Franklin County Jail – Columbus, OH

Franklin County Jail is located in Franklin County and is the primary correctional facility for that area. Are you looking for someone locked up at Franklin County Jail? This site will tell you all about everything related to Franklin County Jail,like: How to do a jail inmate search. Find mugshots and inmate photos. The jail’s phone number and address. Bailing out of jail. Booking and intake procedures. Court information. And much, much more.

The chance of going to jail is a scary and daunting prospect, not only for whoever is incarcerated, but also their family, friends, and loved ones. This guide is meant to give you all the information that you’ll need to make getting locked up a little less stressful. If you have specific questions, feel free to ask it, and please leave any comments or feedback that would help others will be much appreciated.

Do you know someone that is locked up and want to contact them?

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

In order to find out who’s in jail at Franklin County Jail you need to click on their website and do an inmate search.

The Franklin County Jail Inmate Lookup is a list of people who were arrested and are now in jail, which includes status, bail amount, and schedule for visitation. You can find info about anyone arrested and processed or discharged in the last 24 hours. Inmates are listed alphabetically by their last name. You can get the information quicker if you’ve got their name, birth date, or arrest number.

If your friend or loved one might be in another county jail you should check our guide to other Ohio jails: Ohio County Jails Directory

A mugshot, also known as a jail booking photo, is a picture that the jail takes when you are booked into jail. They will take one frontal photo and a profile photo. Your name and intake number will be in the mugshot, and they are stored at the jail.

Mugshots can be seen online, or you can see them at the Franklin County Jail. When viewing online you need to enter the full name, and a booking date, if you know it.

Need to know how to have your mugshot taken off of the Franklin County Jail site? This may not be possible, as the mugshot is a public record. You will need to file a Petition to Expunge in court. This means that all of your arrest records would be sealed, and will not be accessible. Depending on your situation, this may be a longshot.

To learn more about getting your mugshot removed, the various websites with mugshots, and the mugshot removal services: How To Get Your Mugshot Taken Down

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Obviously, once you’re arrested and put in jail, your main thought is about getting out. After you’ve been booked, your bail amount will be determined using the bail schedule or the magistrate will decide it. If there is no bail set this might mean that you will either be released on your ‘own recognizance’ until your court date, or you are kept in jail until your court date.

If you do bail out you will have to promise to show up for court, and until that day you won’t be allowed to go out of town.

In most cases, a prisoner in the Franklin County Jail can earn early release in exchange for good behavior if they respect the rules and area a good inmate while they’re in jail.

If you follow the rules, you may be allowed to participate in a work release program. You will be required to go back to the jail every day when you’re finished with work, or you may be permitted to live in a halfway house when you are not working.

Bail is how much money that you are required to pay in order to be released from jail until your court date. The amount you have to pay is dictated by how serious your charges are. You will need to pay to the courts 10% of the amount that was set in order to be released. If you fail to show up for your court date, that person will lose that bail money.

To find out someone’s bail amount you must call the Franklin County Jail or the County Courthouse. If you have all the pertinent information, like 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 Franklin County Jail website.

Posting bail to get out of jail is never fun, but fortunately, it is really easy. First, you have to find out if their bail is a Cash Only Bond. If this is the case, you can’t use a bondsman. They only accept cash at the jail, so you have to take cash – they won’t take a personal check. As soon as you’ve paid the bail bond, the inmate will be discharged. If they don’t violate the terms of their bail, you’ll get the bail money back.

If the bail amount is too high, of if you can’t pay it, you might need to use a bail bondsman. Bondsmen will generally charge a fee of 10 to 15 percent of the total amount of bail set, and usually charge a minimum charge of $100. The money you pay to the bail bondsman will not be returned to you and is typically cash only. If the bail is exceptionally high, the bondsman might request to use your assets as collateral.

To contact a local bail bondsman go to: Find a bail bondsman at Franklin County Jail

Have you ever used the services of bail bondsman to bail someone out of jail? If you have, please leave a comment below and tell about your experience and let us know how it worked out.

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

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The intake process includes the following 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.
• First, will answer a bunch of questions, like what is your full legal name, address, birth date and an emergency contact person.
• You will also be asked about your medical and psychological history.
• You will be issued an inmate number.
• You will be fingerprinted.
• You will get your mugshot taken.
• Any property you have will be taken from you and will be stored until you are released.
• They will allow you to make a phone call in order to talk to family, friends, or bail bondsman.
• If they expect that you will make bail and be released quickly, you might get to wear your street clothes, if not you will be issued a jail uniform.

Have you been arrested and gone through jail intake? If you have, please tell your story so other people can learn from your experience. How long did you have to wait? How were you treated? Do you know any secrets that will help others to get through the process?

