Madison County AL Main Detention Facility

You can support your loved ones at Madison County AL Main Detention Facility on InmateAid, if you have any immediate questions contact the facility directly at 256-519-4839.

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 at Madison County AL Main Detention Facility so you can stay connected and support your loved one behind bars.

The Madison County AL Main Detention Facility is a detention center located at 815 Wheeler Ave Huntsville, AL which is operated locally by the Madison 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. Madison County accepts inmates from surrounding towns, Huntsville 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 Alabama here.

The existing Detention Facility complex, including all annexes, has a housing capacity of 921 prisoners. The Madison County Detention Facility averages approximately 900 prisoners at any given time. As of the 27th of July, 2006, for example, the inmate population was 895 prisoners, below the authorized capacity.

The City of Huntsville, as stated, has the responsibility of constructing an addition to the Madison County Detention Facility, a project that the city is currently working on, that will give the Madison County Detention Facility an authorized housing capacity of over 1,200 prisoners.

Programs

1. Adult Basic Education (ABE) / General Educational Development (GED)
2. Substance Abuse Program (SAP)
3. Narcotics Anonymous Meetings
4. Alcohol Anonymous Meetings
5. Anger Management
6. Transition Skills

Life Light (Juvenile Mentoring/Tutoring Program)

Programs are available based on openings, classification, and disciplinary history. These factors are taken into consideration before placement in any program. Some programs have fees associated. The program’s coordinator will interview an inmate before he or she can be placed in any program.

Jail Ministry / Church Services:

Religious services are offered by the Jail Ministry Program. Jail ministry visits are conducted:

• Thursdays, 7:30pm - 9pm
• Saturdays, 1pm - 3pm
• Sundays, 1pm - 3pm

A jail minister may not minister to any specific inmate. If an inmate wishes for their minister, religious leader, clergy, pastor, etc. to conduct ministry and they are not on the jail ministry’s list, that inmate must add that individual to their visitation list as a visitor and the visitation falls under standard Inmate Visitation. Baptisms are offered via jail ministry.

Inmate Mail and Mail Regulations

To send mail to an inmate:

Inmate Name and MNI#(MCSO##MNI######)

P.O.Box 2047

Huntsville, Alabama 35804

ALL incoming and outgoing inmate mail is subject to search. All incoming and outgoing mail must be properly addressed. Inmate's name, Madison County Jail MNI number, and address are all REQUIRED on all mail or it will be returned to sender. A valid return address is required on all incoming mail, if no return address is provided the incoming mail will be disposed of properly.

Reading Materials:

Inmates are allowed to keep the following reading materials in their possession at one time. They will not be allowed to have excess reading materials in their cell.

3 - Books

3 - Magazines

5 days - newspapers

1 - Bible or Koran

5 days – other news print material allowed by jail.

Reading materials must be received directly from a publisher or bookstore. Books, magazines, or newspapers received from any other source will not be delivered. If an inmate has more reading material than what is allowed, it will be considered contraband and be disposed of properly

The Following Items are not allowed to be received via the Mail:

1. Stickers and/labels are strictly prohibited from all incoming and outgoing mail.
2. Excluding the addresses on the front of the envelope, no other writings, doodling, or drawings are allowed on incoming and outgoing mail envelopes.
3. Holiday/Greeting/Birthday cards are accepted if the card does not contain any music/vocalizations or contain any device that utilizes any type of power source. Cards can not contain metal (including glitter), plastic, rope, or other hard material. Cards are not to be folded in any way that could hide contraband, or be larger than 9 X 12 inches.
4. Any items available on the store, (pens, paper, stamps, etc.) will not be accepted through the mail.
5. Pictures must be no larger than 4x6; mounted, framed, or Polaroid pictures are not allowed. No photographs exhibiting lewd, sexual, criminal behavior or gang related behavior or writings. Photographs displaying genitals or exposed breasts are not authorized. No photos of inmates in jail or prison. No photos of large sums of money or any other activity that may appear to be illegal. Photos of children must be fully clothed.
6. Reproductions of information protected by copyright law are forbidden.
7. Incoming correspondence incorrectly labeled or sent without benefit of a return address.
8. Any type of currency, checks, drafts, money orders, phone cards, or any forms of barter are not authorized.
9. No social security cards, driver's licenses, birth certificates, or any other forms of identification are authorized and are subject to destruction if mailed to an inmate.
10. Books may be sent by a main stream publisher or bookstores only (i.e. Amazon, Books- a- Million, Barnes and Noble).These books must be in new condition. Inmates will be limited to three (3) books in their possession at any given time. All books must be soft back book—no hard cover publications are allowed.
11. No personal package of any type will be accepted.
12. The ONLY certified, priority, or express mail that will be accepted will be from an attorney or courts.
13. Anything that depicts or describes procedures for the construction of weapons, ammunition, bombs, chemical agents, or incendiary devices.
14. Any mail that contains materials that threaten physical harm, blackmail, or extortion.
15. Any mail "stained" or "perfumed" will be returned to the sender or destroyed.
16. Lipstick, lip gloss, crayon, marker, stickers, tape, corrective tape (white out), glitter pens, glue or paint are prohibited.
17. Maps and laminated materials are prohibited.
18. No bubble wrapped envelopes will be accepted.
19. Any materials or publications from or about persons or groups who advocate the restricting of rights of others.
20. Any materials considered to be of insightful or inflammatory natures that pose a risk to the safety and/or security of the facility.

