Smith County Jail – Carthage, TN

Smith County Jail is in Smith County, TN and is the correctional facility for this region. Are you looking for somebody locked up at Smith County Jail? This guide gives you information about everything you might need to know about Smith County Jailsuch as the following: How to do a jail inmate search. How to view Smith County Jail mugshots. The jail’s address and phone number. Bail and how to get out of jail. Booking and intake procedures. Court information and records. And lots more.

The thought of getting arrested and going to jail is a daunting and scary thought, not only for whoever gets arrested, but also their family, friends, and loved ones. This guide is meant to give you information and advice that you need to make helping a friend or family member get out of jail a little less stressful. If you have a question, please feel free to ask it in the comment section below, and please leave any comments or tips that might be a benefit to other people in the same situation will be much appreciated.

Do you have a family member, loved one, or friend that has gone to jail and want to contact them?

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

In order to look up who’s in jail at Smith County Jail you will have to navigate to their link and use the inmate lookup.

The Smith County Jail Inmate Lookup has information on persons who have been arrested and are in jail, including custody status, how much their bail is, and visiting hours. You can find information on anybody arrested and processed or discharged in the last 24 hours. Prisoners are listed in alphabetical order by last name. You’ll be able to locate their arrest information quicker if you’ve got the arrestee’s name, date of birth, or inmate ID Number.

If the person you’re searching for may be at another county jail you should look here: List of all county jails in Tennessee

A mugshot, or jail intake picture, is a photo that the police take when you are booked into jail. A mugshot is actually two photos one face photo and one profile photo. Your name and jail booking number will be on the pictures, and they are stored.

Mugshots of people who have been arrested can be found online, or you can go in person to the Smith County Jail. When viewing mugshots online you will have to put in the prisoner’s full name, and a booking date, if you know it.

Trying to figure out how to have your mugshot erased from the Smith County Jail website? This will be difficult, because the mugshot is a public record. To get your mugshot taken down you need to file a Petition to Expunge with the court. What this means is that the record of your arrest will be sealed, and will not be available to the public. Unfortunately, this happens very rarely.

Read our in-depth tutorial about getting your mugshot removed, the various websites with mugshots, and the mugshot removal websites: How To Get Your Mugshot Removed

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If you are arrested and put in jail, your primary thought is when and how to get out. After you’ve been booked, bail will be determined using the bail schedule or the magistrate will decide it. If no bail is set this might mean that you will either be free to go until your trial, or you must remain in jail until your trial.

If you do bail out of jail you will have to agree to show up for court, and until that date you must not go out of town.

In most cases, prisoners can earn time off in exchange for good behavior when they respect the rules and area a good inmate while they are in jail.

If you prove to be trustworthy, you might be given work release detail. You will have to return to the jail each day when you’re finished working, or you could be allowed to move to a halfway house instead of living at the jail.

Your bail is how much money that you have to pay to the court system to be released from jail until you go to court. Your bail amount all depends on the seriousness of your crime. Someone will have to post ten percent of the total that was set so you can get out of jail. If you miss your scheduled court date, the person that paid your bail will lose that bail money.

To find out how much bail money you will need to bail someone out of jail will have to call the Smith County Jail or the County Courthouse. If you have all the person’s information, including name, address and date of birth, they will be able to let you know the bail amount. You can also find out how much their bail is on the Smith County Jail site.

Bailing out of jail is never a fun thing, but fortunately, it is really easy if you have the money. First, you have to find out if they have a Cash Only Bond situation. If it is, you can’t use the services of a Bail Bondsman. Cash only – the jail can’t take a personal check. As soon as you’ve posted (paid) bond, the person will be released. If this person doesn’t violate any of the terms of their release, you will get this money back.

If their bail has been set too high, or you can’t afford it yourself, you might need to use a bail bondsman. Bail bondsmen usually charge you a fee of 10 to 15 percent of total bail, and sometimes charge a minimum charge of $100. The money you pay to the bail bondsman will not be returned to you and the bondsman only accepts cash. If the bail is exceptionally high, the bail bondsman might use your assets, such as home, property or cars, as collateral in addition to the fee they charge.

You can find a bail bondsman visit our page about: How to find a bail bondsman

Have you ever had to use a Bail Bondsman for someone you know or yourself? If you have, post a comment below and tell about it, and let us know how things turned out.

