Bergen County Jail – Hackensack, NJ

Bergen County Jail is in Bergen County, New Jersey and is the primary correctional facility for that region. Do you know someone incarcerated at Bergen County Jail? This page will tell you information about everything a person needs to know about Bergen County Jail: How to locate an inmate. How to view Bergen County Jail mugshots. The jail’s address and phone number. Posting bail. Bergen County Jail intake procedures. Court information and records. And much more…

The prospect of going to jail is a scary and daunting thought, not only for whoever gets arrested, but also their family, friends, and loved ones. This guide is designed to give you information and advice that you need to make helping someone 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 might be a benefit to other people in the same situation would be much appreciated.

Do you have a family member, loved one, or friend that is locked up and don’t know how to contact them?

Has a family member or friend who has been arrested and you don’t know how to find out what jail they’re in?

In order to search who’s in jail at Bergen County Jail you need to click on their web site and use the inmate lookup.

The Bergen County Jail Inmate Roster has information on people who are in jail, including status, how much their bail is, and times you can visit. Also, you are able to find the same information about anybody processed or discharged within the last 24 hours. Prisoners are listed alphabetically by their last name. You’ll be able to locate the information more quickly if you enter the arrestee’s name, date of birth, or inmate ID Number.

If the person you’re searching for is incarcerated at a different jail you can check the other New Jersey county jails in our New Jersey County Jail Guide: New Jersey County Jails

A mugshot, or booking photo, is a picture that the police take when you get processed at jail intake. They will take one and a side picture. Your name and booking number will be on the pictures, and they are on file at the jail.

Mugshots of inmates can be searched online, or you can see them in person at the Bergen County Jail. When you search for mugshots online you have to enter the prisoner’s first and last name, and an arrest date, if you have it.

Are you trying to figure out what to do in order to have your mugshot erased from the Bergen County Jail website? This will be difficult, since your mugshot is a public record. To get your mugshot removed you will need to file a Petition to Expunge with the court. This means that your arrest record would be sealed, and will not be available to the public. Depending on your situation, this may be a longshot.

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

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Once you’re locked up, your main thought is about when and how you will get out. After booking, bail is decided either by bail schedule or magistrate. If there is no bail set this can mean that you will either be free to go until your trial, or you must remain in jail until your trial.

If you are released you must agree to be there for your court date, and you can’t leave town.

Usually, prisoners are given time off for good behavior when they respect the rules and conduct themselves properly while they are in jail.

If you prove to be trustworthy, you might be allowed to participate in work release. You will have to go back to the jail at the end of the day when you’re finished at your job, or you might get to move to a halfway house instead of jail, so it is kind of like an early release.

Bail is the amount of money that you will be required to pay to be released from jail until you go to court. The amount you will be required to pay is dictated by how serious your crime is. You will need to pay 10 percent of the total that was set so you are able to get discharged from jail. If you don’t go to your court date, the person that paid your bail will lose that bail money.

In order to find out how much someone’s bail is, you need to call the jail. If know the person’s information, including name, address and date of birth, they’ll tell you what their bail is set at. You can also find out how much their bail is online.

Having to get someone out of jail is an unpleasant situation, but thankfully, it is easy if you have the money. First of all, you need to find out if their bail is a Cash Only Bond situation. If so, you won’t be able to use a Bail Bondsman. They only accept cash at the jail, so you have to take cash – the jail can’t take checks. As soon as you’ve paid the bail bond, the person will be released into your care. If this person doesn’t violate any of the terms of their release, you’ll get your money back.

If the amount of bail set is large, of if you can’t pay it, you might need to use a bail bondsman. They will usually have a fee of 10-15% of the total bail amount, and sometimes charge a minimum charge of $100. The money you pay to the bail bondsman will not be returned to you and bondsmen usually only accept cash. If bail is very large, the bondsman will in most cases require that they use assets as collateral for the bond.

To find a local bail bondsman click here: How to find a bail bondsman

Have you ever had to use a bail bondsman either for yourself, a family member or friend? If so, please share your experience in a comment below, and let us know how things turned out.

Click here to tell about all about it

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

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The jail intake process takes you through these steps:

• You will be placed in a waiting area or cell. If the jail is really busy, you will have to wait a while to get processed.
• Firstly, you will have to answer a bunch of questions, like what is your legal name, your address, birthdate and an emergency contact person.
• They’ll also ask you about your mental and medical history.
• You’ll be given an inmate ID.
• Your fingerprints will be taken.
• You will have your mugshot taken.
• All personal property will be taken from you and stored until you are discharged.
• You will be allowed to use the phone to call a member of your family, friend, or bondsman to arrange bail.
• If you think you will get released quickly, you might get to wear your own clothes, if not you will be issued a jumpsuit.

