Ross County Jail – Chillicothe, OH

Ross County Jail is located in Ross County and is the primary correctional facility for the region. Know someone in jail at Ross County Jail? This page tells you information about anything a person needs to know about Ross County Jail,like the following: How to do a jail inmate search. Find inmate mugshots. The jail’s phone number and address. Bailing out of jail. Ross County Jail intake procedures. Court information. And more…

The thought of getting arrested and going to jail is a scary thought, not only for the person who gets arrested, but also that person’s friends and family. The goal of this guide is to offer info that you’ll need to make helping someone get out of jail a lot easier. If you have specific questions, please feel free to ask them, and also any tips or comments that would help other people in the same situation will be welcome.

Do you have a family member, loved one, or friend that is locked up and want to find them?

Has somebody who’s been arrested and you need to find out where they are?

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

The Ross County Jail Inmate List has information on persons currently in custody, which includes custody status, how much their bail is, and schedule for visitation. Also, you can get info about anybody who has been arrested or released within the past 24 hours. Prisoners are shown in alphabetical order by last name. You will be able to find their inmate information faster if you have your friend or family member’s first and last name, date of birth, or arrest number.

If your friend or loved one is at another county jail you will want to check the other Ohio county jails in our Ohio County Jail Guide: List of all jails in Ohio

A mugshot, also called a intake picture, is a picture taken by the police when you get booked into jail. They take one and a side picture. Your name and intake number will be on the photos, and they’re stored.

Mugshots of people who have been arrested are on the website, or you can see them in person at the Ross County Jail. When viewing online you will need to input the prisoner’s full name, and the arrest date, if you have it.

Are you trying to figure out what to do in order to have your mugshot erased from the Ross County Jail website? This will be difficult, as the mugshot is a public record. To get your mugshot removed you need to file a Petition to Expunge in court. This means that your arrest record would be sealed, and will not be available to the public. Unfortunately, this happens very rarely.

For a more in-depth article about getting your mugshot taken down, the various mugshot sites, and the websites that offer to remove your mugshot for you: Mugshot Removal

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Of course, if you are incarcerated, your only thought is about getting out. After you’ve gone through the intake process, your bail amount is determined by a special judge called a magistrate. If there is no bail set this might mean that you will either be released, or you have to stay in jail until your trial.

If you are released you must agree to show up for court, and in the meantime you are required not to travel out of the county.

In most cases, a prisoner are given time off for good behavior when they respect the rules and conduct themselves properly while incarcerated.

If you follow the rules, you might be given work release detail. You will either have to stay jail every day after work, or you might get to move to a halfway house when you are not working.

Bail is money that you have to pay to the court system to be released from jail until you go to court. The amount of bail that is set is determined by the crime you’ve been charged with. You will need to pay 10% of the amount that was determined in order for you to get discharged from jail. If you don’t show up for your scheduled court date, the person that bailed you out of jail will not get their money back.

In order to find out how much someone’s bail is, you will have to call the Ross County Jail or the County Courthouse. If you have all the person’s info, 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 Ross County Jail website.

Having to bail a friend or family member out of jail is an unpleasant situation, but usually, its very simple to do. To start with, you need to find out if they have a “Cash Bond Only” situation. If so, you won’t be able to get a bondsman. Cash only – the jail won’t accept a personal check. Once you have paid the bond, the inmate 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, of if you can’t pay it, you should try to hire a bail bondsman. Bail bondsmen will usually charge a fee of 10 to 15 percent of the bail amount, and usually have a minimum charge of $100. The money you pay to the bail bondsman will not be returned to you and has to be paid in cash. If bail is very large, the bail bondsman will usually ask to use your assets as collateral for the bond in addition to whatever their charges are.

To talk to a local bail bondsman go to: Find a bail bondsman

Have you ever hired a Bail Bondsman because you or someone you know got arrested? If you have, please share your experience in a comment below, and let us know how things turned out.

Click here to leave a comment

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

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The jail intake procedure takes you through the following steps:

• You will be placed in a waiting area or cell. When the jail is busy, you will have to wait, sometimes for many hours, before you get processed.
• First, will have to answer a number of questions, like your legal name, your address, date of birth and a contact person.
• You will also be asked about your mental and medical history.
• You will be issued an inmate ID.
• Your fingerprints will be taken.
• You will get your mugshot taken.
• All of your personal property will be taken from you and stored until you get released.
• You will get to make a phone call in order to talk to family, friends, or bail bondsman.
• If you think you will get released quickly, you might be allowed to keep wearing your own clothes, but if you are not expected to make bail quickly you will be given a jail issued jumpsuit.

