Forrest County Jail – Hattiesburg, MS

Forrest County Jail is in Forrest County, MS and is the correctional facility for this region. Looking for someone locked up at Forrest County Jail? This guide tells you all about anything you might need to know about Forrest County Jail,like the following: Find out who’s in jail at Forrest County Jail? How to view Forrest County Jail mugshots. The jail’s phone number and address. Posting bail. Booking and intake procedures. Court information. And more…

The thought of getting arrested and going to jail is a scary and stressful idea, not only for whoever gets arrested, but also their family and friends. The goal of this guide is to offer information that you need to make helping a friend or family member get out of jail a lot easier. If you have a question, just ask them, and please leave any feedback or comments that would be a benefit to other people in the same situation would be appreciated.

Do you have a family member or friend that is incarcerated and want to locate them?

Do you know someone who has been arrested and you don’t know how to find out what jail they’re in?

To find out who is in jail at Forrest County Jail you have to go to their web site and do an inmate search.

The Forrest County Jail Inmate Lookup has information on people currently in custody, which includes status, bail amount, and schedule for visitation. Also, you can find information on anybody arrested and processed or discharged in the past 24-hour period. Inmates are shown in alphabetical order by their last name. You can get the information fast if you enter their name, date of birth, or arrest number.

If the person you’re searching for may be in another jail you will want to look here: Mississippi Jails

A mugshot, or jail intake photo, is the photo taken by the police when you get booked into jail. They take one face photo and a side-view photo. Your name and booking number will be on the pictures, and they will be stored.

Mugshots of inmates can be seen on the website, or you can go in person to the Forrest County Jail. When you search for mugshots online you need to enter their legal name, and the arrest date.

Are you trying to have your mugshot removed from the Forrest County Jail website? This will be difficult, because the mugshot is public record. To get your mugshot removed you need to file a Petition to Expunge in court. This means that your arrest record would be sealed, so no one will be able to access them. It is difficult to do this, and you will most likely need the services of a lawyer.

For more information about getting your mugshot taken down, the various mugshot sites, and the websites that offer to remove your mugshot for you: How To Get Your Mugshot Taken Down

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Naturally, if you’re locked up, your only thought is when and how to get out. After you’ve been booked, your bail will be decided using the bail schedule or the magistrate will decide it. If you don’t get a bail set this may mean that you will either get released, pending trial, or you are kept in jail until your court date.

If you are released you will have to promise to show up for court, and until that date you won’t be permitted to go out of town.

In most cases, inmates are given time off for good behavior if they respect the rules and don’t cause any problems while incarcerated.

If you prove to be trustworthy, you might be given work release detail. You will be required to stay jail at the end of the day when you’re finished working, or you may get to move to a halfway house instead of living at the jail.

Bail is money that you have to pay in order to be released from jail until your court date. The amount you have to pay is determined by the seriousness of your crime. You will have to post 10 percent of the total set in order to be released. If you miss your court date, the person that bailed you out of jail will lose that money.

In order to find out how much someone’s bail is, you will have to call the jail or the county courthouse. If you’ve got the person’s information, such as name, address and date of birth, they’ll let you know the bail amount. Also, you can find out how much their bail is on the Forrest County Jail site.

Having to bail someone out of jail is never a fun thing, but fortunately, it is really easy if you have the money. First of all, you need to know if their bail is a “Cash Bond Only”. If it is, you won’t be able to use a Bail Bondsman. They only accept cash at the jail, so you have to take cash – they will not take a check. As soon as you’ve posted (paid) bond, the person will be released to your care. If the conditions of bail are not violated, you’ll get your money back.

If their bail has been set too high, or you just can’t afford it, you should hire a bail bondsman. Bail bondsmen usually charge you a fee of 10 to 15 percent of the total bail amount, and usually have a minimum of $100. The money you pay to the bail bondsman is non-refundable and bondsmen usually only accept cash. If their bail has been set particularly high, the bondsman might require that they use assets as collateral in addition to the fee they charge.

You can find a bail bondsman click here: Find a bail bondsman

Have you ever hired a bail bondsman because you or someone you know got arrested? If so, please share your experience in a comment below, and let us know how it worked out.

