Broward County Central Intake Booking

In addition to processing arrests, the CIB is responsible for pre-magistrate holding, court activities, confinement status, releasing, hospital details, and transportation of inmates. Further, the CIB is the transfer and pickup location for inter-facility transfers, custody transfers and custody releases to the state prison system, U.S. Marshals, other governmental agencies and court-ordered programs.

Intake & Release Process

Individuals who have been placed under arrest are first transported to Broward Sheriff's Office Central Intake Bureau, which is located at the Main Jail in downtown Ft. Lauderdale. Upon arrival, they must complete the following steps:

• Property Intake
• Medical Screening
• Fingerprinting
• Photographing
• Warrants Check

While the staff at Central Intake Bureau is dedicated to ensuring the prompt processing and release of eligible arrestees, the amount of time required to complete this process may be affected by the volume of arrestees being processed simultaneously and/or the availability of information from state and national databases.

Appearance in Magistrate Court – Arrestees who are not bonded out of jail appear before a magistrate judge the day following the arrest (including Saturdays and Sundays). Proceedings usually begin at 8 a.m., however, this depends upon the presiding judge. The judge will inform the arrestee of the charge(s) and, if appropriate, will set a bond amount.

In misdemeanor cases, the judge may accept a guilty plea and release the arrestee on his or her own recognizance or for time-served.

Magistrate proceedings may be viewed on the monitor located in the lobby of BSO's Main Jail.

Housing Assignments – Individuals who are not released on bond are assigned to one of four BSO jails based upon objective criteria. This criteria ensures that inmates are housed in the least restrictive and safest unit possible based upon level of security required. Housing assignments are not made based on proximity to an inmate's home, but rather on the premise of assigning an inmate to the jail facility that can best meet his or her needs.

Inmate Activities, Services & Programs

Inmates are permitted to watch television and are provided with reading material to occupy free time. Weather permitting, inmates may also take part in outside recreation and use exercise equipment.

BSO's Department of Detention & Community Programs provides a variety of programs and services to inmates, including:

• Adult Basic Education
• AIDS Awareness Training
• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
• Anger Management Program
• Cocaine Anonymous
• Commissary
• GED Preparation & Testing
• Group Therapy
• Juvenile Programs
• Library Services
• Medical Services
• Mental Health Counseling
• Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
• Parenting Skills
• Pre-Release Planning
• Prevention & Intervention Program Against Drugs & Alcohol
• Relapse Prevention Program
• Religious Services & Counseling
• Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Training
• Substance Abuse Treatment
• Veterans Group
• Work Release Programs

Additional information about these programs is available from detention deputies within the facility.

Release of Inmate Property – Inmate property can be released to family or friends after an inmate completes a property voucher specifying the intended recipient. Property may be picked up between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., seven-days-a-week, at the BSO jail facility where the inmate is housed. A government-issued photo ID is required to receive the property.

Guidelines for Inmate Mail:

• Incoming mail is delivered to inmates Monday through Friday.
• All incoming mail is opened and searched for security threats and contraband (such as money, checks, inappropriate photos, matches, lighters, cigarettes, jewelry, chewing gum, etc.).
• Mail sent by legal representatives is opened only in the presence of the inmate addressee.
• Inmates may receive letters and cards.
• Do not send cash or personal checks through the mail. Money in any form is contraband and will not be delivered to the inmate.
• Unauthorized items mailed to an inmate will be placed in the property room, returned to sender, or disposed of, as appropriate.
• Inmate mail must be addressed as follows and should reflect the appropriate mailing address for the facility:
  1. Inmate's full name
  2. Inmate's arrest number
  3. Facility's mailing address