Union Correctional Institution

Union Correctional Institution is a Florida state prison for men located in Raiford, Florida. The Department of Corrections manages this Level VII facility, and it can house a maximum of 2,172 prisoners of mixed custody levels.

As Florida's largest and oldest correctional institution, Union CI was established in 1913 as the Raiford Penitentiary, but it was called the State Prison Farm. It housed nearly 600 male and female infirm inmates who could not be leased to private businesses. It originally housed close to 600 inmates, both male and female, and they worked on the farmland around the facility. A shoe factory was also on the property, and the entire property was segregated based on gender and race.

After convict leasing was abolished and inmate population increased, the prison structure changed and the facility started expanding. They added a license tag factory, a laundry and shirt factory, a main housing unit known as The Rock (which was demolished in 1999), and a maximum-security building known as Flat Top.

They still use many of the original buildings on the property, and prisoners are housed in everything from cells to self-contained houses. This is a maximum-security prison with a death row, and the most recent inmates executed were Bobby Joe Long in May 2019 and Gary Ray Bowles in August 2019.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

The visiting hours at Union Correctional Institution are on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. EST. Visitor registration starts at 8:15 a.m. and they stop processing visitors at 2:00 p.m. You will not be allowed to visit if you arrive after 2:00 pm. 

Before you can visit an inmate at Union Correctional Institution, you must get on their approved visiting list. The visitor applicationㅡwhich is available in both English and Spanishㅡmust be filled out completely and mailed to the Union Correctional Institution. 

The Florida Department of Corrections will review your application, and the inmate will notify you of your application status.  If you are not approved, you will not be allowed to visit.

Everyone 12 or older must complete a visitor application, and all visitors 17 or younger must be accompanied by an approved adult on the inmate’s visiting list.

Visit procedures

You must have a valid photo ID to visit an inmate at Union Correctional Institution. During visitor registration, officers will also ask you some questions, and you will also go through a number of searches.

First, your property will be searched, and then you will go through a metal detector and a Magneto Static Detector (which detects cell phones and other electronic devices). The next step is a pat search from an officer; finally, there is a barrier search conducted by a canine handler. 

You are not allowed to visit with an inmate until you have cleared all of these steps.

What you can bring to a visit

You are allowed to bring the following items into the visiting room at Union Correctional Institution:

• A maximum of $50.00 ($1, $5, $10, and $20 denominations only or silver change) for the vending machines. You are allowed to carry the money in a small wallet or pouch.
• One car key. No key chains or keyless entry devices.
• Medication. Bring only the necessary dosage in the original prescribed container (it must be clearly marked).

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

Do not attempt to bring a cell phone or any other electronic device to the visiting room.

Dress Code

The officers in the Union Correctional Institution visiting room will not allow the following clothing 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

Video Visitation

Union Correctional Institution also has video visitation, which is a service available through JPay. You must have a JPay account and use their calendar function to schedule a video visit.

The fee for video visitation is $2.95 for 15 minutes, and they can last up to 30 minutes.

The general guidelines for inmate mail are:

• Letters can be a maximum of 15 pages in length (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

The following packaging is not allowed:

• Boxes
• Padded envelopes
• Plastic bags
• Multi-layer packaging
• Envelopes that include metal parts
• Card stock type envelopes (U.S. Mail Priority or U.S. Mail Express card board type) 
• Bubble wrap
• Packing peanuts

Non-paper items and stickers are prohibited in inmate mail.

You can send an inmate email through JPay. They do not have internet access, but inmates can receive a printout during mail call. 

You can also buy your inmate a JP5 tablet. This device allows them to read and write emails, as well as purchase music, eBooks, games, and rent movies. 

How to Call an Inmate

Inmates at Union Correctional Institution can’t receive incoming calls, but they do have access to phones 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 Union Correctional Institution, you must use JPay or MoneyGram. There is a fee when you send money, and they vary based on which method you use and how much you are sending.

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 would like to use cash, visit a MoneyGram location in person and use receive code 5188. MoneyGram locations include all Walmarts and CVS Pharmacies. 

Programs For Inmates

Academic Programs

• Adult Basic Education (Open Population & Close Management)
• General Educational Development (Open Population & Close Management)
• Special Education Services (Close Management)

Chaplaincy Services

• Chapel Library Program
• Faith- and Character-Based Dormitory
• Kairos Week-ends
• Religious Education
• Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN)
• Way Home Bridge Builders
• Worship Services

Institutional Betterment Programs

• Thinking for a Change
• Hobbycraft
• Law Library Program
• Library Program
• Music/Band
• Pre-Release Counseling
• Sports Leagues
• Weight Training
• Wellness Education

P.R.I.D.E. Assignments

• Dental Lab
• Metal Products
• Tag Plant

Pictures of Union Correctional Institution

Careers at Union Correctional Institution

Union Correctional Institution currently has numerous jobs available and they are offering a $1,000 hiring bonus.  If you are interested in a job, click here.

There are three career paths: correctional officer, parole officer, and construction and facility maintenance. They also have open positions in different departments such as education, finance, and healthcare.

Standard benefits for employees of the Florida Department of Corrections include paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, health insurance, tuition-free college courses, and a 457 tax-deferred retirement plan.