Eaton County Jail – Charlotte, MI

Eaton County Jail is located in Eaton County, Michigan and is the main correctional facility for the region. Know someone locked up in Eaton County Jail? This guide gives you info about anything you might need to know about Eaton County Jailsuch as the following: Learn how to locate an inmate. Find mugshots. The jail’s phone number and address. Bailing out of jail. Booking and intake procedures. Court information. And lots more.

The chance of going to jail is a daunting and scary situation, not only for the person who is incarcerated, but also that person’s friends and family. The goal of this guide is to give you all the information and advice you need to make helping a friend or family member get out of jail less stressful. If you have a specific question, please feel free to ask it in the comment section below, and any tips or comments that would be beneficial to other people in the same situation will be appreciated.

Do you know someone that has gone to jail and want to contact them?

Do you know a family member or friend who’s been arrested and you don’t know how to find out where they are?

To find out who is in jail at Eaton County Jail you will have to navigate to their web site and do an inmate lookup.

The Eaton County Jail Inmate Roster has information on people who are in jail, including current status, bail amount (if applicable), and times you can visit. You can find the same information for anybody arrested and processed or released within the last 24 hours. Prisoners are shown in alphabetical order by last name. You will be able to locate the information faster if you have the arrestee’s full name, birth date, or arrest number.

If your friend or family member is at another jail you should check our Michigan county jail guide: Other Jails in Michigan

A mugshot, or jail booking photo, is the photo that the jail takes during jail intake processing. A mugshot is actually one face photo and a side photo. Your name and booking number will be in the photos, and they’re kept on file at the jail.

Mugshots can be searched on the website, or you can view them at the Eaton County Jail. When viewing mugshots online you will have to input the prisoner’s first and last name, and an arrest date.

Want to get your mugshot removed from the Eaton County Jail website? This will be difficult, since the mugshot is public record. You will need to file a ‘Petition to Expunge’. Basically, this means that your arrest record would be sealed, so no one will be able to see them. Depending on your situation, this may be a longshot.

To learn more about getting your mugshot taken down, the various mugshot sites, and the websites that offer to remove your mugshot for you: How To Remove Your Mugshot from the Internet

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Obviously, if you are in jail, your only thought is about when you get out. After you’ve gone through booking, a bail amount is determined using the bail schedule or the magistrate will decide it. If you don’t get a bail set this might mean that you will either be released on your ‘own recognizance’ until your court date, or you have to stay in jail until your trial.

If you do bail out you will have to promise to be there for your court date, and you are not allowed to leave the county.

Usually, an inmate in the Eaton County Jail can earn time off for good behavior if they don’t break the rules and area a good inmate while they are in jail.

If you follow the rules, you might be given work release detail. Either you will have to go back to the jail every day when you’re finished working, or you may be permitted to move to a halfway house instead of jail, so it is kind of like an early release.

Bail is money that you have to pay to the court system to get out of jail until you go to court. Your bail amount is dictated by the seriousness of your charges. Someone you know will need to pay ten percent of the total that was set in order for you to be released. If you don’t go to your scheduled court date, that person will lose that money.

To find out how much bail money you will need to bail someone out of jail will need to call the Eaton County Jail or the County Courthouse. If know the person’s info, such as name, address and date of birth, they will let you know what their bail is set at. Also, you can see the bail amount on the Eaton County Jail website.

Having to get someone out of jail is never a fun thing, but in some cases, it is really easy if you have the money. First, you need to know if their bail is a Cash Only Bond. If it is, you will not be able to get a Bail Bondsman. Bail can only be paid by cash – the jail will not take a personal check. As soon as you’ve paid the bail bond, the prisoner will get released. If the conditions of bail are not violated, you’ll get the bail money back.

If bail is set too high, or you can’t afford it, you will need to use a bail bondsman. They will usually charge you a fee of 10-15% of the bail amount, and usually have a minimum charge of $100. This is non-refundable and the bondsman only accepts cash. If the bail is extremely high, the bondsman will usually ask to use your assets, such as home, property or cars, as collateral for the bond in addition to whatever their charges are.

