Florida State Prison
Florida State Prisonㄧalso known as Raiford Prisonㄧis a Florida state prison for men that is located in Raiford, Florida. As one of the largest prisons in the state, it can house up to 1,460 inmates. Florida State Prison is a level VII facility that houses prisoners of all security levels.
FSP houses one of the state's three death row cell blocks, as well as the state's execution chamber. Lethal injection became the standard method of execution in 2000, but the electric chair can still be used if the inmate requests it.
This facility opened in 1961, but construction wasn’t completed until 1968. Florida State Prison is surrounded by New River Correctional Institution, New River O-Unit, FSP West Unit, and it is located across the river from Union Correctional Institution.
FSP is Florida's only prison that is officially named "prison.” All other state-run facilities are "Correctional Institutions" and the privately contracted prisons are known as "Correctional Facilities.”
Notable inmates who have been executed in the lethal injection chamber at Florida State Prison include:
Ted Bundy was executed January 24,1989 at Florida State Prison after confessing to over 30 killings. Aileen Wuornosㄧwhose story was made famous by the Academy Award winning film Monster starring Charlize Theronㄧwas also executed at this facility.
There is also a documentary titled The Mind of Mark DeFriest which tells the story of former inmate Mark DeFriest, a man who was sentenced to four years in prison after “stealing” tools that his father willed to him (but the estate had not yet gone through probate). However, because of his multiple escape attempts, DeFriest has been in prison for 34 years, including 27 in solitary confinement.
Prison Insights
Florida State Prison
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What Do Inmate Families Think?
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Visiting Hours and Rules
If you would like to visit an inmate at Florida State Prison, the first thing you need to do is get on their approved visiting list. You must request that you be added to the list, and then the facility will send you a visitor applicationㅡwhich is available in both English and Spanish.
Once you receive your application, fill it out completely and then mail it back to Florida State Prison. Everyone 12 or older must complete this form in order to visit an inmate. The Florida Department of Corrections must approve your application before you are allowed to visit.
Visiting hours at Florida State Prison 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. and visitors will not be processed after 2:00 p.m.
If a visitor is 17 or younger, they must be accompanied by an approved adult on the inmate’s visiting list.
Visit procedures
When you arrive for a visit at Florida State Prison, be prepared to answer a series of questions from officers and go through numerous searches.
Registration begins with officers asking you about contraband, and then you will have your property searched before you go through a metal detector and a Magneto Static Detector (which detects cell phones). After that, you must go through a pat search before finishing up with a barrier search that is conducted by a canine handler.
Do not attempt to bring in contraband. If you are caught with items like cell phones, tobacco, weapons, or drugs, you could be arrested.
After you have cleared all of these steps, you can enter the visiting room at Florida State Prison.
What you can bring to a visit
You are only allowed to bring in money and a car key to the visiting room at Florida State Prison.
- Each visitor is allowed to bring a maximum of $50.00 ($1, $5, $10, and $20 denominations only or silver change) for the vending machines, and you can carry the money in a small wallet or pouch.
- Only one car key is allowed, no key chains or keyless entry devices.
There are a couple of exceptions to this rule. If you need medication during your visit, you are allowed to bring in the necessary dosage. Just remember to bring it in the original prescribed container and make sure it is clearly marked.
If you have a medical condition which requires injections, you can leave the visiting room and take care of that in your vehicle, but you can’t bring in any needles or syringes into the visiting room.
You are allowed to bring the following items if you have an infant:
- 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
- Baby wipes or towelettes (in a clear plastic bag)
- An infant baby carrier (subject to search)
- One set of infant clothing
- One, non-quilted baby blanket to keep the infant warm
Dress Code
There is an extremely conservative dress code in the visiting room at Florida State Prison. If you wear any of the following items you will not be allowed to visit.
- 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
Video Visitation
If you can’t make the trip to Florida State Prison, they have a video visitation option, which is a service available through JPay. The visits can last up to thirty minutes, but you must be approved by the Florida Department of Corrections, and it does cost money.Physical Address
Florida State Prison
23916 NW 83rd Ave.
Raiford, Florida 32083
Driving Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/rV8toFe5sFFVh8Jq7
General Phone Number
(904)-368-2500
Inmate Mailing Address(es)
Inmate Name and ID Number
Florida State Prison
7819 N.W. 228th Street
Raiford, Florida 32026-1000
You must always include the inmate’s committed name, DC number, and institutional address on all correspondence. All inmate correspondence must go through the US Postal Service (no UPS or FEDEX).
You can send the following items in inmate mail:
- Letters no longer than 15 pages (You cannot glue, tape, or staple anything to the pages)
Greeting cards, but nothing with electronic or non-paper parts
- Pictures, with the exception of nude photographs, Polaroids, or anything larger than 8”x10”
- A maximum of ten blank greeting cards, blank pieces of paper, or envelopes
- A maximum of twenty first class stamps
You are not allowed to send mail in boxes, padded envelopes, plastic bags, multi-layer packaging, or envelopes that include metal parts. Also, any package containing bubble wrap or packing peanuts or card stock type envelopes (U.S. Mail Priority or U.S. Mail Express card board type) will be rejected.
Do not send non-paper items or put stickers on the envelope or correspondence.
There is also an email option available through JPay.
The Florida State Prison now has JP5 tablets available for purchase so an inmate can send and receive monitored emails (for a fee), and they can also purchase music, eBooks, and games.
How to Call an Inmate
Inmates at the Florida State Prison can’t receive phone calls, but they do have access to phones and can call approved numbers during daytime hours. For complete details on how to call an inmate in Florida, please click here.
How to Send Money
If you would like to send money to an inmate at Florida State Prison, you must use JPay or visit a MoneyGram location. With JPay, you can send money via their website, with their app, on the phone, or by mail.
JPay Options
- Online or Mobile App: To send an inmate money with your credit or debit card, visit JPay.com or download the JPay Mobile App that is available at the Apple App Store (for iPhones) and Google Play (for Android phones).
- By phone: Call (800) 574-5729 to talk with a live JPay call center agent and send money with a debit or credit card.
- Mail a money orderㅡmade payable to JPayㅡwith a deposit slip to:
JPay
P.O. Box 260010
Hollywood, FL 33026
Money order deposit slip available in English here.
Hoja de Depósito para Giros Bancarios disponible en Español aqui.
You can also visit a MoneyGram location (including all Walmarts and CVS Pharmacies) and use receive code 5188. With this method you can use cash.
Programs For Inmates
Academic Programs
- Adult Basic Education (Close Management)
- Choices Career Planner
- Continuing Education (Close Management)
- General Educational Development (GED) (Close Management)
- Inmate Teaching Assistant Program (ITA)
- Ready to Work
- Special Education Services (Close Management)
Chaplaincy Services
- Alcoholics Anonymous
- Chapel Library Program
- Holy Day Observation
- Personal Growth Programs
- Religious Education
- Religious TV Reception
- Special Events
- Spiritual Advisor Visits
- Volunteer Program
- Worship Services
Institutional Betterment Programs
- 100-hour Transition Program
- Alcoholics Anonymous
- Anger & Stress Management
- Career Scope Assessment
- Choices Career Planner
- Fresh Start Smoking Cessation
- Law Library Program
- Library Program
- Narcotics Anonymous
- Social Skills
- Weight Training
- Wellness Education
Pictures of Florida State Prison
Careers at Florida State Prison
Florida Department of Corrections is the third largest prison system in the country, and this means that they offer numerous career opportunities in many different areas. You can find more information about a job at Florida State Prison by clicking here.
