Baker Correctional Institution

The Baker Correctional Institution is a Florida state prison for men that is located in Sanderson, Florida. It has a capacity of 1,165 inmates, and it houses inmates of all security levels. This facility opened in 1978 and it has a mission to “prepare inmates for work release and aid in a successful reentry to society.”

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Before you can visit an inmate at Baker Correctional Institution, you must fill out a visitor application and be approved by the Florida DOC. Do not try to visit an inmate before you are approved because you will not be allowed in the visiting park.

Visiting hours are on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Registration begins at 8:15 a.m. on both days. Visitors will not be processed after 2:00 p.m. unless authorized by the duty warden. Visitors will be allowed to park in designated spaces no earlier than 7:30 a.m. on visiting days.

Inmates whose DC number ends with a 0-4 will visit on Saturdays.  Inmates whose DC number ends with 5-9 will visit on Sundays. Holidays will be excluded and will be done on a first come, first serve basis.

Any minor visitor who is 17 or younger must be accompanied by an approved adult on the inmate's visiting list. 

Visit procedures

Expect to go through a lengthy process when you first arrive for your visit. First, the officers will ask you a series of questions to make sure that you are not bringing in contraband. Examples of contraband are cell phones or other electronic devices, drugs of any type, tobacco, and weapons. 

Anyone who is caught trying to bring in contraband is subject to arrest and may be charged with a third degree felony.

Once your personal items have been searched, you will either walk through metal detector or be scanned by a hand-held metal detector. Then, you will be required to pass the Magneto Static Detector (a machine that detects cell phones and other devices).

Next, you will go to a separate room for a clothed, pat search by a staff member of the same sex. You must remove all exterior clothing such as jackets, sweaters, scarves, and shoes before the pat search.

You will then go to an area where a canine handler is present. The canine is trained in the detection of drugs and cell phones. If the dog alerts that contraband may be present, an officer will conduct a more thorough search, which could include an unclothed search and a search of your vehicle.

Once you have cleared all of the searches, you will then be allowed to enter the visiting park. 

What you can bring to a visit

Visitors are not allowed to exchange or give anything to an inmate, so leave everything your vehicle except for the following items: money, car keys, and necessary medication.

Each visitor is allowed to bring a maximum of $50 to the visiting park for snacks and beverages in $1.00, $5.00, $10.00, and $20.00 denominations only or silver change. You can also bring a small wallet or pouch to keep your money in.

You may also bring a car key. However, keyless entry devices are not permitted unless the duty warden determines that it does not pose a threat to institutional security.

You may bring in medicationㄧbut only the dosage necessaryㄧand it must be clearly marked and in the original prescribed container.

If you have a medical condition that requires injections, you will be permitted to leave the visiting park to 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. 

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

Remember to always dress conservatively for a visit. You will be denied a visit if you are wearing any of the following items:

• 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

When addressing mail to an inmate, always use the inmate’s committed name, DC number, and institutional address.

You must send all inmate mail through the U.S. Postal Service. The mail room staff will refuse any correspondence sent by courier or delivery services.

Do not send 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).

Inmates are allowed to receive the following items through routine mail:

• Letters up to 15 pages per envelope. No items or pages can be glued, taped, or stapled.
• You can send photographs, but nude pictures or photographs which reveal genitalia, buttocks, or female breast are not allowed. Polaroid photographs and pictures larger than 8"x10" are not permitted either.
• Self-addressed stamped envelope. 
• Blank greeting cards (no larger than 8"x10"), stationery or other blank paper, or envelopes. Stationery and blank paper must be white, off-white, or yellow. Card stock, sketch paper, and other types of craft paper may not be included.
• U.S. postage stamps.

How to Call an Inmate

Inmates at Baker Correctional Institution can’t receive incoming calls. However, they can make phone calls during approved daytime 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 Baker Correctional Institution is through JPay.

You can send money online with your credit or debit card at JPay.com or with the JPay mobile app that you can download from the Apple App Store (for iPhones) or Google Play (for Android phones).

You can send money to an inmate by phone by calling a live JPay call center agent at (800) 574-5729.

If you prefer to use cash, you can visit any MoneyGram agent location (including all Walmarts and CVS Pharmacies) and use receive code 5188. You can also mail in a money order. All money orders must be made payable to JPay and sent with a deposit slip to:

JPay
P.O. Box 260010
Hollywood, FL 33026

If you use the money order method, the money will be available to the inmate within ten business days. 

Money order deposit slip available in English here.

Programs For Inmates

Academic Programs

• Adult Basic Education
• General Educational Development  (GED)
• Inmate Teaching Assistant Program

Vocational Programs

• Cabinetmaking
• Electricity
• Masonry
• Plumbing Technology
• PRIDE Culinary Arts

Substance Abuse Programs

• Living in Balance
• Men's Work
• Parenting From The Inside
• Re-Entry Intensive Outpatient
• Re-Entry Prevention/Education
• Thinking for a Change

Chaplaincy Services

• Chapel Library Program
• Kairos Week-ends
• Music/Band
• Prison Fellowship Monthly
• Religious Education
• T.D. Jakes Satellite Location
• Worship Services

Institutional Betterment Programs

• Alcoholics Anonymous
• Compass 100
• Inside Out Dads
• Law Library Program
• Library Program
• Long Term Counseling
• Marriage
• Music/Band
• Narcotics Anonymous
• Operation New Hope-Ready for Work
• Sex Offender Group
• WorkNet

Pictures of Baker Correctional Institution

Careers at Baker Correctional Institution

The Florida Department of Corrections is the largest state agency and the third largest prison system in the country.  If you are interested in a career at Baker Correctional Institution, click here for more information and a list of job openings.