Cameron County Detention Center – Brownsville, TX

Cameron County Detention Center is in Cameron County, Texas and is the primary jail for that area. Do you know someone at Cameron County Detention Center? This page will tell you information about anything related to Cameron County Detention Center,like: Find an inmate at Cameron County Detention Center. Find mugshots. The jail’s phone number and address. Bail and how to get out of jail. Intake procedures and booking. Cameron County court information. And more…

The prospect of going to jail is a scary and stressful thought, not only for whoever is incarcerated, but also their friends and family. The goal of this guide is to give you information you need to make helping a friend or family member get out of jail a little less stressful. If you have specific questions, just ask them, and any comments or feedback that might be beneficial to others would be appreciated.

Do you have a family member, loved one, or friend in jail and need to find them?

Has a family member or friend who’s been arrested and you need to find out where they are?

To find out who’s in jail at Cameron County Detention Center you need to go to their link and use the inmate search.

The Cameron County Detention Center Inmate Lookup is an online list of persons who have been arrested and are in custody, which includes custody status, how much their bail is, and times the inmate can have visitors. Also, you can find info on anybody booked or discharged within the past 24 hours. Prisoners are shown in alphabetical order by last name. You will be able to locate the information quicker if you enter your friend or family member’s name, birth date, or inmate ID Number.

If the inmate you are looking for could possibly be at another jail you can look here, too: Texas County Jails Directory

A mugshot, also known as a jail processing photo, is the photograph that the police take when you get booked into jail. They will take one face photo and a side picture. Your name and intake number will be in the pictures, and they are kept on file at the jail.

Mugshots of Cameron County Detention Center inmates can be found online, or you can see them at the Cameron County Detention Center. When viewing mugshots online you have to put in the prisoner’s name, and a booking date, if you know it.

Are you trying to have your mugshot taken off of the Cameron County Detention Center site? This may not be possible, as your mugshot is a matter of public record. To get your mugshot taken down you need to file a ‘Petition to Expunge’. What this means is that all of your arrest records 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.

For more information about getting your mugshot taken down, the many different websites with mugshots, and the mugshot removal websites: How To Remove Your Mugshot from the Internet

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If you are in jail, your only thought is about how to get out. After you’ve gone through booking, a bail amount is determined using the bail schedule or the magistrate will decide it. If no bail is set this can mean that you will either be free to go until your court date, or you have to stay in jail until your trial.

If you are released you will have to promise to be there for your court date, and you won’t be permitted to leave town.

In most cases, an inmate in the Cameron County Detention Center will earn an early release in exchange for good behavior when they don’t break the rules and area a good inmate while they are in jail.

If you follow the rules, you might be given work release detail. Either you will have to return to the jail each day when you’re finished working, or you could have the chance to move into a halfway house instead of jail.

Your bail is money that you will be required to pay to get out of jail until your trial. The amount of bail that is set depends on the crime you’ve been charged with. You will have to post 10 percent of the total amount that was determined in order for you to get discharged from jail. If you don’t show up for your court appearance, the person that paid your bail won’t get the bail money back.

In order to find out how much someone’s bail is, you have to call the jail. If know the person’s information, like name, address and date of birth, they will be able to let you know the bail amount. Also, you can find out how much their bail is online.

Having to get someone out of jail is never fun, but most of the time, it is really easy. To start with, you have to find out if their bail is a “Cash Bond Only” situation. If it is, you will not be able to use a bondsman. Bail can only be paid by cash – they can’t take checks. As soon as you’ve posted (paid) bond, the person will be released into your care. If this person doesn’t violate any of the terms of their release, you’ll get your money back.

If the bail amount is too high, or you can’t afford it, you should hire a bail bondsman. Bondsmen will generally charge a fee of 10-15% of total bail, and in most cases have a minimum of $100. This money will not be returned to you and is typically cash only. If bail is very large, the bondsman will in most cases require that they use assets as collateral in addition to the fee they charge.

If you need a bail bondsman click here: Bail bondsman

Have you ever used a Bail Bondsman either for yourself, a family member or friend? If you have, please share your experience in a comment below, and let us know how things turned out.

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• Early Release For Good Behavior
• Work Release Programs
• Time Served
• Pre-Trial Release Programs
• House Arrest
• Own Recognizance

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The intake process takes you through the following steps:

• You will get put in a holding cell. If the jail is busy, you will have to wait, sometimes for many hours, before you get processed.
• The first step is that you must answer a number of questions, like what is your legal name, home address, birth date and a contact person.
• They’ll also ask you about your mental and medical history.
• You’ll be given an inmate ID.
• You will get fingerprinted.
• You will have your mugshot taken.
• All of your personal property will be taken away from you and stored until you get released from jail.
• They will allow you to make a phone call so you can get in touch with a member of your family, friend, or bondsman to arrange bail.
• If they expect that you will make bail and be released quickly, you will be allowed to keep wearing street clothes, if not you will have to wear a jail uniform.

