Union County Jail – Elizabeth, NJ

Union County Jail is located in Union County, NJ and is the correctional facility for that county. Looking for somebody in jail at Union County Jail? This guide tells you info about everything one might want to know about Union County Jail: Learn how to locate an inmate. Find mugshots. The jail’s address and phone number. Posting bail. Booking and intake procedures. Court information. And everything else.

The prospect of going to jail is a scary and stressful thought, not only for the person who goes to jail, but also that person’s family and friends. The goal of this guide is to give information and tips that you’ll need to make getting locked up a little less stressful. If you have questions, just ask it, and any feedback or comments that might be beneficial to others will be appreciated.

Do you have a friend or family member that has gone to jail and don’t know how to find them?

Has a friend or family member that has been arrested and you don’t know how to find them?

To search who is in jail at Union County Jail you will need to visit their web site and perform an inmate lookup.

The Union County Jail Inmate Lookup has information on persons who were arrested and are now in jail, including status, how much their bail is, and schedule for visitation. You can also find info on anybody booked or discharged within the last 24 hours. Prisoners are listed in alphabetical order by last name. You can locate the information fast if you enter their first and last name, date of birth, or arrest number.

If your friend or family member could possibly be at another county jail you will want to check our guide to other New Jersey jails: New Jersey County Jails Listing

A mugshot, also called a jail processing photograph, is the photo that the police take when you get booked into jail. A mugshot is make of one and a side-view photo. Your full name and jail ID number will be on the mugshot, and they’re on file at the jail.

Mugshots can be searched on the Union County Jail website, or you can view them at the Union County Jail. When you search for mugshots online you have to input the prisoner’s first and last name, and a booking date, if you know it.

Are you trying to get your mugshot erased from the Union County Jail website? This may not be possible, since the mugshot is a public record. You must file a Petition to Expunge with the court. Basically, this means that all of your arrest records will be sealed, and will not be available to the public. It is difficult to do this, and you will most likely need the services of a lawyer.

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

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Obviously, once you’re incarcerated, your primary thought is about getting out. After booking, bail will be determined by the magistrate. If no bail is set this can mean that you will either be free to go until your trial, or you don’t get released while you wait for your court date.

If you are released you will have to agree to be in court on your court date, and until that day you are not allowed to go out of town.

Typically, inmates will be given time off for good behavior if they follow the rules and don’t cause any problems while incarcerated.

If you follow the rules, you may be allowed to do work release. You will be required to return to jail at the end of the day after work, or you may be allowed to live in a halfway house instead of the jail.

Your bail is how much money that you will be required to pay in order to be released from jail until you go to court. Your bail amount depends on the seriousness of your charges. Someone will have to pay to the courts 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 appearance, the person that bailed you out of jail won’t get their money back.

To find out someone’s bail amount you must call the Union County Jail. If you’ve got the person’s information, like name, address and date of birth, they will be able to let you know how much their bail is. Also, you can find out how much their bail is on the jail website.

Bailing out of jail is never fun, but fortunately, its really easy. First, figure out if their bail is a Cash Only Bond situation. If it is, you can’t get a Bail Bondsman. Take cash only to the jail – they will not accept a check. Once you have paid the bond, the prisoner will be released into your care. If this person doesn’t violate any of the terms of their release, you’ll get the bail money back.

If the amount of bail set is large, or you can’t afford it, you might need to use a bail bondsman. Bail bondsmen generally charge a fee of 10 to 15 percent of total bail, and sometimes have a minimum fee of $100. The amount you pay to the bondsman is non-refundable and must be paid in cash. If the bail has been set really high, the bondsman will use your personal assets as collateral for the bond.

To find a bail bondsman go to: Find a Bail Bondsman in Union County

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 Programs
• Released For Time Served
• Be Released on a Pre-Trial Release Program
• Get Released on House Arrest
• Get Released on Your Own Recognizance

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The jail intake procedure is made up of the following steps:

• You will be placed in a waiting area or cell. If the jail is really busy, it will take a while to get processed.
• The first step is that you will have to answer a number of questions, such as what your legal name is, street address, date of birth and an emergency contact.
• You will also be asked about your mental and medical history.
• You will be issued an inmate ID number.
• You will be fingerprinted.
• You will have your mugshot taken.
• All of your personal property will be taken from you and will be stored until you are released.
• You will get to make a phone call in order to talk to a member of your family, friend, or bail bondsman.
• If you are expected to be released shortly, you might get to skip the jumpsuit and keep wearing your own clothes, but if you are not expected to make bail quickly you will have to wear a jumpsuit.

