Apalachee Correctional Institution – East Unit

The Apalachee Correctional Institution, East Unit is a level five Florida state facility for male inmates located in Sneads, Florida. It has a maximum capacity of 1,169 and houses minimum, medium, and closed-custody inmates.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Before you can visit an inmate at Apalachee Correctional Institution, East Unit, you must fill out a visitor application and be approved by the Florida DOC.

Regular visiting is held on Saturdays and Sundays from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Central Standard Time. Registration begins at 7:15 a.m. on both days. Visitors will not be processed after 1:00 p.m. unless authorized by the duty warden. Visitors will be allowed to park in designated spaces no earlier than 6:30 a.m. on visiting days.

Regular visiting is permitted on the following holidays:

• New Year's Day
• Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. (third Monday in January)
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Veteran's Day (November 11th)
• Thanksgiving Day
• Friday after Thanksgiving; and
• Christmas Day

If any of the holidays fall on a Saturday, the preceding Friday will be observed as a holiday. If any of these holidays fall on Sunday then the following Monday will be observed as the holiday.

Any minor, 17 years of age or younger, who cannot furnish proof of emancipation must be accompanied by an approved adult on the inmate's visiting list. Further, if you are not the parent, you must present a notarized document from the parent or legal guardian, not an inmate, giving you permission to bring the minor/child in to visit, regardless if the minor is approved. 

Visit procedures

Before you visit Apalachee Correctional Institution, East you should expect:

• Brief Questioning
• Metal Detection
• Pat Search
• Barrier Search

Upon entering the search area, each visitor will be asked a series of questions. The purpose of these questions is to ensure you as the visitor, or the minor child that is accompanying you, are not in violation of Florida Statute that prohibits bringing in contraband. Examples include cash money, cell phones, drugs of any type, tobacco, and weapons. If you don’t check it in with the staff, don’t bring it in!

Anyone violating this statue is subject to arrest and may be charged with a third degree felony.

All visitors will be searched. The goal is to arrest anyone who deliberately introduces contraband into the institution. Contraband creates violent incidents that could cause harm to your loved one, or even death.

After a staff member has searched your authorized personal items, you will then be directed to pass through a form of metal detection. FDC currently utilizes a walk-through metal detector and a hand-held metal detector. Once you are scanned by a metal detector, you will be required to pass the Magneto Static Detector (a machine that detects cell phones and other devices).

After metal detection, you will be directed to a separate room for a clothed, pat search by a staff member of the same sex. During this pat search, you will be asked to remove all exterior clothing such as jackets, sweaters, scarves, shoes, etc.

You may be directed to an area where a canine handler is present. The canine is trained in the detection of drugs and cell phones. The handler, along with a highly trained canine will be standing behind a fence barrier. You will be asked to stand next to and in front of the barrier. If the canine alerts that contraband may be present, a more thorough search will be conducted, to possibly include an unclothed search and a search of your vehicle.

Once you have cleared, you will then be permitted entrance into the visiting park. Remember, all of these searches are necessary and are performed with the safety of the visitors, staff, and inmates in mind.

What you can bring to a visit

With the exception of foods purchased inside the visiting park, you may not exchange or give anything to the inmate. You may contact the on-duty warden to request a special exception to this rule.

Each visitor can bring money to the visiting park for snacks and beveragesㅡup to $50.00, in $1.00, $5.00, $10.00, and $20.00 denominations only or silver change (per visitor) regardless of age. All snacks and beverages must be purchased and consumed in the visiting area. A small wallet or pouch may be used for containing the bills and any change received from the canteen or vending purchases.

You may also bring a key necessary to operate your vehicle. However, keyless entry devices are not permitted unless the duty warden or designee determines that the device is the only means for the visitor to access the vehicle and it does not pose a threat to institutional security.

You may bring in medication, but only the dosage necessary. The medication must be in the original prescribed container and must be clearly marked. However, certain restrictions apply and the department reserves the right to prohibit certain prescriptions which may pose a threat to institutional security.

