What are the visiting hours at FCI Loretto?

Visiting hours vary by unit and rotation schedule. Contact FCI Loretto directly to confirm the current schedule before traveling.

What is the correct mailing address format for inmates at FCI Loretto?

Write the inmate's full name and BOP register number on the first line, followed by FCI Loretto, Federal Correctional Institution, P.O. Box 1000, Loretto, PA 15940. The register number must appear on every piece of mail — omitting it will result in the mail being delayed or returned.

What are the visiting days and rules at FCI Loretto?

Visiting at FCI Loretto is permitted on Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays. All visitors must be pre-approved through the inmate's case manager, a process that typically takes 4-6 weeks. Call the facility at 814-472-4140 to confirm current daily hours before your visit, as exact shift times are set in the local institution supplement.

Does FCI Loretto offer the 500-hour Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP)?

Yes. FCI Loretto has a dedicated RDAP unit running a 500-hour, 9-month program cycle. Inmates who complete RDAP and meet eligibility requirements under 18 U.S.C. § 3621(e) can receive up to 12 months off their sentence. Your LO should request a referral from his case manager as early as possible — the waitlist is real.

How do inmates make phone calls at FCI Loretto?

Inmates submit an approved phone list to their unit team and place outgoing calls from that approved list only. Calls are paid from commissary funds at approximately $0.06/minute for domestic calls under current federal pricing. All calls except legal counsel calls are monitored and recorded, and calls are typically limited to 15 minutes per session.

By Thatbopguy· 2026-09-13

Loretto Federal Prison FCI: A Families' Guide

FCI Loretto is a low-security federal prison in rural Pennsylvania with a dedicated 500-hour RDAP unit that can cut up to 12 months off a sentence. Here's what families need to know about visiting, mail, phone calls, and programs.

Overview FAQ What to Expect Programs Security Visiting Mail Phone

FCI Loretto Facility Details

Facility Type

FCI

Security Level

Low

BOP Code

LOR

Location

Loretto, Pennsylvania

Base Name

Loretto

Complex Parent

Standalone facility

Verified

09/13/2026

Notes

Federal Correctional Institution — low security. Located in Cambria County, western Pennsylvania.

FCI Loretto Overview

For more help, federal inmate locator.

FCI Loretto is a low-security federal correctional institution in Loretto, Pennsylvania, adjacent to Saint Francis University in rural Cambria County. It operates a separate minimum-security satellite camp on the same grounds. The facility draws men specifically seeking its dedicated 500-hour RDAP unit, which offers up to 12 months early release eligibility under 18 U.S.C. § 3621(e).

▸Location: 772 Saint Joseph Street, Loretto, PA 15940
▸Security level: Low (FCI) with attached minimum-security satellite camp
▸BOP code: LOR
▸Housing type: Cell-based (not open dormitory)
▸UNICOR: No UNICOR factory at this facility
▸Notable: Dedicated 500-hour RDAP unit; one of the few low FCIs with this program on-site

FCI Loretto FAQ

What to Expect at FCI Loretto

Loretto sits in a genuinely rural corner of Cambria County, Pennsylvania. The nearest city with real lodging options is Johnstown, about 20 miles east. If you're coming from Pittsburgh — roughly 90 miles west — budget the drive and book ahead. The facility's rural location is one of the most consistent things families mention: it's not a quick trip from anywhere.

When I was at a low-security FCI, the bottleneck that caught people off guard wasn't the rules — it was how easy it is for case manager workload to swallow paperwork whole. At Loretto, if your LO needs an RDAP referral, a program enrollment, or an FSA credit correction documented, verbal conversations don't move things forward. Written requests through the case manager, with dates tracked, do.

▸RDAP draws men to Loretto specifically — the treatment unit has its own structure and culture; completion rates and program seriousness reflect that
▸No UNICOR means work pay runs at standard BOP inmate wages (cents per hour) — plan commissary funding from your end accordingly
▸The satellite camp population lives separately from the main FCI — if he's at the camp, the experience is meaningfully different from the main yard
▸FSA credits don't update automatically — if his PATTERN score isn't moving, that's a case manager action item, not a system error that fixes itself
▸Rural Pennsylvania winters are real; if he needs specific commissary items for cold weather, get funds on his books before November

FCI Loretto: Real Photos

Real photos of FCI Loretto from publicly available sources.

