Prairie County Jail – Terry, MT

Prairie County Jail is located in Prairie County, MT and is the jail for the county. Know someone locked up in Prairie County Jail? This guide gives you about anything you might need to know about Prairie County Jail,like: How to locate an inmate at Prairie County Jail. How to view Prairie County Jail mugshots. The jail’s phone number and address. Bail and bail bondsmen. Prairie County Jail intake procedures. Court information and records. And lots more.

The chance of going to jail is a daunting and scary situation, not only for whoever gets arrested, but also their family and friends. The purpose of this guide is to give you all the advice and information that you need to make helping a friend or family member get out of jail a lot easier. If you have a specific question, please feel free to ask it, and also any comments or tips that would be beneficial to others would be welcome.

Do you know someone that is in jail and want to locate them?

Do you know somebody that has been arrested and you need to find them?

To search who’s in jail at Prairie County Jail you should visit their link and do an inmate search.

The Prairie County Jail Inmate Roster is an online list of people who were arrested and are now in jail, which includes current status, how much their bail is, and visiting hours. Also, you can get information for anyone arrested and booked or discharged within the past 24-hour period. Inmates are listed in alphabetical order by their last name. You’ll be able to locate the information faster if you’ve got your friend or family member’s first and last name, date of birth, or inmate ID Number.

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

A mugshot, also known as a jail booking picture, is a photograph that the jail takes when you get processed at jail intake. A mugshot is actually two photos one and a profile photo. Your name and booking number will be on the mugshot, and they are stored at the jail.

Mugshots of Prairie County Jail inmates can be viewed on the Prairie County Jail website, or you can see them in person at the Prairie County Jail. When viewing online you have to put in the first and last name, and a booking date, if you know it.

Do you want to have your mugshot taken off of the Prairie County Jail website? This will be difficult, as your mugshot is a matter of public record. To get your mugshot removed you have to file a Petition to Expunge with the court. This means that your arrest record will be sealed, and will not be accessible. Depending on your situation, this may be a longshot.

For a more in-depth article about removing your mugshot, the different mugshot websites, and the mugshot removal websites: How To Get Your Mugshot Taken Down

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If you’re locked up, your main thought is about when and how you will get out. After you’ve gone through the intake process, bail is decided by a special judge called a magistrate. In cases where no bail is set this might mean that you will either be released on your ‘own recognizance’ until your court date, or you don’t get released while you wait for your court date.

If you do bail out you are required to promise to show up for court, and until that day you won’t be allowed to leave the county.

Typically, inmates can earn time off in exchange for good behavior when they don’t break the rules and don’t cause any problems while in jail.

If you follow the rules, you may be granted work release. You will be required to go back to jail every day when you’re finished with work, or you could have the chance to move to a halfway house instead of jail, so it is kind of like an early release.

Bail is how much money that you have to pay to the courts to get out of jail pending trial. The amount you will have to pay depends on the seriousness of your charges. You will need to put up 10 percent of the total that was set so you can bail out of jail. If you fail to show up for court, the person that bailed you out of jail will lose all of the bail money.

To find out someone’s bail amount you need to call the jail or the county courthouse. If you have all the person’s information, such as name, address and date of birth, they’ll be able to let you know what their bail is set at. You can also see the bail amount on the jail website.

Posting bail to get out of jail is never a fun thing, but thankfully, it is really easy if you have the money. First of all, you have to find out if their bail is a “Cash Bond Only” situation. If it is, you won’t be able to use a bondsman. Take cash only to the jail – they will not accept a check. Once you have paid the bond, the person will get released. If they don’t violate the terms of their bail, the bail money you posted will be returned to you.

If the amount of bail set is large, or you can’t afford it yourself, you should try a bail bondsman. They will usually charge a fee of 10 to 15 percent of the total amount of bail set, and sometimes with a minimum of $100. This is non-refundable and bondsmen usually only accept cash. If their bail has been set particularly high, the bondsman will usually request to use your personal assets as collateral.

To talk to a bail bondsman go to: Bail bondsman

Have you ever used the services of Bail Bondsman because you or someone you know got arrested? If so, please leave a comment below and tell about your experience and let us know how it worked out.

