Federal Detention Center - Miami

Federal Detention Center - Miami or FDC Miami, is an administrative security federal detention center located in Miami, Florida. This facility houses mostly pre-trial inmates and detainees with the U.S. Marshall Service. 

FDC Miami has a total population of 1,053 male and female offenders of all different security levels. The inmates are housed in two-person cells that are sectioned into separate housing units.

Notable inmate Joseph Cartagena, a.k.a. rap artist Fat Joe, served a 4-month sentence at FDC Miami in 2014 after he was found guilty of failing to file tax returns from 2007 to 2010.

Harlem Suarez, ISIS sympathizer, is currently awaiting trial at FDC Miami. Suarez was charged in late July 2015 for attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction to bomb a public beach in Key West, Florida.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Visiting hours at FDC Miami are scheduled based on the housing unit the inmate is assigned to. Below is a list of the visiting hours and days for each housing unit:

Housing Unit Visiting Days/Hours

5-East              Saturday 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
                         Tuesday 9:30a.m. -11:30 a.m. (1 hour)
5-West             Sunday 5:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m.
                          Friday 9:30 a.m. - 11 :30 a.m. (1 hour)

6-West             Saturday 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. (1 hour)
6-East              Sunday 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. (1 hour)
                         Tuesday 5:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m. (4 hours)
                         Wednesday 7:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m. (2 hours)
                         Friday 5:00 p.m.- 7:00p.m. (2 hours)

7- East             Sunday 7:00 a.m.- 9:00 a.m.
                         Thursday 9:30a.m.- 11:30 a.m. (1 hour)
7-West             Monday 9:30 a.m. - 11 :30 a.m.
                         Saturday 7:00 a.m.- 9:00 a.m. (1 hour)

8-East              Monday 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
                         Saturday 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 am (1 hour)
8-West             Monday 12:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
                         Saturday 9:30a.m.- 11:30 a.m. (1 hour)

9-East               Sunday 12:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
                          Friday 7:00 a.m.- 9:00 a.m. (1 hour)
9-West             Tuesday 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
                         Saturday 12:00 p.m.-3:00p.m. (1 hour)

10-East            Thursday 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
                          Sunday 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. (1 hour)
10-West           Wednesday 5:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m.
                          Saturday 7:00 a.m. -9:00a.m. (1 hour)

11-East            Sunday 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
                          Friday 12:00 p.m.-3:00P.m. (1 hour)
11-West           Tuesday 12:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
                          Saturday 7:00 P.m. - 9:00 p.m. (1 hour)

The maximum number of visitors an inmate may have at one time is three, not including children that are infants or toddlers that sit on the visitors lap.

Getting on the Approved Visit List

Authorized visitors who can visit an inmate include family, friends, and associates. You can't visit an inmate unless he or she puts you on the visiting list.

Everyone must fill out a visitor form, and they must have a relationship with the inmate prior to incarceration. If a potential visitor does not have a prior relationship with the inmate, their request will be reviewed by the warden.

Once the inmate requests to add someone to their visit list, a correctional counselor will provide them with a visiting form, and the inmate is responsible for mailing these out and letting the potential visitor know that they need to fill out the form and return it to the institution staff.

The unit team will do a background check and determine if a visitor application is approved. They make their decision based on constructive and security factors. The process takes about a week, and the unit staff will notify the inmate when the requested visitor is approved or refused.

It is the inmate’s responsibility to notify the visitor of the decision, and the process is the same for both adult and minor visitors.

Basic Visit Procedures and Rules

If you are 16 years of age or older, you must bring a valid photo ID with you to the visit, like a state or federal ID card, driver's license, or current passport. Birth certificates are not valid forms of ID.

All visitors are subject to a visual and pat search by an officer. You will also be scanned by a metal detector.

Any item you bring into the facility will be opened and searched by a staff member, and anyone who refuses a search of themselves or their property will not be allowed to visit with the inmate.

Visitors may bring the following items into the institution:

• Small clear purse no larger than 12x12
• Money (in denominations no larger than $5.00 and not to exceed $25.00);
• Medication limited to the amount needed during the visiting
• Two (2) diapers
• Baby wipes
• One (1) change of infant clothing
• Two (2) baby bottles with contents
• Two (2) small sealed clear containers of baby food (no glass containers)
• One (1) receiving blanket

Visitors are not authorized to bring any item into the institution to give to an inmate. Lockers are not available to visitors for the storage of personal items not allowed in the institution. These items must be returned to the visitor's personal vehicle.

Cell phones, pagers, cameras, or electronic devices of any type are not authorized inside the institution.

Visitors should dress within the bounds of good taste and should not wear clothing which would offend others who may be present in the visiting room.

