Jail
Broward County’s jail system is operated by the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO). This article explains where arrests are processed, how to look for a person in custody, what the four jail facilities do, and where to find official information about visits, inmate contact, and attorney access.
Who Operates the County Jails?
BSO’s Department of Detention and Community Programs oversees jail operations in Broward County. The department operates four facilities: Main Jail Bureau, Joseph V. Conte Facility, North Broward Bureau, and Paul Rein Detention Facility. The BSO jail facilities page identifies each location and provides its contact information.
Central Intake Bureau is also a key part of the jail system, but it serves a different purpose from the four housing facilities. It processes arrests and is housed within Main Jail Bureau in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Someone arrested by a Broward County law enforcement agency may go through booking there without remaining at Main Jail. That distinction matters when trying to locate a person or arrange a visit.
BSO’s detention department page directs people with questions about arrest procedures, bail, visiting, or contacting an inmate to its detention information service. The sections below explain which official page addresses each task.
Locating Someone in Custody
BSO’s inmate visitor information page directs people who want to locate an inmate to the Arrest Search app. This is the official BSO starting point for an online custody lookup. The arrest search page contains an embedded application, so the search interface may need to load before you can use it.
Have the person’s identifying information available when you search. Use the details you know about the person and review the result closely before assuming it refers to the right individual. The reference information does not specify the app’s search fields or how quickly its entries change, so the page itself should guide your search.
An arrest search and a facility visit answer different questions. First establish which person you are looking for and where BSO says that person is being held. Then consult the visitation information for the next step. Do not assume that an arrest processed at Central Intake Bureau means the person is housed at Main Jail Bureau.
Booking and Housing Are Different
The Central Intake Bureau processes arrests from Broward County law enforcement agencies. BSO says processing occurs at its main booking facility within Main Jail Bureau and at a remote booking site in Pompano Beach. Central Intake also handles pre-magistrate holding, court activities, confinement status, releases, transportation, and certain custody transfers.
Those duties explain why a person’s location may change after arrest. Booking identifies an intake function; it does not, by itself, identify a long-term housing assignment. If you need the person’s location for a professional visit, BSO’s attorney information page says the detention information desk can determine where a client is held. For general questions about an arrest, bond, or an inmate visit, use BSO’s detention and visitor information rather than relying on the booking location alone.
The Four Jail Facilities
The facilities have different housing roles. Their descriptions can help you understand a location shown by BSO, but they are not a way to predict where a particular person will be placed. Confirm the person’s location before making plans tied to a specific jail.
Main Jail Bureau
Main Jail Bureau is a maximum-security facility next to the Broward County Courthouse in downtown Fort Lauderdale. It houses male inmates, most of whom are awaiting trial or sentencing or serving terms of less than one year. BSO says its housing includes people who require maximum-security placement because of escape risk, behavior, or the nature of their charges. Juveniles awaiting trial in adult court are housed separately from adult inmates.
Main Jail also contains Central Intake Bureau, pre-magistrate functions, a classification intake assessment area, an infirmary, and administrative offices. For someone trying to understand a recent arrest, the most useful distinction is that the building contains both booking operations and inmate housing. A person processed there is not necessarily assigned to stay there.
Joseph V. Conte Facility
Joseph V. Conte Facility is a male, medium-custody jail in Pompano Beach. According to BSO, it mainly houses inmates awaiting trial. It uses direct supervision, with deputies stationed inside housing units and interacting with inmates. Meals, recreation, counseling, treatment, and medical care are provided within the units. BSO also describes substance abuse and educational programs at the facility.
The facility description explains its general role, but it does not establish that every male inmate awaiting trial will be held there. A custody search or confirmation from BSO is the appropriate basis for planning contact with a particular person.
North Broward Bureau
North Broward Bureau is a minimum- to medium-security facility in Pompano Beach for male and female inmates with special needs. BSO says its primary mission is managing inmates with mental illness, medical needs, and other special needs. It also houses female inmates in protective custody and female juveniles.
Because BSO operates several facilities, a relative’s medical circumstances or an inmate’s sex does not establish their location. Use BSO’s custody information to identify the facility before relying on its address or making visitation arrangements.
Paul Rein Detention Facility
Paul Rein Detention Facility is a medium- to maximum-security jail in Pompano Beach. It houses male and female inmates in separate areas and operates as a direct-supervision facility. BSO describes substance abuse and life skills programs there, along with services provided through its Chaplain’s Office. Its medical facilities include an on-site OB-GYN clinic for pregnant inmates.
BSO notes that visitation arrangements within this facility can accommodate higher-security-risk inmates without moving them out of their housing unit. Visitors should still use the current visitation instructions and their scheduled appointment details for the visit that applies to them.
Visitor Information and Inmate Contact
BSO’s inmate and visitor information page is the official starting point for questions about charges, bond, the arrest process, visiting, and phoning someone held in a BSO jail. It also provides the Inmate Information Handbook in English, Spanish, and Creole and points to information about BSO’s policy on recording outgoing inmate telephone calls.
The page organizes separate tasks for bonding someone out, setting up inmate telephone service, sending inmate mail, and depositing funds into an inmate’s account. Treat these as distinct procedures. A visit appointment does not set up telephone service, and a question about an inmate account is different from a question about bond. Follow the instructions for the specific task before sending anything or making a payment.