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

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The intake process takes you through the following steps:

• You will get put in a holding cell. If the jail is busy, you will have to wait a while to get processed.
• The first thing you will have to is you have to answer a bunch of questions, like what is your full name, street address, birthdate and a contact person.
• They’ll also ask you about your medical and psychological history.
• You will be given an inmate number.
• Your fingerprints will be taken.
• You will get your mugshot taken.
• All of your personal property will get taken away from you and stored until you get discharged from jail.
• You will be allowed to make a telephone call in order to get in touch with a family member, friend, or bail bondsman.
• If you are expected to be released shortly, you might be able to wear your street clothes, if not you will be given a jail uniform – the jumpsuit.

Have you been arrested and gone through jail intake? If so, please share your experience. How long did it take to get processed? How were you treated? Do you have any things that will help other people make it through the process?

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When you post bail, you will be allowed to go home after you get discharged. The discharge process takes from 10 minutes to all day long. Or, simply, the faster you can pay your bail, the quicker you will get discharged from jail. Also, how fast you get released depends on if you’ve been given a bond amount or if a magistrate still needs to decide on your bail amount. For minor offenses, you will be booked and get released without having to post bail. When you have served out your jail sentence and have a release date, you should plan to get released anywhere between the hours of 9am and 12pm.

for your arrest, or if you have to start a jail sentence, it is highly recommended that you follow the law and turn yourself in. If you have a warrant, report to the jail, in the reception area, and tell someone that believe that there could be an outstanding warrant for your arrest. They will do a check to find out if there is an arrest warrant for you, and if they verify that there is a warrant for your arrest, they will ask that you surrender yourself and you will be taken into custody. When reporting to serve a sentence, go down to the jail on the date and time that the sentence order lists. Be very careful that you are not late to report. Only bring necessary items when you turn yourself in, such as a driver’s license or even ID, any prescription medication you might take, as well as a sentencing order.

In order to have visitors, inmates need to give each visitor’s name and date of birth to the jail in advance. Your visitor’s names will be put into a log of approved visitors as an approved visitor. Every visitor will have to provide proof of identification. Any visitors arriving late or without a visiting order will not be able to attend visitation.
Visitation procedures are always changing, so we suggest that you double-check the official site before you go.

The only phone calls that inmates are allowed to make are made through a jail approved pre-paid phone account or phone card . Jail phone calls are a lot pricier than phone calls made at home. There are certain restrictions about when and how often you can use the phone, but inmates should keep in mind that a long line can form at the phones, because everyone wants to use the phone, too. If you are disciplined for an infraction, an inmate’s phone privileges may be limited or cut altogether.

The Prairie County Jail phone number is: 406-635-5738

All mall sent to inmates has to be sent using the actual US Postal Service. You cannot use any other form of mail delivery. You have to clearly write the person’s name, inmate ID, and jail address on the letter that you send. Do not mail anything in a box or package, padded envelope, plastic or paper bag, or an envelope with metal in it. All mail received by the jail is opened and read and inspected by the staff, and will be returned to the sender if the jail decides it is inappropriate.

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

Prairie County Jail
217 West Park Street
Terry, MT 59349

Here is how you should address the letter:

[INMATE’S FULL NAME]
[INMATE ID]
Prairie County Jail
217 West Park Street
Terry, MT 59349

The inmate mail policy at Prairie County Jail changes often, so be sure to review the official Prairie County Jail site before you send a letter.

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If you get arrested, you have particular rights, the first of which is your right to request an attorney. You only get so many phone calls when you get arrested, so make sure to ask a friend or family member to find an attorney when you talk to them. I know you’re probably asking yourself right now ‘do I really need an attorney?’ While you are not required to have one, a criminal attorney can advise you of your rights, protect your interests and help you through the complicated court system in Prairie County. The faster you get an attorney working on your situation, the better.

For more detailed information on how to find a lawyer, go to: Find an Attorney

If you are in trouble, but can’t afford an attorney, you will be given a public defender for a lawyer. Also, the Public Defender Office has a number of staff such as investigators, experts in forensics and case workers. Public Defenders are real lawyers, admitted to the State Bar and are legally licensed to handle your case.

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

Prairie County court records are a matter of public record. They have a case file containing a docket and all documents in your case. You can access your court case records via the online service, or at the Clerk of Court where the case was filed.

The Clerk of Court is an officer of the court that maintains court records and controls access to them. The Clerk of Court also administer the oath in a court case, and also read the jury’s verdict. All court records from your case are kept at Prairie County Clerk of Court office.