Have you ever been booked into jail? If you have, you should tell us what happened. How long did you have to wait in the holding cell? What was your treatment like? Do you have any tips that could help other people to get through the procedure?

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Once bail has been posted, you will be discharged from jail. Getting discharged may take between 15 minutes to many hours. So, the quicker you post bail, the sooner you can get released from jail. Also, how fast you get released can depend on if you have a cash bond or if a magistrate 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 discharge date, plan to get released that morning.

If the sheriff has a, or if you must begin your jail sentence, you should follow the rules and turn yourself in. If you have a warrant, go to the jail intake center, and tell an officer that you think there may be a warrant out for your arrest. A record check will be run, and if you do, they will take you into custody and begin the intake process. If you are reporting to serve out your sentence, go down to the jail at the time and date that the sentence order or court paperwork states. Be very careful that you aren’t late. Be sure to only bring required items when you go to jail, like your driver’s license or state issued ID, prescription medication, as well as the official sentencing order.

Inmates need to provide each visitor’s name to the jail. Your visitors will be entered in a log of visitors as an Authorized visit. Each visitor has to provide a photo ID when visiting. Any visitors arriving late or that does not have a visitation order will not be allowed to attend visitation.
The Bergen County Jail visitation procedures are always changing, so visit the jail site before go to the jail to visit an inmate.

Phone calls that inmates are allowed to make from jail are made through a jail approved pre-paid phone account or phone card . Jail phone calls are much more expensive than phone calls made outside of jail. There are certain restrictions about when and how often you can use the phone, but inmates should keep in mind that you are just one of many people who want to talk to their loved ones. If you break the jail rules, your ability to use the phone might get cut back or cut altogether.

Phone Number: 201-336-3500

Any mail that you send to an inmate must be sent via the actual US Postal Service. You shouldn’t use any other method of mail or package delivery. You have to clearly write the person’s name, inmate ID, and jail address on the letter that you send. Do not send anything in a box or package, padded envelope, bag, or an envelope with metal inside. All mail is opened and inspected by staff, and the mail will be sent back if it can’t be delivered.

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

Bergen County Jail
160 S River Street
Hackensack, NJ 7601

Here is how you should address the letter:

[INMATE’S FULL NAME]
[INMATE ID]
Bergen County Jail
160 S River Street
Hackensack, NJ 7601

The mail policy changes, so we suggest that you visit the the Bergen County Jail website when you send a letter to an inmate.

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If you have been arrested, you still have rights, the most important of which is that you have the right to request a lawyer. You don’t get to make many phone calls when you get arrested, so it is a good idea to get a friend or family member to find a lawyer when you talk to them. You may be asking yourself ‘I don’t have to get a lawyer – I can just represent myself’ You are not required to have an attorney for some criminal charges, a criminal defense attorney will make sure you know your rights, look after your best interests and help you through the court system that you are now faced with. The faster you get an attorney working on your criminal case, the better off you’ll be.

For more detailed information on how to find a lawyer, click here: How to Find an Attorney

If you are in trouble, but can’t afford a lawyer, a Public Defender will be assigned to you. Also, the Public Defender is staffed by investigators, experts in forensics and social workers. You will be reassured to know that Public Defenders are bona-fide lawyers that are members of the State Bar and are fully licensed to handle your case.

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

Court records are a matter of public record. Court records have a case file with a sheet called a docket sheet and each of the motions, documents, and evidence in your case. You can access the records and documents in your court case using the internet service, or at the Clerk of Court.

The Clerk of Court is a member of the court who maintains the records. They also administer the oath for anyone testifying in court, and read the verdict when delivered by the jury. All records, documents, and evidence associated with your case are maintained at Bergen County Clerk of Court office.

Court fees and costs are the charges from your court case, for example filing fees, motion and claim fees, and court charges. If you are low income and have a Public Defender, you can get a waiver for these fees and won’t have to pay them.

A Magistrate is the person that will preside over your case in court. Magistrates do a number of different things, like setting bail, issuing warrants for arrest, and overseeing preliminary court proceedings and detention proceedings.

