Jail

This article explains how to locate a person held in a Miami-Dade County jail, identify the correct detention facility, review booking and bond information, arrange approved contact, send mail, deposit funds, prepare for release, request correctional records, and contact the office responsible for a specific jail matter.

The Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department is responsible for the care, custody, and control of people held in county detention facilities. The jail system generally houses individuals awaiting trial and people serving sentences of 364 days or less. A person may move between facilities during intake, classification, court proceedings, or release processing, so users should verify the current location before sending mail, making a deposit, or asking a facility-specific question.

County Jail Responsibilities

Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation operates several detention facilities and provides services related to booking, classification, inmate records, visitation, mail, phone access, trust accounts, property, release, public records, and facility security. The department also administers programs that may provide alternatives to continued detention when ordered or approved through the appropriate legal process.

The jail department and the court system serve different functions. Corrections maintains custody information, jail numbers, booking details, housing locations, and release processing. The Clerk of the Court and Comptroller maintains criminal case and court-calendar information. A jail search should not be treated as a substitute for the official court record, and a court case search may not show a person’s present housing location.

Inmate Search Methods

The fastest way to determine whether someone is currently held by the county is the official Miami-Dade jail inmate search. The search form accepts a last name and first name. Each name field requires at least three characters, so entering only an initial may not be sufficient on that form.

The county also explains the search process through its in-custody search service page. According to that page, users may locate a person by entering the last name followed by the first initial or first name. Search results can provide:

The individual’s full name
Date of birth
Race and sex
Current jail location
Listed charges
Bond amount
Jail number
Booking date and time
Mugshot

Details to Prepare

Begin with the person’s correct legal name. A common nickname, shortened surname, misspelling, or reversed first and last name can prevent a match. When several people have similar names, compare the date of birth and other displayed identifiers before relying on the result.

The jail number is especially useful after a person has been located. Miami-Dade County materials may refer to it as the jail number, booking number, inmate identification number, or ID number, depending on the service. Record the number exactly as displayed. It may be required for mail, trust-account deposits, commissary transactions, record requests, or communications with jail staff.

Why a Search May Fail

A search that produces no result does not always establish that the person was never arrested. Intake and booking must be completed before information can appear in the current-custody system. Errors in spelling or the use of fewer than three characters can also interfere with a search.

Users should also distinguish county custody from other correctional systems. The Miami-Dade inmate search covers individuals in the custody of Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation. It should not be assumed to include every person held by a state, federal, municipal, or immigration authority.

Booking and Classification

Booking creates the initial jail record after a person is admitted into custody. The department has separate contacts for booking, intake, classification, inmate records, property, and release matters. Directing a question to the correct function can reduce transfers and prevent confusion.

Booking questions concern the admission record and initial processing. Intake questions concern the reception of the person into custody. Classification determines the person’s housing assignment and security placement. Inmate Records handles jail-record information, while Release handles discharge processing. The current housing location shown in the online search should be checked before contacting a detention center.

Charges and court cases are not managed entirely by the jail. For criminal felony or misdemeanor case information, the official Criminal Justice Online Case Search provides searches by case number, state case number, citation or police number, defendant, jail number, calendar, and judge hearing calendar. Select the search type that matches the identifier available to you.

The Clerk’s electronic system provides public access but is not the official court record. Users who need verified court information or certified documents must follow the Clerk’s procedures for official records. Jail staff should not be expected to explain court rulings, provide legal advice, or resolve errors in a court docket.

Jail Facilities and Locations

Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation identifies three principal detention facilities for inmate contact, deposits, and other custody-related services:

Metro West Detention Center
Pre-Trial Detention Center
Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center

The facility listed in a search result is the best starting point for a housing-related question. However, a person’s location may change. Confirm the current facility before traveling, addressing correspondence, or attempting a lobby transaction.

Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center is the county’s designated release center. People discharged from other county facilities may be processed for release there. Property pickup is also handled through the Property Room at that center under the procedures described by the county.

