What You Can and Can't Leave for an Inmate at Burleigh County Detention Center
Dropping items off for someone in custody can be frustrating—especially when you show up with something meaningful and it gets turned away. At Burleigh County Detention Center, a few categories are allowed, some things are already provided or available through commissary, and certain items won't be accepted at all.
Not everything can be "left at the front" for an inmate at Burleigh County Detention Center. Some items require approval from Detention Staff - especially clothing. And if the person you're trying to help is connected to the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCR) or being held under the U.S. Marshals, the rules get stricter. Check their status first, because those categories can limit what the jail will accept.
Note: No items may be left for inmates transported in from DOCR for court or for inmates ordered to serve their sentence at DOCR. U.S. Marshal inmates generally can’t take personal items when transported - only medically necessary items will be accepted.
Some basics are already covered by the facility, which can save you a trip. Burleigh County Detention Center provides razors, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, combs, and feminine products to inmates.
- ✓ Contact solution - can be purchased by the inmate through commissary
- ✓ Denture cream - can be purchased by the inmate through commissary
- ✓ Bible/books - only self-help, educational, and/or religious material; must be soft cover
Contact solution and denture cream are available through commissary, so you usually don't need to drop those off yourself. Books are another area where people get surprised: the jail only allows self-help, educational, or religious material, and they must be soft cover. Hardcovers won't be accepted.
Planning a drop-off? Leave certain personal belongings at home or in your car. Photographs, cell phones, hats, excess luggage, and packages of any type are not allowed to be left for inmates.
Skip the writing supplies, too. Pencils and pens aren't allowed to be left for inmates. The facility provides pencils, so even if you're trying to help with letters or paperwork, a pen will still be rejected.
Tip: Bring prohibited items like photos, a phone, hats, packages, or pens, and they'll be turned away. Plan ahead so you're not stuck figuring out what to do with them in the lobby.
Clothing is one of the most common things families try to drop off - and one of the easiest ways to waste a trip. At Burleigh County Detention Center, clothing left for inmates must be approved by Detention Staff. Confirm what's acceptable before you bring anything in.
- Call Detention Staff first - ask whether the clothing you want to leave will be approved.
- Bring only what they say they’ll accept - if it isn’t approved, it won’t be left for the inmate.
- Follow any instructions they give you - if staff tells you how items should be marked or prepared, do it that way to avoid delays.
Rules can turn on details - custody status, item type, whether approval is needed. The fastest way to avoid a wasted trip is to call the Detention Center before you head over. The facility website lists the sheriff and Detention Center phone number, along with the mailing and physical addresses, so you can confirm what will be accepted.
Note: Drop-off procedures and timing aren’t always obvious from the outside. A quick call ahead can save you from showing up with something the jail won’t accept.
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