Twin Towers Correctional Facility
The Twin Towers Correctional Facility – also known as the Twin Towers Jail – is located in Los Angeles, California.
Its 1.5 million square foot complex has two primary buildings: a medical services building and the Los Angeles County Medical Center Jail Ward. The Twin Towers Jail is the primary correctional facility for sick, injured, and mentally ill inmates in Los Angeles.
The Twin Towers Jail has its own set of rules, regulations, and requirements for inmates and visitors. If you have a loved one who is being held at the Twin Towers Jail in Los Angeles you may have questions about how to contact and help them. For thirteen years, our Los Angeles criminal defense lawyers have helped thousands of people. Over the years we have received many questions from clients and their families about the Twin Towers Jail. We have created this quick guide to Twin Towers Jail to answer the questions we most frequently receive.
Where is the Twin Towers Jail located?
The Twin Towers Jail is located at:
450 Bauchet Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012.
Who is held at or sent to the Twin Towers Jail?
The Twin Towers Jail can hold more than 2,000 inmates. It is both the world’s largest jail facility and the world’s largest mental health facility. It was opened in 1997 as an expansion of the Los Angeles Men’s Central Jail.
Inmates at the Twin Towers Jail are generally those who are suffering from medical or mental health issues. Each of the Twin Towers is used to house inmates who suffer from different illnesses.
Inmates who are suffering from acute medical and mental health issues are held in the Medical Services Building. Inmates who are suffering from serious and debilitating medical and mental health issues are held in the Medical Center Jail Ward.
How Can I Let the Twin Towers Jail Know That an Inmate Requires Medical or Mental Health Attention?
If your loved one is arrested in Los Angeles County you may be afraid that the correctional facility where they are taken or held will not be aware of an arrestee’s serious medical and mental health conditions. The correctional staff at the Twin Towers Jail will take all steps that are necessary to uncover these (and any other) issues when your loved one is booked.
Each person who is arrested goes through a thorough screening and evaluation process. This includes a medical and mental health evaluation. The Jail Mental Health Service (JMHS) staff who conduct these screenings are highly skilled professionals who are trained to uncover medical and mental health issues. It is important to encourage your loved one to be honest and forthcoming with the JMHS medical staff.
If you learn that a loved one has been arrested in Los Angeles you can contact the jail directly and ask to speak with the Watch Commander. When you speak with the Watch Commander you can ask for information about the whereabouts of your loved and you can relay any information about medical and/or mental health conditions from which your loved one may suffer. You can request for your loved one to be transferred to the Twin Towers Jail so that they can be placed under appropriate care.
You can also FAX an Inmate Medical Information Form to the Mental Health Services Department. The Inmate Medical Information Form will allow you to inform the Twin Towers Jail about an inmate’s:
- Diagnosis
- Medications
- History of suicide attempts
- History of violent intentions, and
- History of medical issues.
You can also provide information about an inmate’s primary psychiatrist.
Forms for male inmates should be FAXed to: 213-972-4002.
Forms for female inmates should be FAXed to: 323-568-4650.
How Do I get Information about an Inmate at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility?
Information about inmates at the Twin Towers Jail is generally available two hours after booking and processing have been completed. You can call the Jail’s Inmate Reception Center directly at 213-473-6100 for information. Alternatively, you can visit the Los Angeles Sheriff Department’s Inmate Information Website.
When you search for inmate information you will need to provide the inmate’s:
- Full name, and
- Date of birth, and/or
- Booking number.
Information that may be available can include an inmate’s booking number, bail information, and scheduled court hearings.
How Can I Post Bail for an Inmate at the Twin Towers Jail?
When an inmate is booked, evaluated, and processed they may be eligible for release from Twin Towers Jail. This release can be based on their own recognizance (promise to return to court for any scheduled hearings) or bail. Inmates who are subject to release on bail will be held at the jail until the amount of bail set by the court has been posted. You can help to secure the release of an inmate by posting bail on his or her behalf.
The Twin Towers Jail will accept cash, cashier’s checks, money orders, or jail bonds. Bail can be posted at the Inmate Reception Center.
Bail paid by cash, check, or money order must be paid in full. If you do not have access to the full bail amount you can choose to use a bail bondsman. A bondsman will post bail to secure the release of an inmate in return for a non-refundable fee. Los Angeles bail bondsmen generally charge between 8-10 percent of the total bail amount. Many bail bondsmen will accept a lower fee if you are committed to working with a criminal lawyer in Los Angeles.
How Can I Contact an Inmate at the Twin Towers Jail?
Receiving Phone Calls From Inmates
When an inmate is first brought to the Twin Towers Jail he is entitled to make one free outgoing phone call. All other phone calls must be made using a Collect service or prepaid phone card.
Prepaid phone cards can be purchased directly from the Twin Towers Jail Commissary.