Click here to share your story

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

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The intake process is made up of each of these steps:

• You will be placed in a holding cell. If the jail is busy, you will have to wait, sometimes for many hours, before you get processed.
• The first thing you will have to is you will have to answer some questions, like what is your legal name, street address, birth date and an emergency contact.
• They’ll also ask about your medical and mental history.
• You will be given an inmate ID.
• You will be fingerprinted.
• You will have your mugshot taken.
• All personal property will get taken away from you and stored until you get released from jail.
• You will be allowed to make a phone call so you can contact a member of your family, friend, or bondsman to arrange bail.
• If they expect that you will make bail and be released quickly, you might get to wear your own clothes, otherwise you will have to change into a jail uniform.

Have you ever been booked into jail? If you have, you should share your experience so others can benefit from your story. How long did it take to get processed? How were you treated? Can you tell us things that will help other people that get arrested get through jail processing?

Click here to share your story

When you pay your bail, you will get discharged from jail. Getting discharged will take between 10 minutes to all day. So, the faster you can post bail, the quicker you can get out of jail. How quickly you get discharged can depend on whether or not you’ve been given a bond amount or if a judge has to determine the amount of bail to be set. For a minor offense, you will simply be booked and then released on your recognizance without having to pay bail. When you get to the end of your sentence and have a release date, expect to get discharged at any time that day – but usually in the morning.

issued for your arrest, or if you must start your sentence, you should follow the law and turn yourself into the authorities. If you have a warrant, report to the jail intake center, and tell an officer that you think there is an outstanding warrant for your arrest. They will do a record check, and if they verify that there is a warrant for your arrest, they will ask that you surrender yourself and you will be taken into custody. If it is for a jail sentence, report to the jail at the exact time and date that the sentence order lists. Be very careful that you are not late. Make sure that you only bring necessary items when you go, like your driver’s license or photo ID, any prescription medication you might take, along with your doctor’s prescription, as well as the official sentencing order.

The inmate need to give each visitor’s name and date of birth to the jail. Your visitors will be entered in the visitation log for the inmate. Each visitor will be required to provide proof of identification. Any visitors showing up late or that does not have a visitation order will be turned away.
Visitation procedures at Smith County Jail can change, so you should check the jail site before you try to go to visitation.

All phone calls from jail are collect calls or through a pre-paid phone account. Calls made in jail are much more expensive than phone calls made outside of jail. Phone calls are restricted on when you can make phone calls, how long you can talk, and how often you can make calls, but inmates should keep in mind that a long line can form at the phones, because everyone wants to use the phone, too. If you break the jail rules, phone privileges may be limited or eliminated completely, as part of the punishment.

The Smith County Jail phone number is: (615) 735-2626

All mail has to be sent via the actual US Postal Service, and not courier or delivery, or hand delivered. You shouldn’t use any other form of mail delivery. You must write or type the person’s name, inmate number, and the jail address on the envelope. Don’t send a package, envelope with padding or insulation, plastic or paper bag, or an envelope with metal inside. All mail sent to inmates gets opened and read and inspected by the jail officers, and the mail will be returned to the sender if it can’t be delivered.

The mailing address for Smith County Jail is:

Smith County Jail
322 Justice Lane Carthage
Carthage, TN 37030

Here is how you should address the letter:

[INMATE’S FULL NAME]
[INMATE ID]
Smith County Jail
322 Justice Lane Carthage
Carthage, TN 37030

The mail policy changes frequently, so double check the official website when send a letter to someone in jail there.

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If you get arrested, you need to be aware that you still have rights, one of these being your right to request a lawyer. You won’t get many phone calls in jail, so it is a good idea to have a friend or relative locate a lawyer for you. You’re probably asking yourself ‘why do I need an attorney?’ While you are not required to have one, a criminal defense attorney will make sure you know your rights, help protect your interests and help you through the court system in Smith County. The quicker you get a lawyer involved with your criminal case, the better your chances.

For more information about this subject, go to: How to Find a Lawyer in Smith County

If you are in trouble, but can’t afford an attorney, the courts will assign you a public defender, which is a free lawyer. In addition, the Public Defender has a number of staff such as private investigators, experts in forensics as well as case workers. You should be reassured that Public Defenders are actual attorneys, admitted to the State Bar and are completely licensed to represent you in court and practice law.

Have you ever had to use a court appointed attorney or Public Defender? Are you satisfied with how they handled your case and represented you in court?

Court records are a matter of public record. Court records are comprised of a case file with a docket and every documents and motions filed during your court case. You have the ability to access your court records with the website, or by going to the Clerk’s office of the Court where the case was filed.

The Smith County Clerk of Court is an official part of the court that maintains court records. They also administer the oath during court cases and read the court verdict when the jury has finished deliberations. All records, documents, and evidence associated with your court case are held at Clerk of Court.

