The Alachua County Jail, located at 3333 NE 39th Avenue in Gainesville, Florida, has a capacity of 1,148 beds. Inmates and their families can contact the Department of the Jail at (352) 491-4444 for general inquiries, or the inmate services line at (800) 844-6591 for specific inmate-related inquiries. The Sheriff’s Office can also be reached directly at (352) 955-1818. Visitation hours are available Monday through Saturday and must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance, with each inmate allowed two 45-minute onsite video visits per week.
As with all correctional facilities, the Alachua County Jail has a set of rules and regulations that inmates must follow. Inmate disciplinary hearings are conducted in accordance with the Florida Model Jail Standards, and community service is offered as an alternative to incarceration. However, the jail is
currently understaffed, with over 100 vacant employee positions. As of April 7, 2016, approximately one-third of the total inmate population had mental health issues.
The Alachua County Jail is a unique facility, designed to incarcerate adult male and female offenders for up to one year. It covers a 314,000 square foot area
and offers inmates services such as internet visitation and phone calls. It is the fifth incarnation of the Alachua County Jail, which was originally established in 1858.
Inmates at Alachua County Jail can receive money through multiple options using Access Corrections Secure Deposits. Here are the ways money can be added to an inmate’s account:
The Alachua County Jail has introduced a third-party phone communication service to help individuals connect with inmates. This service allows you to buy phone time for your inmate to either make calls to you or other people within their network. In case of any queries, you can contact the facility at 352-491-4444.
Inmates at Alachua County Jail are permitted to use the phones for personal calls at any time, except during scheduled meal times and evening lockdowns which commence after 10:00 PM. All rules, regulations, and schedules related to phone use are outlined on the jail’s website. Non-adherence to these guidelines may lead to both you and your inmate losing phone privileges.
Postcards:
At the Alachua County Jail, inmates can only receive pre-metered postcards of a specific size that are pre-stamped and include the inmate’s full name and a complete return address. Certain photo postcards may be allowed, provided they have not been tampered with and do not contain violent or obscene images. The Alachua County Jail has established certain rules regarding postcards that can be sent to inmates. These rules are as follows:
Envelopes:
Regular postcards or envelopes are not permitted to be mailed to inmates at the Alachua County Jail, except for legal mail.
Newspapers:
Local or national newspapers may be sent to inmates as long as they are directly mailed from the publisher.
Magazines:
News, special interest, or sports magazines may also be mailed to inmates,
provided they are shipped directly from the publisher and do not contain
profanity, weapons, pornography, or other adult content. Jail staff will confiscate any magazines that do not meet these criteria.
Books:
Books can be mailed to inmates from reputable third-party sources like
amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com, but they must not contain excessively
violent, pornographic, or obscene content. Hardcover books are not accepted due
to their potential use as a weapon. It is recommended to call 352-491-4444 to confirm if books can still be mailed by third-party publishers.
Care Packages:
Care packages, consisting of pre-selected items like clothing, snacks, and seasonal items, can be sent to inmates from an approved third-party vendor. To find out if the Alachua County Jail participates in a care package program and how to purchase one, call 352-491-4444 or click on the provided links.
Access Securepak (also known as MyCarePak) is a contracted service provider that works with the Alachua County Jail. Families can use this service to send pre-determined packages of commissary items to their inmate.
The Alachua County Jail provides virtual visitation options for families and friends to communicate with inmates either at home or within the facility. Inmates are monitored and recorded during both types of visitation. Home visitations allow a maximum of three visitors and must be scheduled and paid for in advance through the Alachua County Detention Center. On-site visitations at the jail are free of charge, but visitors must also schedule in advance.
Hours of Visitation
Monday — 7:30 AM to 9:00 PM
Tuesday — 7:30 AM to 9:00 PM
Wednesday — 7:30 AM to 9:00 PM
Thursday — 7:30 AM to 9:00 PM
Friday — 7:30 AM to 9:00 PM
Saturday — 7:30 Am to 2:30 PM
Sunday — 7:30 Am to 2:30 PM
Contact the Detention Facility in several ways or visit the website or call (352) 491-4449 or (352) 491-4459 for inquiries.
The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for law enforcement in the unincorporated areas of Alachua County, Florida, USA.
Sheriff Sadie Darnell is the first female sheriff of the county.
The agency is based in Gainesville, Florida and serves a population of 217,955 across an area of 970 square miles. The agency performs various law enforcement functions, including operating a SWAT team, running the county jail, providing court security, and carrying out other related tasks for the county.
The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office was founded in 1824, before the establishment of Florida statehood in 1845.
Alachua County is a part of the Gainesville Metropolitan Statistical Area, located in Florida, USA. The county is renowned for its diverse culture, local music, and artisans. Its economy is closely linked with the university, which had approximately 55,000 students in the fall of 2016.
The area of Alachua County has a rich history, with Paleo-Indians being the first known inhabitants who left artifacts in the Santa Fe River basin before 8000
BC. Artifacts from the Archaic period have also been discovered at various locations in Alachua County. The Deptford culture, which was wide-ranging,
developed the local Cades Pond culture around 100 AD, leading to the emergence of permanent settlements in what is now Alachua County. The Cades Pond culture later gave way to the Alachua culture around 600 AD. The Potano tribe, who spoke Timucua, lived in the Alachua culture area in the 16th century when the Spanish entered Florida. The Potano were incorporated into the Spanish mission system, but their population significantly declined due to new infectious diseases, rebellion, and raids by tribes supported by the English.
By the early 18th century, much of what is now Alachua County had lost its indigenous population. In the 17th century, Francisco Menéndez Márquez, Royal Treasurer for Spanish Florida, established the La Chua ranch on the northern side of what is now known as Payne’s Prairie, on a bluff overlooking the Alachua Sink. “Chua” may have been the Timucua language word for sinkhole.
Lieutenant Diego Peña reported in 1716 that he passed by springs named Aquilachua, Usichua, Usiparachua, and Afanochua while traveling through what is
now Suwannee County. Anthropologist J. Clarence Simpson later assumed that the named springs were sinkholes. The Spanish later called the interior of Florida west of the St. Johns River Tierras de la Chua, which became “Alachua Country” in English.
Alachua County Jail Inmate Search
Alachua County Jail
3333 NE 39th Ave, Gainesville, FL 32609
352-491-4444