Aerial View of FCI Loretto

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

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

Programs and Education at FCI Loretto

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

▸GED / Adult Basic Education (ABE): Required for inmates without a verified high school diploma
▸ESL: English as a Second Language
▸Adult Continuing Education (ACE): Elective courses — Creative Writing, Evolution, History of Western Film
▸Parenting program: Available for fathers with minor children
▸Automotive Repair: Vocational program at the main FCI facility
▸CDL (Commercial Driver's License): Available at the satellite camp
▸Personal Fitness Trainer certification: Vocational track
▸Fiber Optics: Trade skills course
▸Retail Sales / Customer Service: Pre-release vocational track
▸Apprenticeships: Cook and Teacher Aide (2 registered programs)
▸RDAP: 500-hour, 9-month cycle — eligible participants can earn up to 12 months off under 18 U.S.C. § 3621(e)
▸Non-residential treatment: NR-DAP, Drug Abuse Education Course, AA, NA
▸Work assignments: Food Service, Facilities Maintenance (Plumbing, Electrical, HVAC), Landscaping, Laundry, Commissary, Library Aide, Chapel Orderly, Education Tutor, Recreation Aide

Programs connect directly to his release date through the First Step Act. Completing approved programming generates FSA credits — 10 to 15 days per 30-day period depending on his PATTERN risk level. RDAP eligibility stacks on top of FSA credits as a separate statutory reduction. Have him ask his case manager about RDAP referral and program waitlists the week he arrives — Loretto's RDAP unit has a waitlist and early placement requests matter. Use the federal inmate time calculation to model what both programs could mean for his date.

Calculate FSA Time Credits →

FCI Loretto Security Level: What It Means Inside

Low security means more daily movement, fewer lockdowns, and less tension than a medium. At this level your LO has real access to programs, work, and recreation — but it is still a counted, fenced federal facility, not a camp. Cell-based housing at Loretto means more privacy than open dorms, but the perimeter fence and regular counts are still part of every day.

▸Flexible daytime movement between programs, work, and recreation
▸Cell-based housing — more privacy than open dormitory camps
▸Perimeter fencing with patrol; not the open grounds of the satellite camp
▸Lower staff-to-inmate ratios than medium — more autonomy, less immediate oversight
▸Incident reports still carry consequences — one shot can affect FSA credit eligibility and program placement

Visiting FCI Loretto: Hours, Rules, Dress Code

Visiting at FCI Loretto in Loretto, Pennsylvania runs on a specific rotation schedule. Here's what families need to know before visiting:

Visiting at FCI Loretto runs on Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays. Exact daily start and end times are in the institution's local supplement — call 814-472-4140 before making the drive to rural Cambria County.

Getting approved:

▸Submit a visiting application through your LO's case manager
▸Allow 4-6 weeks for background check processing
▸All visitors 18 and over need a valid government-issued photo ID
▸Children must be listed and approved on the visiting form in advance

Dress code:

▸No khaki, olive drab, camouflage, or orange
▸No underwire bras or steel-toed shoes
▸Shoulders and knees must be covered
▸No excessive jewelry

What to bring:

▸Valid government-issued photo ID
▸Cash or approved change for vending machines
▸Car keys (minimal electronics)

What gets turned away:

▸Outside food or drinks
▸Cell phones, cameras, or recording devices
▸Anything not cleared through the approved visitor process

How to Send Mail to FCI Loretto

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

Send all mail to this exact address:

INMATE FULL NAME REGISTER NUMBER
FCI Loretto
Federal Correctional Institution
P.O. Box 1000
Loretto, PA 15940

▸Register number is required on every piece of mail — omitting it causes delays or returns
▸All general mail is opened and inspected before delivery
▸Photos allowed: standard print photos only, no Polaroids, no sexually explicit content
▸Books and magazines must ship directly from a publisher or approved vendor (Amazon, Barnes & Noble) — not from your home address
▸No stickers, glitter, perfume, or anything applied to the paper
▸Legal mail must be marked "Special Mail — Open Only in Presence of Inmate" for separate handling
▸Delivery typically takes 5-10 business days from postmark

Phone Calls at FCI Loretto: Cost and Setup

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

▸Your LO submits an approved phone number list to his unit team — get your number on that list before anything else
▸Calls are outgoing only; you cannot call in to the facility
▸All calls except legal counsel calls are monitored and recorded
▸Calls are paid from his commissary account — keep funds on his books
▸Domestic rates run approximately $0.06/minute under current federal pricing rules
▸Calls are typically limited to 15 minutes per session
▸If a call drops, he can call back immediately; it counts as a new call
▸Calling hours follow non-count, non-program hours set by the institution