Charleston County Detention Center – Charleston, SC

Charleston County Detention Center is located in Charleston County, SC and is the primary jail for that area. Know somebody in Charleston County Detention Center? This guide gives you information about everything a person needs to know about Charleston County Detention Center,such as: How to do a jail inmate search. Find mugshots and inmate photos. The jail’s phone number and address. Posting bail. Charleston County Detention Center intake procedures. Court records. And lots more.

The chance of going to jail is a daunting and scary idea, not only for whoever gets locked up, but also that person’s family, friends, and loved ones. This guide is meant to give you info that you’ll need to make helping a friend or family member get out of jail a little less stressful. If you have a specific question, feel free to ask it, and please leave any feedback or comments that could be beneficial to others would be appreciated.

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

Do you know a friend or family member that has been arrested and you need to locate them?

To look up who’s in jail at Charleston County Detention Center you will need to visit their web site and use the inmate lookup.

The Charleston County Detention Center Inmate List is a list of people who have been arrested and are in custody, which includes current status, how much their bail is, and visiting hours. You can also find the same information on anybody who has been arrested or discharged in the last 24 hours. Inmates are listed alphabetically by their last name. You can get their inmate information fast if you’ve got their first and last name, birth date, or inmate ID Number.

If the person you are looking for is at another county jail you will want to check the other South Carolina county jails in our South Carolina County Jail Guide: List of all jails in South Carolina

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

Mugshots of inmates can be found on the Charleston County Detention Center website, or you can see them at the Charleston County Detention Center. When viewing online you need to enter the full name, and a booking date, if you have it.

Are you trying to have your mugshot taken off of the Charleston County Detention Center site? This may not be possible, as your mugshot is a matter of public record. You need to file a Petition to Expunge with the court. What this means is that the record of your arrest would be sealed, and will not be accessible. Unfortunately, this happens very rarely.

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

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Obviously, if you are incarcerated, your only thought is about when you get out. After you’ve gone through the booking process, bail is set either by bail schedule or magistrate. If there is no bail set this can 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 are required to promise to go to your court date, and until that day you must not go out of town.

Typically, an inmate in the Charleston County Detention Center are given early release in exchange for good behavior if they respect the rules and act right while they’re in jail.

If you do exhibit good behavior and the jail believes you can be trusted, you might be allowed to participate in work release. You will have to return to the jail every day when you’re finished at your job, or you could be permitted to move into a halfway house instead of jail, so it is kind of like an early release.

Bail is the amount of money that you have to pay to be released from jail until your court date. The amount you will be required to pay is dictated by the crime you’ve been charged with. You will need to post ten percent of the total that was set before you can get discharged from jail. If you fail to show up for your court appearance, that person will not get their money back.

You will need to call the jail or the county courthouse. If you have all the person’s information, such as name, address and date of birth, they’ll tell you how much their bail is. You can also see the bail amount on the jail website.

Having to bail a friend or family member out of jail is never a fun thing, but usually, its easy if you have the money. First of all, you need to find out if they have a Cash Only Bond situation. If it is, you can’t use the services of a bail bondsman. Bail can only be paid by cash – they won’t accept a personal check. As soon as you’ve posted (paid) bond, the person will be released. If the conditions of bail are not violated, you’ll get the bail money back.

If their bail has been set too high, or you can’t afford it yourself, you will need to use a bail bondsman. Bail bondsmen will usually charge a fee of 10 to 15 percent of the bail amount, and in most cases charge a minimum fee of $100. The money you pay to the bail bondsman is non-refundable and is typically cash only. If the bail is exceptionally high, the bondsman will usually request to use assets as collateral for the bond in addition to their charges.

You can find a local bail bondsman click here: How to find a bail bondsman

Have you ever hired a bondsman because you or someone you know got arrested? If so, please leave a comment below and tell about your experience and let us know how it worked out.

Click here to tell your story

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

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The jail intake procedure takes you through each of the following steps:

• You will be placed in a holding cell. If there are a lot of arrests, you will have to wait, sometimes for many hours, before you get processed.
• Firstly, you must answer some questions, such as your full legal name, address, date of birth and an emergency contact.
• They’ll also ask about your mental and medical history.
• You will be given an inmate ID.
• You will get fingerprinted.
• You will get your mugshot taken.
• Any personal property you have will be taken away from you and will be stored until you are released.
• They will allow you to use the telephone to talk to a member of your family, friend, or bondsman to arrange bail.
• If you are expected to be released shortly, you might get to wear your own clothes, but if you are not expected to make bail quickly you will have to change into a jail uniform.