If you have a medical condition, such as diabetes, which requires injections, you will be permitted to depart the visiting park and take the necessary medications. Needles and syringes must be secured in your locked vehicle and are not permitted inside the visiting park for security reasons. Do not dispose of needles and syringes on institutional grounds.

You may bring the following items if you are bringing an infant to the visit:

A maximum of five diapers, three clear plastic baby bottles, or two sipper cups for toddlers, one clear plastic baby pacifier, three clear plastic jars of baby food with the original seal intact, and baby wipes or towelettes (in a clear plastic bag). Also, you may bring in an infant baby carrier (subject to search), one set of infant clothing, and one non-quilted baby blanket to keep the infant warm.

Dress Code

It's always a good idea to dress conservatively. Articles of Clothing NOT Permitted are:

• Halter tops or bra-less attire
• Underwear-type t-shirts or tank tops
• Fishnet clothing
• Skin tight clothing
• Shoes with removable parts
• See-through fabric without an undergarment
• Dresses, skirts or shorts more than three inches above the knee
• Clothing with a threatening picture or language
• Camouflage
• Any clothing with metal

All correspondence addressed to inmates must be sent by U.S. Postal Service mail. Correspondence sent by other courier or delivery services will be refused

Inmates are not permitted to receive routine mail in boxes, padded envelopes, plastic bags, multi-layer packaging, envelopes that include metal parts, any package containing bubble wrap or packing peanuts, or card stock type envelopes (i.e. U.S. Mail Priority or U.S. Mail Express card board type).

Always use the inmate’s committed name, DC number, and institutional address when addressing your letters.

How to Call an Inmate

You can’t call an inmate who is incarcerated at Apalachee Correctional Institution, East. However, they can make phone calls during approved hours. For complete details on how to call an inmate in Florida, please click here.

How to Send Money

The only way to send money to an inmate at Apalachee Correctional Institution, East Unit is through JPay.

• Online

Send money online with your credit or debit card at JPay.com. It's the quickest and easiest way to get your loved one the funds they need.

• JPay Mobile App

Download the JPay mobile app from the Apple App Store (for iPhones) or Google Play (for Android phones).

• Toll-Free Phone

You can send money by phone using your credit or debit card. Call (800) 574-5729 to speak with a live JPay call center agent 24/7.

• Walk-in Cash

To make a cash deposit, visit any MoneyGram agent location (including all Walmarts and CVS Pharmacies) and use receive code 5188. Visit JPay.com to get a list of nearby MoneyGram locations. Available within 1-3 days.

• Money Orders

All money orders must be made payable to JPay and sent with a deposit slip to:

 JPay
P.O. Box 260010
Hollywood, FL 33026

Funds will be available to the inmate within ten business daysㅡthough JPayㅡ and will make every effort to make funds available sooner. Please note the $0.50 bank processing fee will still be assessed by the Department of Corrections for a money order deposited to the inmate's account. Any money order, cashiers check, or certified bank draft in the amount of $400 or higher will have a ten day hold placed on the funds. After ten days, the funds will be available for the inmate's use.

Money order deposit slip available in English here.

Programs For Inmates

Academic Programs

• Adult Basic Education
• General Educational Development (GED)
• Pre GED & GED Testing
• Typing Class

Vocational Programs

• Cabinetmaking

Substance Abuse Programs

• Alcoholics Anonymous

Chaplaincy Services

• Anger Resolution
• Bill Gothard Seminars
• Experiencing God
• Financial Freedom

Independent Directed Study

• Purpose Driven Life
• Reentry Classes
• Religious Education Classes
• Submission to Authority
• Survival Kit
• Video Reentry Classes

Institutional Betterment Programs

• Alcoholics Anonymous
• Anger Management
• CDL - Commercial Driver License Study Class
• Compass 100
• Small Business Concepts

Pictures of Apalachee Correctional Institution – East Unit

Careers at Apalachee Correctional Institution – East Unit

As Florida's largest state agency, and the third largest prison system in the country, FDC employs 24,000 members, incarcerates approximately 96,000 inmates, and supervises nearly 166,000 offenders in the community.If you are interested in a career with the Florida Department of Corrections, click here.