FCI Petersburg Low

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FCI Petersburg Low Information

The Federal Correctional Complex, Petersburg (FCC Petersburg) houses male inmates in Hopewell, Virginia. The complex includes two facilities: FCI Petersburg Medium and FCI Petersburg Low, the latter which is a low-security federal correctional institution with an adjacent minimum-security satellite camp. FCI Petersburg Low and its camp sit on 670 acres of land, 50 of which lie within a perimeter fence. The camp houses 188 inmates, while the larger FCI houses 500, bringing the total inmate population to 688 as of September 2023. Over the past 12 months, the facility has seen periods where its population exceeded its designated capacity of 736 inmates. The inmate population at FCI Petersburg Low ranges in age from 19 to 85. Their average length of stay or time under supervision is 865 days. While FCC Petersburg as a whole houses youthful offenders, FCI Petersburg Low specifically does not hold any inmates under the age of 18. Along with federal inmates, FCI Petersburg Low holds some inmates for the U.S. Marshals Service. The facility has 22 buildings, including 12 single cell housing units and 13 open bay/dorm housing units for inmates. There are no multiple occupancy cells. For segregated housing, FCI Petersburg Low maintains 24 segregation cells for purposes like administrative segregation, disciplinary confinement, and protective custody. With its current inmate population, FCI Petersburg Low employs 170 staff members who may have regular contact with inmates. These staff oversee programs like GED preparation, English classes, vocational training, post-secondary education, parenting skills, and release preparation. The complex also offers treatment programs tailored to sex offenders. In summary, FCI Petersburg Low plays an important role in its jurisdiction by incarcerating, educating, and rehabilitating male federal inmates of various ages and sentences.

FCI Petersburg Low

Phone: 804-733-7881

Physical Address:
 FCI Petersburg Low
1100 River Road
Hopewell, VA 23860

Mailing Address (personal mail):
 Inmate's Full Name & Inmate Register Number
FCI Petersburg Low
Inmate Name and Registration Number
FCI Petersburgh Low, Federal Correctional Institution
P.O. Box 1000
Hopewell, VA 23804

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How Do You Find Someone in the FCI Petersburg Low?

How to Search for a Federal Inmate in the Bureau of Prisons

The Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator includes inmates that are not only in custody, but who have been in custody and have been released (or who died in custody) since 1982. 

For inmates in custody prior to 1982, visit the National Archives Records Administration and provide the following information:

  • Inmate name (including middle name/initial),
  • Inmate's date of birth or approximate age at time of incarceration,
  • Inmate's race, and
  • Inmate's approximate dates in prison.

Federal Inmate Search

Searching by Name

  • You must enter the exact spelling of the inmate's FIRST and LAST name.
  • If the inmate's name is a common name, you may want to type in their age (as of today) and race to limit the number of results.
  • If you enter only an inmate's LAST name and an initial for the first name, you will NOT get a result.

Searching by Name Results

Searching by Number

  • If you know the inmate's BOP Register Number (ex: 12345-678), you can enter that to get an exact result.
  • You can also enter an inmate's DCDC Number, FBI Number or INS Number to get an exact result. The listing of the inmate will display their BOP Register Number.

