Lafayette Parish Jail – Lafayette, LA

Lafayette Parish Jail is located in Lafayette Parish and is the primary jail for this region. Know someone incarcerated at Lafayette Parish Jail? This page will tell you about anything you might want to know about Lafayette Parish Jail,like the following: Find an inmate at Lafayette Parish Jail. Find mugshots. The jail’s phone number and address. Bail and how to get out of jail. Intake procedures and booking. Court information. And lots more.

The prospect of getting arrested and going to jail is a scary and daunting thought, not only for the person who is incarcerated, but also their family and friends. The purpose of this guide is to give info you need to make helping a friend or family member get out of jail easier. If you have questions, please feel free to ask it in the comment section below, and any feedback or comments that would be beneficial to other people in the same situation will be much appreciated.

Do you know someone that has gone to jail and don’t know how to contact them?

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

In order to search who is in jail at Lafayette Parish Jail you will need to go to their link and perform an inmate search.

The Lafayette Parish Jail Inmate Lookup is an online list of persons who have been arrested, including custody status, bail amount, and times you can visit. Also, you can get info for anybody arrested and booked or released in the past 24-hour period. Inmates are listed alphabetically by their last name. You’ll be able to locate their inmate information fast if you enter the arrestee’s first and last name, date of birth, or inmate ID.

If your friend or loved one may be locked up at a different jail you will want to look here: Louisiana Jails

A mugshot, also known as a jail processing photo, is the picture taken by the police when you get processed at jail intake. A mugshot is actually two photos one frontal photo and a profile photo. Your full name and jail booking number will be in the photos, and they will be kept on file at the jail.

Mugshots can be viewed online, or you can see them in person at the Lafayette Parish Jail. When viewing online you will have to put in the inmate’s first and last name, and the booking date, if you have one.

Want to have your mugshot taken off of the Lafayette Parish Jail site? This may not be possible, because your mugshot is public record. To get your mugshot taken down you will need to file a Petition to Expunge in court. Basically, this means 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 removing your mugshot, the many different mugshot websites, and the mugshot removal services: How To Get Your Mugshot Taken Down

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Of course, once you are incarcerated, your only thought is about getting out. After you’ve been booked, a bail amount is set by a special judge called a magistrate. If you don’t get a bail set this can mean that you will either be free to go until your trial, or you don’t get released while you wait for your court date.

If you are released you are required to promise to show up for court, and until then you are required not to go out of town.

In most cases, an inmate in the Lafayette Parish Jail can earn an early release in exchange for good behavior when they follow the rules and act right while incarcerated.

If you prove to be trustworthy, you may be allowed to participate in a work release program. You will have to stay jail every day after work, or you may be permitted to move into a halfway house instead of living at the jail.

Bail is money that you have to pay to the court system to be released from jail pending trial. The amount you will be required to pay is dictated by what crime you are charged with and how serious it is. You will have to post 10% of the amount that was determined so you can get out of jail. If you miss your scheduled court date, that person will lose all of the bail money.

You must call the Lafayette Parish Jail. If you have all the pertinent 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 online.

Needing to bail someone out of jail is an unpleasant situation, but thankfully, it’s easy. First, find out if they have a “Cash Bond Only” situation. If so, you will not be able to use the services of a Bail Bondsman. Bail can only be paid by cash – the jail won’t accept a check. Once the cash bond has been paid, the person will get released. If the conditions of bail are not violated, you will get this money back.

If the bail amount is too high, or you can’t afford it yourself, you should try to hire a bail bondsman. They will generally charge a fee of 10-15% of the bail amount, and usually with a minimum fee of $100. This will not be returned to you and must be paid in cash. If the bail has been set really high, the bondsman will usually ask to use your assets as collateral.

You can find a bail bondsman visit our page about: Bail bondsman

Have you ever used the services of bondsman because you or someone you know got arrested? If you have, post a comment below and tell about it, and let us know how things turned out.

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

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The jail intake process includes each of these steps:

• You will be placed in a waiting area or cell. If the jail is really busy, you may not be processed immediately.
• You will answer a bunch of questions, such as your full name, address, date of birth and contact person.
• Also, you will also be asked about your medical and mental history.
• You’ll be given an inmate ID.
• You will be fingerprinted.
• You will get your mugshot taken.
• All of your personal property will be taken away from you and stored until you get discharged from jail.
• You will get to make a telephone call to contact a member of your family, friend, or bail bondsman.
• If you are expected to be released shortly, you might be able to wear your street clothes, otherwise you will have to change into a jail uniform – the jumpsuit.