Have you ever been arrested and gone through processing at jail? If so, please tell your story. How long did it take to get through intake? What was your treatment like? Do you know any things that will help other people that get arrested to get through the process?

Click here to share your story

When you finally post bail, you will be allowed to go home after you get discharged. This process takes anywhere between 10 minutes to many hours. Or, simply, the quicker you post bail, the quicker you will get let go. Also, how fast you get released will depend on whether or not you have a cash bond or if the judge must decide on your bail amount. For a minor charge, you will be booked and get released without having to post bail. When you have served your sentence and have a date of your release, you should expect to be released that morning.

If the sheriff has a, or if you must start your sentence, it is recommended that you do the right thing and go down to the jail and turn yourself in. If it is for a warrant, go to the jail processing area, and tell an officer that you think there may be a warrant for your arrest. A record check will be run, and if they find one, 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 at the time and date 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. Make sure that you only bring things that are allowed when you go, for example a driver’s license or photo ID, any prescription medication you might take, as well as a sentencing order from court.

In order to have visitors, inmates have to provide the name and date of birth of each visitor to the jail in advance of the visit. Your visitor’s names will go in the log for the inmate. Each and every visitor must provide proof of identification. Anyone showing up late or that is not on the visitation list will be turned away.
Visitation procedures can change, so it would be wise to visit the jail site before you go to the jail to visit.

The only phone calls that inmates are allowed to make are made through a jail approved pre-paid phone account or phone card . These phone calls are generally more expensive than phone calls made at home. There is no limit to 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 rules, phone privileges may be limited or eliminated altogether.

Phone Number: (956) 544-0865

All inmate mail must be sent via the actual US Postal Service. You can’t use any other form of mail delivery. You must write the inmate’s name, prisoner number, and the jail address on the envelope. Do not send anything in a box or package, envelope with padding or insulation, plastic bag, or an envelope containing metal parts. All mail received by the jail gets opened and read and examined by the jail staff, and will get sent back to the person who mailed it if they decide it is inappropriate.

Use this address when sending a letter to someone incarcerated at Cameron County Detention Center:

Cameron County Detention Center
954 E. Harrison
Brownsville, TX 78520

Here is how you should address the letter:

[INMATE’S FULL NAME]
[INMATE ID]
Cameron County Detention Center
954 E. Harrison
Brownsville, TX 78520

The mail policy at Cameron County Detention Center changes, so be sure to double check the official Cameron County Detention Center site before you send a letter to an inmate there.

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If you get arrested, you have particular rights, the first of which is that you have the right to request a lawyer. You won’t get many phone calls in jail, so it is important to have a friend or family member locate a lawyer for you. You might be thinking ‘but do I really need an attorney’ While you are not required to have one, a criminal lawyer will make sure you know your rights, look after your best interests and help you navigate the legal system that you are now faced with. The quicker you get a lawyer involved with your case, the better off you’ll be.

For more detailed information on the benefits of and how to hire an attorney, read our guide: How to Find an Attorney in Cameron County

If you cannot afford a lawyer, you will be given a public defender for a lawyer. The Public Defender Office is staffed by independent investigators, experts in forensics as well as social workers. You should be reassured that Public Defenders are licensed attorneys, members of the State Bar and are legally licensed to practice law and represent you in court.

Have you ever had to use the services of a 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 include a case file with a docket sheet and every documents in your case. You are able to access your court case records via the online service, or at the Cameron County Clerk of Court.

The Clerk of Court is an official part of the court who manages court records. They also administer the oath for all court participants, and read the verdict when decided by the jury. All records, documents, and evidence associated with your case are held at the Cameron County Clerk of Court.

Court costs and court fees are the charges and fees from your court case, such as for example 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.

The Cameron County magistrate is the judge that will preside on your case in court. Magistrates do different functions, such as setting bail amounts, writing arrest warrants, and presiding over first court appearances and detention proceedings.

Your pre-sentencing report is prepared to include information about the defendant’s background and details of the defendant’s life and public history, which the judge will consider when determining a sentence. Information, details, and character witnesses will be gathered from the defendant, his or her family, and, if applicable, the victim in the crime. Be sure to remember you can ask to get a copy of your pre-sentencing report prior to sentencing, and make sure that you go over it and correct any mistakes in it.