For a newly arrested person, establish their identity and custody location before choosing a contact method. If you are trying to discuss an urgent family matter, do not assume that a general visitor appointment is the procedure for relaying a message. BSO’s facility pages state that notification of an inmate about the death of a family member is arranged through the Chaplain’s Office.
Scheduling Video Visits
BSO offers video visitation through its Video Visitation Center and remotely using an internet-connected smartphone, tablet, or computer with a webcam. One-time registration is required before access to remote visits or scheduled visits at the center. Visitor accounts may take up to 48 hours for approval, so registration and appointment scheduling are separate steps.
Appointments must be scheduled, changed, or canceled at least one day and no more than seven days in advance. BSO says inmates receive two one-hour visits per week through the Visitation Center. Available appointment times appear during scheduling. Video visitation is offered seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 7:45 p.m., subject to restrictions.
BSO may postpone or cancel visitation for a jail emergency or administrative reason and says cancellation notices are sent by email or phone. Check the appointment information before traveling to the center or preparing for a remote visit. BSO also states that friends and family may use the Video Visitation Center or pay for remote visits. Its former friends and family video visitation voucher program is no longer accepted.
The facility office hours shown on BSO’s jail directory are not the video visitation schedule. Use the video visitation page and the times presented during scheduling to plan a visit.
Attorney Access to Inmates
BSO publishes separate attorney information for legal visits. Attorneys can use the detention information desk to determine which BSO jail holds a client. Before a visit, the attorney must have both a current Bar Association membership card and a valid government-issued photo ID.
At a jail, attorneys enter through the main entrance and proceed to the electromagnetic scanner in the lobby. BSO says everyone entering a jail, including attorneys, and their belongings may be searched. A deputy directs the attorney where to sign in, and the attorney must sign out when the visit ends. These steps apply to professional access; friends and family should follow the visitor and video visitation instructions instead.
Professional Visiting Hours
Main Jail attorney visiting hours are 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., seven days a week. At the other detention facilities, attorney visiting hours are 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., seven days a week. BSO says special exceptions can be made during a jury trial, and visits must end promptly at 10:00 p.m.
BSO also identifies periods when inmates are not moved within the facilities. At Main Jail, those periods are 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. At the other facilities, they are 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Meals at the other facilities may also lengthen the time it takes for a client to be brought to the visiting area. Attorneys should account for those limits when planning a meeting.
Documents and Other Visit Rules
BSO says an attorney may not give a client anything during a visit. Inmate legal or case paperwork must be mailed unless BSO authorizes another method. Clothing for a Circuit Court appearance is accepted only after a jury trial date has been determined and the inmate has requested approval from the BSO Inmate Property Unit. Once approved, the clothing is accepted at the facility holding the client during regular visitation hours.
An attorney arranging an initial visit by a legal assistant or interpreter must first send the facility captain a letter with the person’s identifying details and the name of the detainee to be visited. BSO does not permit an inmate’s relative or social acquaintance to serve in that capacity. The legal assistant or interpreter must also provide proper identification on arrival. Attorneys should consult BSO’s published instructions before arranging such a visit.
Jail Offices and Facilities
Main Jail Bureau: 555 SE 1st Ave., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. Phone: (954) 831-5900.
Central Intake Bureau (Booking): 555 SE 1st Ave., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. Phone: (954) 831-5900.
Joseph V. Conte Facility: 1351 NW 27th Ave., Pompano Beach, FL 33069. Phone: (954) 831-5900.
North Broward Bureau: 1550 NW 30th Ave., Pompano Beach, FL 33069. Phone: (954) 831-5900.
Paul Rein Detention Facility: 2421 NW 16 Street, Pompano Beach, FL 33069. Phone: (954) 831-5900.
Jail FAQs
Why won’t the online arrest search open?
BSO’s Arrest Search page displays its search tool inside an embedded frame. If you see a browser compatibility message instead of search fields, try a browser that supports embedded content. An empty or inaccessible page does not tell you whether someone is in custody. Wait until the search tool loads before drawing conclusions from a search.
Can I call someone being held in a BSO jail?
BSO’s attorney information says inmates have access to outgoing collect calls from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. That does not provide a way to call directly into a housing unit and speak with an inmate. BSO also publishes a policy on recording outgoing inmate calls. If a conversation may involve confidential legal matters, an attorney should review the policy and use the appropriate professional access procedure.
Does an inmate account deposit pay their bond?
No. BSO lists bonding someone out and depositing funds into an inmate’s account as separate tasks on its inmate and visitor information page. Follow the bond instructions when the goal is release; use the account deposit instructions when the goal is to provide funds for the person’s account. Check which transaction you are completing before submitting money.
What if someone in custody has special medical needs?
BSO says North Broward Bureau’s primary mission includes managing inmates with mental illness, medical needs, and other special needs. Paul Rein Detention Facility also has an on-site OB-GYN clinic for pregnant inmates. These facility descriptions do not establish where a particular person is housed or what care they are receiving. Use BSO’s custody information to confirm their location, then follow its detention guidance for the specific concern.
Are special meals available in the jails?
BSO says its jails prepare specialty diets, including Kosher, vegetarian, high-calorie, and low-calorie meals. The published facility description does not explain how an individual requests or qualifies for a diet. Do not assume that a visitor can arrange a meal change through a visitation appointment.