Lake County Jail – Polson, MT

Lake County Jail is in Lake County, Montana and is the primary jail for the region. Looking for somebody in Lake County Jail? This guide tells you info about anything you might want to know about Lake County Jailsuch as the following: Find an inmate at Lake County Jail. Find inmate mugshots. The jail’s address and phone number. Bail and bail bondsmen. Lake County Jail intake procedures. Court information. And lots more.

The thought of going to jail is a scary and daunting thought, not only for the person who gets arrested, but also their friends and family. The purpose of this guide is to give advice and information that you need to make helping someone get out of jail less stressful. If you have a specific question, feel free to ask it in the comment section below, and any comments or feedback that could be beneficial to other people in the same situation is appreciated.

Do you have a friend or family member that is in jail and need to find out where they are?

Has a family member or friend who’s been arrested and you need to find out where they are?

To find out who is in jail at Lake County Jail you need to visit their link and use the inmate search.

The Lake County Jail Inmate Roster has information on persons currently in custody, including current status, bail amount, and times you can visit. Also, you are able to get info about anybody arrested and booked or released in the last 24 hours. Jail inmates are listed in alphabetical order by their last name. You can get their inmate information fast if you’ve got your friend or family member’s full name, birth date, or inmate ID Number.

If your friend or family member might be at another jail you will want to check the other Montana county jails in our Montana County Jail Guide: Other Jails in Montana

A mugshot, also called a intake photo, is a photo taken by the police when you are processed at the jail intake. A mugshot is actually two photos one and a side photo. Your name and booking number will appear on the pictures, and they’re on file at the jail.

Mugshots can be searched online, or you can go in person to the Lake County Jail. When you search for mugshots on the website you will need to input their name, and the arrest date, if you have it.

Trying to figure out how to have your mugshot erased from the Lake County Jail website? This will be difficult, as your mugshot is public record. To get your mugshot taken down you need to file a Petition to Expunge in court. This means that the record of your arrest will 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 removing your mugshot, the different websites with mugshots, and the mugshot removal services: How To Get Your Mugshot Taken Down

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Naturally, if you are locked up, your main thought is about getting out. After you’ve gone through booking, your bail is set by a special judge called a magistrate. If you don’t get a bail set this may mean that you will either be released, or you have to stay in jail until your trial.

If you do bail out of jail you will have to promise to be in court on your court date, and in the meantime you are not permitted to travel out of the county.

In most cases, a prisoner will be given time off for good behavior if they follow the rules and conduct themselves properly while incarcerated.

If you do exhibit good behavior and the jail believes you can be trusted, you might be given work release detail. You will be required to return to the jail every day after work, or you may get to move into a halfway house instead of jail, so it is kind of like an early release.

Your bail is the amount of money that you will be required to pay to get out of jail pending trial. The amount you will be required to pay is dictated by how serious your charges are. You will have to put up ten percent of the total that was set before you can be released from jail. If you miss court, whoever paid your bail won’t get their money back.

To find out how much bail money you will need to bail someone out of jail need to call the Lake County Jail. If you’ve got the person’s information, such as name, address and date of birth, they’ll tell you how much their bail is. Also, you can see the bail amount on the Lake County Jail site.

Having to bail a friend or family member out of jail is never fun, but fortunately, it is really easy if you have the money. First of all, you need to find out if it is a Cash Only Bond situation. If this is the case, you won’t be able to use the services of a Bail Bondsman. They only accept cash at the jail, so you have to take cash – they will not take a check. When you’ve paid bail, the prisoner will be released to your care. If the conditions of bail are not violated, you’ll get the bail money back.

If their bail has been set too high, or you can’t afford it, you will need to use a bail bondsman. Bondsmen usually charge a fee of 10-15% of the bail amount, and sometimes have a minimum fee of $100. This will not be returned to you and bondsmen usually only accept cash. If the bail is exceptionally high, the bondsman will in most cases use assets as collateral for the bond in addition to whatever their charges are.

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

Have you ever used the services of bail bondsman for yourself, a family member or friend? If so, leave a comment below and tell your story, and let us know how it worked out.

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

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The intake process includes each of these steps:

• You will be placed in a waiting area or cell. When the jail is busy, it will take a while to get processed.
• The first thing you will have to is you have to answer some questions, such as your full name, your address, birthdate and a contact person.
• They’ll also ask you about your mental and medical history.
• You’ll be given an inmate ID.
• You will be fingerprinted.
• You will have your mugshot taken.
• Any property you have will be taken away from you and stored until you are released.
• You will be allowed to make a telephone call in order to contact a family member, friend, or bail bondsman.
• If you think you will get released quickly, you might be allowed to keep wearing your own clothes, if not you will have to change into a jail uniform.