You can find a local bail bondsman click here: Bail bondsman

Have you ever used a Bail Bondsman because you or someone you know got arrested? If so, post a comment below and tell about it, and let us know how it worked out for you.

Click here to comment

• Time Off For Good Behavior
• Get Out on Work Release
• Get Out For Time Served
• Pre-Trial Release Programs
• Get Out on House Arrest
• Get Released on Your Own Recognizance

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The jail intake process takes you through each of these steps:

• You will be placed in a holding cell. If there are a lot of arrests, you will have to wait a while to get processed.
• The first step is that you have to answer some simple questions, like what is your full legal name, address, date of birth and contact person.
• You will also be asked about your medical and mental history.
• You’ll be given an inmate number.
• You will get fingerprinted.
• You will get your mugshot taken.
• Any property you have will be taken away from you and stored until you get discharged from jail.
• They will allow you to make a telephone call to get in touch with a member of your family, friend, or bondsman to arrange bail.
• If you are expected to be released quickly, you might get to keep wearing your own clothes, if not you will be given a jail jumpsuit.

Have you ever been booked into jail? If so, please tell our readers about your experience. How long did it take to get processed? How were you treated? Can you share any tips that might help other people get through jail intake?

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Once bail has been posted, you will be allowed to leave jail. This process may take from 15 minutes to many hours. In other words the quicker bail is posted, the faster you will get let go. Also, it depends on whether you’ve got a bond amount or if a magistrate must determine the amount of bail to be set. For a minor charge, you will be booked and then released on your recognizance without having to pay bail. If you have served a sentence in jail and are given a release date, expect to get released anywhere between the hours of 9am and 12pm.

out against you, or if you must start a jail sentence, it is highly recommended that you do the right thing and turn yourself in. In the case of an outstanding warrant, report to the jail reception area, and let them know that believe that there could be an outstanding arrest warrant out for you. They will check their system to see if there are any outstanding local, state or federal arrest warrants out for you, and if they verify that you have one, they will ask that you surrender yourself and you will be taken into custody. If you are reporting to serve out your sentence, report to the jail on the date and time that the sentence order requires you to. Ensure that you are not late. Only bring approved items with you, like your driver’s license or state issued ID, prescription medication, and a sentencing order from court.

The inmate need to provide each visitor’s name to the jail in advance. Your visitors will be entered in the log as an authorized visitor. Every visitor will have to provide identification. Visitors that gets to visitation or that is not on the visitation list will be turned away.
Visitation procedures at Eaton County Jail change often, so you should check the official Eaton County Jail jail site before go to the jail to visit an inmate.

All phone calls from jail are collect calls or through a pre-paid phone account. Jail phone calls are generally more expensive than phone calls made outside of jail. Inmates are able to make phone calls, with restrictions on how often you can use the phone, but you should keep in mind that there are a limited number of phones, so all the inmates must share phone time. If you are disciplined for an infraction, phone calls may be limited or eliminated altogether.

Phone Number: (517)543-3512

All inmate mail is required to be sent using the actual US Postal Service, and not courier or delivery, or hand delivered. You must not use any other method of mail or package delivery. You must write or type the person’s name, inmate number, and jail address on the letter that you send. Do not send anything in a box, envelope with padding, plastic or paper bag, or an envelope with metal in it. All mail that you send to inmates will be opened and read and examined by the officers at the jail, and will be sent back to the person who mailed it if the jail decides it is inappropriate.

Use this address when sending a letter to someone incarcerated at Eaton County Jail:

Eaton County Jail
1045 Independence Boulevard
Charlotte, MI 48813

Here is how you should address the letter:

[INMATE’S FULL NAME]
[INMATE ID]
Eaton County Jail
1045 Independence Boulevard
Charlotte, MI 48813

The inmate mail policy at Eaton County Jail can change, so be sure to review the official Eaton County Jail site before you send a letter.