Have you ever been arrested and gone through the jail intake procedure? If you have, please tell us how it happened. How long did it take? Were you treated fairly? Can you tell us secrets that might help other people that get arrested get through the process?

Click here to tell about all about it

When you post bail, you will be discharged from jail. Getting discharged can take between 10 minutes to quite a few hours. So, the faster you can pay your bail, the quicker you will get discharged from jail. Also, how fast you get released can depend on whether or not you’ve got a bond amount or if the judge still needs to decide on the amount of bail to be set. For lesser charges, you will simply be booked and then released on your recognizance without having to pay bail. When you get to the end of your sentence and have a discharge date, plan to get released at any time that day – but usually in the morning.

for your arrest, or if you need to begin your sentence in jail, it is highly recommended that you follow the rules and go down to the jail and turn yourself in. For a warrant, report to the jail intake center, and let them know that you think they might have an outstanding warrant for your arrest. The officer will verify that you have an outstanding arrest warrant, and if they find one, you will be taken into custody. When reporting to serve a sentence, report on the date and time that the sentence order states. Be very careful that you are not late. Just bring things that are allowed when you go to jail, like a driver’s license or even photo ID, any prescription medication you might take, and the official sentencing order.

The inmate have to provide information about each visitor to the jail in advance. Your visitors will be put in a log of visitors for the requesting inmate. Each and every visitor will be required to provide a photo ID when visiting. Anyone that gets to visitation or that is not an approved visitor will be turned away.
Visitation procedures can change, so we suggest that you check the official site before you try to go to visitation.

All phone calls from jail are made through a jail approved pre-paid phone account or phone card . Jail phone calls are generally pricier than phone calls made outside of jail. Phone calls are restricted on when you can make phone calls, how long you can talk, and how often you can make calls, but inmates must keep in mind that every inmate wants to use the phone too, so they can call their family. If you break the jail rules, phone privileges might get reduced or forbidden.

Phone Number: 908-558-2610

All inmate mail is required to be sent using the actual US Postal Service. You must not use any other method of mail delivery. Clearly write the person’s name, inmate ID number, and jail address on the envelope. Do not mail a box, padded envelope, bag, or an envelope containing metal parts. All mail received by the jail gets opened and examined and read by the jail administration, and the mail will get sent back to the person who mailed it if deemed inappropriate.

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

Union County Jail
15 Elizabethtown Plaza
Elizabeth, NJ 7207

Here is how you should address the letter:

[INMATE’S FULL NAME]
[INMATE ID]
Union County Jail
15 Elizabethtown Plaza
Elizabeth, NJ 7207

The inmate mail policy at Union County Jail can change, so it would be best to review the the Union County Jail website before you send a letter to an inmate.

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When you get arrested, you still have certain rights, one of these is the right to request an attorney. You don’t get to make many phone calls when you get arrested, so make sure to ask a friend or family member to locate an attorney when you call them. I know you’re probably asking yourself right now ‘but do I really need a lawyer’ You can represent yourself if you really want to, but, a criminal lawyer will advise you about your rights, look after your best interests and guide you through the court system in Union County. The faster you hire a lawyer to represent you and work on your charges, the better your chances.

For more information about this, read: How to Find a Lawyer in Union County

If you’ve been arrested and don’t have the money to hire an attorney, a Public Defender will be assigned to you. Also, the Public Defender’s Office has a number of staff such as independent investigators, experts in forensics as well as social case workers. You should be reassured that Public Defenders are licensed attorneys who are members of the New Jersey State Bar and are completely licensed to practice law.

Have you ever had to use a court appointed attorney? What was your experience?

Union County court records are public records and are available upon request. Court records contain a file with a docket and each of the motions, documents, and evidence in the case. You, and anyone else, can access your court records using the internet service, or at the Clerk of Court where the case was filed.

The Union County Clerk of Court is an officer of the court who manages access to court records. They also administer the oath when court is in session, and also read the verdict when the jury makes their final decision. All records and documents related to your court case are kept and available to you at Clerk of Court’s office.

Court fees are the charges and fees from your case, such as for example filing fees, motion fees and various court charges. If you are low income and have a Public Defender, you may not have to pay them.

The Union County court magistrate is the person that will preside over your court case. Magistrate judges do different functions, like determining how much your bail will be, writing arrest warrants, and acting as the presiding judge over first court appearances and detention proceedings.

A pre-sentencing report is put together with the defendant’s background information and as much detail about the arrestee’s life, which the judge will consider when decide your sentence. Information, details, and character witnesses will be requested from the person on trial, his or her family, and in some cases the victim of the crime. Don’t forget that you can request to receive your own copy of this report before sentencing, so you can review it and correct any mistakes.

