Jail

Navigating the Maricopa County jail system can feel overwhelming, especially if you are trying to locate a loved one, set up phone calls, or plan a video visit for the first time. This guide walks you through how the Maricopa County jail network works, how to find which jail someone is in, what to expect from intake and release, how inmate accounts and phones operate, and how families can stay connected and report urgent concerns about an inmate’s health.

Get Oriented: How the Maricopa County Jail System Works

When people search for “Maricopa County AZ Jail,” they are usually looking for one of a few things:

Where someone is being held
Which jail facility to go to
How to deposit money, make phone calls, or set up video visits
What happens during booking, self-surrender, or release

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) operates a system of jail facilities, not a single building. The county network includes:

Fourth Avenue Jail
Towers Jail
Watkins Jail
Estrella Jail
Lower Buckeye Jail
Intake, Transfer, and Release (ITR) facility
512 Facility
Transportation HUB

These locations serve different functions—maximum security housing, female housing, juvenile housing, medical and mental health units, short-term holding, and the central intake and release process.

To see all facilities in one place, including basic descriptions and addresses, you can use the sheriff’s jail locations page at the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office: find a jail.

Find Who Is in Jail: Using the Inmate Information System

The most direct way to confirm if someone is in the Maricopa County jail system is through the online Inmate Information portal. The Sheriff’s Office provides a searchable tool where you can look up people in custody by name or other identifying details.

You can access this tool through the official inmate information page.

What you can typically do with the inmate information tool

While the exact interface may change over time, the inmate information system is generally used for:

Checking if someone is currently booked in the Maricopa County jail system
Confirming which jail facility they are housed in
Reviewing booking information, such as booking number and charges
Using the booking number when depositing money or setting up communications

When you search, have as much correct information as possible—full legal name and date of birth are especially helpful. If results are unclear, you may need to verify details directly with the Sheriff’s Office using official contact information.

Understand Each Jail Facility and What It’s Used For

The Maricopa County jail network is designed so different facilities handle different populations and security levels. Knowing which jail does what can make it easier to interpret what it means when someone you know is housed there.

Fourth Avenue Jail: High Security and Central Medical Services

Fourth Avenue Jail, located in downtown Phoenix, is one of the most secure facilities in the county jail system. It has approximately 2,064 beds and 1,152 cells, including 288 specifically designated for the highest security level inmates.

Key points about Fourth Avenue Jail:

Primarily houses male inmates in maximum and medium general population, including closed custody and sentenced working inmates

Designed with a Special Management Unit for the highest security inmates

Includes a main medical clinic on the basement level plus smaller clinics on levels 2, 3, and 4

On-site medical services include dental, X-ray, pharmacy, and psychiatric staff

Each housing pod typically includes classrooms, visitation booths, an attorney room, a dayroom, and a recreation yard

Because many high-security inmates and medical services are at Fourth Avenue, you may see this facility listed in connection with serious charges or medical needs.

Towers Jail: Medium Security for Male General Population

Towers Jail is a medium-security facility for male inmates and is the oldest currently operating jail in the MCSO system.

Highlights of Towers Jail:

Approximately 720 beds

Primarily houses male medium-security general population inmates

Many inmates held here are unsentenced, pretrial detainees

Facility design consists of six separate housing units, each with multiple pods of up to 30 inmates

If a loved one is housed at Towers, they are generally in medium security and may be awaiting trial rather than serving a sentence.

Watkins Jail: Direct Supervision and Behavior-Focused Programs

Watkins Jail is a newer, state-of-the-art facility designed around “direct supervision” and structured inmate management.

What stands out about Watkins Jail:

Approximately 1,600 beds

Houses male medium and minimum security general population inmates

Built with the idea that most inmates will comply with rules when staff use positive reinforcement, communication, and accountability

Detention officers work in the center of housing units, without barriers, to maintain direct interaction with inmates

Offers structured programs such as “Choose to Change” and “MOSAIC,” aiming to support better life choices and reduce reoffending

If someone you care about is housed at Watkins, there may be more opportunities for programming and direct interaction with staff focused on positive behavior.

Estrella Jail: Primary Facility for Female Inmates

Estrella Jail is the main facility for female inmates in the Maricopa County jail system.

Key features of Estrella Jail:

Approximately 1,503 beds

Houses all classifications of female inmates, from minimum to maximum security

Includes general population, administrative restrictive housing, disciplinary units, and closed custody

Built with five tower housing units and ten dormitories

Many sentenced female inmates participate in work assignments to support jail operations and build skills

Programs at Estrella include “Choose to Change,” “MOSAIC,” and “Girl Scouts Beyond Bars”

Estrella Jail works closely with county agencies and custody support divisions to provide programming aligned with the Maricopa County Smart Justice Program, which focuses on rehabilitation and reentry.

