Baltimore City Detention Center
Find messaging, video, and phone options for Baltimore City Detention Center. Compare providers and discover what communication services are available. Free, no account required.
- Facility Type
- County Facility
- Security Level
- Pretrial
- Inmate Capacity
- Not available
- Established
- Not available
- Operated By
- Maryland Division of Pretrial Detention and Services (DPSCS)
Baltimore City Detention Center Inmate Communication Overview
The men's Baltimore City Detention Center (BCDC) closed in July 2015 and was demolished in 2021. It no longer houses anyone. This page stays online so families searching for the old facility name find the current setup instead of outdated contact details. Do not send mail, money, or visit requests to the old BCDC address at 401 E. Eager Street. That building is gone.
Baltimore pretrial intake now runs through the Baltimore Central Booking and Intake Center (BCBIC), operated by the Maryland Division of Pretrial Detention and Services at 300 E. Madison Street in Baltimore. People arrested in Baltimore City are booked and classified at BCBIC, then transferred to their longer term housing location. BCBIC is an intake center, so most people stay there only a short time.
Communication at BCBIC runs through ConnectNetwork, the authorized deposit and account portal for GTL/ViaPath. Families can fund an AdvancePay prepaid telephone account to accept calls, or deposit to an incarcerated individual's PIN Debit phone account. Visits alternate between in-person and virtual weeks on the DPSCS rotational schedule. Use the DPSCS offender search to confirm a person's current housing location before setting up or funding any account, because a transfer changes where they are held.
Facility Information
Contact details and location information for this correctional facility.
Address
300 E. Madison Street, Baltimore, MD 21202
Official Website
Visit official siteVisit and Contact Details
Inmate search, mail, visiting hours, costs, commissary, and bail information for this facility.
Visiting Hours
Visits alternate between in-person and virtual weeks on the DPSCS 2026 rotational schedule. Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 4PM to 8PM, Sat and Sun 9AM to 5PM, no visits Wednesdays. Detainees are permitted one visit per day. Check the DPSCS BCBIC page for the current week.
Communication Options
Available communication services at Baltimore City Detention Center.
Messaging
Electronic messages to and from the inmate.
Electronic messaging is not confirmed on the DPSCS BCBIC page. Confirm messaging availability before funding any account.
Video Calls
Remote or in-person video visitation.
Visits alternate between in-person and virtual weeks on the DPSCS rotational schedule. Check the DPSCS BCBIC page for the current week.
Photo Sharing
Send approved digital or physical photos.
Physical photo mail rules are set by DPSCS. No digital photo service confirmed for BCBIC.
Phone Calls
Inmate-initiated phone calls to approved numbers.
Provider: GTL
Fund an AdvancePay prepaid telephone account through ConnectNetwork to accept calls.
Money Transfer
Send funds to commissary or phone accounts.
Provider: GTL
Deposits to ConnectNetwork accounts, including PIN Debit phone accounts, per the DPSCS BCBIC page.
Communication Providers at Baltimore City Detention Center
These providers operate communication services at this facility. Each may cover different services.
GTL
ConnectNetwork is the GTL/ViaPath authorized deposit and account portal at BCBIC. AdvancePay prepaid telephone accounts and PIN Debit accounts are managed through ConnectNetwork.
View GTL ServicesCommunication Rules at Baltimore City Detention Center
- BCDC is closed. Do not send mail, money, or visit requests to the old 401 E. Eager Street address.
- Baltimore pretrial intake runs through BCBIC at 300 E. Madison Street.
- Phone deposits run through ConnectNetwork, the GTL/ViaPath authorized portal. AdvancePay covers incoming calls, PIN Debit covers the incarcerated individual's phone account.
- Visits alternate between in-person and virtual weeks. Detainees are permitted one visit per day.
- Confirm current housing through the DPSCS offender search before funding any account, because BCBIC is a short-stay intake center.
- All calls, messages, and visits are monitored by DPSCS staff.
- Senders must be on the inmate's approved contact list.
Related Facilities
Other correctional facilities with communication guides.
Frequently Asked Questions: Baltimore City Detention Center
Common questions from families about communication at this facility.
- How do I contact someone who was taken to Baltimore City Detention Center?
- BCDC is closed. People arrested in Baltimore City now go through the Baltimore Central Booking and Intake Center (BCBIC) at 300 E. Madison Street. Phone deposits run through ConnectNetwork: set up an AdvancePay prepaid telephone account to accept calls. Confirm the person's current housing through the DPSCS offender search first, because BCBIC is a short-stay intake center and people are transferred quickly.
- What is the phone number for Baltimore Central Booking and Intake Center?
- No general public phone number is listed on the official DPSCS BCBIC page. To check on someone, use the DPSCS offender search to confirm current housing. For phone accounts and deposits, use ConnectNetwork, the GTL/ViaPath authorized portal.
- Can I do a video visit at Baltimore Central Booking and Intake Center?
- BCBIC visits alternate between in-person and virtual weeks on the DPSCS rotational schedule. Visiting hours are Mon, Tue, Thu, and Fri 4PM to 8PM and Sat and Sun 9AM to 5PM, with no visits on Wednesdays. Detainees are permitted one visit per day. Check the DPSCS BCBIC page for the current week before planning a visit.
- What happens after someone is convicted and sentenced in Baltimore City?
- People sentenced to more than two years are typically transferred to a Maryland DOC state prison after sentencing. At state prisons, the communication provider setup may change. Check the provider applicable to the new facility immediately after any transfer to maintain uninterrupted communication.
- How do I find out if someone is currently at Baltimore Central Booking and Intake Center?
- Use the DPSCS offender search to confirm current detention location and booking status. Do not rely on the old BCDC name or address, because that facility closed in 2015.
- How do I send money to someone at BCBIC?
- Deposits run through ConnectNetwork, the GTL/ViaPath authorized deposit portal named on the DPSCS BCBIC page. You can fund an AdvancePay account or deposit to the individual's PIN Debit phone account. Confirm current housing through the DPSCS offender search before depositing.
- How do I find or search for an inmate in Baltimore City, Maryland?
- Use the DPSCS official inmate search for Baltimore City, Maryland. If the inmate does not appear, allow 24 to 72 hours after booking and try alternate spellings.
- How do I send mail to an inmate at Baltimore Central Booking and Intake Center?
- Include the inmate's full name and ID on every envelope and follow the facility's mail rules. Confirm the current mailing address on the DPSCS BCBIC page before sending. Do not use the old BCDC address.
- Can I receive incoming calls from an inmate at Baltimore Central Booking and Intake Center?
- No. Inmates can only call out, so you cannot call an inmate directly. The inmate must call you, and your number must be on their approved list.
- How do I block or stop calls from an inmate at Baltimore Central Booking and Intake Center?
- Contact the facility's phone provider and ask to block the number, or block the number through your own phone carrier. You can also ask the facility to remove your number from the inmate's approved list.
- How do I schedule or cancel a visit at Baltimore Central Booking and Intake Center?
- Follow the DPSCS BCBIC visiting schedule, which alternates between in-person and virtual weeks. Check the DPSCS BCBIC page for the current week and its cancellation rules before planning a visit.
Troubleshooting at Baltimore City Detention Center
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.
- 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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