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

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The intake process includes each of the following steps:

• You will be placed in a waiting area or cell. When the jail is busy, you will have to wait a while to get processed.
• Firstly, you will answer some basic questions, like what is your full legal name, home address, birth date and an emergency contact.
• Also, you will also be asked about your psychological and medical history.
• You will be issued an inmate number.
• You will be fingerprinted.
• You will get your mugshot taken.
• All personal property will be taken away from you and stored until you get discharged from jail.
• You will then be allowed to make a telephone call in order to contact a member of your family, friend, or bail bondsman.
• If you think you will get released quickly, you might get to keep wearing your own clothes, but if you are not expected to make bail quickly 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 your story. How long did it take to get through intake? Were you treated fairly? Do you have any things that could help other people that get arrested get through jail processing?

Click here to post a comment

When you post bail, you will be discharged from jail. Getting discharged from jail can take between 15 minutes to hours or even all day long. Or, simply, the faster you can pay your bail, the faster you will be released. It also will depend on whether or not you have a cash bond amount or if the magistrate still needs to decide on your bail amount. For lesser charges, you will simply be booked and get released without having to post bail. If you have served a sentence in jail and have a discharge date, you should plan to be discharged that morning.

out against you, or if you need to start a jail sentence, you should follow the law and turn yourself in willingly. For a warrant, go down to the jail intake area, and tell someone that think that there is 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 there is one, they will take you into custody and begin the intake process. If you have a jail sentence to serve, go to the jail on the date and time that the sentence order requires you to. Be sure that you don’t show up late. Just bring things that are allowed with you, such as your driver’s license or your ID, any prescription medication you might take, along with your doctor’s prescription, as well as the official sentencing order.

Inmates need to list each visitor’s name and date of birth to the jail in advance. This information will be entered into a log of visitors as an Authorized visit. All visitors must provide acceptable photo identification. Visitors showing up late or that is not on the visitation list will not be allowed to visit the inmate.
Visitation procedures frequently change, so double-check the jail site before you try to visit an inmate.

All phone calls from jail are made through a jail approved pre-paid phone account or phone card . Phone calls made in jail are a lot more expensive than phone calls made outside of jail. Inmates are able to make phone calls, with restrictions on when and how often you can use the phone, but inmates must keep in mind that you are just one of many people who want to talk to their loved ones. If you are disciplined for an infraction, an inmate’s phone privileges could be reduced or cut altogether.

The Forrest County Jail phone number is: 601-544-7800

All mail is required to be sent using the US Postal Service. You cannot use any other method of delivery. You have to clearly write or type the person’s name, inmate ID number, and the jail address on the envelope. Don’t send a package or box, envelope with padding, plastic or paper bag, or an envelope with metal inside. Any mail will be opened and examined by the jail staff, and the mail will be sent back if they decide it is inappropriate.

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

Forrest County Jail
P.O. Box 747
Hattiesburg, MS 39403

Here is how you should address the letter:

[INMATE’S FULL NAME]
[INMATE ID]
Forrest County Jail
P.O. Box 747
Hattiesburg, MS 39403

The Forrest County Jail inmate mail policy changes frequently, so visit the site before you send a letter.

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If you get arrested, you still have rights, one of these being your right to request a lawyer. You only get so 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. I know you’re probably asking yourself right now ‘I don’t need a lawyer – I can just represent myself’ You can represent yourself if you really want to, but, a criminal defense lawyer can advise you of your rights, help protect your interests and show you the way through the legal system in your county. The faster you hire an attorney to represent you and work on your case, the better off you’ll be.

For more information on this, read: How to Find an Attorney in Forrest County

If you’ve been arrested and cannot afford a lawyer, you will be given a public defender for a lawyer. The Public Defender is staffed by investigators, experts in forensics and case workers. You should be reassured that Public Defenders are full-fledged lawyers that are members of the Mississippi State Bar and are completely licensed to practice law and represent you in court.

Have you ever had to use a court appointed attorney or Public Defender? Do you think they properly handled your case?

All court records are a matter of public record. Court records include a file containing a docket and all of the documents and motions that have been filed. You have the ability to access the records and documents in your court case using the website, or at the Clerk’s office of the Court where the case was filed.

The Forrest County Clerk of Court is an officer and clerk of the court that maintains court records. They also administer the oath in a court case, and read the court verdict when the jury has finished deliberations. All records, documents, and evidence from your case are kept at Clerk of Court.

Court fees are all costs associated with your case, such as filing fees, motion and claim fees, and court charges. If you cannot afford these fees and have court appointed legal counsel or a Public Defender, you may not have to pay them.

A Magistrate is the type of judge that presides on your case. Magistrates are judges that do different tasks, like setting your bail amount, writing arrest warrants, and presiding over preliminary court proceedings and detention proceedings.

