Cole County Jail – Jefferson City, MO

Cole County Jail is in Cole County, Missouri and is the primary jail for the region. Looking for somebody locked up in Cole County Jail? This page tells you about everything you might want to know about Cole County Jail,such as: How to do a jail inmate search. Find mugshots and inmate photos. The jail’s phone number and address. Posting bail. Cole County Jail intake procedures. Court records. And more…

The chance of going to jail is a daunting and scary prospect, not only for the person who is incarcerated, but also that person’s friends and family. The purpose of this guide is to give you all the advice and information that you’ll need to make helping someone get out of jail a little less stressful. If you have a specific question, just ask it, and please leave any feedback or comments that might be a benefit to others would be appreciated.

Do you know someone in jail and don’t know how to find them?

Has a family member or friend who has been arrested and you want to find out what jail they’re in?

In order to look up who’s in jail at Cole County Jail you need to go to their website and do an inmate search.

The Cole County Jail Inmate Lookup has information on persons who have been arrested and are in jail, which includes current status, how much their bail is, and visiting hours. Also, you can get information on anyone processed or discharged within the past 24-hour period. Jail inmates are listed alphabetically by their last name. You will be able to get the information fast if you enter the arrestee’s full name, birth date, or inmate ID Number.

If your friend or loved one could possibly be at another county jail you should check the other Missouri county jails in our Missouri County Jail Guide: Missouri County Jails Listing

A mugshot, also called a intake photograph, is the picture taken by the police when you get processed at jail intake. A mugshot is actually one frontal photo and a side photo. Your full name and booking number will be in the photos, and they are stored at the jail.

Mugshots of Cole County Jail inmates can be found online, or you can go in person to the Cole County Jail. When viewing online you need to input the person’s legal name, and the arrest date, if you know it.

Trying to figure out how to get your mugshot taken off of the Cole County Jail website? This may not be possible, since your mugshot is a public record. To get your mugshot removed you will need to file a Petition to Expunge in court. What this means is that all of your arrest records will be sealed, so no one will be able to access them. Depending on your situation, this may be a longshot.

To learn more about getting your mugshot removed, the different mugshot sites, and the mugshot removal websites: How To Get Your Mugshot Removed

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If you are locked up, your main thought is when and how to get out. After you’ve gone through the booking process, a bail amount will be set either through a preset bail schedule or a magistrate. In cases where no bail is set this might mean that you will either get released, pending trial, or you must remain in jail until your trial.

If you do bail out you will have to agree to show up for court, and in the meantime you will not be permitted to travel out of the county.

Usually, prisoners at Cole County Jail will be given time off for good behavior if they respect the rules and area a good inmate while locked up.

If you prove to be trustworthy, you may be allowed to do work release. You will have to go back to the jail every day after work, or you may have the chance to live in a halfway house instead of jail, so it is kind of like an early release.

Bail is how much money that you have to pay to get out of jail until your trial. Your bail amount all depends on the seriousness of your charges. You will have to put up 10 percent of the total set in order for you to be released. If you don’t show up for your court appearance, that person won’t get their money back.

You have to call the Cole County Jail or the County Courthouse. If know the person’s info, including name, address and date of birth, they will tell you what their bail is set at. You can also find out how much their bail is online.

Needing to bail someone out of jail is never fun, but fortunately, it is really easy if you have the money. To start with, find out if they have a Cash Only Bond situation. If this is the case, you won’t be able to use the services of a Bail Bondsman. They only accept cash at the jail, so you have to take cash – the jail won’t accept a check. As soon as you’ve paid the bail bond, the inmate will get released. If they don’t violate the terms of their bail, you’ll get the bail money back.

If bail is set too high, of if you can’t pay it, you will need to use a bail bondsman. Bondsmen usually charge you a fee of 10-15% of the bail amount, and sometimes charge a minimum fee of $100. This will not be returned to you and must be paid in cash. If the bail is exceptionally high, the bondsman will request to use assets as collateral for the bond.

To talk to a local bail bondsman click here: Find a bail bondsman at Cole County Jail

Have you ever used a bondsman for yourself, a family member or friend? If you have, post a comment below and tell about it, and let us know how things turned out.

Click here to tell about all about it

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

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The jail intake procedure takes you through these steps:

• You will be placed in a holding cell. When the jail is busy, you will have to wait, sometimes for many hours, before you get processed.
• You will answer a bunch of questions, like your legal name, street address, date of birth and an emergency contact.
• Also, you will also be asked about your mental and medical history.
• You will be given an inmate ID number.
• You will get fingerprinted.
• You will have your mugshot taken.
• Any property you have will get taken away from you and stored until you get discharged from jail.
• They will allow you to use the telephone so you can talk to family, friends, or bail bondsman.
• If they expect that you will make bail and be released quickly, you might be able to skip the jumpsuit and keep wearing your own clothes, but if you are not expected to make bail quickly you will have to change into a jumpsuit.

Have you ever been booked into jail? If so, please tell us what happened. How long did you have to wait? Were you treated fairly? Do you know any tips that might help other people make it through jail intake?

Click here to tell your story

Once you are able to post bail, you will get discharged from jail. Getting discharged from jail may take between 30 minutes to many hours. In other words the faster bail is posted, the sooner you can get released from jail. How quickly you get discharged might depend on whether or not you have a bond amount or if the judge still needs to figure out how much your bail will be. For lesser charges, you will get booked and released on your own recognizance. When you get to the end of your sentence and have a date of your release, plan to get discharged in the morning.

