FMC Butner is the medical heart of the Butner Federal Correctional Complex, opened in 1995 to serve male inmates from any security level who need specialized health care. Over the decades it grew into what's often described as the Bureau of Prisons' largest medical complex, built around a full hospital with strong oncology and behavioral health programs. It also runs the federal system's only residential treatment program specifically for people convicted of sexual offenses, which sets it apart from a typical prison. FMC Butner has housed a number of well-known inmates over the years, including Ted Kaczynski, the "Unabomber," who spent time there before his death in 2023, and Bernie Madoff, who died at the facility in 2021. Capacity runs in the high hundreds rather than thousands, small compared to other parts of the Butner complex, which reflects its focus on medical rather than general population housing. In recent years the facility has drawn scrutiny over staffing shortages among nurses and medical staff, and reporting has noted a notable share of federal prison deaths nationally have occurred there, worth keeping in mind for families following a loved one's care.