What the Mobile Metro Jail Inmate Handbook Tells You (And Where to Find It)

The official Mobile County Metro Jail Inmate Handbook is available as a downloadable PDF on the Metro Jail page of the Mobile County Sheriff's Office website. Save it to your phone or print a copy. When you're dealing with mail, phone calls, or housing unit rules, having the actual document handy lets you double-check details when something doesn't sound right.

One detail that catches people off guard: the Wristband ID. Inmates get one at booking, and they need to be wearing it for just about everything - commissary pickup, medical services (clinic and triage), the barbershop, religious services, work details, hospital runs, court appearances, even dress-out for release. Lose it and the replacement costs $6.00. Worth taking seriously from day one.

• ✓ If mail isn’t clearly identified as “legal mail,” it will be opened and inspected before it’s delivered to the inmate.
• ✓ Padded envelopes are not accepted.

Phone calls work through a PIN assigned at booking, combined with the last four digits of the inmate's Social Security number. All calls are outgoing and collect - if you accept one, expect toll charges on your bill. Calls are monitored and recorded. Each housing unit has telephones, and inmates can order additional call time through commissary. The handbook asks inmates to keep calls to about fifteen minutes so everyone gets a turn.

Housing areas have kiosks and tablets for ordering commissary and sending requests to different jail sections through the Inquiry and Grievances Messaging feature. Each message should go to the right department (Chaplain, Docket, Commissary, etc.), and only one request per message gets processed. These aren't for personal messaging between inmates. Threatening, vulgar, or inappropriate messages aren't tolerated. Damage or abuse a kiosk? The cost gets charged to the inmate's account, plus disciplinary action, possible criminal prosecution, and loss of kiosk access - except for sick call requests and grievances.

Calling to ask about a rule or problem? Pull up the handbook first. Find the exact section that applies and note the page number. When you can point to specific policy language, the conversation stays focused - and staff can quickly look at the same rule you're referencing.

1. Call the Metro Jail automated inmate-information line first - Use 251-574-6412 when you need information through the jail’s automated system.
2. Use the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office main line for broader questions - Call (251) 574-2423 when you need to reach the Sheriff’s Office main phone number.

Whenever a rule affects money, access, or daily routine - mail restrictions, phone procedures, kiosk policies - go back to the handbook PDF on the Metro Jail page. That's the official source, and it's where you'll find the current policy instead of relying on secondhand information.