The Wake County Sheriff’s Office Detention Division manages two detention facilities, the only such facilities that house adult detainees in Wake County. The Wake County Detention Center is located at 3301 Hammond Road, approximately halfway between the cities of Raleigh and Garner. The second facility is located at the John H. Baker, Jr. Public Safety Center, at 330 S. Salisbury St. in downtown Raleigh. The two facilities have a total bed capacity of 1,568. Approximately 425 full and part-time staff provides health care, security, and supervision services for the detainee population. Private vendors operate Food Services and Commissary Services.
Detention FAQ
Detention Visitation Information
Visitation
Detention visitor information
Video Visitation
Visitation Location: All visitations are conducted by video at the Wake County Detention Center, 3301 Hammond Road, Raleigh.
Visiting Hours: 9 a.m.–1:30 p.m. and 4–6:30 p.m.
Visitation Days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
Exception: No visits will be permitted on a County holiday.
All visits must be scheduled 24 hours in advance.
To schedule an appointment call 919-857-9103 (Monday–Thursday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.)
Guidelines
- Each inmate will receive one (1) visit for (30) minutes every week.
- Each inmate may receive two (2) visitors: either two adults, or one adult and one child.
- THE TWO MUST VISIT AT THE SAME TIME.
- Visitors under 16 years of age must be accompanied by a person 18 years of age or older.
- All visitors 16 and over must have a government-issued picture identification.
- No property or money will be received for inmates at the Visitation Center.
- Any visitor who brings or attempts to bring in any item of contraband into the Detention Facility will be prosecuted.
- All visitors must follow the visitor’s dress regulations to participate in the visitation program.
- Visitors or inmates who are disruptive or intoxicated will be denied visitation privileges.
- When visitor’s time has expired, they are to leave the visiting area when advised to do so by the Detention Staff.
- Visitors will not enter any other areas of the facility.
- All handbags, purses, cell phones etc., must be stored in lockers.
- Only persons registered by Officer will be allowed to visit. If a visitor refuses to give the requested information, then the visit will be denied.
- Visitors who violate facility rules may have their visitation privileges suspended or terminated by the Officer in Charge (OIC) on duty.
Leaving money for inmates
Effective September 7, 2021, the public kiosks, located at the Wake County Detention Center and the John H. Baker Jr. Public Safety Center, will be available for family members and friends to leave money for residents.
To protect the health and safety of the residents and employees, visitors must wear masks to enter the building.
Transactions can be made in person at either of the two facilities:
John H. Baker Jr. Public Safety Center
330 S. Salisbury St., Raleigh
Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Wake County Detention Center (1st Floor, Visitation Glass Window)
3301 Hammond Road, Raleigh
Monday - Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Sending Funds Via Mail
Inmates may also have money deposited into the inmate's trust fund by money orders, certified checks, payroll checks, etc., sent through the mail. The money orders or checks should be made payable in the inmate's full name. Money orders, certified checks, payroll checks, etc., will be held in escrow for 14 days. This allows enough time for the money order to clear the bank. After the 14-day time period, the inmate will have access to those funds. No personal checks will be accepted.
These monies post to an inmate's account immediately.
Availability
Cash deposited using the Detention Center kiosks to resident accounts are available to the inmate immediately.
Money orders, certified checks and inmate payroll checks will be available to the inmate after a 14-day escrow period.
Sending Mail to Residents
All personal mail such as letters, pictures, and drawings will be digitally delivered to your incarcerated loved one or friend via the tablet.
Your inmate's mail must be addressed to:
Facility Name
Inmate Name, Inmate Identifier
P.O. Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131
For example:
Wake County Detention NC
John Smith, #000123456
P.O. Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131
IMPORTANT:
To ensure your mail gets delivered, you must include the full facility name and state where the facility is located (Wake County Detention NC), as well as the inmate's unique identifier. Please also note that the sender's full name and physical address must be clearly written on the top left corner of the envelope.
Packages and legal mail should still be sent to the facility at these addresses:
John H. Baker Public Safety Center :
Inmate's Full Name
Public Safety Center
Post Office 2419
Raleigh, NC 27602
Wake County Detention Center :
Inmate's Full Name
Wake County Detention Center
P.O. BOX 2479
Raleigh, NC 27602-2479
Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)
The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) applies to all correctional and detention facilities, including federal, state and local jails, prisons, police lockups, private facilities and immigration detention centers.
Sexual misconduct is illegal. Sexual misconduct is sexual abuse, sexual assault and sexual activity. The Wake County Detention Facilities have adopted a "zero-tolerance" policy for all forms of sexual abuse, sexual harassment and sexual activity. Detention Supervisors and Detention Staff shall make every reasonable effort to prevent, detect and respond to complaints of sexual abuse, sexual harassment and sexual activity.
This "zero-tolerance" policy is intended to implement and incorporate the protections of the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) and applies to inmate-on-inmate sexual abuse; sexual harassment and sexual activity; and staff-on-inmate sexual abuse, sexual harassment and sexual activity. Each Facility has a PREA Compliance Manager (the Facility Administrator) who can be contacted with questions or concerns regarding sexual misconduct.
§ 115.54 Third Party reporting.
The agency shall establish a method to receive third-party reports of sexual abuse and sexual harassment and shall distribute publicly information on how to report sexual abuse and sexual harassment on behalf of an inmate.
Third-party reporting at the Wake County Sheriff’s Office may be made (but is not limited) to the following.
Wake County Sheriff’s Office Detention Division Facilities
(You can contact the Facility Administrator or any officer, member of staff or volunteer.)
John H. Baker Jr. Public Safety Center (PSC): 330 S. Salisbury St., Raleigh NC 27602
919-856-5952
Wake County Detention Center (WCDC): 3301 Hammond Road, Raleigh, NC 27602
919-773-7930
Wake County Sheriff's Office PREA Coordinator: 330 S. Salisbury St., Raleigh NC 27602
919-856-6770
General information including the PREA Standard can be found at the National PREA Resource Center.
Wake County Sheriff’s Office facilities have some policies that differ from most other detention facilities nationwide.
- Inmates are not served coffee while incarcerated.
- Inmates cannot smoke. No tobacco products are allowed inside the jail.
- Inmates can exercise inside and outside their cells; however, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office does not provide inmates with weights or body building facilities.
- Sentenced inmates work in housekeeping and maintenance inside the detention facilities.
- Each inmate is served a nutritious meal three times a day. A professional dietitian approves the menu that meets the standards set forth by the State of North Carolina. To ensure no religious edicts are compromised, we do not serve pork.
- Medical staff is on duty 24/7.