Oceana County Jail – Hart, MI

Oceana County Jail is located in Oceana County and is the correctional facility for this county. Know somebody incarcerated at Oceana County Jail? This page tells you about everything a person needs to know about Oceana County Jail,such as: How to do a jail inmate search. Find inmate mugshots. The jail’s phone number and address. Bail and bail bondsmen. Oceana County Jail intake procedures. Court information and records. And everything else.

The prospect of getting arrested and going to jail is a scary and stressful prospect, not only for whoever gets locked up, but also that person’s friends and family. This guide is meant to give you all the info that you need to make getting locked up a lot easier. If you have specific questions, please feel free to ask it, and please leave any tips or comments that would be beneficial to other people in the same situation would be appreciated.

Do you have a family member, loved one, or friend in jail and want to contact them?

Has somebody that has been arrested and you need to find out what jail they’re in?

To look up who’s in jail at Oceana County Jail you will need to visit their website and perform an inmate lookup.

The Oceana County Jail Inmate Search is a list of persons who have been arrested, which includes current status, how much their bail is, and times the inmate can have visitors. You can find info on anybody processed or discharged in the past 24-hour period. Jail inmates are listed in alphabetical order by their last name. You will be able to get the information faster if you enter your friend or family member’s full name, date of birth, or inmate ID.

If your friend or family member could possibly be in a different jail you can check the other Michigan county jails in our Michigan County Jail Guide: List of all jails in Michigan

A mugshot, or jail processing photo, is the picture that the jail takes when you are booked into jail. A mugshot is actually one frontal photo and one profile photo. Your name and booking number will appear on the pictures, and they’re kept on file.

Mugshots of inmates can be viewed online, or you can view them at the Oceana County Jail. When viewing online you have to enter the person’s first and last name, and an arrest date, if you have one.

Do you want to get your mugshot erased from the Oceana County Jail website? This may not be possible, because the mugshot is public record. You will need to file a ‘Petition to Expunge’. What this means is that the record of your arrest would be sealed, and unavailable to the public. Unfortunately, this happens very rarely.

To learn more about removing your mugshot, the many different mugshot websites, and the websites that offer to remove your mugshot for you: Mugshot Removal

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Naturally, if you’re locked up, your primary thought is about how to get out. After you’ve gone through booking, your bail will be set by a special judge called a magistrate. If no bail is set this may mean that you will either be released, or you are kept in jail until your court date.

If you do bail out of jail you will have to promise to be there for your court date, and until that date you won’t be allowed to go out of town.

Typically, a prisoner will earn an early release in exchange for good behavior when they don’t break the rules and act right while in jail.

If you prove to be trustworthy, you may be granted work release. Either you will have to stay the jail every day when you’re finished working, or you could get to move to a halfway house instead of jail.

Bail is how much money that you have to pay in order to be released from jail until your court date. The amount you will have to pay depends on the seriousness of your charges. Someone you know will need to pay to the courts 10% of the amount that was determined so you are able to be released from jail. If you don’t show up for your court appearance, that person won’t get their money back.

You have to call the Oceana County Jail. If you have all the person’s information, including name, address and date of birth, they will be able to let you know what their bail is set at. You can also check their bail amount and status on the Oceana County Jail site.

Bailing out of jail is never a fun thing, but fortunately, it is really easy. First, you need to know if their bail is a Cash Only Bond. If so, you can’t use a bondsman. Bail can only be paid by cash – the jail will not take a check. As soon as you’ve paid the bail bond, the prisoner will be released to your care. If they don’t violate the terms of their bail, you will get this money back.

If the amount of bail set is large, of if you can’t pay it, you should hire a bail bondsman. Bail bondsmen will usually charge a fee of 10 to 15 percent of the total amount of bail set by the magistrate, and usually have a minimum of $100. This money will not be returned to you and bondsmen usually only accept cash. If their bail has been set particularly high, the bondsman will require that they use assets as collateral in addition to the fee they charge.

If you need a local bail bondsman click here: Find a bail bondsman at Oceana County Jail

Have you ever had to find a bail bondsman to bail someone out of jail? If you have, please share your experience in a comment below, and let us know how it worked out for you.

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• Early Release For Good Behavior
• Get Out on Work Release
• Time Served
• Get Out on a Pre-Trial Release Program
• Get Released on House Arrest
• Own Recognizance

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The intake procedure takes you through the following steps:

• You will get put in a holding cell. If the jail is busy, you may not be processed immediately.
• You will answer a number of questions, such as what your legal name is, your address, birthdate and a contact person.
• You will also be asked about your medical and mental history.
• You will be given an inmate ID number.
• You will get fingerprinted.
• You will have your mugshot taken.
• Any property you have will be taken from you and stored until you get discharged from jail.
• You will get to make a phone call so you can call a member of your family, friend, or bail bondsman.
• If you are expected to be released quickly, you might be able to keep wearing street clothes, otherwise you will be given a jail uniform – the jumpsuit.

