Brevard County Jail Complex Inmate Search

The Brevard County Jail Complex was created in 1986 and is now a much bigger complex with several tent housing additions, including a Women’s Jail, a Mental Health/Medical Facility, and even a State Certified Dietician who oversees the menu and special dietary requirements for the inmates. To help offset the cost of housing the inmates, the Sherriff uses inmates to build their own tent housing facilities. Those inmates who are more trusted, needing less supervision than others, are housed in tents. Bigger flight risks, or more dangerous offenders, are housed in the maximum-security areas.

After receiving a proposal in 2005 for $43 million to expand the jail and increase the number of beds available, a much less expensive way to expand the jail’s housing was found. Using inmates to build tent housing, the costs of labor was dramatically lowered, saving taxpayers approximately $30 million dollars. The first tent opened in 2006, with tents 2, 3 and 4 following. The complex is constantly evolving, as needed, using inmates to provide the labor.

In 2008, a Mental Health/Medical Facility was added. If an inmate needs medical attention for a physical, or emotional issue, there is a doctor or a nurse practitioner available to see them. The inmate will be properly evaluated and cared for appropriately. Both group and individual counseling are also available if needed. When the inmate is released, the mental health care facility will give them the information needed to find continuing care with other agencies, if needed.

Inmates who are trusted and deemed a low flight risk may volunteer to work in the “chain gang”, so named because of the chains placed on their ankles. Chain gang inmates are given the opportunity to give back to the community by providing labor that would otherwise need to be paid by the city. None of the inmates serving on the “chain gang” are paid–all are volunteers. Some of the jobs available to the people who work on the “chain gang” include picking up trash, furniture, and other items along the freeway; working in the animal shelter and working in construction. In addition, chain gang inmates have much lower recidivism rates. It is thought that recidivism rates are lower for chain gang inmates because of the positive impact they have on the community; the camaraderie felt for working as a team; the sense of pride for the work completed; the work experience the inmate obtains; and the trade or job the inmate may use once he or she is released.