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If you get arrested, you have rights, the first of which is the right to request an attorney. You are only allowed to make so many phone calls in jail, so you would be wise to have a friend or relative locate a lawyer for you. I know you’re probably asking yourself right now ‘I don’t have to get a lawyer – I can just represent myself’ You are not required to have an attorney for some criminal charges, a criminal defense lawyer will advise you about your rights, help protect your interests and help you through the court system in Eaton County. The faster you get an attorney working on your criminal case, the better your chances.

For more info on how to find a lawyer, click here: How to Find a Lawyer in Eaton County

If you’ve been arrested and cannot afford an attorney, you will be given a public defender for a lawyer. Also, the Public Defender Office has access to independent investigators, forensics experts and case workers. Public Defenders are bona-fide attorneys, members of the Michigan State Bar and are legally licensed to practice law and represent you in court.

Have you ever had to use a Public Defender or court appointed attorney? Are you happy with how they handled your case?

Eaton County court records are a matter of public record. Court records are comprised of a file with a sheet called a docket sheet and all of the motions, documents, and evidence that have been filed in the case. You have the ability to access your court records with the website, or by going to the Clerk of Court’s office.

The Clerk of Court is an officer and clerk of the court who maintains court records and controls access to them. The Clerk of Court also administer the oath for anyone testifying in court, and read the verdict when delivered by the jury. All court records associated with your case are held at the Eaton County Clerk of Court.

Court fees and costs are the charges and fees associated with your case, for example filing fees, motion fees and various court charges. If you don’t have the money to pay these fees and have court appointed legal counsel or a Public Defender, you may get out of having to pay them.

The magistrate is the person who presides on your case in court. Magistrate judges do a number of things, such as setting bail amounts, writing arrest warrants, and presiding over first court appearances and detention hearings.

A pre-sentencing report is completed with your background information and details of the arrestee’s life history, which the judge will consider when decide your sentence. Information and personal details will be gathered from the defendant, his or her family members, and if necessary the victim of the crime. Don’t forget you can request to get a copy of this report before sentencing, so you can correct any mistakes that it contains.

If you get convicted of a crime during your trial, you will be sentenced. The presiding judge in your case will weigh several options when determining your sentence, ranging from community service to probation, to incarceration in either jail (short term) or prison (long term). Depending on how serious your crime was, you could be locked up immediately, or given a date that you are supposed to report to jail to serve your term.

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Do you need to find out if someone is currently in jail, or has been an inmate in the past?

To do so, you need to go to the jail’s website, and search by:

• Name.
• Birthdate.
• Their approximate booking date.
• and their jail inmate ID.

If you’re not sure if this person is in jail, you can also call the jail get confirmation.

If you think you have an outstanding warrant for your arrest, you are able to check the court records on the Eaton County court website or you can call the court directly. You have to have their first and last name. Or, you can just go down to the jail and ask the officer in charge. You should know that there is an outstanding warrant for your arrest, they will take you into custody immediately.

If you know a person’s name, and possibly an arrest date, contact the jail, by phone, in person, or you can check online. Records of arrests are public record and these records are available to anyone.

A Civil Process is when you get served with legal papers, like , subpoenas, and arrest warrants. You can find these civil process orders by contacting the Sheriff’s office, online or by phone.

All registered sex offenders are required to be registered on a sex offender database. Those listed on these databases have been tried by jury and convicted in a court of law of a sex or kidnapping crime. You are able to see sex offenders on the website, but keep in mind that you will not find the actual address, just the address block of the address that they registered.

Court Records are public records and available to anyone. They include a court case file that includes a docket and all filings and documents filed in the case. You can access your court records on the website, or at the Eaton County Clerk of Court office where the case was filed.

Each state maintains records of a person’s criminal background. These state databases are all connected so you can track criminal histories from other states. You are able to go to the Eaton County Courthouse and check in person, or you can check online. It helps to know the county, and if the crime was in a different state entirely, you may have to pay a fee for a more comprehensive search.

A search of someone’s criminal history you can find out if someone has been arrested, charged, or convicted for these crimes:

• DWI or DUI.
• Drug Possession of Drug Trafficking.
• Kidnapping.
• Sex offenses which could include rape, and sexual assault.
• Violent crimes including assault, battery and murder.
• Breaking and entering, theft, larceny.