The following items are strictly prohibited:

• Shorts of any length (except for children up to age 7)
• Sleeveless garments (except for children up to age 7)
• Sweat pants, sweat shirts, sun dresses, leotards, wrap around skirts, crop tops, low cut blouses, zippered dresses/shirts, button down dresses/skirts or low cut dresses.
• Halter tops, bathing suits or backless tops.
• Hats, caps, headbands, head scarfs, hooded garments, wigs, hairpieces and sunglasses.
• Spandex pants, tights or clothing with revealing holes.
• No extra clothing, outer garments, overcoats, jackets or windbreakers.
• Any clothing similar to that issued to staff or inmates ( Khaki, orange, green military fatigue, and plain white t shirts) or staff uniforms.
• Any type of garment that is see through.

Under garments and brassieres are required.

Clothing that is tight and sexually suggestive or revealing, or any other clothing item determined to be inappropriate by staff will not be permitted.

There is no limit on the amount of mail that inmates receive, but all correspondence must have the inmate’s complete name, registration number, facility name, and address.

You can only send cards or letters to these addresses. Paperback books, newspapers, and magazines must come directly from the publisher via a subscription or mail order.

Inmates cannot receive packages through the mail, with the exception of a package of release day clothing. You can't send the release day package until 30 days prior to the scheduled release date.

How to Call an Inmate

Federal inmates are not allowed to have cellphones and they can't receive inbound calls. They can make outbound calls during approved hours, and they must pay for them with the money that is on their personal account or call collect.

Inmates will use TRULINCS to call to both landline and cell phones. This is also how inmates are able to send and receive emails. Your number must be added to the contact list for approval.

All phone calls are limited to 15 minutes, and will be monitored and recorded.

How to Send Money

Sending money is one of most important things you can do for an inmate. The prison will issue each prisoner the minimum amount of clothing and hygiene items, and provide them with three meals a day. But, it is extremely difficult for prisoners to have any level of comfort when living with just the items that are prison-issued.

Inmates can receive outside funds while incarcerated at a BOP-managed facility, which are deposited into their commissary accounts.

Postal Service

For federal prisoners, you can send money through the United States Postal Service by MONEY ORDER to the following address:

Federal Bureau of Prisons
Inmate Name
Eight-Digit Register Number
Post Office Box 474701
Des Moines, Iowa 50947-0001

Send the funds to the address above. Replace the second line with the inmate's valid, full committed name. Replace the third line with the inmate's eight digit register number.

Never send money directly to the prison. If you are using the postal service, you must always send your money order to the bureau of prisons using the above address.

MoneyGram

You can send an inmate funds electronically using MoneyGram's Express Payment Program.To send funds using this method, please read and follow these steps carefully:

• Wait until an inmate has physically arrived at FDC Miami.
• Gather the information you'll need. Which includes the inmate’s name and number.
• Visit moneygram.com to complete your payment.

Information needed to complete MoneyGram payment:

• Account Number: Inmate's eight-digit register number with no spaces or dashes, followed immediately by the inmate's last name (example: 12345678DOE).
• Company Name: Federal Bureau of Prisons
• City & State: Washington, DC
• Receive Code is always: 7932
• Beneficiary: Inmate's full committed name

Western Union

If you would like to see a sample Western Union form click here. On their website, they have a special form for sending money to inmates, and you go directly to it by clicking here.

You will need to know the inmate’s full name and number, and you can pay with a debit or credit card at westernunion.com. Remember, any time you send money to an inmate you must always include their name and registration number on everything.

There are a few things that inmates can spend their money on. This includes phone calls, emails, and commissary.  The commissary is the prison store, where inmates can buy things like beverages, meals and snacks, OTC medications, stationary, personal hygiene items, clothing, or other miscellaneous products.

Please be aware that prisoners have their own economy inside the prison walls just like we do in the real world. Inmates that have a lot of money can do a lot of things both legal and illegal. Prisoners can potentially use the money in their account to buy things for other inmates in exchange for drugs and paraphernalia. This activity is illegal and can get an inmate in a lot of trouble.

Is important to keep track of how much money you are sending your incarcerated loved one, and watch out for any suspicious behavior.

​Programs For ​Inmates

• Drug Abuse Education Course
• Non-Residential Drug Abuse Program (NR-DAP)
• Literacy
• English as a Second Language (ESL)
• GED
• High School Diploma (via paid correspondence)
• Post-Secondary Programs (via paid correspondence)
• Advanced occupational education in Computerized Engraving, Custodial Technician, and Food Handler programs
• Wellness and fitness activities

Pictures of Federal Detention Center - Miami

Careers at Federal Detention Center - Miami

If you are interested in pursuing a career with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, you can find available positions at FDC Miami by visiting USAJobs.gov. The salaries at the facility begin around $40,000 and can go up into the six-figure range, depending on the position.

Reviews from employees at FDC Miami report that the work is hard, but they learned a lot. Lunch breaks were short and the amount of overtime could make work/life balance challenging. FDC Miami does offer a great salary and benefits package for career-seeking employees.