The Federal Bureau of Prisons runs approximately 18 individual units in Texas, which is among the highest counts of any state. That figure includes standalone prisons, satellite camps attached to larger institutions, and co-located detention units, all spread across the state’s four federal judicial districts and organized into a mix of multi-unit complexes and independent facilities.
The Full List by Region
The BOP groups some Texas facilities into Federal Correctional Complexes, where units at different security levels share a location and administrative resources. Others stand alone.
Beaumont Federal Correctional Complex (Eastern Texas)
- USP Beaumont, a high-security United States Penitentiary
- FCI Beaumont Medium, a medium-security Federal Correctional Institution
- FCI Beaumont Low, a low-security institution with an adjacent minimum-security satellite camp
The Beaumont complex is one of the largest federal prison clusters in the country, with every major security level represented in a single geographic area.1Federal Bureau of Prisons. USP Beaumont
Fort Worth Area (Northern Texas)
- FMC Fort Worth, an administrative-security Federal Medical Center for male inmates, with an attached detention center2Federal Bureau of Prisons. FMC Fort Worth
- FMC Carswell, an administrative-security Federal Medical Center for female inmates, with an adjacent minimum-security satellite camp3Federal Bureau of Prisons. FMC Carswell
Standalone Facilities Across the State
- FDC Houston, an administrative-security Federal Detention Center used primarily for pretrial detainees4Federal Bureau of Prisons. FDC Houston
- FCI Big Spring, a low-security institution with a minimum-security satellite camp in West Texas5Federal Bureau of Prisons. FCI Big Spring
- FCI Three Rivers, in the Southern District of Texas6Federal Bureau of Prisons. FCI Three Rivers
- FCI Bastrop, a low-security institution with a satellite camp, east of Austin
- FCI Seagoville, a low-security institution near Dallas
- FCI Texarkana, a low-security institution with a satellite camp on the Texas-Arkansas border
- FPC Bryan, a minimum-security Federal Prison Camp near College Station
- FCI La Tuna, a low-security institution near El Paso in the Western District
Counting each satellite camp and co-located detention unit as its own facility is what brings the total to roughly 18. All of these institutions fall under the BOP’s South Central Regional Office, which also covers Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.7Federal Bureau of Prisons. About Our Facilities
Security Levels Represented in Texas
The BOP operates its 122 nationwide institutions at five security designations, and Texas has facilities at every level.8Federal Bureau of Prisons. About Our Facilities
- Minimum security (Federal Prison Camps) uses dormitory housing with little or no perimeter fencing and a low staff-to-inmate ratio. FPC Bryan is the standalone Texas example; several other institutions have satellite camps at this level.
- Low security uses double-fenced perimeters with mostly dormitory or cubicle housing. FCI Big Spring, FCI Bastrop, FCI Texarkana, FCI Seagoville, FCI La Tuna, and FCI Beaumont Low sit here.
- Medium security uses strengthened perimeters, often with electronic detection systems, and mostly cell-type housing. FCI Beaumont Medium is the primary medium-security facility in the state.
- High security (United States Penitentiaries) uses walls or reinforced fences, close movement control, and the highest staff-to-inmate ratio. USP Beaumont is the only high-security federal penitentiary in Texas.
- Administrative facilities house inmates of any security level because of their specialized mission. This includes the medical centers at Carswell and Fort Worth and the detention center in Houston.
An inmate’s designation is based on criminal history, history of violence, escape risk, expected sentence length, and other factors. The BOP reassesses these classifications periodically and aims to place people in the least restrictive setting consistent with public safety.9Federal Bureau of Prisons. Federal Bureau of Prisons – Designations
Specialized Facilities in Texas
Three Texas institutions don’t fit the standard prison mold.
FMC Carswell
FMC Carswell in Fort Worth is the only federal medical center in the country exclusively for women. It’s a referral institution for female inmates across the entire BOP system who need advanced or long-term medical care, including surgical services, mental health treatment, and prenatal care.10Health Resources and Services Administration. Federal Bureau of Prisons – Federal Medical Center Carswell Carswell holds approximately 1,120 inmates and operates at administrative security, meaning it can house women of any classification level.3Federal Bureau of Prisons. FMC Carswell
FMC Fort Worth
FMC Fort Worth handles the same medical referral role for male inmates, providing specialized treatment that standard prisons aren’t equipped to deliver. It houses around 1,554 inmates and includes an attached detention center for individuals with immediate court needs in the Northern District.2Federal Bureau of Prisons. FMC Fort Worth
FDC Houston
The Federal Detention Center in Houston primarily holds people awaiting trial or sentencing in federal court, along with inmates temporarily passing through during transfers. It runs at administrative security because its population spans all classification levels.4Federal Bureau of Prisons. FDC Houston
Why the Count Is So High
Texas is divided into four federal judicial districts: Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 U.S.C. 124 – Texas Those districts generate a high volume of federal criminal cases, particularly for immigration and drug offenses along the border. The BOP generally tries to house inmates within 500 driving miles of where they’ll eventually be released, and Texas has a large resident population to match.9Federal Bureau of Prisons. Federal Bureau of Prisons – Designations
Geography helps too. West Texas offers inexpensive land for large minimum- and low-security compounds, while Fort Worth, Houston, and Beaumont place facilities near federal courthouses and transportation hubs. The Beaumont complex, with three security levels on adjacent properties, is a good example of how the BOP clusters facilities to share food services, medical staff, and administrative overhead.
Finding Someone in a Texas Federal Prison
If you’re trying to locate a specific person, the BOP runs a free online Inmate Locator that covers anyone incarcerated in the federal system from 1982 to the present. You can search by name or by BOP register number (formatted as #####-###). The tool returns the current facility, register number, age, and projected release date.12Federal Bureau of Prisons. Inmate Locator
One caveat: release dates in the locator can lag behind reality. The First Step Act triggered widespread sentence recalculations, and the BOP’s records don’t always reflect those changes immediately. If someone shows as still incarcerated but their projected date has passed, check back or contact the facility directly.
Keep in mind that the sentencing judge doesn’t pick the facility. The BOP has sole authority over where a federal inmate serves their sentence, weighing security level, medical and program needs, proximity to the release residence, and available bed space. A judicial recommendation or an inmate request for a specific Texas institution carries no guarantee.