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

A Magistrate is the person who presides on your case in court. They do different tasks, such as deciding a bail amount, issuing warrants for arrest, and overseeing first court appearances and detention proceedings.

A pre-sentencing report is prepared with the defendant’s background information and as much detail about the defendant’s life history, which the judge will review when decide your sentence. Information and personal details will be collected from the person on trial, his or her family members, and if necessary the victim of the crime. Remember you can ask to have your own copy of this report before sentencing, and correct any mistakes that it contains.

When you are convicted of a crime, you will be given a sentence for your crime. There are a number of different options, which include community service and probation, to incarceration in either jail (short term) or prison (long term). Depending on how serious your crime was, you could be taken into custody, right there in court, or you could get a date to report to jail to do your time.

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Do you need to find out if somebody you know is incarcerated, or has ever been in jail?

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

• Name.
• Birthdate.
• Their approximate booking date.
• or inmate ID.

If you’re not sure if your friend or family member is in jail, you can also call the jail to find out.

If you have an outstanding warrant for your arrest, you can find out by checking the arrest warrants inquiry on the Smith County jail website or call the court directly. This requires a first and last name. You can also go to the local jail and ask them. Keep in mind that if you do have an outstanding warrant, you will be taken into custody immediately.

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

Civil processes are when someone has been served with papers, which can be warrants. You can find these civil process orders by going to the Sheriff’s office, by phone or online.

All convicted sex offenders are listed and registered on either a national or state sex offender database. Those listed on these databases have been tried by jury and convicted in a court of law of a sex or kidnapping crime. You are able to view this information on the website, but remember that you can’t see the actual address, just the neighborhood block that they live on.

Court Records are public, and are accessible by anyone. These records include a case file containing a court docket and all documents and filings filed in your court case. You are able to access the court records online, or at Clerk of Court office in the county where the case was filed.

Every state maintains a record of a person’s criminal history. These databases are all linked so you can track criminal histories from other states. You are able to go to the county courthouse and check in person or you can check the website. You must know which county the crime occurred in, and if it was in a different state entirely, you may have to pay for a more comprehensive search.

A criminal records search you can find out if a person has ever been arrested, charged or convicted for any of the following crimes:

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

But, when you do a criminal records check, you generally will not be able to find out if they have had any moving violations, like:

• Speeding or reckless driving.
• Lost their driver’s license or license revoked or suspended.
• Traffic accidents.
• Other moving violations.
• Parking Tickets.

To search for driving records, you will have to do a driving history search.

Have you ever tried to search for someone’s criminal records? Was it easy? Was your search online or did you call the local courthouse? Was it correct? There are plenty of reasons that people search for criminal backgrounds and records, and your story could help other people.

Click here to tell about all about it

Most Wanted

For Federal crimes, the FBI has their list of the Ten Most Wanted Criminals. In Smith County, the Sheriff has their own list of the most wanted criminals, that you can access online.

FBI Ten Most Wanted List: External Link


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Life In Jail / What Its Like

Daily Life

While the prospect of serving a jail sentence in Smith County Jail is quite unpleasant, eventually you will become accustomed to the routine that is set for you. Inmates get a wake-up alarm at 6:00 AM, and then you’ll have roll call. After roll call you will get breakfast. When you finish eating breakfast you will have to work in the work program that you’ve been assigned to. 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 Smith 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 Smith 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 process for sending money to inmates at Smith County Jail might change, so be sure to double check the official Smith County Jail site before you send funds to an inmate there.


Commissary

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

Inmate Medications

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

Meals

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

Pods / The Yard

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

Gangs

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


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News and Media

News

Photos / Pictures

Videos


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Jobs

Types of Jobs at Smith County Jail

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

Click here to share 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 locked up at this jail? Do you know anybody that is an inmate there? Have you ever visited a prisoner at Smith County Jail?

If your answer is yes, then please write a review about it. Write about your jail experience so others will know what to expect.

What to include in your review:

• Conditions at the jail.
• Jail, yard and pod facility and layout
• Guards and jail staff
• Commissary and food
• Visitation
• Inmates.
• Inmate safety
• Jail gangs
• Programs and activities


Click here to write a review

Tell Your Story

Anybody that’s ever been locked up has a story about it. How’d you get locked up? Did you get fair treatment? How was day to day life at Smith County Jail? What about the other inmates? How did getting locked up affect your life?

Click here to tell about all about it

Send a Message to Your Cell Mate

Did you meet some cool folks in jail? Do you want to find an inmate you met while you were incarcerated? Leave a message for them here.

Post a message to people incarcerated at Smith County Jail


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