Minimum, average or maximum: The brutal difference between prison security levels in the US

Many people know that prisons in the United States are divided into a five-tier security level system, but few know what those rankings actually mean.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons oversees the prison system in the US and is ultimately responsible for the custody and care of more than 1.8 million people. To help ensure inmate safety, prisoners are divided into five security levels: Minimum, Low, Medium, High and Administrative.

The classification of inmates is probably the No. 1 determinant of inmate life quality, dictating nearly every part of their lives inside. It governs things like the physical parameters of prisoners’ space; staff-to-inmate ratio; and level of freedom. Here’s a closer look at each of those five tiers of security distinctions..

Minimum-security prisons: The lowest level of security in the federal system, they typically are used for those with less than ten years remaining on their sentences and those with non-violent convictions. The inmates often have dormitory-style housing and lower staffing levels.

Low-security prisons: Also in dormitory rooms, around 36% of the federal prison population are in low-security prison. The difference is mainly in the security apparatus in place, with fences and sometimes razor wire in place at low-security prisons.

Medium-security prisons: These prisons are always surrounded by razor wire and multiple fences, with armed guards on call around the prison 24 hours a day. Violence in prisons gets much more common at this level, with higher staffing levels to help combat the issue.

High-security prisons: Also known as United States Penitentiaries and maximum custody, these are used for inmates with significant histories of violence. Prisoners will be housed in individual cells to limit incident but violence, and even deaths, is not uncommon. Major disturbances and gang violence mean that lockdowns are a regular part of life.

Administration-security prisons: Rather that a specific tier of security, these prisons are based on particular institutional missions. These are much more specialized and include the following types:

Prisoners are sorted into these categorizations to ensure the safety of everyone at the prison. Decisions over which tier inmates end up in are not taken lightly, with the Security Point Total used to determine which type of prison is most suitable for them.

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