Los Angeles, CA Metropolitan Detention Center View
The 272,000-square-foot (25,300 m2) prison opened in December 1988 with a cost of $36 million, making Los Angeles the fifth U.S. city with a downtown federal prison. MDC Los Angeles had a distinct design, referring to housing areas as rooms rather than cells and not using iron bars on its cell doors. It had a special design using plate glass windows, balconies, and atriums. Kim Murphy of the Los Angeles Times wrote that the building has "more the look of a downtown office building than a prison." It was the first BOP prison to completely ban smoking. Prior to the opening of MDC Los Angeles, Federal Correctional Institution, Terminal Island housed the Los Angeles area pretrial inmates. This situation caused overcrowding at FCI Terminal Island. The opening of MDC Los Angeles allowed prisoners whose trials are pending to be housed just two blocks from the U.S. District Courthouse, ending the time-consuming process of transporting them back and forth down the Harbor Freeway each day court is in session. The U.S. Marshal's Service saves at least $200,000 a year by not having to transport the usual 250 to 300 prisoners a week from FCI Terminal Island and the federal public defender's office saves $18,000 a year in telephone bills alone because it no longer has to rely on clients calling person-to-person collect from FCI Terminal Island..
Metropolitan Detention Center Los Angeles Contact Details
Mailing to Metropolitan Detention Center Los Angeles Inmates and Staff
Inmate Visiting Days and Hours
| Day of Week | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM 1:00 AM - 3:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM 1:00 AM - 3:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM 1:00 AM - 3:00 PM |
| Thursday | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM 1:00 AM - 3:00 PM |
| Friday | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM 1:00 AM - 3:00 PM |
| Saturday | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM 1:00 AM - 3:00 PM |
| Sunday | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM 1:00 AM - 3:00 PM |
How to Send Money to Metropolitan Detention Center Los Angeles
Family and friends can send money to inmates at Metropolitan Detention Center Los Angeles through approved methods to help them purchase essential items from the commissary.