- Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP)
- North Carolina
- PO Box 1600, Butner, NC 27509
- 919-575-3900
- Official Website
- Featured
Federal Medical Center (FMC) – Butner's comprehensive information to help guide you through the federal prison process, specifically on how to remain connected to your inmate while they are incarcerated.
The FMC-Butner is a federal prison located at Old NC Hwy 75 in Butner, NC. This federal medium security prison is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to hold inmates who have been convicted to and sentenced for a federal crime through the US Department of Justice (DOJ).
Locate all federal inmates here. If you would like to speak with a case manager or counselor, call 919-575-3900.
The Federal Medical Center, Butner (FMC Butner) is a United States federal prison in North Carolina for male inmates of all security levels who have special health needs. It is part of the Butner Federal Correctional Complex and is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, a division of the US Department of Justice. An adjacent satellite prison camp houses minimum-security male inmates.
FMC Butner is located near the Research Triangle area of Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill.
FMC Butner has a full hospital facility specializing in oncology and behavioral science. Many medical and surgical specialties hold clinics and perform procedures at the FMC. It has the only residential program devoted to the treatment of sexual offenders in the federal prison system.
In 2009, a study conducted by psychologists Michael Bourke and Andres Hernandez was published in the Journal of Family Violence. The results suggested a strong link between viewing child pornography and sexual abuse. The findings went against the conventional and widely held belief that while abhorrent, a person passively viewing child pornography had an insignificant causal link with that person actually molesting a child.
In what is known as the "Butner Study," Bourke and Hernandez analyzed data on 155 men convicted of child pornography offenses, who took part in an 18-month treatment program between 2002 and 2005, during which the men filled out assessment measures including a "victims list," where they revealed the number of children they had molested in the past.
74% of the men denied molesting anyone when they were sentenced. However, by the end of treatment, 85% had admitted to sexually molesting a child at least once. The numbers are more than twice that of other studies. In explaining this discrepancy, Bourke said, "Our treatment team worked for an average of 18 months with each offender, and the environment was one of genuine therapeutic trust" that encouraged the men to tell the truth about themselves.
A critique of the study is that the use of a population of participants in the most intensive sex offender treatment program offered in the federal prison system skewed the sample. Offenders had to have received at least a thirty-six-month sentence to be eligible for the program. Melissa Hamilton argues, "These offenders may well, then, have represented particularly dangerous offenders who were a high risk to children since they had been prosecuted, convicted, given more than minimal prison sentences, and accepted into the limited-space program because of a perceived need by themselves and program clinicians for a lengthy and intensive residential program."
In October 2012, the oldest inmate in the federal prison system, Drayton Curry, (inmate # 24017-037), (now surpassed by John Franzese) died at FMC Butner at age 92. Curry was serving a life sentence for a 1992 drug trafficking conviction and had petitioned US President Barack Obama for clemency in February 2011 due to old age and poor health. Advocates of the prison reform system cited Curry's situation as a reason for reconsidering mandatory minimum federal drug sentences.
Notable inmates include John Hinkley, Jr who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981. Frank Calabrese, Sr. died at FMC Butner in 2012 while serving a life sentence for his role as a hitman for the Chicago Outfit Mafia organization; arrested as part of Operation Family Secrets; convicted in 2007 of racketeering conspiracy for directing and engaging in Mafia activities including murder, extortion and loansharking. Tony Alamo the cult leader from Arkansas; convicted in 2009 of ten counts of transporting minors across state lines for sexual purposes for using his influence to force children as young as 8 into marriages and sexual relationships served a life sentence until his death in 2017. Salvatore DiMasi the former speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 2004 to 2009; convicted in 2011 of conspiracy, honest services fraud and extortion for steering contracts to the software company Cognos in exchange for $65,000 in kickbacks. Russell Weston, Jr. who is being held indefinitely, he is responsible for the 1998 United States Capitol shooting, during which he fatally shot Detective John Gibson and Officer Jacob Chestnut of the US Capitol Police and wounded a tourist. Weston was subsequently ruled mentally incompetent to stand trial. Harry Bowman then president of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club; convicted in 2001 of directing a racketeering enterprise which engaged in drug trafficking, extortion, murders, and bombings; one of the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives until his capture in 1999, now serving a life sentence. Tom Manning was a member of the United Freedom Front, a Marxist group which carried out bank robberies and bombings at corporate buildings, courthouses and military facilities in the 1970s and 1980s; convicted of the 1981 murder of NJ State Trooper Philip Lomonaco is currently serving a 58-year sentence.
Housing: Inmates are housed in two-person cells and pods.
Health Services: Inmates receive a medical screening upon arrival at FMC Butner. Inmates are then scheduled for routine physical examinations, laboratory studies, physical and dental examinations, and assessment of any health needs. Sick call, dental call, emergency care, medications, chronic care, physical examinations, periodic health screenings for HIV, TB, colon cancer (for inmates over 50 years of age), diabetes and cholesterol screening (for inmates over 45), and vaccinations as recommended are available to the inmate population. Other preventive health services may be available based on the inmate’s age and needs.
Psychology Services: Individual and group therapy, including stress management, and anger management are offered at FMC Butner, among other programs.
Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP): FMC Butner does not house a Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP). However, a Non-Residential Drug Abuse Program (NR-DAP) is offered. Programs also include a Drug Education Class, Transitional Drug Treatment, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), and Narcotics Anonymous (NA), and others.
Education Services: FMC Butner offers GED and English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) programs to inmates. A parenting program and Adult Continuing Education (ACE) courses are available. High school diplomas and post-secondary programs are available through paid correspondence programs.
Advanced Occupational Education: FMC Butner offers advanced occupational education in Horticulture 1, 2 and 3, and Logistics. An Office System Technology (OST) one-year certification program is also available.
Apprenticeship: FMC Butner offers apprenticeships in Biomedical Technician, Commercial Cleaning, and Health and Sanitation.
Library Services: FMC Butner offers a legal and leisure library to inmates. The leisure library has numerous books and other reading materials available, including magazines, newspapers, career planning, multicultural studies, parenting, and fiction and nonfiction selections. The law library consists of the TRULINCS Electronic Law Library.
Commissary: The monthly spending limit for inmates is $360. The commissary is available to prisoners to shop only once per week. Inmates are assigned a specific shopping day based on their inmate number. Items available for purchase include drinks, food, over-the-counter medications, clothing, and other items.
Recreation: The FMC Butner recreation department offers intramural sports, leisure activities, passive and non-competitive activities, unit-based activities, hobby crafts, a CD program, movie program, wellness program, and many other activities.
Admissions and Orientation (A&O) Handbook – This document provides you with general information about the institution, programs, rules, and regulations that you will encounter during your confinement. Familiarizing yourself with this information and knowing your responsibilities will help you to adjustment to institution life.
Commissary List – In 1930 the Department of Justice authorized and established a Commissary at each Federal institution. The Commissary provides a bank type account for your money & for the procurement of articles not issued regularly as part of the institution administration. Funds deposited by your family, friends, or other sources are stored in your commissary account that we maintain.
Legal Activities – This document outlines the procedures for access to legal reference materials and legal counsel and the opportunities that you will be afforded to prepare legal documents while incarcerated.
visitation Info
Federal Medical Center (FMC) – Butner – Visiting Hours
- Friday 2:30pm – 8:00pm
- Saturday 8:30am – 3:00pm
- Sunday 8:30am – 3:00pm
- Holidays 8:30am – 3:00pm