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

Click here to share your story

When you finally post bail, you will be allowed to go home after you get discharged. The discharge process will take between 10 minutes to quite a few hours. In simple terms, the faster you can post bail, the faster you will be released. Also, how fast you get released can depend on whether or not you have a cash bond amount or if the judge still needs to figure out your bail amount. For lesser charges, you will get booked and released on your own recognizance. When you have served your sentence and have a release date, you should expect to get released at any time that day – but usually in the morning.

for your arrest, or if you must start a jail sentence, you really should do the right thing and turn yourself in willingly. For a warrant, go to the jail intake center, and tell an officer that believe that there could be a warrant for your arrest. A record check will be run, and if there is one, they will take you into custody. If you have a jail sentence to serve, go down to the jail on the date and time that the sentence order lists. Be sure that you are not late. Just bring things that are allowed when you turn yourself in, such as a driver’s license or photo ID, any prescription medication you might take, and a copy of the sentencing order.

The inmate must give the name and date of birth of each visitor to the jail in advance of any visit. Your visitors will be entered into a Visiting log as an Authorized visit. Each and every visitor is required to provide acceptable photo identification. Visitors arriving late or any visitors that are not approved to visit will not be able to attend visitation.
Visitation procedures can change, so you should visit the jail site before you visit an inmate.

All phone calls from jail are with a pre-paid phone card or account, or are collect calls . These phone calls are typically more expensive than phone calls made outside of jail. There is no limit to when and how often you can use the phone, but inmates should keep in mind lots of people want to use the phone – so you have to share. If you break the jail rules, an inmate’s phone privileges might get cut back or cut altogether.

Phone Number: (406) 883-7301

All mail is required to be mailed using the actual US Postal Service. You can’t use any other type of delivery. You have to print the name, prisoner number, and the address of the jail on the envelope. Do not send anything in a box, envelope with padding or insulation, bag, or an envelope with metal inside. All mail sent to inmates will be opened and examined and read by staff, and will get returned if deemed inappropriate.

The address that you should use if you are sending a letter to an inmate at Lake County Jail is:

Lake County Jail
106 4Th Ave.
Polson, MT 59860

Here is how you should address the letter:

[INMATE’S FULL NAME]
[INMATE ID]
Lake County Jail
106 4Th Ave.
Polson, MT 59860

The mail policy at Lake County Jail changes often, so you should check the official website when you send a letter.

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Even if you’ve been arrested, you still have certain rights, the first of which is that you have the right to request an attorney. You don’t get to make many phone calls when you get arrested, so you would be wise to have a friend or relative find a lawyer when you talk to them. You might be thinking ‘do I really need an attorney?’ You can represent yourself if you really want to, but, a criminal defense attorney can advise you of your rights, look after your best interests and help you understand the criminal justice system in your county. The quicker you get an attorney working on your criminal case, the better your chances.

For more info on how to find a lawyer, visit: How to Find an Attorney in Lake County

If you need an attorney, but can’t afford a lawyer, you will get a public defender. The Public Defender Office has a number of staff such as private investigators, experts in forensics and social case workers. All Public Defenders are actual lawyers that are admitted to the State Bar and are licensed to represent you in court and practice law.

Have you or someone you know used the services of a Public Defender? Do you think that they did a good job of defending you?

Court records are public records and are available upon request. They include a file containing a sheet called a docket sheet and all documents in the case. You have the ability to access your court records via the website, or at the Lake County Clerk of Court.

A Clerk of Court is an officer of the court who manages court records. They also administer the oath when court is in session, and also read the jury’s verdict. All records associated with your court case are kept and available to you at Clerk of Court’s office.

Court costs and court fees are the costs from your case, for example filing fees, motion fees and various court charges. If you can’t afford to pay these fees and have a court appointed attorney, you can get a waiver for these fees and won’t have to pay them.

The Lake County magistrate is the person that will preside over your court case. Magistrates are judges that do a number of different things, which include deciding a bail amount, issuing warrants, and overseeing initial court appearances and detention hearings.

A pre-sentencing report is put together with your background information and details of the defendant’s life, which the magistrate will take into account when determining a sentence. Information, details, and character witnesses will be collected from the defendant, their family, and, if applicable, the victim. Bear in mind you are allowed to ask to get a copy of this report prior to sentencing, so you have the opportunity to correct any inaccurate information.