Have you ever been arrested and gone through the jail intake procedure? If you have, you should tell your story so other people can learn from your experience. How long did it take to get through intake? What was your treatment like? Do you know any secrets that could help other people that get arrested make it through jail processing?

Speak Your Mind

Once bail has been posted, you will be discharged from jail. This process takes between 15 minutes to hours or even all day long. So, the quicker bail is posted, the sooner you will be freed. How quickly you get discharged might depend on if you’ve been given a cash bond or if the judge needs to determine the bail amount. For a minor offense, you will get booked and get released without having to post bail. When you have served your sentence and have a discharge date, expect to be discharged that morning.

In the event there is a, or if you have to start a jail sentence, you really should do the right thing and go down to the jail and turn yourself in. For a warrant, go down to the jail, in the reception area, and tell the intake officer that you think there may be a warrant out for your arrest. They will do a check to find out if there is an arrest warrant for you, and if they verify that there is a warrant for your arrest, they will take you into custody. If it is for a jail sentence, report to the jail at the exact time and date that the sentence order requires you to. Ensure that you get don’t get there late, or they may decide to arrest you. Only bring allowed items when you turn yourself in, for example a driver’s license or even photo ID, any prescription medication you might take, along with your doctor’s prescription, as well as the sentencing order.

The inmate need to list each visitor’s name and date of birth to the jail. Your visitor’s names will go in the log for the requesting inmate. Each and every visitor will have to provide acceptable photo identification when visiting an inmate. Any visitors that gets to visitation or that is not on the visitation list will not be allowed to attend visitation.
Jail visitation policies frequently change, so it would be wise to double-check the official site before you go.

The only phone calls that inmates are allowed to make are with a pre-paid phone card or account, or are collect calls . Phone calls made in jail are much pricier than regular phone calls. Phone calls are restricted on how often you can use the phone, but bear in mind lots of people want to use the phone – so you have to share. If you are disciplined for an infraction, your ability to use the phone might get cut back or cut altogether.

The Lafayette Parish Jail phone number is: (337) 232-9211

All mail has to be sent using the actual US Postal Service, and not courier or delivery, or hand delivered. You shouldn’t use any other method of mail delivery. You must write the person’s name, prisoner number, and the jail address on the letter that you send. Don’t mail a package, envelope with padding or insulation, bag, or an envelope with metal inside. All mail that you send to inmates gets opened and inspected by the officers at the jail, and will get sent back to the person who mailed it if it can’t be delivered.

Use this address when sending a letter to someone incarcerated at Lafayette Parish Jail:

Lafayette Parish Jail
316 West Main Street
Lafayette, LA 70501

Here is how you should address the letter:

[INMATE’S FULL NAME]
[INMATE ID]
Lafayette Parish Jail
316 West Main Street
Lafayette, LA 70501

The inmate mail policy at Lafayette Parish Jail is always changing, so we suggest that you check the official website when you send a letter.

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If you have been arrested, you still have rights, one of these is the right to request a lawyer. You are only allowed to make so many phone calls in jail, so it is a good idea to ask a friend or family member to locate a lawyer when you talk to them. You may be asking yourself ‘do I really need a lawyer?’ You’re not required to have an attorney in all cases, a criminal attorney will make sure you know your rights, help protect your interests and help you navigate through the criminal justice system in Lafayette Parish. The faster you get a lawyer involved with your situation, the better.

For more detailed information on the benefits of and how to hire an attorney, read: Find an Attorney

If you can’t afford an attorney, a Public Defender will be assigned to you. Also, the Public Defender Office has a number of staff such as investigators, forensics experts as well as social workers. You should be reassured that Public Defenders are real attorneys, admitted to the State Bar and are fully licensed to practice law.

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

Court records are a matter of public record. They have a file containing a docket sheet and each of the documents and motions filed in the course of your case. You have the ability to access the records and documents in your court case with the online service, or by going to the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court where the case was filed.

The Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court is an official part of the court that manages access to court records. They also administer the oath for anyone testifying in court, and read the verdict when the jury makes their final decision. All court records associated with your court case are available at the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court.

Court fees and costs are the costs from your court case, which include filing charges, motion and claim fees, and court appearance fees. If you are low income and have a court appointed attorney, you can get a waiver for these fees.

The Lafayette Parish court magistrate acts as the judge that rules on your court case. Magistrates are judges that do several different things, which include determining how much your bail will be, writing arrest warrants, and overseeing preliminary court proceedings and detention proceedings.

Your pre-sentencing report is put together to include the defendant’s background information and details of the defendant’s life history, which the magistrate judge will take into consideration when determining a sentence. Information, details, and character witnesses will be collected from the person on trial, his or her family, and if necessary the victim. Keep in mind that you can request to get a copy of this report before you are sentenced, and make sure that you review it and correct any mistakes.