FUNERAL VIEWING

The Madison County Detention Facility will exercise every opportunity to allow inmates to attend A funeral viewing of family members. While the need for closure is understood, certain interest of the Madison County Detention Facility may preclude inmates from attending the viewing of deceased relatives.

The following provides an outline of who is eligible and who is restricted from attending viewing services:

1. Viewing attendance by inmate will only be for immediate family members—defined as mother, father, siblings, grandparents, and children of the inmate (natural or adopted).
2. The viewing must be local, within Madison County, AL.
3. The viewing will be without any family members or friends present. Should anyone be present, other than funeral home staff, the visitation will be terminated and the inmate will be returned to the facility.
4. Viewing will last no longer than twenty (20) minutes.
5. The inmate cannot be charged with a violent crime.
6. The bond amount will be taken into consideration by Jail Administration.
7. The inmate must not be charged with trafficking or manufacturing of narcotics.
8. The inmate’s criminal history and classification will be considered by Jail Administration.
9. Jail Administration will review documented disciplinary history making that inmate a potential risk of escape, becoming disruptive, or uncooperative with orders.
10. If an inmate does not have history of escape or failure to return a family member must contact the Jail Supervisor at (256) 519-4802 to provide information about an inmate attending funeral viewing services. Jail Administration reserves the right to deny any of the above conditions and/or what is in the best interest of the safety and security of the inmate, staff or facility.

Jail Property / Personal Property

Inmates booked into the Madison County Detention Facility, will have all their personal effects inventoried and stored.

We will not accept property of inmates other than pocket contents and the seasonal clothing the inmate is wearing. No extra clothes, baggage, suitcases, sea bags, tents or big storage bags will be accepted. Females may have a standard size purse.

Madison County Detention Facility stores inmate property for only 30 days. Any personal property held longer than 30 days will be disposed of and/or donated to a local charity. It is the inmate’s responsibility to contact a reliable individual to obtain his/her personal property. Family members may pick up property of housed inmates seven (7) days a week, 24 hours a day by coming to the detention facility at 815 Wheeler Ave. Any person attempting to pick up property must have a valid form of photo identification.

Exceptions to disposal are as follows:

• Wallet and contents
• Keys
• Cellular phone
• Jewelry
• Identification
• Legal Documents
• Purse and contents

These items will be maintained in storage (inmate’s property bag) for housed inmates until release. Relatives of inmates being released from jail may bring clothing to the lobby of the facility for the inmate to change into once the inmate is released. The individual can change clothes in the restrooms located in the lobby area.Civilian clothing for inmates going to court (jury trial only) will be accepted at the jail’s Central Control area Monday thru Friday, from 8:00am – 4:00pm. A contact person’s name and telephone number must accompany the property and once the inmate’s court case has ended, the clothing must be picked up within 10 business days from the Central Control area. Failure to pick up clothes within 10 business days will result in clothes being donated to a local charity.

State sentenced inmates who have been ordered to the Department of Corrections may take ONLY the following to Kilby Correctional:

• Any legal mail
• White commissary shoes
• 10 pictures
• 5 stamps
• 5 envelopes

All other materials and personal effects will be placed in storage. Inmates will wear jail shower shoes during transport. All personal effects left will be picked up by family members within 14 days from departure. Items left past the 14 day deadline will be donated to local charities. State inmates returning for court will be allowed to keep their under garments, socks and hygiene items ONLY. All other items will be placed in property.

If you have any questions, please call 256-519-4800

INMATE COMMISSARY

Funds can be applied by: the kiosk in the Lobby which accepts cash, debit, & credit cards or online at www.jailatm.com. Money Orders are not accepted!

