Jefferson Correctional Institution

Jefferson Correctional Institution is a Florida state prison for men that is operated by the Florida Department of Corrections. It is located in Monticello, Florida, and it is a level IV facility that can house a maximum of 1,179 inmates of mixed custody levels.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Before you can visit an inmate at Jefferson Correctional Institution, you must get on their approved visiting list. Ask your inmate to mail you a visitor applicationㅡwhich is available in both English and Spanishㅡand then you must fill it out and mail it back to Jefferson Correctional Institution. Everyone 12 or older must complete this form and have it approved by the Florida Department of Corrections in order to visit an inmate. 

Jefferson Correctional Institution is in the eastern time zone, so the visiting hours are on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. EST. Registration starts at 8:15 a.m. and they stop processing visitors at 2:00 p.m. 

All visitors 17 and younger must be accompanied by an approved adult on the inmate’s visiting list.

Visit procedures

Remember to bring a Photo ID with you when visiting an inmate at Jefferson Correctional Institution. You will need this so the officers can make sure you are an approved visitor, and then they will start the registration process by asking you a series of questions. You will then go through a number of searches and scanners.

The officers will begin by searching your property and then you will go through a metal detector and a Magneto Static Detector (which detects cell phones). Next, you will go into a separate room for a pat search, and finally, you will go through a barrier search that is conducted by a canine handler. 

In addition to your ID, the only other things you can bring to a visit are a car key and money for vending machines. Items like cell phones, electronic devices, tobacco, weapons, and drugs are considered contraband, and if you try to bring these items into the prison, you could be arrested.

Once you have cleared all of these steps, you will be allowed to visit with your inmate.

What you can bring to a visit

Each visitor is allowed to bring up to $50.00 ($1, $5, $10, and $20 denominations only or silver change) for the vending machines, and you are allowed to carry the money in a small wallet or pouch. You can also bring one car key, but keychains and keyless entry devices are not allowed.

You can bring necessary medication to your visit, if needed, but only the necessary dosage. All meds must be in the original prescribed container and clearly marked. 

If you have a medical condition that requires injections, the officers at Jefferson will allow you to leave the visiting room. Needles and syringes are not allowed inside, and before you can return to your visit, the officers will conduct another pat search.

If you are bringing an infant into the visit, you may have the following items:

• 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

The dress code in the visiting room at Jefferson Correctional Institution is very conservative. The following clothing items are not allowed:

• 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

Video visitation is available through JPay at Jefferson Correctional Institution. The visits can last a maximum of thirty minutes, and there is a fee to use this service. You must also be an approved visitor on the inmate’s visiting list to have a video visit.

All inmate mail must have your inmate’s committed name, their DC number, and institutional address. Only use the US Postal Service to send mail because mail from private companies and couriers is not allowed.

What can you send to an inmate?

• 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

Mail in boxes, padded envelopes, plastic bags, multi-layer packaging, envelopes that include metal parts, or card stock type envelopes (U.S. Mail Priority or U.S. Mail Express card board type) is not allowed. You are also not allowed to send mail with bubble wrap or packing peanuts.

Email

Even though inmates don’t have access to the internet, JPay is a service that allows you to send an email, and the Jefferson staff can print them out and deliver them at mail call.

How to Call an Inmate

You can’t call an inmate at Jefferson Correctional Institution, but they can make outgoing calls during approved hours. For complete details on how to call an inmate in Florida, please click here.

How to Send Money

To send money to an inmate at Jefferson Correctional Institution, you can use either JPay or MoneyGram.

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.

Moneygram

If you want to use cash, visit a MoneyGram location (includes all Walmarts and CVS Pharmacies) and use receive code 5188. You can also use a debit or credit card with this option.

Programs For Inmates

Re-Entry Programs

• Veterans Support Group

Academic Programs

• Adult Basic Education
• General Educational Development (GED)
• Literacy

Substance Abuse Programs

• Alternative Residential Therapeutic Community
• Pre-Treatment Motivation Program

Vocational Programs

• Bee Keeping
• Electrical

Chaplaincy Services

• Celebrating Recovery
• Chapel Library Program
• Faith & Character Dormitory Program
• Financial Peace
• Kairos Prison Ministries
• Men's Conference
• Purpose of a Driven Life
• Religious Education
• Toastmaster's Gavel Club
• Truth Project
• Way Home Bridge Builders
• Worship Services

Institutional Betterment Programs

• Alcoholics Anonymous
• Anger Management
• Batterer's Intervention
• Compass 100
• Law Library Program
• Library Program
• Thinking for a Change
• Wellness Education

Pictures of Jefferson Correctional Institution

Careers at Jefferson Correctional Institution

The Florida Department of Corrections is the third largest prison system in the country, and they have numerous job openings across the state. To view the job listings at Jefferson Correctional Institution, click here.