Tacoma Northwest Detention Center is located in the city of Tacoma, Washington which has a population of 198,397 (as of 2015) residents. This prison has a capacity of 1575 inmates, which means this is the maximum amount of beds per facility. Tacoma Northwest Detention Center began processing inmates once the original construction was completed and service started in 2004 but may have been expanded or renovated since that time, to accommodate the growing prison population. Prisoners are housed in separate areas depending on the crimes they committed, their current risk assessment, and their behavior. This facility is currently under the supervision of Director William Penaloza and houses male and female offenders.

If you have a family or loved one that is currently incarcerated at Tacoma Northwest Detention Center, the first thing you should do is contact the prison for information on the inmate. Based on the information you are provided, you would then contact either a criminal defense lawyer or a bail bond service. They will provide you with vital information which can be used to defend an individual and in a lot of cases get them released from detention while awaiting trial.

Tacoma Northwest Detention Center Facility and Inmate Contact Information:

Phone Number to Reach this Facility is:

(253) 396-1611

Fax Number for Tacoma Northwest Detention Center is:

(253) 396-1250

Send Mail to the Facility (not inmates):

Tacoma Northwest Detention Center
1623 East J Street,
Tacoma, WA 98421

To Send Mail to an Inmate at Tacoma Northwest Detention Center:

(please get a list of acceptable mail from the facility)

Tacoma Northwest Detention Center
Inmate Name, Inmate ID #
1623 East J Street,
Tacoma, WA 98421

Visitation Information for Tacoma Northwest Detention Center

Visitation Hours for Tacoma Northwest Detention Center:

Thursdays thru Mondays including holidays (Visitation will occur on holidays, regardless of the day the holiday falls on)  8 a.m. – 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

• Even dates:
  • Detainees of low, medium-low, and medium-high classification
    8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
  • Detainees of high classification
    1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Odd dates:
  • Detainees of low, medium-low, and medium-high classification
    1 p.m.to 3:30 p.m.
  • Detainees of high classification
    8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

To ensure adequate time to process visitors through security, all visitors must arrive 45 minutes prior to the scheduled visit time.

Check-in times are from 7:50 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. and then from 12:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. during normal visiting days.