What are the visiting hours at FCI Forrest City?

Visiting at FCI Forrest City Medium runs Saturday, Sunday, and federal holidays from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. You must be on the approved visitor list before you arrive — walk-ins are not accepted. Approval can take 4-6 weeks, so submit the application early.

What is the mailing address for inmates at Forrest City federal prison?

The correct mailing address is: INMATE FULL NAME and REGISTER NUMBER, FCI FORREST CITY MEDIUM, FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION, P.O. BOX 3000, FORREST CITY, AR 72336. Include the register number on every piece of mail — missing it is the most common reason letters get delayed or returned.

How do I send money to an inmate at FCC Forrest City?

Deposit money to your LO's commissary account using his register number through the BOP's Trust Fund system or by mail. You'll need his full legal name and register number. Do not send cash in an envelope — it will be rejected and may cause him a problem.

Does FCI Forrest City offer the Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP)?

No. FCI Forrest City Medium does not offer RDAP. If your LO needs RDAP credit toward early release under 18 U.S.C. § 3621(e), he will need to be designated to a different facility. Raise this with his attorney or case manager as early as possible in the designation process.

By Thatbopguy· 2026-09-13

Forrest City Federal Prison Complex: A Families' Guide

FCC Forrest City is a three-facility complex in Arkansas housing FCI Medium, FCI Low, and a satellite camp. FCI Forrest City Medium does not offer RDAP — if that affects your LO's release date, you need to know now.

Overview FAQ What to Expect Programs Security Visiting Mail Phone

FCC Forrest City Facility Details

Facility Type

FCC

Security Level

Medium

BOP Code

FCT

Location

Arkansas

Base Name

Forrest City

Complex Parent

FCC Forrest City

Verified

09/14/2026

FCC Forrest City Overview

For more help, other federal prisons in Arkansas.

FCC Forrest City is a federal correctional complex in Forrest City, Arkansas, made up of three distinct facilities sharing one address: FCI Forrest City Medium, FCI Forrest City Low, and a satellite camp off Dale Bumpers Road. The medium-security FCI is the largest and most restrictive of the three. If your LO's sentence involves drug treatment credit through RDAP, note this now — FCI Forrest City Medium does not offer RDAP.

▸Location: Forrest City, Arkansas (St. Francis County)
▸Security level: Medium (FCI), Low (FCI), Minimum (Satellite Camp)
▸Complex structure: Three facilities — FCI Medium, FCI Low, Satellite Camp
▸Camp location: Dale Bumpers Road, adjacent to the main complex
▸BOP code: FCT
▸RDAP available at Medium: No
▸UNICOR operations: Yes
▸Second Chance Pell: Reported participation

FCC Forrest City FAQ

What to Expect at FCC Forrest City

FCC Forrest City Medium is a working facility. UNICOR runs, programs run, counts run on schedule. The pace at a medium is tighter than a low — controlled movement, visible staff on the range, and a daily structure built around standing counts. When I was at a medium, the 4:00 PM count set the rhythm for everything else. Your LO doesn't set his own schedule here. The facility does.

The three-facility structure of this complex matters more than most families realize. FCI Low and the satellite camp sit on the same grounds as the medium. If your LO's security points drop over time, a step-down may not mean a transfer across the country — it could mean moving to the adjacent low or the camp on Dale Bumpers Road. That's worth knowing when you're calculating visiting distance long-term.

▸RDAP is not available at the medium — if RDAP credit is part of his release plan, he needs a designation change
▸Program waitlists start on arrival — request placement on day one, not after he's settled in
▸FSA credits depend on active enrollment — gaps in programming mean gaps in earning
▸A step-down may keep him on the same complex — low and camp are adjacent
▸Mail inspection delays are real — a letter that doesn't arrive in two weeks may be held, not lost

FCC Forrest City: Real Photos

Real photos of FCC Forrest City from publicly available sources.

Aerial View of FCC Forrest City

Leaflet Tiles © Esri — Source: Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics

Satellite imagery of FCC Forrest City from Esri World Imagery. The red pin marks the facility location. Drag to pan, pinch to zoom.