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Once you are able to post bail, you will get discharged from jail. This process can take anywhere between 10 minutes to all day. In other words the faster you can post bail, the faster you can get released from jail. Also, it will depend on if you’ve got a cash bond or if a magistrate has to determine the bail amount. For a minor offense, you will get booked and then released on your recognizance without having to pay bail. When you get to the end of your sentence and know the date of your release, you should expect to get discharged at any time that day – but usually in the morning.

If there is a, or if you need to begin your jail sentence, it is recommended that you follow the law and go down to the jail and turn yourself in. For a warrant, go down to the jail intake area, and tell them that you think they might have a warrant out for your arrest. A record check will be run, and if so, you will be taken into custody. When reporting to serve a sentence, go to the jail at the exact time and date that the sentence order requires you to. Ensure that you don’t show up late. Just bring approved items with you, such as your driver’s license or even photo ID, prescription medication, and a copy of the sentencing order.

Inmates have to give information about each visitor to the jail in advance. Your visitors will be entered in a log of approved visitors as an authorized visitor. Every visitor will have to provide a photo ID when visiting. Visitors showing up late or that is not an approved visitor will be turned away.
Jail visitation policies are always changing, so we suggest that you visit the official Franklin County Jail jail site before go to the jail to visit an inmate.

Phone calls that inmates are allowed to make from jail are with a pre-paid phone card or account, or are collect calls . Jail phone calls are typically pricier than regular phone calls. Phone calls are restricted on when and how often you can use the phone, but bear in mind that every inmate wants to use the phone too, so they can call their family. If you break the jail rules, phone calls could be reduced or eliminated altogether.

The Franklin County Jail phone number is: (614) 525-3333

Any mail that you send to an inmate has to be sent via the US Postal Service. You must not use any other type of mail delivery. You have to write the inmate’s name, inmate ID number, and the jail address on the outside of the letter that you send. Don’t send anything in a package, envelope with padding or insulation, plastic bag, or an envelope with any metal in it. Any mail is opened and inspected by the staff, and the mail will be sent back if deemed inappropriate.

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

Franklin County Jail
373 South High Street, Floor 2B
Columbus, OH 43215

Here is how you should address the letter:

[INMATE’S FULL NAME]
[INMATE ID]
Franklin County Jail
373 South High Street, Floor 2B
Columbus, OH 43215

The inmate mail policy at Franklin County Jail is always changing, so be sure to check the site before you send a letter to an inmate there.

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If you get arrested, you have rights, the first of which is the right to request a lawyer. You won’t get many phone calls in jail, so make sure to get a friend or family member to locate a lawyer when you call them. You might be thinking ‘I don’t need a lawyer – I can just represent myself’ You can represent yourself if you really want to, but, an attorney can advise you of your rights, protect your interests and help you navigate through the criminal justice system in your county. The faster you get an attorney working on your case, the better your chances.

For more detailed information on this subject, read our guide: How to Find a Lawyer in Franklin County

If you cannot afford an attorney, the courts will assign you a public defender, which is a free lawyer. In addition, the Public Defender’s Office is staffed by private investigators, crime scene and forensics experts and social workers. All Public Defenders are licensed lawyers, admitted to the Ohio State Bar Association and are legally licensed to handle your case.

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

Franklin County court records are public record and are available upon request to anyone who requests them – not just the person who they pertain to. They contain a case file containing a docket and each of the documents and motions in the case. You, and anyone else, can access the records and documents in your court case using the website, or by going to the Clerk’s office of the Court where the case was filed.

The Clerk of Court is a member of the court who manages access to court records. They also administer the oath during court cases, and read the verdict when delivered by the jury. All records, documents, and evidence related to your court case are kept and available to you at Clerk of Court.

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

The Franklin County court magistrate is the judge who presides on your case in court. Magistrate judges do a number of different things, such as determining how much your bail will be, issuing warrants for arrest, and acting as the presiding judge over first court appearances and detention hearings.

A defendant’s pre-sentencing report is prepared to include information about the arrestee’s background and details of the defendant’s life and public history, which the magistrate judge will consider when determining the sentence. Information and personal details will be requested from the defendant, his or her family members, and, if applicable, the victim in the crime. Keep in mind that you should ask to see a copy of your pre-sentencing report prior to sentencing, so you have the opportunity to correct the mistakes.

If you get convicted of a crime during your trial, you will be given a sentence for your crime. There are a number of different options, including community service to probation, to incarceration in either jail (short term) or prison (long term). Depending on how serious your crime was, you may be taken into custody, right there in court, or you could get a date to go to jail to serve your jail term according to your sentence.