After you are convicted of a crime, you will be sentenced. There are several different options for sentencing, including community service and probation, to even incarceration in either jail (short term) or prison (long term). Depending on how serious your crime was, you might get locked up immediately, or given a date to turn yourself into jail to serve your term.

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Do you want to find out if someone is in jail, or has ever been in jail?

To find this out just visit the jail’s website, and search using:

• Their name.
• Birthdate.
• Their booking date.
• or jail ID.

If you’re not sure if your friend or family member is in jail, you should call the jail get confirmation.

If you think you might have an outstanding warrant for your arrest, you can access arrest warrants inquiry online or you can call the court directly. This requires a first and last name. Or, you can just go down to the jail and ask the officer in charge. Bear in mind that there is an outstanding warrant for your arrest, you will be taken into custody immediately.

If you have a first and last name, and their arrest date, contact the jail, either by phone, in person, or look online. Arrest records are a matter of public record and these records are accessible by the public.

Civil processes are when you get served with legal papers, like a court order. You can find these by contacting the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s office, on their website or by phone.

All convicted sex offenders are listed and registered on both a national and state sex offender database. The people listed on these databases have been tried by jury and convicted in a court of law of a sex crime. You can access this information on the internet, but remember that you can’t get the exact address, but only the neighborhood block of the address that they registered.

Court Records are considered public records, so they are accessible to anyone who requests them. They include a case file that contains a court docket and all filings and documents filed in your court case. You can access the court records via the internet, or at the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court in the county where the case was filed.

Every state maintains records of people’s criminal history. These databases are all connected so you are able to track criminal convictions from other states. You are able to go to the Lafayette Parish Courthouse and make an inquiry, or check the website. It helps to know which county the crime occurred in, and in the event that the crime was in a different state, you might have to pay for a more complete search.

A criminal history search you will get a listing of all the arrests, charges, or convictions for these crimes:

• DUI or DWI.
• Drug offenses.
• Kidnapping.
• Sex offenses which could include rape, and sexual assault.
• Violent crimes including assault, battery and murder.
• Property crimes like theft or larceny.

But, when you do a criminal records check, you generally won’t discover if someone has had any infractions like moving violations:

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

To get driving records, you must do a driving history search.

Have you ever needed to find criminal records? How easy was it? Was your search online or did you call the courthouse? Was the information correct? There are lots of reasons that folks search for criminal records, and your comments might help other people.

Click here to tell about all about it

Most Wanted

The FBI maintains a list of the Ten Most Wanted Criminals. In Lafayette Parish, the Sheriff maintains their own list of the top most wanted criminals in the county.

FBI Top Ten Most Wanted List


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Life In Jail / What Its Like

Daily Life

Everyone knows that serving a jail sentence in Lafayette Parish Jail is something you wish you could avoid, in time you will get used to the daily routine there. Expect an alarm for wake-up at six in the morning, and next you’ll have roll call. After roll call you will eat breakfast. When you finish 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 Lafayette Parish 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 Lafayette Parish Jail uniform. This is normally a jumpsuit or scrubs. Of note to anyone visiting an inmate – you must be properly dressed. Any clothing considered inappropriate will not be permitted.

How To Send Money to an Inmate

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

The procedure to send funds to Lafayette Parish Jail inmates can change, so it would be best to check the official Lafayette Parish Jail site when you send money 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 Lafayette Parish Jail

The Deputy Sheriff is the second in command at the Lafayette Parish 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 Lafayette Parish Jail

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.

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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 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 an inmate in Lafayette Parish Jail? Do you have a family member or friend that is a prisoner there? Have you ever been to visit a prisoner at Lafayette Parish Jail?

If yes, then please write a review about it. Write down your experience so other people will know what to expect.

Things you can write in what you write:

• Conditions at the jail.
• Jail, yard and pod facility and layout
• Guards and staff
• Jail food and commissary
• Visitors
• The other inmates.
• Prisoner safety
• Gang activity
• Activities and programs


Click here to review Lafayette Parish Jail

Tell Your Story

Everbody that’s been incarcerated has some stories about their time ‘inside’. Why were you locked up? Did you get fair treatment? What was it like in jail? What about the other inmates? How did getting locked up affect your life?

Speak Your Mind

Send a Message to Your Cell Mate

Did you meet some cool folks in jail? Are you trying to find out how to get in touch with somebody you met in jail? Leave a message for them here.

Send a message to Lafayette Parish Jail


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