During a criminal records search, usually will not learn if that person has had any:

• Speeding tickets.
• Lost their driver’s license or license revoked or suspended.
• Accidents.
• Moving violations.
• Parking Tickets.

To search for this information, you have to do a driving history search.

Have you ever had to look for criminal records online? Was it easy? Did you do your search online or did you have to call the jail? Was it correct? There are many reasons that folks search for criminal records and backgrounds, and your account may help other people.

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Most Wanted

The FBI keeps a list of the Top Ten Most Wanted Criminals. In Eaton County,The Sheriff’s Department keeps their own list of most wanted criminals and fugitives.

FBI Top Ten Most Wanted List: Link


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Life In Jail / What Its Like

Daily Life

Just the thought of being incarcerated in the Eaton County jail is no fun, soon you will settle into the daily routine there. You should expect a wake-up alarm each morning at 6am, and next they’ll do roll call. You will then have breakfast. After breakfast, you will work in the program that has been assigned to you. This could be working in the kitchen, laundry, or some sort of manufacturing job. While this may seem tedious, it may help you when you leave jail, as you are gaining experience in a certain field of work. Other inmates go to school, while some take part in mandated treatment programs. After lunch, there will be another roll call, then back to work. Your evening will be spent either in your cell or a common room. During this time dinner is served and you will be expected to take a shower. After another roll call, it’s lights out. Even though you will be confined to your cell, there may be enough light to read or write letters. Then again, most inmates welcome lights out, and try to get as much sleep as they can.

Most people are frightened at the idea of jail because they don’t know what to expect. If you have spent any time in Eaton County Jail, your experiences would be welcomed, if it can help another person to deal with it.

Dress Code

When incarcerated, all inmates are expected to wear the Eaton County Jail uniform. This is normally a jumpsuit or scrubs. Of note to anyone visiting an inmate – you must be properly dressed. Any clothing considered inappropriate will not be permitted.

How To Send Money to an Inmate

You will have your own ‘bank account’ while in jail. This money is used to purchase items from the Commissary. Family and friends can deposit money into this account for you, and any money you earn while in prison will also be deposited into your account. Outside money can be paid in to your account via a money order, cash or check. If someone sends a check or money order, make sure that they write your inmate ID on it. The maximum amount you are allowed in your account is $290 per month.

The procedure to send money to someone in jail changes, so be sure to double check the site when you send any funds.


Commissary

The commissary is the jail store. You can purchase a number of things here, such as toiletries, snacks and writing supplies. Bear in mind that you will probably want to use the commissary daily, and any infractions will get that privilege taken away from you.

Inmate Medications

If you are on any type of prescription medication, you will be allowed to continue taking it while in jail. When you are first processed, you will be asked what medication you take. You will then be referred to the jail nurse or doctor who will be in charge of monitoring your health and prescribing your medication.

Meals

You will get three meals a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. As expected, they are very basic, but healthy. A typical breakfast might be cereal, toast, coffee and fruit. Lunch might be spaghetti, salad, bread and milk. Dinner could be chicken casserole, rice, vegetables, dessert and milk. Contrary to popular belief, prison food has greatly improved over the years, and you might find that it’s not much different from what you would eat at home.

Pods / The Yard

The jail is designed in a ‘pod’ layout, with self-contained housing arranged around an outdoor yard. Each pod has a central control station and a common room, and the inmates take turns in using the yard. The jail is designed this way to keep certain inmates together, and others away from the general population.

Gangs

As with life in general, gangs are a part of prison life. Obviously it is best to avoid becoming a part of this environment as it will only lead to trouble. When you first enter prison, you might find yourself being ‘primed’ to join a gang, or worse, you might get their attention in a negative way. The best thing to do is keep your head down and don’t get involved.


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News and Media

News

Photos / Pictures

Videos


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Jobs

Types of Jobs at Eaton County Jail

The Deputy Sheriff is the second in command at the Eaton County Jail, overseeing the day to day operations and administration of the jail. An inmate is unlikely to have much interaction with the Deputy Sheriff, unless they have committed an infraction. Detention Officers are responsible for the custody and care of the inmates. They maintain order in the jail, and handle security. A Detention Officer is assigned to a certain pod, and therefore is responsible for the same inmates each day. They get to know the inmates on a certain level and are well equipped to handle any problems that may occur.

