It Generally Varies By Security Level
There are primarily three different types of housing in federal prison, starting with the open dorm.
You’ll see open-air dormitory housing in satellite camps and dedicated minimum security facilities. These kinds of arrangements consist of one big room with bunk beds in several rows. Each inmate in a federal prison dorm like this will have their own locker on the opposite side of their bunk, helping to separate one inmate’s area from the next.
Typically, there will be a public bathroom dedicated to that wing with enough toilets, urinals, and showers to accommodate several inmates at a time.
Federal prison dorms like these are seen primarily in federal prison camps.
The next type of housing in a federal prison is the federal prison cube. The “cube” arrangement is similar to the open dorm, but there are cement walls between each bunk. These walls don’t go up to the ceiling – usually just to about six feet in height.
This gives you and your cellmate a bit of privacy. Inside your cube, there is the bunkbed, one or two desks, two lockers, and plastic chairs to be used when watching TV out in the common areas.
Even though these spaces are open, it’s important that you draw an imaginary line in your head creating a door on everyone’s cube. Privacy is so scarce in prison that it’s up to you to create it. As you walk past cubes, don’t look inside, and certainly don’t go into anyone’s personal space without being invited.
Cubes are primarily in federal prison camps and low security facilities.
Now, the medium and high security facilities are when you will start to see stereotypical prison cells. A cell in federal prison isn’t comfortable. You will have the bunk bed, a desk, and, of course, a toilet-sink combination unit.
Some special housing unit (SHU) cells will have showers inside of them. When you’re in the SHU, you will get time to shower – typically three times per week.
Finally, at an ADX, the highest security level, the cells are in rougher shape, as are the SHUs in those facilities.
As a whole, that sums it up: open dorms, cubes, and cells. If you need our help, we’re open 7 days a week at 407-434-0175, and we can be reached 24 hours a day right here on our website.