Pennsylvania State Prisons
76 facilities- Alle-Kiski Pavilion (CCF-CPC)
- Allentown Community Corrections Center
- Atkins House FEMALE (CCF-CPC)
- Capitol Pavilion (CCF-CPC)
- Catholic Social Services of Scranton
Federal Facilities in Pennsylvania
9 facilities- FCI Allenwood Low
- FCI Allenwood Medium
- FCI Lewisburg and Satellite Camp (ICE)
- FCI Loretto Low
- FCI McKean Medium and Satellite Camp
Pennsylvania County Jails
61 facilities- Adams County PA Correctional Complex (ACACC)
- Allegheny County PA Jail
- Armstrong County PA Jail
- Beaver County PA Jail
- Bedford County PA Correctional Facility (BCCF)
Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
Pennsylvania DOC inmate locator searches by DC number or name. Pennsylvania has 67 counties - each operating its own jail system. The state has a large federal prison presence including Lewisburg, Schuylkill, and Allenwood. Pennsylvania has made significant investments in education and programming.
The official inmate search is available at inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov. USP Lewisburg, FCI Schuylkill, and FCC Allenwood are major federal facilities in Pennsylvania.
Visitation in Pennsylvania Facilities
Pennsylvania DOC visitor approval requires a Visitor Application submitted to the facility. Processing takes 3 - 5 weeks - among the slower in the country. Background checks for all adult visitors. Pennsylvania has expanded video visitation at many SCIs.
Always confirm visiting schedules directly with the facility before traveling. Find specific visitation rules on each facility's page in our Pennsylvania prison directory.
Sending Mail to Pennsylvania Inmates
Pennsylvania DOC mail requires the DC number. Pennsylvania has a centralized mail scanning system through Smart Communications in St. Cloud, Florida - ALL PA DOC physical mail goes to Florida, is scanned there, and delivered electronically to the inmate in Pennsylvania. Your physical letter never reaches your inmate.
InmateAid delivers letters and photos, postcards, and magazines to Pennsylvania facilities. Want to receive letters without sharing your home address? Our Letters From Inmates service scans and delivers inmate mail to your account.
Phone Calls from Pennsylvania Facilities
Pennsylvania is not currently among the states that offer free inmate phone calls. Securus Technologies holds the Pennsylvania DOC contract.
Following the FCC's Martha Wright-Reed Order (effective April 6, 2026), per-minute rates for inmate calls are now federally capped at state and federal facilities. Find current carrier and rate information on each facility's page in our Pennsylvania prison directory.
Sending Money to Pennsylvania Inmates
Commissary funds let inmates purchase approved items from the facility store. Primary money transfer options for Pennsylvania:
- JPay (commissary deposits)
- Smart Communications pa.smartjailmail.com (digital mail)
- Money orders - check if still accepted
See our Send Money guide or navigate to the specific facility page for current provider information.
Reentry Resources in Pennsylvania
Planning for release is one of the most important things a family can do. These organizations provide support in Pennsylvania:
- Pennsylvania DOC Reentry - Official reentry programs
- Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network - Free civil legal help statewide
- Reentry Council of Allegheny County - Pittsburgh-area reentry resources
- Community Legal Services Philadelphia - Philadelphia-based comprehensive legal help
Frequently Asked Questions About Pennsylvania Prisons
Does Pennsylvania really send prison mail to Florida?
Yes - Pennsylvania DOC has contracted with Smart Communications, headquartered in Florida, to process all incoming physical mail for state prison facilities. When you address a letter to any Pennsylvania state prison, it physically travels to a Smart Communications processing facility in Florida, where it is received, opened, inspected, scanned, and the digital image is sent to the inmate's tablet in Pennsylvania. The original letter is not forwarded. The physical paper you touched, the envelope you sealed, and any items inside do not reach your inmate as physical objects. Submit mail digitally through pa.smartjailmail.com for direct delivery to the inmate's tablet without the Florida routing.
What is a DC number in Pennsylvania?
DC stands for Department of Corrections - Pennsylvania's unique inmate identifier. Every PA DOC inmate is assigned a DC number when they enter state custody. It must appear on all mail and is required for the PA DOC inmate locator at inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov. The DC number is different from any county jail booking number - if your person was recently transferred from county to state custody, they now have a DC number. Find it through the DOC locator or ask your inmate directly on their first call. Once assigned, the DC number is permanent for the sentence regardless of which state correctional institution they're housed at.
What is SCI Phoenix?
SCI Phoenix opened in 2019 as the replacement for Graterford Prison, which had operated since 1929 in Montgomery County west of Philadelphia. Phoenix is a maximum-security facility built with contemporary correctional design - better natural light, more programming space, improved staff visibility, and a layout intended to reduce tension and violence. The old Graterford buildings were demolished after the transition. Phoenix is in Collegeville, about 30 miles from Philadelphia, and is one of the more accessible state facilities for Philadelphia-area families.
Does Pennsylvania have free prison phone calls?
No - Pennsylvania has not eliminated phone call fees. Securus Technologies holds the PA DOC contract. The FCC's April 2026 rate caps apply to interstate calls from Pennsylvania state facilities, reducing costs from historical highs, but calls are not free. Pennsylvania has a large system - 24 state correctional institutions spread across the state - and phone reform has not advanced in Harrisburg in recent sessions. Set up a Securus prepaid account rather than accepting collect calls.
How do I visit someone at SCI Greene?
SCI Greene in Waynesburg is Pennsylvania's primary death row facility and a maximum-security institution, located in the far southwestern corner of the state - about 70 miles south of Pittsburgh near the West Virginia border, roughly 1.5 hours via I-79 South. Greene County is rural coal country with limited visitor services. All visitors must be pre-approved through PA DOC's visitor application process. Contact SCI Greene at 724-852-2902 to request application procedures and confirm current visiting hours. Background checks are required for all adult visitors.
What is the Smart Communications system?
Smart Communications is a Florida-based company that processes all incoming physical mail for PA DOC facilities. When you send mail to any PA state prison, Smart Communications receives it physically in Florida, opens it, scans it, and delivers the digital version to the inmate's tablet in Pennsylvania. You can also bypass physical mail entirely by submitting digital mail directly through pa.smartjailmail.com - this creates a PDF delivered directly to the inmate's tablet without any physical routing. Physical originals are not returned. If you have items of sentimental value - cards, children's drawings, handwritten letters - understand that they will not reach your inmate as physical objects at any PA DOC facility using Smart Communications.