Lower Buckeye Jail: Largest Facility and Specialized Units

Lower Buckeye Jail is the largest detention facility in the State of Arizona, with a wide range of housing types and special units.

What you should know about Lower Buckeye Jail:

Approximately 2,427 beds

Predominantly male facility, but also houses female inmates in the Mental Health Unit and Infirmary

Holds non-sentenced male minimum and medium general population inmates

Includes minimum, medium, and maximum restrictive housing; nature of charge (NOC) units; fully sentenced working inmates; and remanded juvenile inmates (both male and female)

Features both dormitory-style housing and podular remote housing types

Contains a 60-bed Medical Infirmary and a 255-bed Mental Health Unit, both serving all classifications of inmates

Built with negative airflow rooms, ADA-compliant rooms, and ward-style housing areas

Heavily monitored with hundreds of cameras and thousands of controlled doors and elevators

Lower Buckeye also houses the working inmate population that supports laundry, food services, and other operations across the jail system. The facility even operates a fully accredited high school for juvenile offenders.

Follow the Intake, Transfer, and Release Process

Not everyone who enters the jail system is immediately housed long-term. The Intake, Transfer, and Release facility, along with the 512 Facility and Transportation HUB, support the flow of people in and out of custody.

Intake, Transfer, and Release (ITR): Where Booking and Release Happen

The ITR facility replaced the old intake center at Fourth Avenue Jail. It focuses on efficient processing for new bookings, self-surrenders, and releases.

Key aspects of ITR:

Approximately 190,000 square feet
Contains four fully functional courtrooms
Processes all court-ordered self-surrenders entering the jail system
Handles all releases from custody for the Maricopa County jail network
Processes around 100,000 bookings and 90,000 releases annually
Connected directly to a 512-bed short-term housing facility

If you or a loved one must turn yourself in to serve a sentence, the ITR is the central point where that will happen.

For details about the process of turning yourself in according to a court order, review the official self-surrender information.

512 Facility: Short-Term Housing and Orientation

The 512 Facility is connected to ITR and is designed for short-term stays, typically 72 hours or less, but up to five days.

Important points:

Capacity of 512 inmates
Classified as an unclassified, temporary holding facility
Acts as a buffer between ITR and the other jails, minimizing transport time
Operates under the Strategic Inmate Management model with direct supervision
Focuses on inmate orientation, expectations, and behavior standards
Housing units include medical exam rooms so many medical services can be provided onsite

This facility helps reduce stress and movement during the early phase of incarceration and supports quicker, safer assignment to a permanent housing location.

Transportation HUB: Moving Inmates Across Facilities and Courts

The Transportation HUB supports the movement of inmates across the county and to various courts.

Key roles of the Transportation HUB:

Houses the Transportation Division and the specialized In-State Extraditions Unit

Coordinates transport of inmates between jails, courts, and nearly 60 locations throughout Arizona

Works with state and federal agencies to move inmates for prison sentences or warrant-related court appearances

Operates the “Jail Wagon” unit that meets deputies or state troopers in the field to receive arrestees and transport them into custody

For families, it is helpful to know that frequent movement between facilities is often related to court dates, medical needs, or security classifications and is managed centrally through this hub.

Manage Money in a Jail Account: Deposits and Spending

Inmates cannot carry cash in jail, but they can use an internal account to purchase commissary items or access communications and tablet services. Friends and family can deposit funds using the system approved by MCSO.

To see official instructions, including facility locations and kiosk availability, use the inmate account deposits page.

Ways to deposit money

According to the Sheriff’s Office:

By telephone – You can deposit funds over the phone through the official payment service identified by MCSO.

Online – Deposits can be made using the approved online payment portal linked from the inmate account deposits page.

Kiosks at jail facilities – Cash kiosks are located at each jail facility. They typically:
Accept cash, Visa, and MasterCard
Allow you to deposit using the inmate’s name or booking number
Make funds available for the inmate after verification, usually within about an hour

Always check that you are using the correct inmate name and booking number. Mistakes can delay access to funds or send money to the wrong account.

Set Up and Troubleshoot Inmate Phone Calls

Phone calls are a major lifeline between inmates and their families. The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office manages calls through a contracted provider, and all calls must go through the official system.

Comprehensive details are available on the Inmate Telephone System page.

Basic rules for inmate phone calls

Some key points from the Sheriff’s Office:

Inmates can make outgoing calls only; they cannot receive incoming calls

Phone access is typically available from around 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., though times may vary by unit

Call length is usually limited to 20 minutes

Most personal calls are recorded and monitored

Calls may include local, long-distance, and in many cases international destinations, according to the provider’s rules

Billing options and accounts

Friends and family generally have two main ways to pay for inmate calls:

Collect calls – The call is billed to the recipient’s phone account, as long as the phone provider has a billing agreement with the jail’s phone vendor and the number is not blocked.

