Frequently asked questions about prisons and jails in the United States

The directory lists 2,738 facilities in the United States, spread across 55 states and territories and 1,886 localities. The regions with the most facilities are California, Texas, Georgia. By type: Prisons and penitentiaries (1,314), Local and county jails (1,056), Juvenile detention centers (265), Women's prisons (50), Immigration detention (36), Forensic psychiatric facilities (15), Military prisons (2). These are the facilities mapped as such in OpenStreetMap, so the figure may not include every real facility.

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In the United States, prisons are run by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (federal prisons), each state's department of corrections, and county sheriffs' offices and local governments (jails). The profiles for the United States name these responsible bodies: Federal Bureau of Prisons (101), Virginia Department of Corrections (45), CoreCivic (35), GEO Group (34), Wisconsin Department of Corrections (34). This comes from the open source and is only shown when it exists.

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Choose the region or state first, then the municipality, and open the facility profile. For example, California has 234 facilities; within that region, Los Angeles County has 8 facilities. If you already know the name of the facility, use the search box on the home page.

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In the United States the directory distinguishes these categories: Prisons and penitentiaries (1,314), Local and county jails (1,056), Juvenile detention centers (265), Women's prisons (50), Immigration detention (36), Forensic psychiatric facilities (15), Military prisons (2). Each type has its own regime, and who may visit and which procedures apply also vary.

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The directory lists 2,738 facilities in the United States. Of these, 725 show a phone number, 914 an official website, 145 an email address and 9 visiting hours. Visiting hours and requirements are set by each prison administration and change often: always confirm them by phone or on the official website before you travel.

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Only 19 profiles in the United States state a capacity. Those with the largest recorded capacity are: California Rehabilitation Center (2,491 places), Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison (2,300 places), Big Muddy River Correctional Center (1,961 places).

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It is not official: it comes from OpenStreetMap, an open collaborative project, and nothing is invented or estimated. For 2,738 facilities in the United States, the profiles include: Address 100%, Operator / administration 41%, Website 33%, Phone 26%, Email 5%. Whatever is missing simply does not appear. If you manage a facility, you can request a free correction.

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