Remote Video Visitation

Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation offers remote video visitation for friends, family members, attorneys, and other approved professional visitors. The county’s inmate contact and visitation instructions explain the registration categories, approval requirements, mail rules, phone services, and electronic messaging policies.

Friends and Family Approval

A friend or family member must appear on the inmate’s Approved Master Visitation List before being approved for a remote video visit. The inmate is responsible for placing the visitor’s name on that list. Creating a visitation account does not replace the requirement to be listed as an approved visitor.

After confirming approval, the visitor must complete the registration process identified by the county. Processing may take up to 24 hours. Once registration is approved, visits may be scheduled through the designated system.

Visitors must acknowledge and comply with all visitation rules. An approved account does not authorize conduct that violates jail policy, and access may be affected by security concerns, facility operations, or violations of the applicable rules.

Professional Visitor Registration

Attorneys must complete the attorney application for remote video visitation and register through the system identified by the county. Other professional visitors must complete the professional visitor application and register separately. Professional access should not be attempted through a friends-and-family account when the visit is being conducted in an official capacity.

Mail Addressing Rules

Personal inmate mail must be sent through the United States Postal Service. Mail sent by other couriers is not accepted. The county uses a digital mail center address for personal correspondence rather than the street address of the detention facility.

Every piece of mail should include the inmate’s full name, jail number, agency name, and digital mail center address. The required format is:

Inmate’s Full Name and Jail Number
Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department
PO Box 20527
Tampa, FL 33622

The sender’s full return address must appear on both the envelope and letter. It must include the sender’s first and last name, street address, city, state, and ZIP code. Omitting the inmate’s jail number or the sender’s complete return address may prevent proper processing.

Permitted Personal Paper

Incoming personal correspondence is limited to writing on plain white, originally lined paper. Examples provided by the county include white loose-leaf lined notebook paper, white lined tablet paper, and white lined legal tablet paper.

Items That Are Rejected

The county identifies numerous items that are not accepted through personal inmate mail. These restrictions include:

Hardcover or paperback books
Magazines, newspapers, and religious materials
Greeting cards and postcards
Newspaper or magazine clippings
Colored paper or colored envelopes
Correspondence written on paper other than plain white lined paper
Stamps, blank envelopes, extra paper, pens, or pencils
Inappropriate photographs or pictures
Polaroid photographs
Plastic cards or phone cards
Stickers, glued items, or lipstick marks
Padded or bubble mailers
Nudity or sexually oriented material

Do not send personal mail to a facility’s street address unless the department has specifically directed you to do so for a different type of correspondence. The digital mail center address applies to personal inmate mail described by the county.

Phone and Electronic Contact

People in custody cannot receive incoming telephone calls. Friends and family may establish a prepaid account that permits an inmate to place outgoing calls using available funds. The official county visitation page directs users to the authorized account process and provides customer-support contacts for phone-service issues.

A caller should not contact the detention center simply to ask staff to connect a call or deliver a routine phone message. Jail staff do not operate an incoming-call service for inmates. Users receiving unwanted inmate calls must follow the blocking procedure provided by the authorized phone-service customer support system.

Electronic messages, photographs, VideoGrams, and related content are subject to department monitoring and review. Material may be rejected when it includes nudity, sexually explicit content, obscene gestures, threats, disruptive images, coded messages, or anything that could compromise facility safety, security, or orderly operations.

Messaging privileges may be restricted, suspended, or permanently revoked for policy violations. Rejected messages or attachments do not qualify for a refund of the electronic stamps used to send them. A sender must first add the incarcerated person as a contact and send a message before the recipient can respond through the system.

Trust Account Deposits

Money collected from an inmate during intake is placed into the person’s individual trust account. Funds in the account may be used for commissary purchases and self-bonding. Friends and family may also add money through the deposit methods described on the official inmate trust account deposit page.

Before making a deposit, prepare all required identifying information:

Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation facility number 233101
The inmate’s full name
The inmate’s jail number

Deposits may be made online, by telephone, or at lobby kiosks located at the three detention centers. Cash is accepted only through a lobby kiosk. Credit and debit cards may be accepted for kiosk, internet, or telephone transactions as described by the county.