Your pre-sentencing report is put together to include information about your background and details of the arrestee’s life and history, which the judge will take into account when determining your sentence. Information, details, and character witnesses will be requested from the person on trial, his or her family members, and, if applicable, the victim of the crime. Keep in mind that you should request to see a copy of the pre-sentencing report prior to sentencing, and make sure that you go over it and correct any mistakes in it.

After being convicted of a crime, you will then get sentenced. The presiding judge in your case will weigh several options when determining your sentence, ranging from community service and probation, to even incarceration in either jail (short term) or prison (long term). Depending on the severity of the crime, you could be locked up immediately, or you might be given a date that you are supposed to surrender and report to jail to serve your sentence.

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Do you need to find out if a family member or friend is incarcerated, or has ever been locked up?

You can just query the Bergen County jail website and do an inmate search lookup, and search by:

• The inmate’s name.
• Birth date.
• Their approximate booking date.
• and their jail inmate ID.

If you’re not sure if this person is in jail or not, you can also call the jail to find out.

If you believe you have an outstanding warrant for your arrest, you can check the court records on the website or call the jail directly. You have to have the person’s first and last name. Or, you can just go down to the jail and ask one of the officers. You should know that if there is an arrest warrant out for you, you will be taken into custody immediately.

If you know the person’s first and last name, as well as the date of their arrest, contact the Bergen County jail, either by phone, go there in person, or you can check online. Arrest records are a matter of public record and the information is available to anyone.

A Civil Process is when someone has been served with papers, like a court order. You can access civil process orders by contacting the Bergen County Sheriff’s office, on their website or by phone.

All people registered as sex offenders are listed and registered on both a national and state sex offender database. The people on these databases have been tried by jury and convicted in a court of law of a sex crime. You can access these listings on the website, but keep in mind that you will not get the actual address, but rather the block of the address that they registered.

Court Records are public records. These records include a case file that contains a docket sheet and all of the documents and filings filed in your court case. You can access your court records on the internet, or at the Bergen County Clerk of Court where the case was filed.

Every state keeps a record of a person’s criminal background. These databases are all connected so you can track criminal convictions from another state. You are able to go to the Bergen County Courthouse and inquire, or you can 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 might have to pay for a more complete search.

When you look up a person’s criminal records you are able to find out if a person has ever been arrested, charged or convicted for any crimes, which can include:

• DWI or DUI.
• Drug crimes.
• Kidnapping.
• Sex offenses which could include rape, and sexual assault.
• Violent crimes including assault, battery and murder.
• Theft, breaking and entering.

If you do a criminal records check, you will not be able to see if they has had:

• Speeding tickets.
• Drivers license revoked or suspended.
• Been in a traffic accident.
• Moving violations.
• Parking Tickets.

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

Have you ever tried to search for someone’s criminal records? Was it an easy process? Was your search online or did you have to call the courthouse? Was the information correct? There are plenty of reasons that people look up criminal records, and your feedback could make it easier for others.

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Most Wanted

On a Federal level, the FBI has their list of the Top Ten Most Wanted Criminals. In Bergen County, the Sheriff has a list of most wanted criminals, too.

FBI Ten Most Wanted List


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Life In Jail / What Its Like

Daily Life

Just the thought of being incarcerated in Bergen County Jail is no fun, in time you will get used to the routine that is set for you in jail. Prisoners get an alarm for wake-up each morning at 6:00 AM, and next you’ll have roll call. After roll call you will get breakfast. After 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 Bergen 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 Bergen 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 might change, so we suggest that you check the the Bergen County Jail website before 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 Bergen County Jail

The Deputy Sheriff is the second in command at the Bergen 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 Bergen 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 share 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.

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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 at this jail? Do you know anybody that is an inmate there? Have you ever been to visit a prisoner there?

If your answer is yes, then you should leave a comment below about it. Write about your jail experience so other people can learn what to expect.

Things you might want to write in your comment:

• Conditions in Bergen County Jail.
• Jail layout and facility
• Guards and jail staff
• Food and commissary
• Visitation
• The other inmates.
• Safety
• Gang activity
• Prisoner activities and programs


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Tell Your Story

Everbody that’s been incarcerated has a story about it. Why were you locked up? How did the guards treat you? How was life in jail? What were the other inmates like? How did getting locked up affect your life?

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Send a Message to Your Cell Mate

Did you meet some cool folks in jail? Need to find someone you met in jail? Post a message to them below.

Post a message to people still locked up at Bergen County Jail


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