Self-Surrender Information

The following links will provide basic information for when you must surrender yourself to the Maricopa County Jail to serve a sentence as ordered by the court:

Definitions:

  • Self-Surrender: A person who is not in custody and is ordered by the court to deliver himself or herself to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) for confinement to serve a sentence as ordered by the court.
  • Work Release Sentence: A sentence which stipulates the confinement of an inmate only during specified hours or specified days, thereby allowing the inmate unescorted release into the community during non-confinement hours or days. This term will include overnight and weekend sentences, but does not encompass work furlough.
  • Work Furlough: A program which allows qualified, sentenced inmates to work in the community during certain hours, while still serving their court-ordered sentence. Adult Probation acts as the Work Furlough Administrator for Maricopa County and is responsible for determining the eligibility requirements and criteria for acceptance into the program. In addition, Adult Probation selects the inmates who meet the program criteria and monitors their participation in the program. Once accepted, inmates must abide by all rules established by Adult Probation and the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. Any inmate found to be in violation of these rules may be removed from the program by detention personnel or his or her probation officer. The Work Furlough program is run by the Maricopa County Adult Probation Department. If an inmate has questions about his or her work days or work hours, he or she must contact the assigned Probation Officer. The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office cannot adjust work days or hours.
  • Full-Custody: Continuous custody until the inmate is judicially released on all charges, holds, or sentences. Inmates, who have been temporarily released into the community and return, such as in the Work Furlough Program, are serving a work release or “weekender” sentence and are not considered full-custody.

Hours:

You must report on the day and at the time ordered by the Court. If you report after your court designated reporting time, you may be refused intake. If this occurs, you will be required to return to the court for an amended order of confinement AND the sentencing court will be notified that you reported late. You cannot be accepted before your designated reporting date and time. The jail accepts those who report for Self-Surrender Friday thru Sunday from 9am to 9pm unless specified on your court order.

Requirements:

You must bring the following items with you when you report to the jail:

  • The Confinement Order as issued by the court.
  • A government issued picture identification, such as a driver’s license.
  • A completed Healthcare Provider's Certification Form.
  • If you have prescription medication(s) that you must take during your Work Furlough/Work Release/Weekender stay, it must be in the original pharmacy container with your name on it and a quantity sufficient for your stay in jail.
  • Any necessary medical device(s) for your stay in full custody, such as C-PAP machine, prosthesis, cane, etc.
If you fail to bring your confinement order or proper identification you may be refused for intake. You will be required to return to the court for an amended order of confinement for a later date / time. Do not confuse the court minute entries for the Confinement Order, they are not the same. If you have been sentenced to more than 24 hours of Weekender, Work Release or Work Furlough you must have a Health Care Provider’s Certification Form completed no more than forty-five (45) days prior to your reporting. This form will be given to you by the court at the time of your sentencing and is also available on the MCSO website. A TB test is required to be completed and takes a minimum of two (2) days to complete. Failure to complete any portion of the form or failure to bring the form with you may cause you to be removed from the Work Furlough / Work Release program and you will be kept in full-custody for the duration of your sentence.

Where to Report:

All Self Surrenders will report to the Lower Buckeye Jail, located at 3250 W. Lower Buckeye Road, Phoenix, Arizona 85009. Parking is located in a separate, fenced off parking area, at the far East end of the building. This is the second driveway east of 35th Avenue on the Lower Buckeye Road. There is a “Self-Surrender Only” sign at the entrance to the facility/parking lot. (Map it)



Housing for inmates is outdoors at the Con-Tents Facility on dirt / rock surfaces. Shelter is inside military, dorm-style tents with concrete floors. There are metal bunks with mattresses and bedding. To be eligible for work release, inmates must be physically and medically fit for housing in this environment and able to manage their own basic healthcare needs.

Acceptable Items:

Once you have begun your work hours at Con-Tents, you may bring back the following items on your first day out;

Work Furlough: Prescription eyeglasses, one (1) jacket or sweater, one (1) plastic flashlight (C-size batteries maximum), one (1) watch, one (1) wedding ring, one (1) wallet with driver’s license or identification card, one (1) paperback book or magazine, one (1) non-electric clock, approved prescription medication, five (5) sets of clothing, two (2) pair of shoes, two (2) towels, up to $40 in cash (smalls bills recommended).

Work Release: Prescription eyeglasses, one (1) jacket or sweater, one (1) plastic flashlight (C-size batteries maximum), one (1) watch, one (1) wedding ring, one (1) wallet with driver’s license or identification card, one (1) paperback book or magazine, one (1) non-electric clock, approved prescription medication, two (2) towels, up to $40 in cash (small bills recommended).

Any item not on these lists is considered contraband and will not be accepted at Con-Tents.

Con-Tents has limited vending machines, showers facilities, and laundry machines. You may bring in contact lenses, but must buy the solution from facility vending machines. Combination padlocks may be purchased from the facility vending machines for bunk drawers. You cannot bring in an outside padlock.

Cell phones are not allowed and will be impounded. Jackets or sweaters cannot have hoods. Towels, clocks, flashlights, and books or magazines will remain at the facility during release times.

All of the following clothing items are unauthorized

  • Sleeveless shirts
  • Low cut shorts
  • Clothing with unacceptable language or gang affiliations printed on it
  • Sandals
  • Tank tops
  • Bathing suits
  • See-through clothing
  • Steel-toed boots
  • Tube tops
  • Shirts exposing the stomach
  • Flip flops (shoes)

Removal From Program:

The Inmate Rules and Regulations prohibit the use of drugs or alcohol within the jail environment; Rules Violation(s) 028: Being Intoxicated, and 032: Refusing to Submit to Any Drug Test, Failure to Produce a Sample, or Having Positive Test Results.

If you are sentenced to Work Release or Work Furlough and you report to the jail with alcohol or drugs in your system you will be accepted into the jail, issued a disciplinary action report for violation of the inmate rules, and placed into full-custody for the duration of your sentence. You will not be eligible for either Work Release or Work Furlough and the sentencing court will be notified.

Correctional Health Services:

This Self-Surrender packet is provided by Correctional Health Services, the healthcare provider for patients in the Maricopa County Jails. Information provided is for healthcare purposes only.