Have you ever been arrested and gone through processing at jail? If you have, you should tell us how it happened. How long did it take? What was your treatment like? Do you have any tips that will help other people that get arrested make it through jail intake?

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When you finally post bail, you will get released from jail. The discharge process takes between 15 minutes to all day long. So, the faster you can post bail, the sooner you will be freed. Also, it depends on if you’ve been given a bond amount or if the judge has to decide on the bail amount. For a minor charge, you will simply be booked and then released on your recognizance without having to pay bail. When you get to the end of your sentence and know the discharge date, expect to be discharged anywhere between the hours of 9am and 12pm.

out against you, or if you must start a jail sentence, it is highly advisable that you do the right thing and go down to the jail and turn yourself in. If it is for a warrant, go to the jail processing area, and tell an officer that you think there may be an outstanding warrant for your arrest. A record check will be run, and if they verify that you have one, they will take you into custody. If you have a jail sentence to serve, report to the jail on the date and time that the sentence order states. Make sure that you are not late. Only bring approved items when you go, such as a driver’s license or state issued ID, any prescription medication you might take, and the copy of the sentencing order.

To have visitors, you have to give each visitor’s full name to the jail before anyone can visit them. Your visitors will go in a log of approved visitors as an approved visitor. Each visitor will have to provide acceptable photo identification. Any visitors arriving late or that does not have a visitation order will be turned away.
The Oceana County Jail visitation procedures can change, so we suggest that you double-check the official jail site before you go.

All phone calls from jail are with a pre-paid phone card or account, or are collect calls . These phone calls are typically pricier than phone calls made at home. There is no limit to how often you can use the phone, but inmates must keep in mind that every inmate wants to use the phone too, so they can call their family. If you are under any sort of disciplinary procedure, an inmate’s ability to use the phone could be reduced or eliminated completely.

The Oceana County Jail phone number is: 231-873-3967

All inmate mail is required to be sent via US Postal Service. You must not use any other form of delivery. You should write the inmate’s name, inmate ID, and the address of the jail on the outside of the letter that you send. Don’t send anything in a box or package, envelope with padding, plastic or paper bag, or an envelope containing metal parts. All mail received by the jail is opened and examined and read by the jail officers, and will be returned to the sender if deemed inappropriate.

If you would like to send a letter to an inmate at Oceana County Jail, use this address:

Oceana County Jail
216 Lincoln
Hart, MI 49420

Here is how you should address the letter:

[INMATE’S FULL NAME]
[INMATE ID]
Oceana County Jail
216 Lincoln
Hart, MI 49420

The Oceana County Jail mail policy changes frequently, so it would be best to double check the official Oceana County Jail site when you send a letter to an inmate.

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When you get arrested, you should know you still have rights, and an important one is your right to request a lawyer. You don’t get to make many phone calls when you get arrested, so you would be wise to have a friend or family member find a lawyer when you call them. You might be thinking ‘but do I really need a lawyer’ While you are not required to have one, a criminal defense lawyer will make sure you know your rights, protect your interests and help you navigate through the criminal justice system. The quicker you get an attorney working on your charges, the better your chances.

For more info on the benefits of hiring a lawyer, click: How to Find a Lawyer

If you’ve been arrested and cannot afford a lawyer, you will be assigned a public defender. Also, the Public Defender’s Office is staffed by independent investigators, crime scene and forensics experts and social case workers. All Public Defenders are real attorneys that are members of the Michigan State Bar and are completely licensed to practice law as an agent of the court.

Have you or someone you know had to use a Public Defender? Are you satisfied with how they handled your case and represented you in court?

Oceana County court records are public records and are available upon request. Court records have a court case file containing a docket and each of the motions, documents, and evidence in the case. You can access the records and documents in your court case via the website, or by going to the Oceana County Clerk of Court.

The Oceana County Clerk of Court is an officer and clerk of the court who maintains the records. They also administer the oath for any court participant who must be under oath, and read the verdict when delivered by the jury. All records and documents from your case are available at the Oceana County Clerk of Court.

Court fees and costs are the charges from your court case, for example filing fees, motion and claim fees, and court charges. If you can’t afford to pay these fees and have been assigned a Public Defender, you may not have to pay them.

The magistrate is the judge that rules over your case. Magistrates do a number of different things, like setting your bail amount, issuing arrest warrants, and acting as the presiding judge over initial court appearances and detention proceedings.

A pre-sentencing report is put together with background information and information about the defendant’s life and history, which the magistrate judge will consider when decide your sentence. Information will be requested from the person on trial, his or her family, and in some circumstances the victim. Bear in mind that you can ask to see your own copy of this report before your sentencing, so you can correct any mistakes that it contains.