Have you ever been booked into jail? If you have, you should tell your story. How long did you have to wait? How did the guards treat you? Do you know any secrets that could help other people make it through jail intake?

Click here to leave a comment

When you finally post bail, you will get released from jail. The discharge process may take from 10 minutes to many hours. So, the faster you can pay your bail, the faster you will get let go. Also, it can depend on whether or not you have a bond amount or if a magistrate has to decide on the amount of bail to be set. For a minor offense, you will get booked and get released without having to post bail. If you have served a sentence in jail and are given a discharge date, expect to get released between 9am and noon.

If there is a, or if you must begin your sentence in jail, you should do the right thing and go down to the jail and turn yourself in. If it is for a warrant, go to the jail reception area, and tell the intake officer that think that there is an outstanding warrant for your arrest. They will do a record check, and if so, they will take you into custody. If it is for a jail sentence, report to the jail at the time and date that the sentence order or court paperwork states. Ensure that you are not late. Be sure to only bring necessary items when you go to jail, for example a driver’s license or state issued ID, any prescription medication you might take, as well as the official sentencing order.

In order to have visitors, inmates have to provide each visitor’s full name to the jail before anyone can visit them. This information will go into a log of approved visitors as an approved visitor. All visitors must provide acceptable photo identification when visiting an inmate. Visitors that gets to visitation or any visitors that are not approved to visit will not be allowed to visit the inmate.
Jail visitation policies are always changing, so we suggest that you visit the official site before you go.

The only phone calls that inmates are allowed to make are collect calls or through a pre-paid phone account. Jail phone calls are typically more expensive than regular phone calls. There is no limit to how often you can use the phone, but inmates should keep in mind lots of people want to use the phone – so you have to share. If you break the jail rules, phone privileges might get cut back or forbidden.

The Ross County Jail phone number is: (740) 773-1187

All mall sent to inmates is required to be sent using US Postal Service. You cannot use any other form of mail or package delivery. You have to write or type the name, inmate number, and the jail address on the letter that you send. Do not mail anything in a package, padded envelope, plastic or paper bag, or an envelope containing metal parts. All mail sent to inmates will be opened and read and inspected by the jail administration, and the mail will get returned to the sender if the jail decides it is inappropriate.

Use this address when sending a letter to an inmate at Ross County Jail:

Ross County Jail
28 North Paint Street
Chillicothe, OH 45601

Here is how you should address the letter:

[INMATE’S FULL NAME]
[INMATE ID]
Ross County Jail
28 North Paint Street
Chillicothe, OH 45601

The mail policy can change, so we suggest that you check the official website before you send a letter to an inmate there.

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Even if you’ve been arrested, you have particular rights, one of these is your right to request a lawyer. You won’t get many phone calls in jail, so it is important to ask a friend or family member to locate a lawyer when you call them. You might be thinking ‘do I really need an attorney?’ You can represent yourself if you really want to, but, a criminal attorney will make sure you know your rights, look after your best interests and show you the way through the legal system in Ross County. The quicker you get an attorney working on your charges, the better off you’ll be.

For more detailed information on the benefits of and how to hire an attorney, click: How to Find a Lawyer

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 has access to investigators, experts in forensics as well as social case workers. All Public Defenders are real lawyers that are admitted to the State Bar and are licensed to handle your case.

Have you or someone you know used a Public Defender? How did they do?

All court records are public record and are available upon request to anyone who requests them – not just the person who they pertain to. Court records are comprised of a file with a sheet called a docket sheet and all motions, documents, and evidence that have been filed. You have the ability to access court records with the website, or by going to the Clerk of Court.

The Clerk of Court is a member of the court that manages access to court records. The Clerk of Court also administer the oath when court is in session, and also read the jury’s verdict. All records related to your court case are available at Clerk of Court’s office.

Court fees are the charges associated with your case, which include filing fees, motion and claim fees, and court charges. If you don’t have the money to pay these fees and have been assigned a Public Defender, you may get out of having to pay them.

The Ross County magistrate is the judge that will preside on your case. They do several different things, which include setting bail, issuing warrants for arrest, and acting as the presiding judge over preliminary and procedural court proceedings and detention proceedings.

A pre-sentencing report is completed with background information and as much detail about the defendant’s life and history, which the judge will review and take into account when determining the sentence. Information and personal details will be collected from the person on trial, his or her family, and if necessary the victim. Bear in mind you are able to request to see a copy of your pre-sentencing report before your sentencing, so you can review it for accuracy and completeness, and correct any mistakes.

When you are convicted of a crime, you will be sentenced. The presiding judge in your case will weigh several options when determining your sentence, ranging from community service, house arrest, and probation, to incarceration in jail or prison. Depending on sentencing guidelines and the severity of your crime, you could be locked up immediately, or given a date to go to jail to serve out your sentence.

