There is only one federal super-maximum security prison in the US, it is the United States Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility, or ADMAX (or ADX), located in Florence, CO. Supermax is a term for maximum security and describes the most secure prisons and prison units that house the most dangerous criminals designated for the most secure containment and confinement of inmates deemed to pose a severe risk to public safety, the safety of other inmates or correctional officers. These include terrorists, spies, high profile mob bosses and the leaders of violent gangs.
These inmates are kept in administrative segregation. Most of the facility is above ground. The only part that is underground is a subterranean corridor that links cell blocks to the lobby. Inmates spend 23 hours a day locked in their cells and are escorted by a minimum of three officers for their five hours of private recreation per week. Each cell has a desk, a stool, and a bed, which are almost entirely made out of poured concrete, as well as a toilet that shuts off if blocked, a shower that runs on a timer to prevent flooding, and a sink lacking a potentially dangerous tap. Rooms may also be fitted with polished steel mirrors bolted to the wall, an electric light that can be shut off only remotely, a radio, and on rare occasions, a black-and-white television that shows recreational, educational, and religious programming. In addition, all cells are soundproofed to prevent inmates from communicating with each other via Morse code. Their diet is restricted as well; to ensure that the foods they are served in their cell can't be used to harm themselves, or to make their cell unhygienic.
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This USP Florence ADMAX is a secure facility overseen by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). The BOP is a division of the US Justice Department whose main function is to protect public safety by ensuring that federal offenders serve their sentences of imprisonment in facilities that are safe, humane, cost-efficient, and appropriately secure, and provide reentry programming to ensure their successful return to the community.
The prisons or institutions located throughout the US are operated at five different security levels in order to confine offenders in an appropriate manner. Security levels are based on such features as the presence of external patrols, towers, security barriers, or detection devices; the type of housing within the institution; internal security features; and the staff-to-inmate ratio.
Facilities are designated as either minimum, low, medium, high, or administrative; and facilities with different security levels that are in close proximity to each other are known as prison complexes.
Inmates are designated/re-designated to institutions based on several factors
After arriving each inmate is interviewed and screened by staff from the case management, medical, and mental health units. Later, an inmate is assigned to the Admission and Orientation (A & O) Program, where he or she receives a formal orientation to the programs, services, policies, and procedures of that facility. This program provides an introduction to all aspects of the institution.
For security, safety, and sanitation reasons, the Bureau limits the amount of property (jewelry, photographs, books, magazines, etc.) inmates may have and the types of publications inmates can receive. The institution issues clothing, hygiene items, and bedding; and provides laundry services. Inmates may purchase other personal care items, shoes, some recreational clothing, and some food items through the commissary. Civilian clothing (i.e., clothing not issued to the inmate by the Bureau or purchased by the inmate from the commissary) ordinarily is not authorized for retention by the inmate.
Inmates may only possess those items they are authorized to retain upon admission to the institution, items issued by authorized staff, items purchased by the inmate from the commissary, or items purchased or received through approved channels (to include that approved for receipt by an authorized staff member or authorized by institution guidelines). All other items are considered contraband and will be seized and disposed of (destroyed, mailed out of the institution at the inmate's expense, etc.) in accordance with Bureau regulations. Contraband that threatens the security of the institution may result in disciplinary action and/or criminal prosecution for the inmate.