Searching by Number Result

Things to Know About Federal Inmate Search Results

  • The data in the Federal Inmate Locator is updated daily.
  • Hispanic's race can either be Black or White.
  • Release dates are only considered absolute if they have already been released. For those still in custody the release date is either UNKNOWN, subject to change, or projected.
  • Unless an inmate shows as being RELEASED, their location is subject to change, as inmates are occasionally moved to another facility with no notice.
  • The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) allows certain information about Federal inmates to the general public if someone requests it. To obtain information beyond what is provided from the inmate locator and/or publicly available, submit a (Freedom of Information) FOIA request along with a properly completed Form DOJ-361. For further information, refer to the BOP's FOIA website.
  • If you are experiencing problems when using the inmate locator system, send a Technical Issue email (using the drop down menu) from the CONTACT US page. 
  • You may also contact the BOP by writing to:
    FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS
    Att: Inmate Locator
    320 First St., N.W.
    Washington, DC 20534
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About the FCI Petersburg Low
The Federal Correctional Complex, Petersburg (FCC Petersburg) houses male inmates in Hopewell, Virginia. The complex includes two facilities: FCI Petersburg Medium and FCI Petersburg Low, the latter which is a low-security federal correctional institution with an adjacent minimum-security satellite camp. FCI Petersburg Low and its camp sit on 670 acres of land, 50 of which lie within a perimeter fence. The camp houses 188 inmates, while the larger FCI houses 500, bringing the total inmate population to 688 as of September 2023. Over the past 12 months, the facility has seen periods where its population exceeded its designated capacity of 736 inmates. The inmate population at FCI Petersburg Low ranges in age from 19 to 85. Their average length of stay or time under supervision is 865 days. While FCC Petersburg as a whole houses youthful offenders, FCI Petersburg Low specifically does not hold any inmates under the age of 18. Along with federal inmates, FCI Petersburg Low holds some inmates for the U.S. Marshals Service. The facility has 22 buildings, including 12 single cell housing units and 13 open bay/dorm housing units for inmates. There are no multiple occupancy cells. For segregated housing, FCI Petersburg Low maintains 24 segregation cells for purposes like administrative segregation, disciplinary confinement, and protective custody. With its current inmate population, FCI Petersburg Low employs 170 staff members who may have regular contact with inmates. These staff oversee programs like GED preparation, English classes, vocational training, post-secondary education, parenting skills, and release preparation. The complex also offers treatment programs tailored to sex offenders. In summary, FCI Petersburg Low plays an important role in its jurisdiction by incarcerating, educating, and rehabilitating male federal inmates of various ages and sentences.
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Directions / Map to the FCI Petersburg Low
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Understanding The Federal Bureau of Prisons

The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is the agency responsible for overseeing and incarcerating pre-trial (indicted) and post-trial (convicted) inmates. Federal inmates differ from those in county jails and state prisons because the crime they are either being accused of or have been convicted of violates specific federal laws.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons has many different types of facilities that incarcerate inmates. That is because they deal with such a wide range of inmate types, from non-violent Wall Street tycoons serving a few years in a ‘Camp’ with no fences, to the most dangerous and deadly serial murderers who are only allowed to leave their cells and go into a small exercise cage for one hour per day.

When referring to a federal prison, you always place the acronym of the prison ‘type’ in front of the name (or location) of the prison.  For example, USP Allenwood is a United States Penitentiary in Allenwood, Pennsylvania. US Penitentiaries are always either medium or maximum-security facilities. They house the most violent, and in many cases, the longest-term prisoners in the BOP.  The only exception is the ADX (or ADMAX), a Supermax prison in Florence, Colorado that houses the ‘worst of the worst’ prisoners such as the late John Gotti, the Unabomber, serial killers who cannot mix with other inmates, and other incorrigibles such as convicted terrorists.

Federal Correctional Institutions (FCI), are classified as both medium and low-security facilities. The lowest security facilities, Prison Camps (FPC and SCP), allow for freedom of movement on the entire prison grounds outside of the security walls and razor wire. Prison Camp inmates handle much of the maintenance and upkeep of the complex. Americans have often heard these referred to as ‘Club Fed’, due to the fact that they are thought of as much less restrictive than a regular prison.

In addition to the standard lockups, the BOP maintains many Maximum-Security Detention Centers (FDC, MDC and MCC), Medical Facilities (FMC and MCFP), privately owned Correctional Institutions (CI), Con-Air Prisoner Transfer Centers (FTC) and Female Facilities (SFF).

Prior to an inmate’s release from the custody of the BOP, they will first transition into a Residential Reentry Center (RRM). Inmates in the ‘halfway houses’ are required to take responsibility for the cooking, cleaning and upkeep and by working a full-time job to subsidize the cost of the facility.  After their release from a BOP facility, every federal inmate must undergo several years of supervised release (probation) before they can experience the real freedom we all enjoy.

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The Federal Bureau of Prisons Facility types
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This facility, known as "FCI Petersburg Low" is also known as Low Security, Federal Bureau of Prisons, BOP, PETERSBURG FCI LOW, Virginia,.