Court fees and costs are the charges associated with your case, such as filing charges, motion and claim fees, and court appearance fees. If you don’t have the money 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 Prairie County court magistrate is the person who presides over your case in court. Magistrates are judges that do a number of different things, such as setting your bail amount, writing arrest warrants, and acting as the presiding judge over initial court appearances and detention proceedings.

A defendant’s pre-sentencing report is put together with the defendant’s background information and details of the defendant’s life and public history, which the magistrate will consider when determining the sentence. Information, details, and character witnesses will be collected from the defendant, his or her family, and in some cases the victim. Don’t forget you can ask to receive your own copy of your pre-sentencing report before your sentencing, so you can correct any inaccurate information.

When you are convicted of a crime, you will then get sentenced. The presiding judge in your case will weigh several options when determining your sentence, including community service and probation, to incarceration in either jail (short term) or prison (long term). Depending on the severity of the crime, you might get immediately taken into custody, or you could get a date that you are required to turn yourself into jail to do your time.

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

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

• The inmate’s name.
• Birth date.
• Their approximate booking date.
• or inmate ID.

If you think this person is in jail, you can call the jail to find out.

If you think you have an outstanding warrant, you are able to check the arrest warrants inquiry on the Prairie County court website or you can call the jail. You have to have the person’s first and last name. You can also go to the local jail and ask them. Keep in mind that there is an outstanding warrant for your arrest, you will be taken into custody immediately.

If you know the person’s name, as well as the date of their arrest, contact the Prairie County jail, by phone, go there in person, or find out online. An arrest is a matter of public record and this information is available to anyone.

A Civil Process is when someone has been served with papers, such as a court order. You can access civil process orders by contacting the Sheriff’s office, online or by phone.

All registered sex offenders are required to be registered on either a national or state sex offender database. The people on these databases have been convicted in a court of law of a sex offense. You can access these offenders on the internet, but you should know that you can’t get the precise address, but only the block they live on.

Court Records are public, and are accessible by anyone. Court Records include a case file that contains a docket sheet and all documents and filings filed in the court case. You can access the court records via the internet service ‘Public Access to Court Electronic Records’, or at Clerk of Court where the case was filed.

Each and every state maintains records of someone’s criminal background. These online databases are all linked and you can track criminal backgrounds from any other state. Go to county courthouse and check in person or you can check the website. It helps to know the county, and if it was in a different state entirely, you might have to pay a fee for a more comprehensive search.

A search of someone’s criminal history you will find out if someone has been arrested, charged, or convicted for any of the following crimes:

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

If you do a criminal records check, usually will not find out if they has had:

• Speeding or reckless driving.
• Lost their driver’s license or license revoked or suspended.
• Accidents.
• Other moving violations.
• Parking Tickets.

To find driving records, you will have to do a search for their driving history.

Have you ever had to search for criminal records of someone you know? How hard was it? Did you do your search online or did you have to make a phone call to the courthouse? Was the information correct? There are plenty of reasons that people search for criminal records and backgrounds, and your story could help other people that are in the same situation.

Click here to share your story

Most Wanted

Everyone knows that the FBI has a listing of the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. In Prairie 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 getting locked up in Prairie County Jail is quite unpleasant, eventually you will become accustomed to the daily routine there. Prisoners get a wake-up alarm each morning at 6am, and then you’ll have roll call. After roll call you will get breakfast. When you finish eating breakfast participate 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 Prairie 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 Prairie 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 process for sending money to someone in jail at Prairie County Jail could change, so we suggest that you visit the the Prairie County Jail website when you send money to an inmate 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 Prairie County Jail

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

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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 your story

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

If your answer is yes, then please tell us about it. Write down your experience so that other people will know what to expect.

Things you might want to include in the review:

• Jail conditions.
• Jail and pod facility and layout
• Staff and guards
• Food and commissary
• Visitation Days
• Inmates.
• Prisoner safety
• Gangs
• Programs and activities


Let Everyone Know

Tell Your Story

Anyone who’s ever been arrested and sent to jail has some stories about their time ‘inside’. How’d you get locked up? Did you experience fair treatment? How was day to day life at Prairie County Jail? What were the other inmates like? How did getting locked up affect your life?

Click here to tell about all about it

Send a Message to Your Cell Mate

Did you meet some cool folks in jail? Do you need to get in touch with somebody you met when you were locked up? Say hello here, just leave a message below.

Send a message to Prairie County Jail


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