If you get convicted of a crime during your trial, you will then get sentenced. There are a number of different options, including community service and probation, to even incarceration in jail or prison. Depending on the severity of the crime, you could be immediately taken into custody, or you could receive a date that you must to surrender and report to jail to serve your jail term according to your sentence.

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Are you trying to find out if someone is locked up, or has gone to jail in the past?

This is pretty simple to do, just you will have to visit the Lake County jail website and do an inmate search lookup, and do a search using:

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

If you think that they are currently in jail, you should call the jail to find out.

If you think you might have a warrant out for your arrest, you can access court records online or you can call the court. This requires a first and last name. Or, you can just go the jail in person and ask them. You should be clear that if there is a warrant for your arrest, you will be taken into custody immediately.

If you have a first and last name, as well as their arrest date, contact the Lake County jail, either by phone, in person, or check online. Arrest records are in the public record and this is accessible by the public.

A Civil Process is when you are served with legal papers, like court orders. You can find these civil process orders by going to the Sheriff’s office, by phone or online.

All registered sex offenders are listed and registered on the sex offender databases required by the area they live in. The people on these databases have been convicted of a sex offense. You are able to see this information online, but bear in mind that you can’t get the street address, but only the neighborhood block of the address that they registered.

Court Records are considered public records, so they are accessible to anyone who requests them. These records include a case file that includes a docket and any documents filed in your case. You can access the court records on the internet, or at the clerk’s office of the court in the jurisdiction where the case was filed.

Every state keeps a record of people’s criminal past. These state databases are linked together so you are able to track criminal convictions from another state. Go to the Lake County Courthouse and inquire, or check online. It helps to know which county the crime occurred in, and in the event that the crime was in a different state entirely, you may have to pay for a more comprehensive search.

When you look up someone’s criminal record you will be able to get a listing of all the arrests, charges, or convictions for any crimes, which can include:

• DWI or DUI.
• Drug crimes.
• Kidnapping.
• Rape or other sexual assault.
• Violent crimes including assault, battery and murder.
• Theft.

During a criminal records search, you generally will not find if they have had any:

• Speeding or reckless driving.
• Drivers license suspended or revoked.
• Any accidents.
• Minor infractions or moving violations.
• Parking Tickets.

To find this information, you have to do a search for their driving record.

Have you ever needed to find criminal records? How easy was it? Did you do your search online or did you have to call the Lake County courthouse? Was the information you received correct? There are many reasons that folks search for criminal records and backgrounds, and your account might make it easier for others.

Click here to share your story

Most Wanted

For Federal crimes, the FBI has their list of the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. In Lake County, the Lake County Sheriff’s Department maintains their own list of the top most wanted criminals in the county.

FBI Top Ten Most Wanted List: Link

Lake County Sheriff’s Department Ten Most Wanted List


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Life In Jail / What Its Like

Daily Life

Everyone knows that serving a jail sentence in Lake County Jail is very scary, you will soon become accustomed to the daily routine there. You will get a wake-up alarm at about 6:00 AM, and next they’ll do roll call. You will then eat breakfast. When you finish eating breakfast you will be required to work in the work program or other activity that you are assigned. 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 Lake 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 Lake 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 inmates at Lake County Jail changes, so it would be best to double check the official website when you send money to an inmate.


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 Lake County Jail

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

Click here to 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:

• 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 post 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 a prisoner at Lake County Jail? Do you have a friend or family member that spent time there? Have you ever visited an inmate in this jail?

If your answer is yes, then we would like you to write your review about it. Write down your jail experience so that other people can learn what to expect.

Things you can include in what you write:

• Conditions in Lake County Jail.
• Jail, yard and pod layout and facility
• Guards and staff
• Food and commissary
• Visitation
• The other inmates – what are they like?
• Prisoner safety
• Gangs
• Prisoner programs and activities


Click here to review Lake County Jail

Tell Your Story

Anyone who’s ever been arrested and sent to jail has some stories to tell about the whole experience. How’d you get locked up? Were you mistreated? How was life in jail? What about the other inmates? How has this experience impacted your life?

Tell the World All About It

Send a Message to Your Cell Mate

Did you meet some cool folks in jail? Do you need to say wassup to someone from jail? Write your message below.

Send a message to Lake County Jail

Links and Resources

Main Lake County Jail Website
Lake County Jail Inmate Search Link
View Lake County Jail Mugshots
Lake County Jail Bail Amount Link

Lake County Jail Visitation Policy Link
Lake County Jail Mail Policy
Lake County Jail Inmate Inquiry Link
Lake County Warrants
Lake County Jail Arrest Inquiry
Send Money to an Inmate at Lake County Jail
Lake County Jail Jobs


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