Prepaid options – You may set up prepaid accounts that allow:
Calls from the inmate to a specific number (prepaid collect)
A PIN-based debit account that the inmate can use to call multiple approved numbers

The official phone service provider manages these accounts. The Sheriff’s Office directs families to that vendor for setting up and funding phone services, and that vendor’s contact details are listed on the Inmate Telephone System page.

Dealing with blocked or spam-flagged calls

Sometimes the phone provider’s caller ID numbers used by the jail’s phone system can be flagged by cellphone carriers as spam or robocalls. If you suddenly stop receiving calls:

Check whether your carrier has automatically blocked or categorized the jail caller ID as spam

Follow your cellphone carrier’s instructions to allow or unblock that number

If that does not work, use the contact information listed on the official telephone system page to seek assistance from MCSO or the phone vendor

Legal calls and confidentiality

Legal calls between inmates and their attorneys are handled differently:

Legal calls are not recorded or monitored when properly recognized by the system

The system uses State Bar of Arizona registration information to identify attorney numbers

If an attorney’s number is new or recently changed and not yet recognized, the call may be recorded as a regular call

Attorneys are instructed to contact the Sheriff’s Office at the dedicated telephone number listed on the Inmate Telephone System page if a legal call is mistakenly being recorded

This helps protect attorney-client confidentiality while still maintaining overall jail security.

Use Inmate Tablets for Messaging and Programs

Inmates at Maricopa County jail facilities may have access to wireless tablets that support communication and programming through a contracted provider. These tablets are not open internet devices; they run specific approved services.

You can review tablet-related information through the official inmate tablets page.

What tablets can be used for

Depending on the facility and the inmate’s classification, tablets may allow:

Phone calling features
Video visits (in coordination with the visitation system)
Secure messages with family and friends
Photo sharing (subject to strict rules and monitoring)
Educational and vocational training content
Multimedia content such as music, ebooks, movies, and games

Inmates generally need funds in their jail account to access many of these features. Some educational materials may be available at no charge, while entertainment content may require payment.

Getting started from the family side

In most cases, family and friends need to:

Create an account with the tablet/communication service provider identified by MCSO
Deposit funds into the inmate’s tablet or communication account, if required
Follow the provider’s rules for sending messages or photos

Although the jail works with outside vendors, the Sheriff’s Office maintains control over which services are offered and how they are used inside facilities.

Arrange Remote Video Visitation With Someone in Jail

In Maricopa County, visitation currently focuses on remote video visits through an approved vendor system, coordinated by the Sheriff’s Office.

You can find the official rules and instructions at the inmate visitation page.

How remote video visits work

According to MCSO:

All remote visits take place through the approved video visitation service managed by the Sheriff’s Office and its vendor

Remote video visits are typically billed per minute, with rates set by the service provider and outlined in the official visitation information

Only the incarcerated person can initiate an on-demand “Visit Now” session from inside the jail

Friends and family cannot, from outside, start this type of visit themselves; their role is to have an approved account ready to receive the call

You can usually participate using a web browser or a mobile app, as explained in the official instructions.

Onsite visits and professional visitation

MCSO also uses video terminals for onsite visits at designated visitation centers. At the time reflected in the reference information:

Onsite video visits for general friends and family were suspended

Professional visitors such as attorneys, case managers, and medical officials could still obtain remote visits that are not recorded or charged, once they verified their status at an MCSO Visitation Center

Professional visitors are typically required to present their State Bar card or other professional credentials along with government-issued identification.

Video visitation rules you must follow

MCSO has detailed video visitation rules to protect safety and maintain order. These rules apply to both remote and onsite video visits and are enforced by jail staff.

Some major rules include:

Monitoring and recording – All non-privileged video visits can be monitored and recorded by the Sheriff’s Office.

Age requirements – Visitors must be at least 18 years old to have an approved account. Minors must be on screen with an adult at all times.

Single account rule – Each friend or family member may have only one visitation account, and you may use only your own account. Sharing or duplicating accounts can lead to suspension.

Identification – Both the visitor and inmate must be identifiable on screen during the visit. If not, the visit may be ended and restrictions imposed.

Prohibited conduct during visits

The rules specifically prohibit:

Any nudity, sexual behavior, or self-stimulation
Revealing clothing, swimwear, or see-through garments
Display of paraphernalia or clothing associated with drugs or gangs
Use of additional electronic devices such as cell phones during the visit
Taking photos or videos of the inmate during the visit
Conducting three-way conversations with other inmates or unapproved parties
Posting messages on social media on behalf of inmates

Violations can lead to:

Immediate termination of the visit
A 30-day or longer suspension of the visitor’s account
Permanent bans in serious or repeated cases
Disciplinary action for the inmate

MCSO reserves the right to cancel, restrict, or limit visitation in the interest of safety and security.