A pre-sentencing report is prepared with information about the defendant’s background and details of the arrestee’s life, which the judge will take into consideration when decide your sentence. Information will be gathered from the person on trial, the defendant’s family, and, if applicable, the victim of the crime. Bear in mind you can request to have a copy of the pre-sentencing report before you are sentenced, and review it and correct any mistakes.

If you get convicted of a crime, you will then get sentenced. There are several different options for sentencing, including community service and probation, to incarceration in either jail (short term) or prison (long term). Depending on how serious your crime was, you will either be taken into custody immediately, or given a date that you are required to report to jail to serve your jail time according to your sentence.

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Do you want to find out if some you know is incarcerated in jail, or has ever been locked up?

You can you need to access the jail website and do an inmate search, and search by:

• Their name.
• Birthdate.
• Approximate booking date.
• and their jail ID.

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

If you have an outstanding warrant for your arrest, you can access court records online or call the jail. This requires a first and last name. You can also go to the local jail and inquire at the information desk. You should be clear that there is an outstanding warrant for your arrest, they will take you into custody immediately.

If you have a first and last name, as well as the date of their arrest, contact the jail, by phone, go there in person, or look online. Records of arrests are a matter of public record and this is freely available.

Civil processes are when someone has been served with papers, which can be warrants. You can access civil process orders by contacting the Sheriff’s office, online or by phone.

All people registered as sex offenders are required to be listed and registered on either a national or state sex offender database. Those listed on these databases have been convicted in a court of law of a sex or kidnapping crime. You can access this information on the internet, but remember that you will not be able to find the street address, rather the neighborhood block that they live on.

Court Records are public records and available to anyone. These records include a case file that contains a court docket and all of the documents filed in the case. You can access the court records on the internet, or at the Forrest County Clerk of Court office where the case was filed.

Each and every state keeps a record of someone’s criminal history. These databases are all connected so you are able to track criminal histories from another state. You can go to the Forrest County Courthouse and check in person, or you can check online. It is helpful to know the county, and in the event that the crime was in a totally different state, you might have to pay a fee for a more intensive search.

A criminal records search you will get a listing of all the arrests, charges, or convictions for any of the following crimes:

• DUI or DWI.
• Drug offenses.
• Kidnapping.
• Rape or other sexual assault.
• Violent crimes.
• Breaking and entering, theft, larceny.

If you do a criminal records check, you will not learn if that person had:

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

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

Have you ever tried to search for someone’s criminal records? How easy was it? Was your search online or did you have to call the local courthouse? Was it correct? There are many reasons that folks search for criminal records, and your account might help other people.

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Most Wanted

The FBI has a listing of the Ten Most Wanted Criminals. In Forrest County,The Sheriff’s Department maintains their own list of the top most wanted criminals in the county.

FBI Top Ten Most Wanted List: Link


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Life In Jail / What Its Like

Daily Life

While the prospect of spending time in the Forrest County jail is quite unpleasant, you will soon get used to the routine that is set for you. Inmates get an alarm for wake-up at 6:00AM, and then roll call. Then you will have breakfast. When you finish eating breakfast you will work in the work program that you’ve been assigned to. 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 Forrest 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 Forrest 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 money to inmates at Forrest County Jail is always changing, so be sure to visit the official Forrest County Jail site when send money 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 Forrest County Jail

The Deputy Sheriff is the second in command at the Forrest 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 Forrest 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.

Tell Your Story


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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 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 spent any time in this jail? Do you have a friend or family member that spent time there? Have you ever been to visit someone at this jail?

If so, then we would like you to write your review about it. Write about what you experienced so that others can find out what to expect.

Things you might want to put in the review:

• Conditions at the jail.
• Jail and pod facility and layout
• Jail staff and Guards
• Jail food and commissary
• Visitors
• Other Inmates.
• Prisoner safety
• Jail gangs
• Prisoner programs and activities


Write Your Review

Tell Your Story

Anybody that’s ever been locked up has a story to tell. How’d you get locked up? Were you mistreated? How was day to day life at Forrest County Jail? Tell us about the other inmates. Did going to jail affect your life? How?

Click here to leave a comment

Send a Message to Your Cell Mate

Make some good friends in jail? Trying to talk to an inmate you met while you were incarcerated? Then send them a message by posting a comment below.

Send a message to people incarcerated at Forrest County Jail


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