Programs and Education at FCC Forrest City

RDAP available at this facility — completion can reduce a sentence by up to 12 months

▸GED preparation: Available
▸English as a Second Language (ESL): Available
▸Parenting courses: Available
▸Career counseling: Available
▸Vocational training: Available through institutional work and program assignments
▸UNICOR: Federal Prison Industries manufacturing operations on-site
▸Second Chance Pell: Reported participation — college coursework credit available
▸RDAP: Not available at FCI Forrest City Medium
▸Reentry programming: Standard BOP release-preparation and continuing education included

Every program here is waitlisted. Your LO requests placement through his unit team, the case manager queues him up, and the wait depends on current enrollment. This matters directly for release: FSA credits are tied to program completion, not just designation. A six-month wait to start a program is six months of credits that haven't started running. Use the federal inmate time calculation to map out which programs affect his projected date and make sure his case manager knows he's actively requesting placement.

Calculate FSA Time Credits →

FCC Forrest City Security Level: What It Means Inside

Medium security means cell-based housing, not open dormitories. Movement between areas requires permission and escort during certain hours. All work assignments at FCI Forrest City Medium are confined strictly within the secure perimeter — no outside details.

▸Housing: Cell-based units, not open dorms
▸Movement: Controlled movement during most of the day — passes required
▸Counts: Multiple standing counts per day, including overnight
▸Work assignments: Strictly within the secure perimeter
▸Fencing: Double perimeter fence
▸Staff interaction: Unit officers present and visible on the range throughout the day
▸Programming access: Waitlists are long; request placement on arrival, not months later

When I was at a medium, missing a movement count because you didn't know the schedule was the fastest way to catch an incident report. The structure is real and it has consequences.

Visiting FCC Forrest City: Hours, Rules, Dress Code

Visiting at FCC Forrest City in Arkansas runs on a specific rotation schedule. Here's what families need to know before visiting:

Visiting at FCI Forrest City Medium runs on weekends and federal holidays only.

Visiting schedule:

▸Saturday, Sunday, and federal holidays
▸8:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Getting approved:

▸Submit a visitor application through your LO's case manager
▸Background check required for all adults
▸Approval can take 4-6 weeks — start the process before he even arrives if possible
▸Children under 18 must be accompanied by an approved adult

Dress code:

▸No clothing resembling inmate uniforms (khaki, olive drab)
▸No open-toed shoes
▸No underwire bras — wear a soft bra or sports bra
▸No excessive jewelry
▸Modest clothing — no low-cut tops, no shorts above the knee

What to bring:

▸Valid government-issued photo ID
▸Car keys and small cash for vending machines
▸Nothing else — no bags, no phones inside the visiting room

What gets turned away:

▸Visitors wearing colors too close to inmate uniforms
▸Anyone arriving after the entry cutoff
▸Anyone not already on the approved visitor list

How to Send Mail to FCC Forrest City

Sending mail to your loved one at FCC Forrest City requires the exact address format below. Here's what you need to know:

Send mail to FCI Forrest City Medium using this exact format:

INMATE FULL NAME REGISTER NUMBER
FCI FORREST CITY MEDIUM
FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION
P.O. BOX 3000
FORREST CITY, AR 72336

▸Letters: Accepted; all first-class mail is opened and inspected before delivery
▸Photos: Printed photos accepted — no Polaroids, no photos with nudity
▸Books and magazines: Must ship directly from a publisher or retailer such as Amazon
▸Hardcover books: May be rejected at medium security — send paperbacks to be safe
▸Rejected items: Stickers, glitter, perfume on paper, staples, paper clips
▸Delivery time: Allow 1-2 weeks for screening and delivery
▸Return address: Always include yours — rejected mail needs somewhere to go
▸Register number: Include it on every piece of mail — missing it is the most common cause of delays

Phone Calls at FCC Forrest City: Cost and Setup

Phone calls at FCC Forrest City go through the BOP's contracted phone system. Here's how to set up and receive calls at this facility:

▸Monthly minutes: 300 minutes per month at no cost for FSA-eligible inmates
▸Additional minutes: Up to 210 extra minutes available at $0.06 per minute
▸Per-call limit: 15 minutes — calls disconnect automatically at the limit, no exceptions
▸Funding: Draws from the commissary account or a prepaid account set up using the register number
▸Setup: Register your number through the phone system using his register number before he can call you
▸Blocked numbers: Numbers not on the approved list will not connect
▸Dropped calls: Count against his monthly minutes — he can call back if disconnected early
▸Calling hours: Governed by the facility movement schedule; expect early morning and evening windows