Buffalo County Jail – Gann Valley, SD

Buffalo County Jail is located in Buffalo County, South Dakota and is the primary correctional facility for that area. Know somebody in jail at Buffalo County Jail? This guide gives you info about everything you might need to know about Buffalo County Jail,such as: How to locate an inmate at Buffalo County Jail. Find inmate mugshots. The jail’s phone number and address. Bail and bail bondsmen. Intake procedures. Court information and records. And much, much more.

The chance of going to jail is a scary idea, not only for whoever gets locked up, but also their friends and family. The purpose of this guide is to give info that you need to make going to jail easier. If you have a specific question, feel free to ask it in the comment section below, and please leave any feedback or comments that would help others will be welcome.

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

Do you know somebody who’s been arrested and you need to find them?

To find out who is in jail at Buffalo County Jail you will need to click on their link and use the inmate search.

The Buffalo County Jail Inmate Roster is an online list of persons who were arrested and are now in jail, which includes status, bail amount (if applicable), and schedule for visitation. You can get info for anybody arrested and booked or discharged in the past 24 hours. Jail inmates are listed in alphabetical order by last name. You can get their inmate information fast if you have the arrestee’s full name, birth date, or inmate ID.

If the inmate you are looking for could possibly be in another county jail you can look here: Other County Jails in South Dakota

A mugshot, also known as a intake picture, is the photograph taken by the police when you get booked into jail. They will take one and a side-view photo. Your full name and jail ID number will be on the pictures, and they’re on file at the jail.

Mugshots of Buffalo County Jail prisoners can be viewed online, or you can see them at the Buffalo County Jail. When you search for mugshots online you have to enter their legal name, and the booking date, if you have one.

Need to know how to have your mugshot removed from the Buffalo County Jail site? This will be difficult, as your mugshot is a public record. To get your mugshot removed you will need to file a ‘Petition to Expunge’. Basically, this means that your arrest record will be sealed, and will not be accessible. It is difficult to do this, and you will most likely need the services of a lawyer.

To learn more about getting your mugshot removed, the many different websites with mugshots, and the websites that offer to remove your mugshot for you: Mugshot Removal

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Obviously, if you’re arrested and put in jail, your main thought is about when you get out. After booking, a bail amount is set by the magistrate. If you don’t get a bail set this may mean that you will either be released, or you must remain in jail until your trial.

If you do bail out you must agree to be there for your court date, and until that date you won’t be permitted to go out of town.

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

If you do exhibit good behavior and the jail believes you can be trusted, you may be allowed to participate in a work release program. You will either have to go back to the jail each day after work, or you might be permitted to move to a halfway house instead of living at the jail.

Your bail is the amount of money that you will be required to pay to be released from jail until your court date. The amount you will be required to pay all depends on what crime you are charged with and how serious it is. Someone will have to pay 10% of the amount set in order for you to bail out of jail. If you miss your scheduled court date, whoever posted your bail will lose that bail money.

To find out how much bail money you will need to bail someone out of jail have to call the Buffalo County Jail or the County Courthouse. If know the person’s info, like name, address and date of birth, they’ll let you know the bail amount. You can also see the bail amount online.

Having to bail a friend or family member out of jail is no fun, but most of the time, it is really easy if you have the money. First, you need to know if their bail is a Cash Only Bond situation. If it is, you can’t use a bail bondsman. Bail can only be paid by cash – the jail can’t take checks. When you’ve paid bail, the prisoner will get released. If the conditions of bail are not violated, the bail money you posted will be returned to you.

If bail is set too high, or you can’t afford it yourself, you should use a bail bondsman. Bail bondsmen will generally have a fee of 10-15% of the total bail amount, and sometimes with a minimum of $100. This 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.

You can find a bail bondsman click here: Bail bondsman

Have you ever used the services of bail bondsman for yourself, a family member or friend? If you have, please share your experience in a comment below, and let us know how it worked out.

Click here to comment

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

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The jail intake process takes you through these steps:

• You will be placed in a waiting area or cell. If there are a lot of arrests, you may not be processed immediately.
• You will have to answer some questions, like your full name, your address, date of birth and contact person.
• They’ll also ask you about your medical and mental history.
• You will be issued an inmate ID.
• Your fingerprints will be taken.
• You will have your mugshot taken.
• Any personal property you have will get taken away from you and stored until you are discharged.
• You will be allowed to make a phone call to get in touch with a member of your family, friend, or bondsman to arrange bail.
• If you are expected to be released quickly, you might get to wear your street clothes, otherwise you will be given a jumpsuit.

Have you ever been arrested and gone through the jail intake procedure? If so, please tell us what happened. How long did you have to wait in the holding cell? How did the guards treat you? Can you share any tips that will help other people that get arrested make it through jail processing?