Commissary orders are processed on Tuesday at 5 am, orders are delivered on Wednesdays. Snack Pack orders are processed on Monday and Friday at 7am, orders are delivered the same day. Funds must be placed on the inmate’s account by 5 pm on Monday in order to place a Wednesday Commissary order.

Once an inmate is released they must report to the Kimble’s Commissary Office, room 120, at the Main Facility to collect any remaining funds in their commissary account. Refunds are issued Monday through Friday 4:00p to 6:00p, no refunds are issued on holidays. Identification is required.

Any order placed before an inmate’s release will be held for five (5) business days. The purchased items can be picked up Monday through Friday 4:00p to 6:00p, except holidays. If the order is not picked up it becomes property of the MCDF, purchased items cannot be transferred to another inmate. NO REFUNDS WILL BE GIVEN.

Kimble’s offers friends and family the opportunity to order items for their incarcerated loved ones through www.jailatm.com and delivered at the next regular commissary delivery. Seasonal items and gift packs are also available for special occasions.

REQUEST FOR THE RELEASE OF FUNDS

The Madison County Detention Facility understands that on occasion those persons committed to the facility may have a need to release funds being held in their name in a commissary fund. As such, inmates being held in the Madison County Detention Facility may submit this form to facilitate the release of held funds. This action is authorized one time and within the first 60 days of detention. Funds will be released at the Kimble’s Commissary office between the hours of 4:00 and 6:00 pm Monday through Friday excluding holidays.

The form can be found HERE.

Food Service

Summit is the food service provider. They were approved through the Madison County Commission.

Healthcare

The Madison County Detention Facility, its staff and contractors Southern Health Partners will not discuss an inmate’s healthcare with any family or friends due to HIPPA laws. Southern Health Partners were approved through the Madison County Commission.

Medication Drop-off

Medications, eyeglasses, contacts and other approved medical items can be dropped off or picked up from the Facility Monday – Sunday 6:00am – 6:00pm. All items must be approved by Medical personnel and/or Jail Administration; all objects are subject to search.

COURT INFORMATION

Plea by Information:

Inmates who wish to plead guilty or "plea by information" must contact their attorney of record. If an inmate has not yet been appointed an attorney, the inmate must wait until an attorney is appointed.

Change of Plea:

All change of pleas must be handwritten and addressed to the specific court for your case.

72 Hour Hearing:

When booked into the Madison County Detention Facility the arresting agency may be required to obtain felony warrants through the Madison County Magistrate Office. This process may take up to 48 hours. Once the warrant has been obtained, the inmate will be afforded a 72hr hearing in which they will be notified of their charges and bond. Only cases in district court will be afforded this type of hearing.

City Inmates: Huntsville/ Madison City Inmates

If arrested and charged through the City of Huntsville, you must contact the City Magistrate located in the front lobby of the jail or call (256) 427-7817 to obtain bonding information. Once booked into the jail the inmate will go to City court the next business day, if he/she does not bond out. If you bond, the magistrate will inform you of your appearance date.

City of Madison inmates must contact the City of Madison Municipal court at (256) 772-5617 Monday - Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm. Madison City court is on Tuesdays at the jail or Thursdays at the Madison City Municipal building, depending on charges.

Inmates sentenced by the Municipal Court have fourteen (14) days to file an appeal. This appeal must be in a handwritten form and mailed to the Municipal Court.

Release Dates:

The Madison County Detention Facility does not determine release dates or provide this information to the public.

Inmate Telephones

All phone calls from the Madison County Detention Facility, regardless of location, will be collect, pre-paid or credit card calls. Phone calls from the booking area are free. All calls are subject to monitoring and/or recording. Inmates will be provided PIN numbers in order to make phone calls. Phone services are provided through GTL (Global-Tel Link) and if there is a phone issue, you must contact GTL at (800) 483-8314. The Madison County Detention Facility reserves the right to block phone numbers due to misuse of the phone system (i.e. three-way calling), discussion of criminal activity, or based upon the security and safety of the facility. Any attempt to provide three way connections will result in permanent deactivation of the called number attempting to facilitate the three way connection and disciplinary action on the inmate involved.

There are three easy ways to use Offender Connect to create accounts and make deposits:

• Online at www.offenderconnect.com
• AdvancePay prepaid telephone account deposit (800) 483-8314
• Deposit cash ($5, $10, $20, $50, $100 bills) into the kiosk located in the Municipal building lobby.

If you receive an unwanted phone call from an inmate you can refuse the call or block all calls from the facility from the prompts played during the recording or for assistance blocking your phone number you can speak with a GTL agent at 877-650-4249 Options 1-0-0.

Release Dates - The Madison County jail does not determine release dates or provide this information to the public.