Leon County FL Detention Facility

You can support your loved ones at Leon Co Jail on InmateAid, if you have any immediate questions contact the facility directly at 850-922-3500.

When someone you care about gets locked up, it's tough to figure out all the ins and outs of jail life. From sending mail to visiting, there are a lot of things to sort out. And getting info about the arrest? Not always easy. That's where this webpage comes in handy. It's here to help you get a handle on how things work here so that you can stay connected and support your loved one behind bars.

The Leon Co Jail is a detention center located at 535 Appleyard Dr Tallahassee, FL which is operated locally by the Leon County Sheriff's Office and holds inmates awaiting trial or sentencing or both. Most of the sentenced inmates are here for less than two years. Leon County accepts inmates from surrounding towns, Tallahassee Police Department, and the US Marshal's Service.

New detainees arrive at the jail regularly, with some being released on bail, placed under pretrial services caseloads, supervised by probation agencies, or released on recognizance with a court appearance agreement. Those who are not released await their court appearances at the jail, receiving accommodations including bedding and meals.

You can see all the arrest records for Florida here.

The Detention Center functions as a comprehensive facility, accommodating pre-trial, pre-sentenced, county, and state-sentenced individuals of both genders, along with juvenile offenders adjudicated as adults. The overarching objective is to establish a safe, secure, functional, and humane environment for both staff and inmates, thereby safeguarding the community.

Adopting a direct supervision model grounded in the unit management approach, the facility decentralizes programs, services, and activities to individual housing units. These units are interconnected with a central core housing administrative offices, program services, medical facilities, support services, and booking and release operations. Here is the latest release (March 2024) of the Inmate Handbook, detailing rules, regulations, and general information.

Since its inception in August 1993, the facility has witnessed substantial growth, with the inmate population expanding from approximately 600 to over 1,000 individuals, necessitating a staffing level of around 300 positions. The implementation of direct supervision has empowered the staff with greater inmate oversight, while localized service delivery within housing units has minimized inmate movement and enhanced security.

In adherence to the commitment to safety and order, incoming mail undergoes thorough inspection for contraband, with specific guidelines delineating prohibited items and conditions for censorship or rejection. Telecommunication services are facilitated through collect, prepaid collect, or debit methods, with provisions available for call blocking or unblocking upon request.

Books and magazines ordered for inmates must come directly from the publisher. This policy ensures that the items are new, untampered, and comply with the facility's regulations. Prisons and jails enforce this rule to prevent the introduction of contraband or prohibited materials. By restricting orders to publishers, the facility can better maintain security and control over the content entering the institution. Any books or magazines not received directly from the publisher will be rejected and not delivered to the inmate.

Inmate workers are chosen based on conduct and cooperation with staff. Participation in the community service program can reduce sentences by one day for every 24 hours of work. Inmate workers receive double feeding trays and two mattresses. Commissary is available weekly, with orders submitted via kiosk two days in advance. On holidays, orders may be doubled. Indigent inmates must miss two commissary days to receive a weekly indigent pack containing basic hygiene items, and indigent mail is stamped only for the Attorney of Record or the Court. Upon receiving commissary items, inmates must present their ID, check their order, and sign for it in the presence of the commissary employee.

The jail offers a phone program for outbound calls only, with inmates unable to receive incoming calls. Accepting collect calls can be expensive, sometimes exceeding $10 per call. Alternatively, setting up an account through a third-party phone company may entail high fees per minute of usage. Click here for discounts on inmate calls, especially if the communication with your inmate is frequent. It's important to remember that all phone calls are recorded, and discussing sensitive legal matters over these lines is discouraged.

Moreover, the facility actively engages inmates in constructive community initiatives, exemplified by the Detention Work Camp program. Through this endeavor, inmates contribute to community cleanup efforts under close supervision, fostering a sense of responsibility and promoting crime prevention.

Furthermore, recognizing the importance of maintaining familial connections during incarceration, the Family Reading Program facilitates meaningful interactions between incarcerated parents and their children in a comforting, child-friendly environment. This initiative not only encourages literacy but also strengthens family bonds and provides valuable resources for both inmates and their families.