Federal Correctional Institution, El Reno, medium-security United States prison in Oklahoma
Federal Correctional Institution El Reno is a federal men's prison located about 30 miles west of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The facility features large brick buildings with barred windows, paved grounds, outdoor sports fields, and includes a minimum-security camp addition built in the 1980s that operates separately from the main institution.
Construction began in 1932 and the facility opened in 1934 as a reformatory for young men, initially receiving transfers from prisons in Kansas and Ohio. The institution was officially renamed Federal Correctional Institution El Reno in 1938 and has since evolved into one of the rare federal prisons still operating a working farm.
The facility takes its name from a nearby former military post and reflects the region's history of development. Over the decades, it has become part of the local landscape and has housed different generations of inmates seeking to improve themselves.
Visits are possible on specific days, typically in the mornings and early afternoons, with visitors required to follow dress codes and restrictions on items brought inside. The facility provides round-the-clock emergency medical care, routine checkups during morning sick call hours, and offers programs including educational classes and skill training to help inmates prepare for life after release.
The facility is one of only two remaining federal prisons that still operates a working farm, where minimum-security inmates grow vegetables and care for livestock. This program continues a long tradition of practical training and self-sufficiency that dates back to the institution's early years.
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