Los Angeles Metropolitan Detention Center

Los Angeles Metropolitan Detention Center is an administrative security detention center located in Los Angeles, California.  Opened in December of 1988, Los Angeles became the 5th U.S. city with a downtown federal prison.  The metropolitan detention center opened due to an overcrowding at Terminal Island FCI.  As a result of MDC Los Angeles opening, the U.S. Marshal's service has saved $200,000 per year now that MDC Los Angeles saved them the trouble of constantly transporting prisoners down the Harbor Freeway.  Los Angeles MDC is known for its unique design where they do not put iron bars on the cells door and even refer to the housing areas as rooms rather than cells.  The design of the detention center includes plate glass windows, balconies, and atriums as well.  Los Angeles MDC is also known for being the first BOP prison to completely ban smoking.  The detention center holds both male and female offenders and currently holds 726 inmates in total.  Although the prison only has 726 inmates currently, it was designed to hold a maximum capacity of 1100.  MDC Los Angeles provides a variety of programs and other self-improving opportunities to prisoners who are pretrial detainees, holdovers, and designated offenders.  These programs include drug related counseling, religious services, recreation, work programs, standard medical care, re-entry programs, education, and law library services.  

Visiting Hours at Los Angeles Metropolitan Detention Center:

• The visiting schedule at the Los Angeles Metropolitan Detention Center is based off of floor level that the inmate lives on.  The visiting schedule is as follows:
  • Sundays: 5 North from 8:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.
  • Mondays: 6th floor from 2:30 P.M. to 8:00 P.M
  • Tuesdays: 7th floor from 2:30 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.
  • Wednesdays: 9 South & 5 South from 2:30 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.
  • Thursdays: Inter-floor from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. and Special Housing Unit from 2:30 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.
  • Fridays: Annex & 9 North from 2:30 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.
  • Saturdays: 5 North from 8:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.
• Visits can last up to 90 minutes.
• An inmate can have up to 3 visitors at a given time.
• All visitors ages 16 and older must have valid government photo identification.
• Visits may be terminated as the visiting room overcrowds.

Physical Address:

Los Angeles Metropolitan Detention Center
535 N Alameda Street 
Los Angeles, California 90012

Telephone:

(213)-485-0439

Inmate Mailing Address:

Inmate Name, ID Number
Los Angeles Metropolitan Detention Center
P.O. Box 1500
Los Angeles, California 90053