When you are convicted of a crime, you will then get sentenced. There are a number of different options, which include community service to probation, to even prison or jail time. Depending on the particulars of your trial, the severity of your crime, and any sentencing guidelines that they judge will use, you could be taken into custody, right there in court, or you could get a date that you are supposed to turn yourself into jail to serve your jail term according to your sentence.

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

To do so, you will have to query the Union County jail website and do an inmate search lookup, and search using:

• Name.
• Birth date.
• Their approximate booking date.
• and their inmate ID.

If you’re not sure if this person is in jail or not, you should call the jail find out if they’ve been arrested.

If you think you have an outstanding warrant, you can find out by checking the arrest warrants on the Union County court website or call the court. This requires a first and last name. Or, you can just go down to the jail and ask one of the officers. Keep in mind that if you do have an outstanding warrant, you should be prepared to get taken into custody immediately.

If you have a first and last name, as well as the date of their arrest, contact the jail, on the phone, in person, or look online. Arrest records are a matter of public record and this information is accessible to anyone.

Civil processes are when you are served with legal papers, such as , subpoenas, and arrest warrants. You can access civil process orders by contacting the Sheriff’s office, either by phone or through their website.

All people registered as sex offenders are required to be listed and registered on the sex offender databases required by the area they live in. The people listed on these databases have been convicted of a sex or kidnapping crime. You are able to see sex offenders on the internet, but you should know that you will not be able to get the actual address, just the address block they live on.

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

Every state maintains records of their state citizen’s criminal history. These state databases are all linked so you are able to track criminal convictions from other states. You are able to go to county courthouse and make an inquiry, or check the website. 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 a fee for a more comprehensive search.

A criminal history search you will find out if a person has ever been arrested, charged or convicted for crimes, which include:

• DUI or DWI.
• Drug crimes like possession or trafficking.
• Kidnapping.
• Rape or other sexual assault.
• Violent crimes including assault, battery and murder.
• Property crimes like theft or larceny.

When you do a criminal history search, usually won’t find out if that person had:

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

To find this information, you must do a driving history search.

Have you ever had to look for criminal records online? Was it a difficult process? Was your search online or did you call the Union County courthouse? Was the information correct? There are many reasons that people search for criminal records, and your account may make it easier for others.

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Most Wanted

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

FBI Ten Most Wanted List


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Life In Jail / What Its Like

Daily Life

Everyone knows that spending time in the Union County jail is very scary, eventually you will get accustomed to the daily routine there. You should expect a wake-up alarm each morning at six in the morning, and next they’ll do roll call. Then you will eat breakfast. When you finish breakfast you will be required to work in the program that has been assigned to you. This could be working in the kitchen, laundry, or some sort of manufacturing job. While this may seem tedious, it may help you when you leave jail, as you are gaining experience in a certain field of work. Other inmates go to school, while some take part in mandated treatment programs. After lunch, there will be another roll call, then back to work. Your evening will be spent either in your cell or a common room. During this time dinner is served and you will be expected to take a shower. After another roll call, it’s lights out. Even though you will be confined to your cell, there may be enough light to read or write letters. Then again, most inmates welcome lights out, and try to get as much sleep as they can.

Most people are frightened at the idea of jail because they don’t know what to expect. If you have spent any time in Union 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 Union 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 Union County Jail could change, so you should review the official Union 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 Union County Jail

The Deputy Sheriff is the second in command at the Union 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 Union 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:

• The right to protection from the accused.
• The right to notification.
• The right to attend proceedings.
• The right to speak at criminal justice proceedings.
• The right to consult with the prosecuting attorney.
• The right to restitution.
• The right to a speedy trial.
• 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 been incarcerated at this jail? Do you have a family member or friend that is a prisoner there? Have you ever been to visit an inmate in this jail?

If yes, then we would like you to leave a comment below about it. Write about your jail experience because other people can learn what to expect.

Things you could write in your review:

• Jail conditions.
• Jail and pod facility and layout
• Guards and staff
• Food and commissary
• Having Visitors
• Other Inmates.
• Safety
• Gang activity
• Programs and activities


Click here to review Union County Jail

Tell Your Story

Anyone who’s ever been arrested and sent to jail has some stories about their time ‘inside’. Why’d you end up in jail? Were you fairly treated? What was your daily routine in jail? How did you get along with the other inmates? Did going to jail affect your life? How?

Tell the World All About It

Send a Message to Your Cell Mate

Did you make friends in jail? Want to talk to someone from jail? Write your message below.

Say Hello to someone at Union County Jail


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