United States · Illinois · Thomson
USP Thomson
Data is aggregated from public sources and may be incomplete or out of date. Always verify with primary sources before acting on any figure. See data sources.
For families
How to send mail, money, and visit USP Thomson
Step-by-step guidance using the United States system — addresses, money services, visit booking, what to bring on your first visit.
Federal federal facility in Thomson, Illinois.
Background
The Federal Correctional Institution, Thomson (FCI Thomson), formerly Thomson Correctional Center, is a low-security federal prison located in Thomson, Illinois. It has an area of about 146 acres (59 ha) and comprises 15 buildings. The facility is enclosed by a 15-foot (4.6 m), 7000 volt electric fence surrounded by an additional 12-foot (3.7 m) exterior fence covered with razor wire. Thomson has eight cellhouses with a rated capacity of 2,100 beds—1,900 high-security SMU beds and 200 minimum-security beds at the onsite camp—and according to BOP officials, the potential to use some of its high-security rated capacity to house up to 400 ADX inmates. From its completion in 2001 to 2006, it remained empty.
Source: Wikipedia article lead, CC-BY-SA.
Capacity
1,500
Current population
—
Occupancy
—
Year opened
2012
Operational
Facility profile
Operator
Federal Bureau of Prisons
Population held
male
Opened
2012
Region
Illinois
Security level
High
Death-row facility
No
Conditions
BOP-operated facility; conditions reports issued by the DOJ Office of Inspector General on a multi-year cycle.
Visiting
Visiting governed by BOP Program Statement 5267.09 — approved-visitor list maintained by the inmate's Unit Team. Weekends and federal holidays in most facilities; specific hours per facility.
Mailing
Standard BOP format: Inmate Name & Register Number, [Facility], [Address]. No staples, polaroids, or hardcover books. Sender's full return address required.
Practical info
Federal inmate funds via Western Union QuickCollect to the BOP Trust Fund. Communication via CorrLinks (TRULINCS) where the inmate has subscribed.
Known issues
DOJ Office of Inspector General report (2023) identified excessive use of restrictive housing and significant violence. Reorientation to a medium-security USP underway 2024-2025.
Contact & address
Conditions Risk Score
Derived signal — not a judgement. How it's calculated
- Overcrowding
- 0/30
- Oversight reports
- 12/30
- Structural flags
- 5/15
- Death signals
- 5/15
- Conditions text
- 0/10
What the score is responding to:
- · 1 oversight report in the last 5 years
- · Substantial documented known-issues record
- · In-custody-death signal in sources
Compared to other facilities in United States
3134 peersHigher risk than 96% of peer facilities in United States.
Reports
- DOJ Office of Inspector General21 Aug 2023
DOJ OIG found 'systemic' failures: excessive restrictive housing, significant violence, two homicides in 18 months. BOP reorienting Thomson to medium-security USP.
Data completeness
86%How many of our profile fields are populated. We surface this so families and researchers know the limits.
Sources
- BOP — facility page
- Federal Bureau of Prisons — Locations — US Department of Justice
- Wikipedia — Wikimedia Foundation
- OpenStreetMap — OpenStreetMap Contributors
- See /data-sources for our overall methodology.