELF) member Chelsea Gerlach, who was released in 2013 after serving 6 years for arson, also spent time here. Catherine May Wood, a serial killer who murdered nursing home patients, and Jaelyn Delshaun Young, who attempted to join ISIS, are also notable inmates.

Health services at FCI Tallahassee include emergency medical services, physical exams, periodic health exams, female health care, TB and HIV testing, medications, dental services, and eyeglasses. The detention center provides similar services, including sick call, medication refills, and emergency medical services. Psychology services entail screenings during the Admission and Orientation Program, with unit counselors and psychologists available in each housing unit for guidance, counseling, and mental health services. Short-term supportive counseling is provided in the detention center, with voluntary groups such as self-image groups also available. The STAGES Program caters to inmates with serious mental illness and personality disorders.

FCI Tallahassee offers a Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP), along with other drug abuse programs, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), and educational services such as literacy, GED, ESL programs, and Adult Continuing Education (ACE). Vocational training programs include Building Trades, Business Education, and Horticulture, while apprenticeships are offered in various fields such as Construction, Electrician, and Baker.

Library services comprise leisure and law libraries, providing inmates with access to reading materials, typewriters, copy machines, and the TRULINCS Electronic Law Library. UNICOR facilities are available at FCI Tallahassee.

Inmates are permitted to spend $360.00 per month at the commissary for regular purchases, with exceptions for postage stamps and over-the-counter medication. Recreation services encompass indoor and outdoor activities, including artwork, hobbycraft programs, individual and group exercises, sports, and leisure activities.