- Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP)
- Pennsylvania
- PO Box 300, Waymart, PA 18472
- 570-488-8000
- Official Website
- Featured
United States Penitentiary (USP) – Canaan'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 USP-Canaan is a federal prison located at 3057 Eric Williams Mem Dr in Waymart, PA. This federal high 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 570-488-8000.
The United States Penitentiary, Canaan (USP Canaan) is a high-security United States federal prison for male inmates, with a satellite prison camp for minimum-security male inmates. It is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, a division of the United States Department of Justice.
USP Canaan is located in northeastern Pennsylvania, 20 miles east of Scranton and 134 miles north of Philadelphia.
USP Canaan opened in March 2005 and is designed to house 1088 male inmates in six housing units. Six V-shaped buildings facing each other and a larger maintenance building surround a central yard with a tower in the middle. Six additional towers are lined along the rectangular-shaped facility. The facility is surrounded by a lethal electrical double fence.
Cells are approximately 13.1 ft × 6.6 ft in size, equipped with a bunk bed, a stainless steel sink-toilet combination, and a small table with a non-removable stool. Cells are usually occupied by two inmates and are air-conditioned. The administrative and disciplinary unit, called the Special Housing Unit, can hold approximately 250 inmates. Cells in the disciplinary unit have showers and are occupied by two inmates.
Inmates are counted 5 to 6 times a day, at 12:01 a.m., 3:00 a.m., 5:00 a.m., 4:00 p.m. (stand up count), 10:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. (on weekends and holidays). Initial work movements start at 4:30 a.m. and inmates must be up at 7:30 a.m. All inmates must be back inside their cells at 10:00 p.m.
Prisoners have access to a text-based e-mail program known as Corrlinks. Inmates are allowed only 13,000 characters per e-mail, and they cannot send, receive or view attachments. Inmates are not allowed to retain more than two newspapers, 10 magazines, and 25 letters in their cells. Inmates are allowed to place phone calls to up to 30 approved numbers. Phone calls are restricted to 15 minutes per call and five hours per month.
Background: USP Canaan opened in 2005. Four murders have taken place at USP Canaan since its opening. In June 2011, one of the largest institutional outbreaks of salmonella poisoning occurred when 300 inmates and several staff members became ill after eating chicken in the prison dining room.
Notable inmates include John Rigas and Timothy Rigas the father and son executives from Adelphia Communications Corp were convicted in 2004 of bank fraud other charges for stealing millions of dollars from the company and concealing its debt from investors to keep its stock price high. Juan Matta-Ballesteros a notorious drug kingpin with ties to the Medellin Cartel in Colombia; convicted in 1990 of orchestrating the 1985 kidnapping and murder of Drug Enforcement Administration Agent Enrique Camarena and is serving a life sentence. Mohammad Shibin a Somali pirate leader convicted in 2012 of piracy, kidnapping, and hostage-taking for acting as a ransom negotiator during the hijacking of the civilian vessel Quest in 2010 and the oil tanker Miranda Marguerite in 2011; Shibin is the highest-ranking pirate ever prosecuted and is now serving a life sentence. Luke Sommer a former Army Ranger serving a 44-year sentence for bank robbery and soliciting murder. Benjamín Arellano Félix a former Kingpin of the Tijuana Cartel, sentenced to 25 Years for racketeering and conspiracy to launder money
Housing: Inmates are housed in six housing units consisting of one and two-person cells. Inmates at the camp are housed in dormitories.
Health Services: Health services include preventative care, diagnosis or treatment for chronic conditions, emergency services, mental health care, substance abuse treatment, annual immunizations/screenings, physical examinations, and dental care. Inmates must submit a triage form in order to be evaluated for routine healthcare needs. Emergency care is available 24 hours a day.
Psychology Services: Priority psychology services include intake screenings, treatment of major mental disorders, crisis intervention, and suicide prevention. Other self-help, support, and lifestyle change programs are offered as resources and need dictate. Typical groups including anger management are offered.
Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP): USP Canaan houses a Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP). It also offers a Drug Education class, the Non-Residential Drug Abuse Program (NR-DAP), Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), and Narcotics Anonymous (NA). Also offered is The Challenge Program assisting inmates in successfully reintegrating into the community through the elimination of drug abuse and elimination/management of mental illness.
Education Services: USP Canaan provides literacy, GED, and English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) programs. Adult Continuing Education (ACE) classes and a parenting program are also available. High school diplomas and post-secondary programs are available through paid correspondence programs.
Advanced Occupational Education: USP Canaan offers advanced occupational education in Culinary Arts.
Vocational Training: USP Canaan offers vocational training in Horticulture.
Apprenticeship: USP Canaan offers apprenticeships in Electrical, HVAC, and Plumbing. The camp offers an apprenticeship in Electrical.
Library Services: USP Canaan’s Education Department provides a wide variety of reading material, including newspapers, magazines, and a broad selection of leisure reading books in westerns, fiction, nonfiction, biographies, references, science, history, and other areas. The TRULINCS Electronic Law Library is located in four stations throughout the institution, one in each pod, and one in SHU. Printers are located in the main law library, Commissary, and SHU.
UNICOR: The USP Canaan UNICOR facility handles bindery operations. The camp does not house a UNICOR facility.
Commissary: The Commissary provides a bank-type account for inmate money and for the procurement of items not issued regularly as part of the institution administration. Funds deposited by family, friends, or other sources are stored in the commissary account. Monies received for an inmate will be placed in the inmate’s Trust Fund Account. This money may be used for purchasing approved sale items in the institution commissary, sent home for family support, or other approved purposes. The commissary shopping schedule is based on each housing unit, and the shopping days are rotated monthly.
Recreation Services: Leisure activities and recreation programs at USP Canaan are supervised by the Recreation Department. Programs include indoor and outdoor activities and range from individualized arts and crafts programs to intramural team sports, such as softball, basketball, and soccer. Physical fitness and weight reduction programs are also important activities for inmates and contribute to good mental health, healthy interpersonal relations, and stress reduction. Various leisure classes and hobby craft programs are also available for interested participants.
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
United States Penitentiary (USP) – Canaan High – Visiting Hours
- Friday 8:00am – 3:00pm
- Saturday 8:00am – 3:00pm
- Sunday 8:00am – 3:00pm
- Holidays 8:00am – 3:00pm