Exchanging Mail with Inmates
Inmates at the Twin Towers Jail are permitted to receive mail. Mail should be sent to:
[Inmate’s Name]
[Inmate’s Booking Number]
Terminal Annex
P.O. Box 86164
Los Angeles, CA 90086-0164
The types of items that may be sent are limited. Generally, inmates may only receive mail that contains letters, cards, and photographs. Cards must not contain electronics and can be no larger than 6×9. Photographs must be no smaller than 2×3 and no larger than 4×6.
Packages and letters sent to Twin Towers Jail inmates may not include:
- Sexually explicit or graphic photographs
- Gang-related content
- Cash
- Prepaid phone cards
- Food
- Pens, pencils, paper, and stationery
- Gum
- Makeup, or
- Jewelry.
Items that are prohibited by mail may be available for purchase at the Jail Commissary or in a Commissary Care Package.
Inmates are also allowed to receive books and magazines by mail. However, these items must be sent directly from a well-known distributor or publisher (e.g., Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Target, etc.).
How Can I Send a Care Package to a Twin Towers Jail Inmate?
Care packages can be ordered online from the Keefe Commissary. Care packages are delivered once a week. Information about what you may be able to send a Twin Towers Jail inmate in a care package can be found online here.
Can I Send Money to a Twin Towers Jail Inmate?
You cannot directly send cash to an inmate at the Twin Towers Jail. However, you can deposit money in a jail debit account linked to a specific inmate. This account can be used to purchase items at the Jail Commissary. Deposits can be made (1) by mail, or (2) in person.
Mailing Deposits
If you want to mail a deposit to an inmate you must use a certified Bank Cashier’s Check or United States Postal Service Money Order. Deposits may not exceed $200 and should be addressed to:
[Attn: Inmate’s Name]
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
P.O. Box 86164 Terminal Annex
Los Angeles, CA 90086-0164
In-Person Deposits
If you want to make a deposit to an inmate’s account in person you may do so at one of two locations.
Inmate Reception Center
450 Bauchet Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Century Regional Detention Facility
11705 S. Alameda Street
Lynwood, CA 90262
When Can I Visit the Twin Towers Correctional Facility?
The Twin Towers Jail allows its inmates to receive limited and restricted visitation from the public. All visits must be done by appointment. Appointments can be made online at the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department website or using the Android app.
Prohibited Visitors: You may not visit an inmate at the Twin Towers Jail if you are on probation, parole, or have been convicted of a felony if you have not obtained the permission of the Jail. A pre-approval form must be completed before your scheduled visit.
Children Visitors: Children who are under the age of 16 are only permitted to visit the Twin Towers Jail if they are with a legal guardian. In some cases, a child between the ages of 12 and 16 may be permitted to visit with a parent who is an inmate at the Jail without a guardian if the facility’s unit commander consents.
Check-In Early: If you schedule a visit to the Twin Towers Jail you must follow all of the facility’s rules and regulations. Visitors must arrive and check in at the facility with valid ID at least one hour before the scheduled visit. Cell-phones are not permitted in the visitation area. Quarter-operated lockers are available for visitors to use while they visit their friends and family.
Visiting Hours: Visits may be scheduled between 7:30 AM and 6 PM Thursday through Sunday. Note that attorneys and clergy are not restricted to public visiting hours and may have contact with inmates 24/7.
What Services are Available to Inmates at the Twin Towers Jail?
The Twin Towers Correctional Facility is the world’s largest jail. Inmates who are detained at the Twin Towers Jail have access to a variety of services and programs. Notable services include:
- Mental health and medical treatment
- Keefe Commissary
- Literary and law libraries
- Chapel services
- Rehabilitation and treatment programs (e.g., Alcoholics Anonymous)
- Educational courses and programs
- Outdoor recreational facilities, and
- Television viewing areas.
How Do I get an Inmate’s Property Back Once They Have Been Arrested?
All of an inmate’s personal property will be collected, cataloged, and stored while they are detained at the Twin Towers Jail. This property will be returned to them when they are released from the facility. However, an inmate may also sign a property release authorization form to allow a friend or family member pick up belongings on their behalf.
Finding the Right Attorney to Handle a Twin Towers Jail Inmate’s Criminal Case
Inmates are often placed at the Twin Towers Jail because they require certain medical and/or mental health attention. It is important to speak with a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney who is familiar with the local jail system and California state laws that may be applicable to your loved one’s case.
As a former prosecutor, Ambrosio E. Rodriguez knows these rules, regulations, and laws inside and out. He uses this first-hand knowledge to achieve the best possible outcome for his clients. Over the thirteen years, he has defended thousands of clients against a wide variety of criminal charges. Contact The Rodriguez Law Group Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorneys today to schedule a free consultation. During this meeting, he will review your (loved one’s) case and answer any questions you may have.