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Once you are able to post bail, you will get released from jail. This process will take from 10 minutes to quite a few hours. So, the faster you can pay your bail, the faster you will be freed. How quickly you get discharged might depend on whether you have a cash bond or if the judge has to figure out your bail amount. For minor offenses, you will get booked and released on your own recognizance. When you have served your sentence and have a release date, plan to be released anywhere between the hours of 9am and 12pm.

out against you, or if you must begin your jail sentence, it is recommended that you follow the law and turn yourself in willingly. If you have a warrant, go to the jail reception area, and tell an officer that you think there is an outstanding warrant for your arrest. The officer will verify that you have an outstanding arrest warrant, and if you do, they will ask that you surrender yourself and you will be taken into custody. If you have a jail sentence to serve, go down to the jail on the date and time that the sentence order requires you to. Be very careful that you get don’t get there late, or they may decide to arrest you. Just bring required items when you turn yourself in, for example a driver’s license or your ID, any prescription medication you might take, along with your doctor’s prescription, and the sentencing order.

In order to have visitors, inmates must give each visitor’s full name to the jail in advance of the visit. Your visitors will be entered in a log of visitors for the inmate that requested the visitor. Each and every visitor must provide acceptable photo identification. Anyone arriving late or that is not on the visitation list will not be allowed to attend visitation.
Jail visitation policies can change, so we suggest that you double-check the jail site before you go to the jail to visit.

The only phone calls that inmates are allowed to make are with a pre-paid phone card or account, or are collect calls . Jail phone calls are a lot more expensive than phone calls made at home. Phone calls are restricted on how often you can use the phone, but inmates should keep in mind that there are a limited number of phones, so all the inmates must share phone time. If you break the rules and are disciplined, an inmate’s phone privileges may be limited or forbidden completely.

Phone Number: (605) 293-3231

All inmate mail must be sent using the actual US Postal Service. You can’t use any other type of mail or package delivery. You have to write or type the name, prisoner number, and the address of the jail on the outside of the letter that you send. Do not mail anything in a package or box, envelope with padding, plastic or paper bag, or an envelope with metal in it. All mail that you send to inmates will be opened and read and examined by the jail staff, and the mail will get returned if they decide it is inappropriate.

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

Buffalo County Jail
112 Osman Avenue
Gann Valley, SD 57341

Here is how you should address the letter:

[INMATE’S FULL NAME]
[INMATE ID]
Buffalo County Jail
112 Osman Avenue
Gann Valley, SD 57341

The mail policy at Buffalo County Jail changes often, so review the official website when send a letter to someone in jail there.

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Even if you’ve been arrested, you should know you still have rights, the first of which is the right to request an attorney. You don’t get to make many phone calls when you get arrested, so make sure you have a friend or relative find a lawyer when you call. You might be asking yourself ‘but do I really need a lawyer’ You are not required to have an attorney for some criminal charges, a lawyer can advise you of your rights, help protect your interests and help you navigate through the court system in Buffalo County. The sooner you get a lawyer involved with your case, the better.

For more information on this subject, click here: How to Find an Attorney in Buffalo County

If you’ve been arrested and cannot afford an attorney, you will get a public defender. Also, the Public Defender Office has access to independent investigators, experts in forensics and social workers. Public Defenders are actual lawyers, members of the South Dakota State Bar and are licensed to practice law in South Dakota.

Have you or someone you know had to use a Public Defender? Do you think they properly handled your case?

All court records are public and available to anyone who requests them. Court records have a file containing a docket and every documents that have been filed. You are able to access your court case records via the Buffalo County website, or by going to the Buffalo County Clerk of Court.

The Clerk of Court is a member of the court that maintains court records. They also administer the oath in a court case, and read the verdict when the jury makes their final decision. All records and documents from your case are available at Buffalo County Clerk of Court office.

Court costs and court fees are the charges and fees associated with your court case, such as filing charges, motion and claim fees, and court appearance fees. If you can’t afford to pay these fees and have been assigned a Public Defender, you can get a waiver for these fees and won’t have to pay them.

The magistrate is the judge that presides over your case. Magistrate judges do a number of things, like setting bail, issuing warrants, and overseeing first court appearances and detention hearings.

Your pre-sentencing report is put together to include background information and information about the arrestee’s life, which the magistrate will review and take into account when deciding on the sentence. Information and personal details will be collected from the defendant, his or her family members, and, if applicable, the victim in the crime. Remember you are allowed to request to see a copy of the report before sentencing, so you get the chance to go over it and correct any mistakes in it.

If you get convicted of a crime during your trial, you will then get sentenced. There are a number of different options, ranging from community service to probation, to prison or jail time. Depending on the severity of the crime, you may be locked up immediately, or you might be given a date that you are required to go to jail to do your time.

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Want to find out if someone is currently in jail, or has gone to jail in the past?

To do this, you will have to visit the jail website and do an inmate search, and do a search using:

• Name.
• Birthdate.
• Approximate booking date.
• or inmate ID.

If you think that they are currently in jail, you can call the jail to find out.