Use Official Resources for Families of Inmates

If you have never dealt with the jail system before, you may have questions that go beyond a single issue like phones or visitation. MCSO has dedicated information for families to help answer common questions and explain procedures.

You can review this helpful guide on the Information for Families page.

This resource covers topics such as:

What to expect after someone is arrested and booked
How property and personal items are handled
How to communicate, send money, and stay in touch
Key rules for visits, mail, and other contact
Safety and conduct expectations for both inmates and visitors

Taking a moment to read through the official family information can reduce confusion and help you avoid common mistakes.

Report Urgent Inmate Medical Concerns

If you are aware of a serious medical or mental health condition affecting someone in a Maricopa County jail, the county provides a way for families and community members to notify clinical staff directly.

MCSO links to an official county form for this purpose. You can access it here to report an inmate medical condition.

When using this form:

Provide as much accurate information as you can about the inmate, the facility, and the condition

Describe the medical or mental health concern clearly, including medications and diagnoses if known

Understand that the form goes to county clinical staff, who will review and address the issue within their policies and authority

This tool is not for emergencies outside of the jail but is an important way to ensure jail medical staff are aware of serious issues affecting someone in custody.

Contact the Sheriff’s Office With Questions or Concerns

For questions that are not answered online, or for concerns about jail operations, you can use the Sheriff’s Office general contact channels. This can include calling the non-emergency main phone number, submitting questions online, or following guidance for comments or complaints.

The starting point for these options is the official Contact Us page.

From there, you can:

Find the main office address
Review telephone numbers and office hours
Access forms or directions for submitting comments or complaints

This is the appropriate avenue if you have issues that go beyond day-to-day communications with an inmate, such as concerns about staff conduct or facility conditions.

Below are key jail-related departments, facilities, and offices, with their addresses and phone numbers:

Fourth Avenue Jail – 201 South 4th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85003; Phone: (602) 876-0322

Towers Jail – 3127 West Gibson Lane, Phoenix, AZ 85009; Phone: (602) 876-0322

Watkins Jail – 2680 South 28th Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85009; Phone: (602) 876-0322

Estrella Jail – 2939 West Durango Road, Phoenix, AZ 85009; Phone: (602) 876-0322

Lower Buckeye Jail – 3250 West Lower Buckeye Road, Phoenix, AZ 85009; Phone: (602) 876-0322

Intake, Transfer, and Release (ITR) – 2670 South 28th Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85009; Phone: (602) 876-0322

512 Facility – 2670 South 28th Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85009; Phone: (602) 876-0322

Transportation HUB – 2670 South 28th Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85009; Phone: (602) 876-0322

Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office – 550 West Jackson, Phoenix, AZ 85003; Phone: (602) 876-1000

Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Telecommunications Division/ITS – 550 West Jackson Street, Phoenix, AZ 85003; Phone: (602) 876-5412

Maricopa County Jail FAQs

How do I find out if someone is in custody in Maricopa County?

You can search for a person currently held in any Maricopa County jail facility using the online MCSO Inmate Information search page. The search lets you look up individuals by name or booking information and shows which facility they are in, their booking details, and current status. This is the official source used by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, and it also links to related services such as mugshots and custody information.

How does video visitation work at Maricopa County jails?

Video visits are handled through ViaPath’s GettingOut system, and every visitor must first create and validate a ViaPath/GettingOut account. Remote video visits are available through the official MCSO Visitation page and cost $0.25 per minute, billed only for the time used. Only the incarcerated person can start an on-demand “Visit Now” session; friends and family cannot schedule that type of visit from home. Onsite video visitation is currently suspended, and all non-privileged visits may be monitored and recorded under MCSO video visitation rules.

How do phone calls from Maricopa County jails work?

All inmate calls are outgoing only and are managed by Global Tel*Link (GTL). Details and options are outlined on the Inmate Telephone System page. Inmates can call approved numbers within the U.S. and many international locations using collect calls, AdvancePay prepaid accounts, or PIN Debit phone accounts funded for the inmate. Calls are generally limited to 20 minutes and are recorded and monitored, except for registered legal calls, which have special privacy handling.

How can I put money on an inmate’s account or tablet?

Deposit options are listed on the Inmate Account Deposits page. Funds are handled through TouchPay and can be added by phone, online, or via cash/credit kiosks located at each jail facility, with deposits typically available after verification. For tablet use, Maricopa County uses GTL’s GettingOut platform, described on the Inmate Tablets page. Once funded, tablets can be used for messaging, video visits, education, vocational content, and approved multimedia services, subject to MCSO rules.