Have you ever been arrested and gone through processing at jail? If you have, you should tell us how it happened. How long did you have to wait in the holding cell? Were you treated fairly? Do you have any things that might help other people to get through the process?

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When you pay your bail, you will be discharged from jail. Getting discharged from jail will take anywhere from 15 minutes to quite a few hours. In simple terms, the quicker bail is posted, the faster you will get discharged from jail. Also, it will depend on whether or not you have a cash bond or if a magistrate has to decide on the amount of bail to be set. For minor charges, you will simply be booked and released on your own recognizance. When you have served your sentence and are given a release date, plan to get released at any time that day – but usually in the morning.

for your arrest, or if you must begin your sentence in jail, you really should do the right thing and go down to the jail and turn yourself in. If it is for a warrant, go down to the jail intake center, and tell them that believe that there could be a warrant out for your arrest. They will check to see if you have a warrant, and if you do, you will be taken into jail custody. If it is for a jail sentence, report on the date and time that the sentence order states. Be very careful that you are not late. Only bring allowed items with you, like your driver’s license or ID, any prescription medication you might take, and a official sentencing order.

In order to have visitors, inmates must list each visitor’s name and date of birth to the jail in advance. Your visitor’s information will go into the visitation log as an Authorized visit. Each and every visitor will have to provide a photo ID when visiting. Any visitors that arrives for visitation late or that is not on the visitation list will be turned away.
Jail visitation policies change often, so make sure that you double-check the official Charleston County Detention Center jail site before you go to visitation.

Phone calls that inmates are allowed to make from jail are with a pre-paid phone card or account, or are collect calls . Phone calls made in jail are usually more expensive than phone calls made outside of jail. There is no limit to when and how often you can use the phone, but inmates must keep in mind that a long line can form at the phones, because everyone wants to use the phone, too. If you are under any sort of disciplinary procedure, phone calls could be reduced or totally denied.

Phone Number: 843-529-7300

All inmate mail must be sent using the US Postal Service. You must not use any other method of mail or package delivery. You must write or type the inmate’s name, prisoner number, and the jail address on the envelope. Do not send a package, padded envelope, bag, or an envelope with metal inside. All mail that you send to inmates will be opened and read and examined by staff, and the mail will be returned if deemed inappropriate.

The address that you should use if you are sending a letter to an inmate at Charleston County Detention Center is:

Charleston County Detention Center
3841 Leeds Ave
Charleston, SC 29405

Here is how you should address the letter:

[INMATE’S FULL NAME]
[INMATE ID]
Charleston County Detention Center
3841 Leeds Ave
Charleston, SC 29405

The inmate mail policy at Charleston County Detention Center can change, so you should review the site before you send a letter.

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When you’ve been arrested, you should know you still have rights, one of these is your 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 call them. You may be thinking ‘do I really need a lawyer?’ While you are not required to have one, a criminal defense attorney can advise you of your rights, look after your best interests and help you find your way through the court system in Charleston County. The sooner you get an attorney working on your charges, the better.

For more detailed information on the benefits of hiring a lawyer, visit: 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 Office is staffed by investigators, forensics experts and social case workers. You should be reassured that Public Defenders are actual attorneys that are members of the State Bar and are licensed to practice law.

Have you or someone you know had to use a Public Defender? Do you think that they did a good job of defending you?

Charleston County court records are a matter of public record. They contain a case file with a docket sheet and all of the documents and motions filed in the course of your case. You can access your court records using the online service, or by going to the Clerk’s office of the Court where the case was filed.

The Clerk of Court is an official part of the court who maintains the records. They also administer the oath in a court case, and read the verdict when the jury makes their final decision. All records, documents, and evidence associated with your case are available at Clerk of Court.

Court fees are all costs associated with your case, for example filing fees, motion fees and various court charges. If you cannot afford these fees and have been assigned a Public Defender, you can get a waiver for these fees.

A Magistrate is the judge that presides on your case. They do several different things, like setting your bail amount, writing arrest warrants, and overseeing preliminary court hearings and detention hearings.