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Are you trying to find out if somebody you know is currently in jail, or has gone to jail in the past?

This is pretty easy to do, simply you will have to go to the jail’s website, and do a search using:

• The inmate’s name.
• Birth date.
• Their booking date if you know it.
• and their jail ID.

If you think that they are currently in jail, you should call the jail confirm whether they’ve been arrested or not.

If you believe you have an outstanding warrant for your arrest, you are able to check the arrest warrants online or 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. Bear in mind that if there is a warrant for your arrest, you should be prepared to get taken into custody immediately.

If you have a first and last name, and possibly an arrest date, contact the jail, on the phone, in person, or find out online. Records of arrests are a matter of public record and these records are accessible by the public.

Civil processes are when you get served with legal papers, which can be warrants. You can find these by going to the Sheriff’s office, online or by phone.

All registered sex offenders are required to be registered on the sex offender databases required by the area they live in. Those listed on these databases have been convicted in a court of law of a sex offense. You can access sex offenders on the website, but you should know that you will not find the precise address, rather the neighborhood block that they live on.

Court Records are public records. Court Records include a case file that includes a docket and all documents filed in your case. You are able to access court records via the internet, or at the Ross County Clerk of Court where the case was filed.

Each and every state keeps a record of a person’s criminal history. These databases are linked together so you are able to track criminal convictions from another state. Go to county courthouse and check in person or you can check online. It helps to know the county, and in the event that the crime was in a totally different state, you might have to pay a fee for a more complete search.

A search of someone’s criminal history you can get a listing of all the arrests, charges, or convictions for any crimes, which can include:

• DUI.
• Drug offenses such as possession or trafficking.
• Kidnapping.
• Sexual offenses including rape, assault.
• Violent crimes including assault, battery and murder.
• Breaking and entering, theft, larceny.

If you do a criminal records check, you generally won’t be able to see if they had:

• Speeding tickets.
• Drivers license suspended or revoked.
• Accidents.
• Other moving violations.
• Parking Tickets.

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

Have you ever had to look for criminal records online? How hard was it? Did you search online or did you make a phone call to the local courthouse? Was it correct? There are plenty of reasons that folks search for criminal backgrounds and records, and your feedback may help other people that are in the same situation.

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Most Wanted

The FBI keeps a list of the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. In Ross County,The Sheriff’s Department maintains their own list of the top most wanted criminals in the county.

FBI Ten Most Wanted List: External Link


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Life In Jail / What Its Like

Daily Life

Just the thought of serving a jail sentence in Ross County Jail is no fun, eventually you will get accustomed to the daily routine. Prisoners get an alarm for wake-up at 6:00AM, and then roll call. After roll call you will get breakfast. When you finish eating breakfast you will have 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 Ross 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 Ross County Jail uniform. This is normally a jumpsuit or scrubs. Of note to anyone visiting an inmate – you must be properly dressed. Any clothing considered inappropriate will not be permitted.

How To Send Money to an Inmate

You will have your own ‘bank account’ while in jail. This money is used to purchase items from the Commissary. Family and friends can deposit money into this account for you, and any money you earn while in prison will also be deposited into your account. Outside money can be paid in to your account via a money order, cash or check. If someone sends a check or money order, make sure that they write your inmate ID on it. The maximum amount you are allowed in your account is $290 per month.

The procedure to send funds to inmates at Ross County Jail is likely to change, so be sure to double check the site 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 Ross County Jail

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

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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:

• Victims have the right to protection from the accused.
• Victims have the right to notification.
• Victims have the right to attend proceedings.
• Victims have the right to speak at criminal justice proceedings.
• Victims have the right to consult with the prosecuting attorney.
• Victims have the right to restitution.
• Victims have the right to a speedy trial.
• Victims 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.

Speak Your Mind

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 an inmate in Ross County Jail? Do you have a friend or family member there? Have you ever visited someone there?

If you have, then please write a review about it. Write about your experience so that others can find out what to expect.

Things you might want to include in your comment:

• Jail conditions.
• Jail layout and facility
• Jail staff and Guards
• Jail food and commissary
• Visitation
• Inmates.
• Inmate safety
• Gang activity
• Prisoner programs and activities


Let Everyone Know

Tell Your Story

Anybody that’s ever been locked up has a story to tell. How’d you get locked up? Did you get fair treatment? What was it like in jail? What about the other inmates? How has this experience impacted your life?

Click here to tell your story about Ross County Jail

Send a Message to Your Cell Mate

Did you meet some cool folks in jail? Want to talk to an inmate you met while you were incarcerated? Post a message to them below.

Send a message to someone incarcerated at Ross County Jail


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