Confirm the name and jail number before submitting payment. Selecting the wrong person or entering an incorrect identification number can delay access to the funds and may require the depositor to work through the payment service’s support process. A receipt may be emailed when an email address is supplied during an online transaction.

Bond and Release Information

Miami-Dade County recognizes several ways a person may be released, including posting bond, qualifying for pretrial release, receiving a release order after a court hearing, or participating in another authorized release process. The county inmate release page explains bond, pretrial release, property pickup, and the designated release center.

Bondable Charges

A person with bondable charges may bond out at any time. The bond amount may appear in the inmate search results. Users may also request bond information from Inmate Information. The department does not recommend or solicit for a particular bond agency.

A displayed bond amount should be matched to the correct person and charges. Court action can affect release conditions, and a person may have more than one charge. Do not assume that payment of one listed amount resolves every custody hold or release requirement.

Pretrial Release

Pretrial release involves several entities and procedures. Courts may order release on recognizance, the jail may process a Promise to Appear release, and police agencies may issue street citations. Cash bail and commercial bonds are also forms of release before trial.

Miami-Dade Pretrial Services is a county agency that may release eligible individuals before trial without charging them for the release service. The defendant promises to return to court as directed. Eligibility and release decisions are handled through the applicable court and county processes rather than through a request from a friend or family member.

Release Processing Hours

People released from the county jail system are discharged through Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, the designated release center. The county states that releases occur between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m., regardless of whether personal transportation is immediately available.

Release processing is not the same as the time a judge signs an order or a bond is posted. Administrative steps must still be completed. Users should rely on current custody information and the Release unit rather than assuming that a person will leave the facility immediately after a court event.

Personal Property Pickup

Property collected during booking is generally available through the Property Room at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center for up to 30 days. While the inmate remains in custody, the inmate may authorize a representative to pick up the property.

The Property Room operates Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Property that is not picked up within 72 hours is returned to offsite storage. After the property has been moved, arrangements must be made before attempting pickup.

Under Miami-Dade County Implementing Order 7-20, inmate property that remains unclaimed for 30 days or more after release will be scheduled for destruction. A representative should confirm authorization and the property’s location before visiting the facility.

Corrections Records Requests

Anyone may request public records from the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department. The official Corrections records request service allows users to submit a request and track its status through the county’s records management system.

Requests for Corrections records should identify the subject and provide enough detail for staff to locate responsive documents. Relevant information may include:

The inmate’s name
The officer’s name, when applicable
The type of record requested
The people involved
The activity or incident involved
The location where the incident occurred
Any available jail number, date, or tracking number

Records concerning an arrest should be requested from the law-enforcement agency responsible for the arrest rather than assumed to be a Corrections record. Jail custody records and arrest-investigation records are maintained for different purposes.

Copy and Processing Fees

The county lists charges of $0.15 for a single-sided page, $0.20 for a double-sided page, $1 per page for certified copies, $1 per page for color copies, and $1 per video or CD disk. Mailing or other delivery charges may also apply.

Requests requiring more than 20 minutes of research or processing may include a service charge based on the labor cost of the staff performing the work. Central Records may prepare an invoice or estimate and require partial payment before copying the documents. Payments should include the invoice or tracking number so the department can apply the funds to the correct request.

Accepted payment methods listed by the county include cash, cashier’s checks, and money orders. Cashier’s checks and money orders must be payable to the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department, Central Records Unit.

Safety and Abuse Reporting

Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation states that it has zero tolerance for sexual battery, abuse, or harassment involving people in custody. An inmate may report misconduct by using the confidential hotline available through the inmate phone system or by speaking with a staff member, supervisor, chaplain, counselor, health care worker, or mental health care worker.

A third party who suspects or has been told about sexual abuse or harassment may notify a staff member, contact the Security and Internal Affairs Bureau at 786-263-6500, or call the county’s “See Something, Say Something” reporting service at 786-263-6599. The confidential hotline number identified by the county is 305-585-7273.