Your pre-sentencing report is prepared with background information and as much detail about the defendant’s life history, which the judge will review and take into consideration when deciding on the sentence. Information and personal details will be solicited from the defendant, his or her family members, and in some cases the victim. Keep in mind that you can request to receive your own copy of your pre-sentencing report before you are sentenced, so you get the chance to review it and correct any mistakes.

After being convicted of a crime, you will be sentenced. The judge will have several different options when sentencing you, ranging from community service to probation, to prison or jail time. Depending on how serious your crime was, you may be taken into custody, right there in court, or given a date to go to jail to do your time.

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Are you trying to find out if someone is currently in jail, or has been an inmate in the past?

You can just access the jail website and do an inmate search, and search using:

• Name.
• Birth date.
• Their booking date.
• and their 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, you can access court records on the website or you can call the jail. This requires a first and last name. Or, you can just go the jail in person and inquire at the information desk. You should be clear that if you do have an outstanding warrant, you will be taken into custody immediately.

If you know the person’s name, and the date of their arrest, contact the jail, on the phone, in person, or look online. An arrest is in the public record and this information is accessible by the public.

Civil processes are when you are served with legal papers, which can be court orders. You can find these civil process orders by contacting the Sheriff’s office, online or by phone.

All people registered as sex offenders must be registered and listed 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 these listings on the website, but bear in mind that you will not be able to find the precise address, just the neighborhood block of the address that they registered.

Court Records are public records and available to anyone. Court Records include a court case file containing a court docket and all documents filed in your court case. You can access court records on the website, or at the Charleston County Clerk of Court office in the jurisdiction where the case was filed.

Every state keeps a record of a person’s criminal past. These online databases are all connected so you can track criminal convictions from any other state. Go to the Charleston County 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 totally different state, you may have to pay for a more comprehensive search.

A search of someone’s criminal history you are able to get a report detailing any arrests, charges, or convictions that may be on a person’s record for any crimes they may have committed, which could include:

• Driving Under the Influence (DUI).
• Drug crimes like possession or trafficking.
• Kidnapping.
• Rape or other sexual assault.
• Violent crimes.
• Theft.

When you do a criminal history search, in most cases will not see if they have had any moving violations, like:

• Speeding tickets.
• Lost their driver’s license or license revoked or suspended.
• Accidents.
• Minor infractions or moving violations.
• Parking Tickets.

To find driving histories, you must do a driving history search.

Have you ever searched for criminal records? Was it an easy process? Did you search online or did you have to call the Charleston County courthouse? Was the information you received correct? There are lots of reasons that folks search for criminal backgrounds and records, and your comments may make it easier for others.

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Most Wanted

The FBI has a listing of the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. In Charleston County, the Sheriff has a list of most wanted criminals, too.

FBI Top Ten Most Wanted List: Link


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Life In Jail / What Its Like

Daily Life

Just the thought of spending time in the Charleston County jail is something you wish you could avoid, you will soon become accustomed to the routine that is set for you in jail. You should expect an alarm to wake up at 6:00 AM, and then roll call. Then you will eat breakfast. After breakfast, you will 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 Charleston County Detention Center, 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 Charleston County Detention Center 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 Charleston County Detention Center changes, so be sure to check the site before 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 Charleston County Detention Center

The Deputy Sheriff is the second in command at the Charleston County Detention Center, 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 Charleston County Detention Center

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.

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:

• 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 been an inmate in Charleston County Detention Center? Do you have a friend or family member that is an inmate there? Have you ever visited an inmate there?

If so, then you should write your review about it. Write down what you experienced so other people will know what to expect.

Things you could put in what you write:

• Conditions at the jail.
• Jail, yard and pod facility and layout
• Jail staff and Guards
• Food and commissary
• Visitors
• Other Inmates.
• Prisoner safety
• Gang activity
• Programs and activities


Click here to write your review of Charleston County Detention Center

Tell Your Story

Anybody that’s ever been locked up has some stories about their time ‘inside’. Why were you locked up? Were you fairly treated? How was life in jail? Tell us about the other inmates. How did it affect you to go to jail?

Speak Your Mind

Send a Message to Your Cell Mate

Did you make friends in jail? Want to get in touch with a person you met in jail? Write your message below.

Post a message to people still locked up at Charleston County Detention Center


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