Apply for a Job at Eaton County Jail

Requirements:

• You must be over the age of 21.
• You must possess a High School Diploma or GED
• You must be a US Citizen.
• You must pass a Criminal, Credit and Driving History background check.
• You must pass a drug test.
• You must have a good level of fitness.
• You must be in good health.
• You must have a valid Driver’s License
• An applicant for Deputy Sheriff must possess a Law Enforcement Certification.


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Family Resources

There are resources for families of both the perpetrator of the crime and the victim. The social and emotional impact of crime is far reaching, affecting many. Families can receive professional counseling, court related assistance, social services assistance and help in navigating the criminal justice system.

If you are a family member, which resources did you find to be particularly helpful? Please let us know, as this will be helpful to other families in the same situation.

Speak Your Mind


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Victim Resources

Important Note: If you, or someone you know, are in immediate danger, call 911.

Victim’s Rights

The Victim Rights Act grants victims the following rights:

• You have the right to protection from the accused.
• You have the right to notification.
• You have the right to attend proceedings.
• You have the right to speak at criminal justice proceedings.
• You have the right to consult with the prosecuting attorney.
• You have the right to restitution.
• You have the right to a speedy trial.
• You have the right to be treated with fairness, dignity and respect.

The definition of victim includes:

• Spouses and children of all victims.
• Parents and guardians of minor victims.
• Parents, guardians and siblings of mentally or physically incapacitated victims or victims of homicide.
• Foster parents or other caregivers, under certain circumstances.

There are a number of services and programs designed to help victims and their families. You can find out about these services by contacting the courthouse, or local law enforcement agency.

Victim Notification

The Department of Justice Victim Notification System (VNS) is a system that provides victims with information pertaining to their case and/or any defendants in the case. You will receive a Victim Identification Number (VIN) and a Personal Identification Number (PIN) that will allow you to access VNS via the internet or by phone. Here, you will find information about future court hearings, historical court events, and detailed information about the defendant. This will include criminal charges filed, the outcome of charges, sentence imposed, custody location, projected release date and any other release information. The VNS website is updated daily. You will also receive any ongoing information by mail or email.

Have you, a family member or friend ever used the Victim Notification System? If so, was it effective? Did you get the information in a timely manner? Was the system difficult to use? We would like to hear from you, so please post any comments here.

Click here to leave a comment

Sex Offender Information and Search

All people registered as sex offenders are registered on either a national or state sex offender database. The people on these databases have been convicted of a sex or kidnapping crime. You can access this information online, but bear in mind that you will not get the exact address, rather the block that they live on.

Domestic Violence

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, there are services to help you. Your county will have a Domestic Violence Services office. They provide free and confidential services, such as emergency shelter information, legal advocacy, support groups and domestic violence education. They will work to help you create a safe and violence-free life, and heal from the trauma of abuse.

Important Note: If you, or someone you know, are in immediate danger, call 911.


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Reviews

Reviews of this Jail

Have you ever been incarcerated at this jail? Do you know someone that is a prisoner there? Have you ever been to visit someone there?

If yes, then we would like you to leave a comment below about it. Write about your experience because other people can learn what to expect.

Things you can put in the review:

• Conditions in Eaton County Jail.
• Jail layout and facility
• Jail staff and Guards
• Jail food and commissary
• Visitation Days
• The other inmates – what are they like?
• Prisoner safety
• Gang activity
• Prisoner activities and programs


Click here to write your review of Eaton County Jail

Tell Your Story

Anyone who’s been in jail has at least one story to tell about it. Why were you locked up? Did you get fair treatment? How was life in jail? Were the other inmates cool? How did getting locked up affect your life?

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Send a Message to Your Cell Mate

Did you make friends in jail? Want to get in touch with somebody you met in jail? Send a message to them here.

Send a message to people incarcerated at Eaton County Jail


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