Milwaukee County Jail
Find messaging, video, and phone options for Milwaukee County Jail. Compare providers and discover what communication services are available. Free, no account required.
- Facility Type
- County Facility
- Security Level
- Pretrial / Sentenced
- Inmate Capacity
- 900 approx.
- Established
- 1960
- Operated By
- Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office
Milwaukee County Jail Inmate Communication Overview
Milwaukee County Jail is the primary detention facility operated by the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Milwaukee is Wisconsin's largest city, and the county jail system reflects that scale, processing thousands of bookings annually from across the county. The main jail complex is located near the Milwaukee County Courthouse in the heart of downtown, and the system serves both pretrial detainees and individuals serving shorter sentences. Milwaukee County operates one of the larger county jail systems in the Midwest.
Communication at Milwaukee County Jail is managed through Securus Technologies, which provides phone calls, video visitation, and electronic messaging services under the county contract. Families can create a Securus account at securustech.net to access all available services. For phone calls, setting up a Securus AdvancePay account funded with your phone number allows you to receive inmate-initiated calls. Remote video visits are available and can be scheduled through the Securus platform. Electronic messaging through Securus delivers communications digitally within the facility.
Milwaukee County Jail uses Securus under a county contract, which is separate from the provider arrangements used by Wisconsin state prisons. If someone is convicted and transferred from the county jail to a Wisconsin Department of Corrections state facility, communication will shift to a different provider setup. Until that transfer happens, Securus is the correct platform for all jail communication. Use the Milwaukee County inmate search to verify current location before setting up accounts.
Facility Information
Contact details and location information for this correctional facility.
Address
949 N. 9th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53233
Main Phone
(414) 278-4766
Administrative line — not for inmate calls
Official Website
Visit official siteVisit and Contact Details
Inmate search, mail, visiting hours, costs, commissary, and bail information for this facility.
Visiting Hours
Onsite visits are free. Offsite video visits cost $0.65 per minute plus a $1 service fee. Schedule through the Sheriff Visit an Inmate page.
Bail / Bond
The Jail Records Office in the Criminal Justice Facility at 949 N. 9th Street handles inmate information requests and processes bail payments.
Communication Options
Available communication services at Milwaukee County Jail.
Messaging
Electronic messages to and from the inmate.
Provider: Securus
Electronic messaging via Securus. Messages monitored by Milwaukee County Sheriff's staff.
Video Calls
Remote or in-person video visitation.
Provider: Securus
Remote video visits available through Securus. Schedule in advance.
Photo Sharing
Send approved digital or physical photos.
Physical photo mail subject to Milwaukee County content restrictions. No digital service.
Phone Calls
Inmate-initiated phone calls to approved numbers.
Provider: Securus
Fund a Securus AdvancePay account to receive inmate-initiated calls.
Money Transfer
Send funds to commissary or phone accounts.
Provider: Securus
Commissary deposits via Securus. Separate from phone account funding.
Communication Providers at Milwaukee County Jail
These providers operate communication services at this facility. Each may cover different services.
Securus
Primary provider for all Milwaukee County Jail communication, phone, video, messaging, and money.
View Securus ServicesCommunication Rules at Milwaukee County Jail
- All Milwaukee County Jail communication goes through Securus. After Wisconsin DOC transfer, a different provider applies.
- All calls, messages, and visits are monitored by Milwaukee County Sheriff's staff.
- Phone and commissary accounts are maintained separately in Securus.
- Video visits require advance scheduling through Securus.
- Senders must be on the inmate's approved contact list.
Related Facilities
Other correctional facilities with communication guides.
Frequently Asked Questions: Milwaukee County Jail
Common questions from families about communication at this facility.
- How do I contact someone at Milwaukee County Jail?
- All communication services at Milwaukee County Jail, phone, video, messaging, and money, are through Securus. Create an account at securustech.net or through the Securus app. One account covers all services.
- Can I do a video visit at Milwaukee County Jail?
- Yes, remote video visits are available through Securus. Log into your account, navigate to video visitation, select Milwaukee County Jail, and schedule an available slot. Book at least 24 to 48 hours in advance.
- How do I find out if someone is in Milwaukee County Jail?
- Milwaukee County provides an online inmate search through the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office at county.milwaukee.gov. Search by name to confirm current custody status.
- What changes when someone is transferred to a Wisconsin state prison?
- After conviction and transfer to a Wisconsin DOC facility, Securus may no longer be the correct provider. Wisconsin state prisons use a different provider setup. Create a new account with the applicable Wisconsin DOC provider after transfer to maintain communication.
- How do I send money to a Milwaukee County Jail inmate?
- Commissary deposits are processed through Securus. Log into your account and navigate to the money transfer section. Add funds via debit or credit card. Note that commissary funds and phone account funds are separate within Securus.
- How do I find someone at Milwaukee County Jail?
- Use the Milwaukee County Sheriff inmate search and search by name, gender, and date of birth. The record shows charges, the applicable bail amount, holding conditions, and court information. If you have no internet access, call the Sheriff inmate information line.
- How do I schedule a visit at Milwaukee County Jail?
- Use the Sheriff Visit an Inmate page at county.milwaukee.gov/EN/Sheriff/How-Do-I/Visit-an-inmate. Onsite visits are free. Offsite video visits cost $0.65 per minute plus a $1 service fee.
- How do I pay bail at Milwaukee County Jail?
- The Jail Records Office in the Criminal Justice Facility at 949 N. 9th Street processes bail payments and handles inmate information requests. Confirm the bail amount from the inmate search record before paying.
- Can I call an inmate at Milwaukee County Jail?
- No. Inmates cannot receive incoming calls. They place outgoing calls through the Securus phone system. Set up a Securus account so you can receive calls, and keep your phone available.
Troubleshooting at Milwaukee County Jail
Fix the most common problems families hit with calls, video visits, money, and messaging.
- Why am I not receiving calls from an inmate?
- Inmates can only call out, so you cannot call an inmate directly. If expected calls are not coming through, check your phone's spam or silence-unknown-callers setting, since carriers often block jail numbers. Save the facility's number as a contact, confirm your number is on the inmate's approved list, and check whether your carrier blocks collect or prepaid calls. If several expected calls fail, contact the facility's phone provider support. For Securus, support can be reached at 972-734-1111 after repeated failed calls.
- Why is my inmate not showing up in search?
- New arrivals can take 24 to 72 hours to appear in search results, and people in transfer may temporarily disappear from listings. Try alternate spellings and name variations, and make sure you are searching the right system: the federal BOP locator only covers federal inmates, while county and state searches are separate. Some records are withheld for protective custody or sealed cases. If it has been more than a few days, call the facility's records office.
- I sent money but it is not showing in the inmate's account. What should I do?
- Allow processing time first. Electronic deposits can take hours and money orders can take much longer. Check your receipt and confirm the inmate's name and ID matched. Do not send a second payment until the first one is traced, since duplicate payments are hard to reverse. Contact the money-transfer provider's support with your receipt or confirmation number. If the inmate was recently transferred, funds may follow after a delay.
- Why was my video visit cancelled or cut off?
- Most cancellations come from connection problems or conduct-rule violations. Stay in frame, keep your ID ready, follow the dress code, keep other people off camera, and avoid profanity. Visits can also be cancelled for facility lockdowns or schedule changes. For refunds, contact the video provider's support with your visit details.
- What should I do if the facility changed its communications provider?
- Create an account with the new provider, since old accounts and balances do not transfer automatically. Ask the old provider whether refunds are available for unused balances. Confirm the new provider's phone, video, and messaging setup before your next visit or call.
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