After being convicted of a crime, you will be sentenced. There are several different options for sentencing, including community service and probation, to incarceration in jail or prison. Depending on the particulars of your trial, the severity of your crime, and any sentencing guidelines that they judge will use, you may be locked up immediately, or you could get a date that you must turn yourself into jail to serve your sentence.

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Want to find out if a family member or friend is in jail, or has gone to jail in the past?

To do so, you need to access the Oceana County jail website and do an inmate search lookup, and do a search using:

• Their name.
• Date of birth.
• Approximate booking date.
• and their jail inmate ID.

If you’re not sure if your friend or family member is in jail, you can also call the jail get confirmation.

If you think you might have an outstanding warrant, you can access arrest warrants inquiry on the website or you are able to call the jail directly. You have to have their first and last name. Or, you can just go the jail in person and ask the officer in charge. You should be clear that if you do have an outstanding warrant, they will take you into custody immediately.

If you know a person’s name, and possibly an arrest date, contact the Oceana County jail, either by phone, in person, or find out online. An arrest is public record and the information is available to anyone.

Civil processes are when you get served with papers, like warrants. You can find these by going to the Oceana County Sheriff’s office, on their website or by phone.

All convicted sex offenders have to be listed and registered on a sex offender database. The people on these databases have been convicted of a sex crime. You can access these listings on the website, but bear 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. These records include a court case file that includes a court docket and any documents filed in your case. You can access the court records via the internet service ‘Public Access to Court Electronic Records’, or at Clerk of Court in the county where the case was filed.

Each and every state maintains records of people’s criminal past. These state databases are linked together so you can track criminal backgrounds from another state. Go to county courthouse and make an inquiry, or check the website. It helps to know the county, and in the event that it was in a different state, you might have to pay for a more intensive search.

A criminal records search you will find out if someone has been arrested, charged, or convicted for the following crimes:

• DWI or DUI.
• Drug Possession.
• Kidnapping.
• Sexual offenses including rape, assault.
• Violent crimes including assault, battery and murder.
• Theft, breaking and entering.

If you do a criminal records check, you won’t be able to find out if that person has had:

• Speeding tickets.
• Drivers license revoked or suspended.
• Any accidents.
• Moving violations.
• Parking Tickets.

To find driving histories, you must do a search for their driving record.

Have you ever needed to find criminal records? Was it an easy process? Did you do your search online or did you make a phone call to the Oceana County courthouse? Did you get information that was correct? There are many reasons that folks search for criminal backgrounds and records, and your account might help other people.

Click here to share your story

Most Wanted

Everyone knows that the FBI has a list of the Ten Most Wanted Criminals. In Oceana County, the Oceana County Sheriff’s Department has their own list of the most wanted criminals, that you can access online.

FBI Ten Most Wanted List: Link


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Life In Jail / What Its Like

Daily Life

While the prospect of getting locked up in the Oceana County jail is something you wish you could avoid, in time you will get used to the routine that is set for you in jail. All inmates get a wake-up alarm every morning at six in the morning, and then you’ll have roll call. After roll call you will eat breakfast. When you finish 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 Oceana 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 Oceana 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 rules for sending funds to jail inmates is always changing, so you should visit the site when send funds to someone in jail there.


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 Oceana County Jail

The Deputy Sheriff is the second in command at the Oceana 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 Oceana County Jail

Requirements:

• You have to be over the age of 21.
• You have to possess a High School Diploma or GED
• You have to be a US Citizen.
• You have to pass a Criminal, Credit and Driving History background check.
• You have to pass a drug test.
• You have to have a good level of fitness.
• You have to be in good health.
• You have to 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.

Click here to leave a comment


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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:

• Victims have the right to protection from the accused.
• Victims have the right to notification.
• Victims have the right to attend proceedings.
• Victims have the right to speak at criminal justice proceedings.
• Victims have the right to consult with the prosecuting attorney.
• Victims have the right to restitution.
• Victims have the right to a speedy trial.
• Victims 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 tell about all about it

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 a prisoner in this jail? Do you know someone that is a prisoner there? Have you ever visited someone at this jail?

If you have, then you should write your review about it. Tell us about your experience because others can learn what to expect.

Things you might want to write in your review:

• Jail conditions.
• Jail and pod facility and layout
• Staff and guards
• Jail food and commissary
• Having Visitors
• The other inmates.
• Inmate safety
• Gangs
• Prisoner programs and activities


Speak Your Mind

Tell Your Story

Everybody who’s been arrested and thrown in jail has a story to tell. Why’d you end up in jail? Did you get fair treatment? How was day to day life at Oceana County Jail? Were the other inmates cool? How did it affect you to go to jail?

Click here to tell your story about Oceana County Jail

Send a Message to Your Cell Mate

Did you make friends in jail? Trying to get in touch with someone from jail? Say hello here, just leave a message below.

Say Hello to people incarcerated at Oceana County Jail


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