For Family Members

Information for Family Members

Family and community support is really important throughout the whole process. Family and friends are encouraged to remain in communication with their loved ones and further information is provided here on how to find out where your loved one is being held, how to communicate with them, how to send money and how to provide support at the time of sentencing.

If your loved one is detained, it is important to remember that all communications with that person is recorded and may be used against them in court, so it is best if family and friends refrain from discussing pending criminal charges with loved ones until the case has resolved. You may contact the attorney handling the case if you have further questions about this.

This information applies only to individuals held by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and if your loved one is not found on the inmate locator, please check with the attorney assigned to the case regarding where that individual is being held.

My family member was just arrested, how can I find out where my family member is being held?

Please visit the Federal Bureau of Prisons website and type in your family member’s name.

You can click on the name of the facility to figure out more information about each particular location. If you have no access to a computer, please call our office and we can check for you.

My family member was just arrested, when will he be able to call me?

When a person is arrested, it may take 3 or 4 days for the person to be assigned and placed into a unit. Once your family member is in a unit, and has commissary money, he will be able to call you.

My family member is incarcerated. How can I deposit money for him?

To deposit money for anyone in the Bureau of Prisons you will need to fill out a payment quick collect form at Western Union. You will need to write the inmate’s name and register number on the form. You will also need the city and state code for the Bureau of Prisons. The city code is: FBOP. The state code is: DC. Click here to view and download a PDF document with more detailed instructions in English, Spanish, Creole and Portuguese. You can find the inmate’s register number on the Bureau of Prisons site.

How do I visit my family member?

Once your family member is assigned to a unit at the prison, he must ask his counselor to send out visiting request forms to his family members. Once you receive the form you must fill it out and return it to the jail. If you are approved, you will receive information regarding visiting days and hours for the particular facility. If you are not approved for any reason, please feel free to contact our office and we will try to help you resolve the matter directly with the jail. If a visitor does not have legal status in this country or has a previous conviction, the visitor may not be approved by the Bureau of Prisons.

Visitor information

Please take a look at the Bureau of Prisons regulations prior to visiting your family members. The BOP has very strict rules regarding dress code. You must be able to pass through a metal detector without setting it off or you will not be allowed inside. It is possible that if you wear a bra with underwire it will cause the metal detector to go off. Here is a summary of the BOP dress code: http://www.bop.gov/inmate_locator/procedures.jsp

My family member is about to be sentenced, is there anything I can do to help?

Yes, it is very important for family members and loved ones to get involved prior to sentencing. The most helpful thing that family members can do is write letters of support. The letters should be addressed to the district court judge who will sentence your family member, but must be returned to your family member’s attorney so that he/she can review the letters before they are sent off to the judge.

Please do not ever send a sentencing letter of support directly to the judge. Remember that a letter of support is the chance for the judge to see your loved one through your eyes. Please try to be as detailed as possible and provide the Judge with as many examples as you can think of that would show your family member in a positive light. Please contact the paralegal or attorney on your family member’s case with any questions regarding letters of support.

Can I write my family member letters?

Yes, you can send your family member letters. You must write your family member’s name and register number on the envelope. You can also order books for them but the books must be sent directly from the book distributor (for example, they must be sent directly from amazon.com) and they must be soft cover books. See below for mailing addresses for inmate mail at the detention facilities in the Southern District of Florida.