- County Jail
- Florida
- 954-831-5900
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- Featured
Broward County Main Jail basic information to help guide you through what you can do for your inmate while they are incarcerated. The facility's direct contact number: 954-831-5900
This facility is for adult inmates.
The Broward County Main Jail is a medium-security detention center located at 555 SE 1st Ave Ft. Lauderdale, FL which is operated locally by the Broward County Sheriff's Office and holds inmates awaiting trial or sentencing or both. Most of the sentenced inmates are here for less than two years. Broward County accepts inmates from surrounding towns, municipalities, the US Marshal's Service and the Ft. Lauderdale Police Department who do not have their own long-term lock-up.
The Main Jail is an eight-story maximum security facility adjacent to the Broward County Courthouse in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Originally designed to house 864 local and state inmates, capacity was expanded to 1,538 inmates. More than 400 sworn and civilian staff supervise the facility which also includes Central Intake Bureau (Booking) for all Broward County law enforcement agencies, pre-magistrate, Centralized Classification Intake assessment for all BSO detention facilities, an infirmary and administrative offices.
An all-male facility, most inmates are awaiting trial or sentencing, or are serving terms of less than one year. The inmates housed in the Main Jail are considered escape risks, violent or dangerous, or by the nature of their charges require maximum security housing. The Main Jail also includes an average of 65 juveniles awaiting trial in adult courts; they are housed separately from adult inmates.
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
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:
- Inmate's full name
- Inmate's arrest number
- Facility's mailing address
visitation Info
Broward County Main Jail – Visitation
Video Visitation Hours – This schedule is subject to change.
* – Begins at 10:15 am
Daytime Visitation
Registration beings at 7:15 am and end at 12:15 pm on a first-come, first-serve basis. Visitors can only register for daytime visitation during the daytime scheduled hours.
| 7:45 am – 8:45 am 9:00 am – 10:00 am 11:30 am – 12:30 pm 12:45 pm – 1:45 pm |
|
|---|---|
| Sunday | 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, and Infirmary |
| Monday | 4A*, 4B*, 4C*, 4D* & 6C & 6D |
| Tuesday | 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D |
| Wednesday | 4A*, 4B*, 4C*, 4D* & 6A, 6B |
| Thursday | 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, and Infirmary |
| Friday | 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D |
| Saturday | 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D |
Evening Visitation
Registration beings at 3:15 pm am and end at 8:15 pm on a first come, first serve basis. Visitors can only register for evening visitation during the evening scheduled hours.
| 3:45 pm – 4:45 pm 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm 6:15 pm – 7:15 pm 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm 8:45 pm – 9:45 pm |
|
|---|---|
| Sunday | 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, & Infirmary |
| Monday | 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D & 6C, 6D |
| Tuesday | 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D & 8B & 8C |
| Wednesday | 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D & 6A, 6B |
| Thursday | 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, & Infirmary |
| Friday | 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D |
| Saturday | 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D & 8B, 8C |
Visiting Rules & Regulations
Accommodations are made for one 2-hour visit per inmate per week. Visiting days and hours vary according to the BSO jail facility. Inmates are informed of visiting days and hours and are responsible for relaying this information to those who wish to visit them.
- Due to limited visiting space, only two adults or one minor supervised by a parent or guardian may visit during the weekly visiting period.
- Government-issued photo identification, such as a driver's license, military identification, passport or state-issued ID card, must be presented by each adult visitor. Visitors who do not have proper identification will not be permitted to visit.
- Visitors must be appropriately dressed. Shoes, shirts and appropriate underclothing must be worn. Visitors wearing suggestive clothing, transparent fabric, short-shorts or mini-skirts will not be permitted to visit.
- Visitors under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who must present either a birth certificate or court documentation showing the appointment of legal guardianship. Minors must be supervised at all times by the parent or legal guardian.
- Visitors must remain in the assigned visiting room/area during the visit and will be denied further visitation if determined to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Visitors may not give anything to or take anything from an inmate.
- Proper behavior of all visitors is required.