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Do you want to find out if somebody you know is incarcerated, or has gone to jail in the past?

To do so, just query the jail website and do an inmate search, and search using:

• The inmate’s name.
• Birthdate.
• Their booking date if you know it.
• or inmate ID.

If you think this person is in jail, you can also call the jail find out if they’ve been arrested.

If you have an outstanding warrant, you are able to check the arrest warrants inquiry on the Franklin County jail website or you can call the court directly. You have to have their first and last name. You can also go to the local jail and ask one of the officers. Keep in mind that if there is an arrest warrant out for you, they will take you into custody immediately.

If you know the person’s first and last name, and the date of their arrest, contact the Franklin County jail, by phone, in person, or find out online. Arrest records are public record and these records are accessible by the public.

Civil processes are when you get served with legal papers, such as , subpoenas, and arrest warrants. You can find these by contacting the Franklin County Sheriff’s office, on their website or by phone.

All registered sex offenders are listed and registered on the sex offender databases required by the area they live in. The people listed on these databases have been tried by jury and convicted in a court of law of a sex crime. You are able to view these offenders on the internet, but bear in mind that you will not see the precise address, but only the neighborhood block that they live on.

Court Records are considered public records, so they are accessible to anyone who requests them. They include a case file that includes a docket and all of the filings and documents filed in the court case. You are able to access the court records on their website, or at Clerk of Court where the case was filed.

Each and every state maintains a record of their state citizen’s criminal past. These online databases are linked together and you can track criminal backgrounds from another state. Go to courthouse and inquire in person, or you can check the website. You must know which county the crime occurred in, and in the event that it was in a completely different state, you might have to pay a fee for a more comprehensive search.

When you look up someone’s criminal record you will get a listing of all the arrests, charges, or convictions for any crimes they may have committed, which could include:

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

During a criminal records search, you generally will not see if that person has had any infractions like moving violations:

• Speeding.
• Drivers license revoked or suspended.
• Traffic accidents.
• Minor infractions or moving violations.
• Parking Tickets.

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

Have you ever had to look for criminal records online? Was it a difficult process? Did you search online or did you call the Franklin County courthouse? Was the information correct? There are lots of reasons that people search for criminal records, and your comments could help other people.

Click here to tell about all about it

Most Wanted

The FBI has a listing of the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. In Franklin County, the Sheriff has their own list of the most wanted criminals, that you can access online.

FBI Top Ten Most Wanted List


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Life In Jail / What Its Like

Daily Life

Everyone knows that being incarcerated in the Franklin County jail is no fun, in time you will become accustomed to the routine that is set for you. All inmates get a wake-up alarm each morning at 6:00am, and then roll call. After roll call you will get breakfast. When you finish 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 Franklin 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 Franklin 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 funds to inmates at Franklin County Jail can change, so you should visit the official website when you send any funds.


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 Franklin County Jail

The Deputy Sheriff is the second in command at the Franklin 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 Franklin County Jail

Requirements:

• You must be over the age of 21.
• You must possess a High School Diploma or GED
• You must be a US Citizen.
• You must pass a Criminal, Credit and Driving History background check.
• You must pass a drug test.
• You must have a good level of fitness.
• You must be in good health.
• You must have a valid Driver’s License
• An applicant for Deputy Sheriff must possess a Law Enforcement Certification.


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Family Resources

There are resources for families of both the perpetrator of the crime and the victim. The social and emotional impact of crime is far reaching, affecting many. Families can receive professional counseling, court related assistance, social services assistance and help in navigating the criminal justice system.

If you are a family member, which resources did you find to be particularly helpful? Please let us know, as this will be helpful to other families in the same situation.

Tell Your Story


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Victim Resources

Important Note: If you, or someone you know, are in immediate danger, call 911.

Victim’s Rights

The Victim Rights Act grants victims the following rights:

• 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 a prisoner at Franklin County Jail? Do you have a family member or friend there? Have you ever visited someone there?

If you have, then you should leave a comment below about it. Write about what you experienced so others will know what to expect.

What to write in your comment:

• Conditions at the jail.
• Jail facility and layout
• Jail staff and Guards
• Commissary and food
• Visitation
• The other inmates – what are they like?
• Prisoner safety
• Gang activity
• Prisoner programs and activities


Click here to write a review

Tell Your Story

Anyone who’s ever been arrested and sent to jail has at least one story to tell about it. Why’d you end up in jail? Did you get fair treatment? What was your daily routine in jail? What about the other inmates? How did going to jail affect your life?

Speak Your Mind

Send a Message to Your Cell Mate

Make some good friends in jail? Need to find out how to get in touch with somebody you met in jail? Say hello here, just leave a message below.

Send a message to someone at Franklin County Jail


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