Search Federal Medical Center Lexington Records Online

Jail Name:

Federal Medical Center Lexington

Jail Type:

Jail/Prison

State:

Kentucky

County:

FAYETTE

City:

Lexington

Description:

The site opened on May 15, 1935 on 1,000 acres (400 ha) under the name "United States Narcotic Farm" then changed shortly after to "U.S. Public Health Service Hospital." In 1967, it changed its name again to "National Institute of Mental Health, Clinical Research Center." Its original purpose was to treat people who "voluntarily" were admitted with drug abuse problems and treat them, with mostly experimental treatments; it was the first of its kind in the United States. The 1,050-acre (420 ha) site included a farm where patients would work. Throughout the life of the institution as a prison/hospital, approximately two-thirds of those sent to the U.S. Public Health Service Hospital were considered volunteers. While many traveled to the institution on their own to volunteer for treatment, other so-called volunteers were in fact motivated to go there in lieu of federal sentencing. The remaining one-third of the prison's population, which reached 1,499 inmates at its peak, were there due to federal charges either directly or indirectly related to drug use. In 1974, the institution became a federal prison but maintained a "psychiatric hospital" title until 1998, the year 2 inmates killed another with a fire extinguisher. Most psychiatric patients were subsequently moved to other federal medical centers, although the change in mission was due to the psychiatric function being transferred to a new Federal Medical Center in Devens, Massachusetts, and not the homicide.

Same As:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Medical_Center,_Lexington

Source URL:

https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/

Website URL:

https://www.bop.gov/locations/institutions/lex/

Address:

3301 Leestown Rd

Zip Code:

40511

Email:

LEX-ExecAssistant@bop.gov