Facts About being in Custody

When first admitted to jail, you are presented to the watch commander and asked if 1) you were sick, ill or injured, and 2) if you knew why you were in custody. Then you are taken into either a holding area, or handcuffed to a "booking bench" to wait your turn to be booked into jail. While you are waiting, the arresting officer will check to see if you have any outstanding warrants, prior arrests, or if you are on probation or parole. At that time, you may or may not be interviewed by detectives, depending on what you were arrested for. After, you are booked, and fingerprinted. You are advised by the booking officer of the charges against you. Your personal items are inventoried and held until you are released. You are given a blanket, and taken to a cell. In the cell there is a pay phone, which is where most people make their one phone call and you can make more than one depending on who else is using the phone in the cell. Phone calls are privileges not rights. 99% of people that enter a facility are cooperative are given phone calls, but if you are being combative or causing a disturbance, the phone call privileges can be taken away until you calm down. In some cases we will make a call to let somebody know you’re in jail, and not give the person access to a phone because of the way they are conducting themselves.