If you think you have an outstanding warrant for your arrest, you can find out by checking the arrest warrants on the Buffalo County court website or you can call the jail. This requires a first and last name. You can also go to the local jail and inquire at the information desk. Bear in mind that if there is a warrant for your arrest, you should be prepared to get taken into custody immediately.

If you know the person’s name, as well as the date of their arrest, contact the jail, either by phone, go there in person, or find out online. An arrest is a matter of public record and the information is accessible by the public.

A Civil Process is when someone has been served with papers, such as warrants. You can find these civil process orders by getting in touch with the Buffalo County Sheriff’s office, by phone or online.

All people registered as sex offenders are registered and listed on the sex offender databases required by the area they live in. The people listed on these databases have been convicted in a court of law of a sex offense. You are able to see these offenders on the internet, but remember that you will not be able to find the precise address, just the address block they live on.

Court Records are public records. Court Records include a court case file containing a docket and all of the documents and filings filed in your case. You can access court records on the internet, or at the clerk’s office of the court in the county where the case was filed.

Each state maintains a record of a person’s criminal history. These online databases are all connected and you can track criminal convictions from any other state. You are able to go to county courthouse and inquire, or check online. It is helpful to know the county the crime was committed in, and if the crime was in a totally different state, you may have to pay for a more complete search.

When you look up someone’s criminal record you are able to find out if a person has ever been arrested, charged or convicted for the following crimes:

• Driving Under the Influence (DUI).
• Drug offenses.
• Kidnapping.
• Sexual offenses including rape, assault.
• Violent crimes like assault or murder.
• Theft.

If you do a criminal records check, usually won’t discover if they have had any:

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

To find this information, you will have to do a driving records search.

Have you ever needed to find criminal records? How hard was it? Did you search online or did you have to call the jail? Was it correct? There are many reasons that people search for criminal records, and your story may make it easier for others.

Click here to share your story

Most Wanted

Everyone knows that the FBI maintains a list of the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. In Buffalo County,The Sheriff’s Department has a list of most wanted criminals, too.

FBI Ten Most Wanted List: Link


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Life In Jail / What Its Like

Daily Life

Just the thought of getting locked up in Buffalo County Jail is very scary, in time you will settle into the routine that is set for you. Prisoners get an alarm for wake-up each morning at 6am, and next you’ll have roll call. Next, you will get breakfast. Following breakfast you will have to work in the work program or other activity that you are assigned. 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 Buffalo 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 Buffalo 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 money to people in jail is always changing, so it would be best to double check the official Buffalo County Jail site when you send money to an inmate.


Commissary

The commissary is the jail store. You can purchase a number of things here, such as toiletries, snacks and writing supplies. Bear in mind that you will probably want to use the commissary daily, and any infractions will get that privilege taken away from you.

Inmate Medications

If you are on any type of prescription medication, you will be allowed to continue taking it while in jail. When you are first processed, you will be asked what medication you take. You will then be referred to the jail nurse or doctor who will be in charge of monitoring your health and prescribing your medication.

Meals

You will get three meals a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. As expected, they are very basic, but healthy. A typical breakfast might be cereal, toast, coffee and fruit. Lunch might be spaghetti, salad, bread and milk. Dinner could be chicken casserole, rice, vegetables, dessert and milk. Contrary to popular belief, prison food has greatly improved over the years, and you might find that it’s not much different from what you would eat at home.

Pods / The Yard

The jail is designed in a ‘pod’ layout, with self-contained housing arranged around an outdoor yard. Each pod has a central control station and a common room, and the inmates take turns in using the yard. The jail is designed this way to keep certain inmates together, and others away from the general population.

Gangs

As with life in general, gangs are a part of prison life. Obviously it is best to avoid becoming a part of this environment as it will only lead to trouble. When you first enter prison, you might find yourself being ‘primed’ to join a gang, or worse, you might get their attention in a negative way. The best thing to do is keep your head down and don’t get involved.


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News and Media

News

Photos / Pictures

Videos


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Jobs

Types of Jobs at Buffalo County Jail

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

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.

Click here to post a comment

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 locked up at this jail? Do you know anybody that is an inmate there? Have you ever visited an inmate there?

If you have, then we would like you to leave a comment below about it. Write down what you experienced so that other people will know what to expect.

What to write in your review:

• Conditions in Buffalo County Jail.
• Jail layout and facility
• Jail staff and Guards
• Jail food and commissary
• Having Visitors
• The other inmates – what are they like?
• Safety
• Gangs
• Activities and programs


Write Your Review

Tell Your Story

Everybody who’s been arrested and thrown in jail has some stories to tell about the whole experience. How’d you end up in jail? Did you get fair treatment? How was day to day life at Buffalo County Jail? How did you get along with the other inmates? How did it affect you to go to jail?

Tell Your Story

Send a Message to Your Cell Mate

Did you make friends in jail? Do you need to find someone from jail? Leave a message for them here.

Say Hello to people still locked up at Buffalo County Jail


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