United States Penitentiary, Canaan

The United States Penitentiary, 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.History and facilityUSP Canaan is a 170000sqyd facility designed by David R. Cassara Associates, Structural Engineering and Consulting of Rochester, New York for $141 million. 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 4x in size, equipped with a bunkbed, 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.Prison schedule and regulationsInmates 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.