Complaints involving Corrections employees are accepted from any source and may be submitted anonymously. Complaints may be made in person, by telephone, or by mail. A review may take up to six months depending on the nature and complexity of the allegations, witness availability, and the involvement of other investigating agencies.

After an investigation is completed, the complainant and the subject of the complaint are notified in writing by United States mail. Completed cases become public records after the final disposition and may be reviewed during normal business hours.

Accessibility Accommodations

People who need disability-related assistance to participate in Corrections programs, activities, services, or meetings may request accessible materials, sign-language interpretation, or another effective method of communication. The department asks users to initiate an accommodation request five days in advance when possible. TTY users may call 711 through the Florida Relay Service.

Accommodation requests should be directed to the department’s ADA Coordinator rather than to an inmate housing unit. This helps ensure that the request reaches the office responsible for arranging accessible communication or program participation.

Common Jail Service Mistakes

Many delays result from using the wrong system or failing to verify an inmate’s identifying information. Before completing a jail-related task, avoid these common errors:

Searching with a nickname instead of the legal name
Entering fewer than three characters in a required name field
Confusing a court case number with the jail number
Sending personal mail to a detention center instead of the digital mail center
Leaving the jail number off inmate correspondence
Using colored, unlined, decorated, or padded mail materials
Attempting to receive an incoming call from an inmate
Registering for visitation before confirming placement on the approved list
Depositing funds without checking the inmate’s full name and jail number
Traveling to a facility without confirming the current housing location
Requesting arrest records from Corrections when the arresting agency maintains them
Assuming a court release order results in immediate discharge

Relevant Departments and Offices

Miami-Dade Corrections & Rehabilitation Department Headquarters
3505 NW 107 Ave., Doral, FL 33178
786-263-7000

Metro West Detention Center
13850 NW 41st St., Miami, FL 33178
786-263-5110

Pre-Trial Detention Center
1321 NW 13th St., Miami, FL 33125
786-263-4110

Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center
7000 NW 41st St., Miami, FL 33166
786-263-5341

Corrections and Rehabilitation Central Records
2525 NW 62nd St., Suite 4200, Miami, FL 33147
786-263-5892

Security and Internal Affairs Bureau
Overtown Transit Village, South Tower, 601 NW 1st Court, 17th Floor, Miami, FL 33136
786-263-6500

Jail FAQs

Can someone apply for house arrest instead of staying in jail?

Placement in the Miami-Dade County Monitored Release Program is not available simply because an inmate or family member requests it. Participants must meet strict eligibility standards and provide required background information. Placement is ordered or approved through the court process. The program includes both defendants awaiting resolution of their cases and certain sentenced individuals whose sentences are 364 days or less.

Participants generally wear a GPS monitoring device and must follow every condition imposed by the judge and the program. Requirements may include maintaining employment, attending counseling, remaining at an approved residence during curfew hours, and leaving only with authorization. Assigned case managers may conduct random visits to verify compliance.

What support is available for returning home after custody?

The Reentry Services Bureau helps eligible sentenced individuals prepare for their transition back into the community. Correctional counselors may develop an individualized reentry plan that identifies practical needs, required actions, and services that may be helpful after release.

Available assistance can include case management, individual or group counseling, motivational programs, skills-building activities, and referrals to outside services. Participation does not guarantee housing, employment, or financial assistance. The purpose is to help individuals prepare for release, understand their responsibilities, and connect with appropriate support when available.

Do volunteers and contractors need jail orientation?

Volunteers and contractors entering a Miami-Dade correctional facility must complete the department’s required orientation before their scheduled visit or work assignment. The orientation covers facility policies, safety procedures, professional conduct, and security expectations. Completing a general visitor registration or receiving an invitation from a program does not replace this requirement. Anyone entering in a volunteer or contractor role should follow the onboarding instructions provided by the department and confirm that all required steps are finished before arriving.