If you get convicted of a crime during your trial, you will be sentenced. The judge will have several different options when sentencing you, including community service, house arrest, and probation, to incarceration in jail or prison. Depending on the particulars of your trial, the severity of your crime, and any sentencing guidelines that they judge will use, you may be taken into custody, right there in court, or given a date that you are supposed to turn yourself into jail to do your time.

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Want to find out if somebody you know is currently in jail, or has been an inmate in the past?

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

• Name.
• Date of birth.
• Their approximate booking date.
• and their inmate ID.

If you’re not sure if this person is in jail or not, you should call the jail confirm whether they’ve been arrested or not.

If you think you have an outstanding warrant, you can check court records on the website or you are able to call the court directly. This requires a first and last name. You can also go to the local jail and ask them. You should know that if there is a warrant for your arrest, you will be taken into custody immediately.

If you know the person’s first and last name, and their arrest date, contact the jail, on the phone, go there in person, or look online. An arrest is public record and these records are accessible by the public.

A Civil Process is when you get served with papers, like warrants. You can access civil process orders by getting in touch with the Sheriff’s office, online or by phone.

All people registered as sex offenders are required to be registered and listed on the sex offender databases required by the area they live in. The people listed on these databases have been convicted of a sex crime. You are able to view this information on the website, but you should know that you will not find the street address, but rather the neighborhood block of the address that they registered.

Court Records are public records. They include a case file that contains a docket and any of the documents and filings filed in your court case. You are able to access the court records via the internet, or at Clerk of Court in the county where the case was filed.

Every state keeps a record of people’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 courthouse and inquire, or check online. It helps to know the county, and in the event that the crime was in a completely different state, you may have to pay a fee for a more complete search.

A criminal records search you are able to find out if someone has been arrested, charged, or convicted for any crimes, which can include:

• Driving Under the Influence (DUI).
• Drug Possession.
• Kidnapping.
• Rape or other sexual assault.
• Violent crimes including assault, battery and murder.
• Breaking and entering, theft, larceny.

But, when you do a criminal records check, usually won’t see if they have had any moving violations, like:

• Speeding or reckless driving.
• Drivers license revoked or suspended.
• Been in a traffic accident.
• Other moving violations.
• Parking Tickets.

To search for this kind of information, you must do a search for their driving record.

Have you ever had to search for criminal records of someone you know? How easy was it? Did you do your search online or did you have to make a phone call to the courthouse? Was the information you received correct? There are many reasons that folks search for criminal records, and your story could help other people that are in the same situation.

Click here to post a comment

Most Wanted

Everyone knows that the FBI has a listing of the Ten Most Wanted Criminals. In Cameron County,The Sheriff’s Department keeps their own list of most wanted criminals and fugitives.

FBI Top Ten Most Wanted List: Link


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Life In Jail / What Its Like

Daily Life

Just the thought of serving a jail sentence in the Cameron County jail is something you wish you could avoid, soon you will become accustomed to the routine that is set for you in jail. All inmates get an alarm to wake up at six in the morning, and then roll call. You will then eat 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 Cameron 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 Cameron 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 can change, so you should check the the Cameron County Detention Center website when send funds to someone in jail 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 Cameron County Detention Center

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

Requirements:

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


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Family Resources

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

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

Click here to tell about all about it


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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.

Click here to share your story

Sex Offender Information and Search

All people registered as sex offenders are registered on either a national or state sex offender database. The people on these databases have been convicted of a sex or kidnapping crime. You can access this information online, but bear in mind that you will not get the exact address, rather the block that they live on.

Domestic Violence

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, there are services to help you. Your county will have a Domestic Violence Services office. They provide free and confidential services, such as emergency shelter information, legal advocacy, support groups and domestic violence education. They will work to help you create a safe and violence-free life, and heal from the trauma of abuse.

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


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Reviews

Reviews of this Jail

Have you ever been a prisoner at this jail? Do you know someone there? Have you ever visited a prisoner in this jail?

If you have, then you should write your review about it. Tell us about your experience so others can find out what to expect.

Things you can include in what you write:

• Conditions at the jail.
• Jail and pod facility and layout
• Jail staff and Guards
• Food and commissary
• Visitation Days
• The other inmates – what are they like?
• Safety
• Gangs
• Inmate programs and activities


Click here to write a review

Tell Your Story

Anybody that’s ever been locked up has some stories to tell about the whole experience. Why’d you get arrested? Did you get fair treatment? What happened to you while you were locked up? Were the other inmates cool? How did it affect you to go to jail?

Click here to tell about all about it

Send a Message to Your Cell Mate

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

Send a message to someone incarcerated at Cameron County Detention Center


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