If there is a, or if you must report to start a sentence, it is highly advisable that you do the right thing and turn yourself into the authorities. If it is for a warrant, go to the jail intake area, and tell someone that you think they might have an outstanding warrant for your arrest. They will do a record check, and if there is one, you will be taken into custody. If you have a jail sentence to serve, go to the jail at the exact time and date that the sentence order lists. Make sure that you are not late to report. Only bring necessary items with you, like a driver’s license or photo ID, any prescription medication you might take, as well as a copy of the sentencing order.

The inmate need to list each visitor’s name to the jail in advance of the visit. Your visitor’s names will go into a log of approved visitors as an authorized visitor. Each and every visitor has to provide a photo ID when visiting. Visitors arriving late or without a visiting order will be turned away.
Visitation procedures at Cole County Jail are always changing, so we suggest that you double-check the official Cole County Jail jail site before you visit an inmate.

The only phone calls that inmates are allowed to make are made through a jail approved pre-paid phone account or phone card . Calls made in jail are a lot pricier than phone calls made at home. There are certain restrictions about when you can make phone calls, how long you can talk, and how often you can make calls, but bear in mind that you are just one of many people who want to talk to their loved ones. If you are under any sort of disciplinary procedure, an inmate’s phone privileges could be reduced or eliminated completely, as part of the punishment.

The Cole County Jail phone number is: (573) 635-7070

All inmate mail has to be sent using the actual US Postal Service, and not courier or delivery, or hand delivered. You must not use any other form of mail delivery. You have to print the person’s name, prisoner number, and jail address on the letter that you send. Don’t mail anything in a package, padded envelope, plastic or paper bag, or an envelope with metal in it. Any mail will be opened and examined and read by the staff, and the mail will get returned to the sender if it can’t be delivered.

Use this address when sending a letter to someone incarcerated at Cole County Jail:

Cole County Jail
Po Box 426
Jefferson City, MO 65102

Here is how you should address the letter:

[INMATE’S FULL NAME]
[INMATE ID]
Cole County Jail
Po Box 426
Jefferson City, MO 65102

The mail policy at Cole County Jail is always changing, so you should double check the official website when send a letter to someone in jail there.

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Even if you’ve been arrested, you still have certain rights, one of these being your right to request a lawyer. You only get so many phone calls when you get arrested, so make sure to get a friend or relative to find an attorney when you talk to them. You may be asking yourself ‘why do I need an attorney?’ You’re not required to have an attorney in all cases, a criminal lawyer will make sure you know your rights, look after your best interests and help you navigate the complicated legal system. The quicker you get an attorney working on your case, the better your chances.

For more information about how to find an attorney, go to: How to Find an Attorney in Cole County

If you cannot afford a lawyer, the courts will assign you a public defender, which is a free lawyer. Also, the Public Defender’s Office is staffed by private investigators, forensics experts and social workers. Public Defenders are licensed attorneys who are admitted to the State Bar and are legally licensed to practice law in Missouri.

Have you ever had to use a court appointed attorney? Do you think they properly handled your case?

Court records are public record and are available upon request to anyone who requests them – not just the person who they pertain to. They have a case file containing a docket and every documents and motions that have been filed in your case. You, and anyone else, can access your court case records using the website, or by going to the Clerk of Court.

The Clerk of Court is an official part of the court who manages court records. They also administer the oath during court cases, and read the verdict when decided by the jury. All records, documents, and evidence from your case are kept at Clerk of Court’s office.

Court fees are the costs associated with your court case, such as for example filing charges, motion and claim fees, and court appearance fees. If you cannot afford these fees and have been assigned a Public Defender, you will not be responsible for these fees.

A Magistrate is the type of judge who presides over your case in court. Magistrate judges do different tasks, which include deciding a bail amount, issuing warrants, and overseeing preliminary and procedural court proceedings and detention hearings.

Your pre-sentencing report is put together to include your background information and as much detail about the defendant’s life, which the magistrate judge will review when determining a sentence. Information will be solicited from the defendant, his or her family members, and in some cases the victim of the crime. Don’t forget you are able to ask to get your own copy of the pre-sentencing report before you are sentenced, and correct the mistakes.

If you get convicted of a crime, you will be sentenced. The presiding judge in your case will weigh several options when determining your sentence, ranging from community service to probation, to even incarceration in either jail (short term) or prison (long term). Depending on how serious your crime was, you will either be taken into custody, right there in court, or you could be given a date that you are supposed to turn yourself into jail to serve out your sentence.

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Are you trying to find out if somebody you know is incarcerated, or has been an inmate in the past?

To do so, you need to access the jail’s website, and search by:

• The inmate’s name.
• Date of birth.
• Their booking date.
• and their inmate ID.

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

If you believe you have an outstanding warrant for your arrest, you are able to check the arrest warrants inquiry on the Cole County court website or call the court directly. You have to have their first and last name. Or, you can just go down to the jail and ask them. You should know that if there is an arrest warrant out for you, they will take you into custody immediately.

If you know the person’s first and last name, and their arrest date, contact the Cole County jail, by phone, go there in person, or look online. An arrest is in the public record and this information is accessible to anyone.

Civil processes are when you get served with papers, such as court orders. You can access civil process orders by contacting the Sheriff’s office, by phone or online.

All people registered as sex offenders have to be registered and listed on both a national and state sex offender database. Those listed on these databases have been convicted in a court of law of a sex crime. You are able to view this information on the website, but keep in mind that you will not get the precise address, rather the block they live on.

Court Records are considered public records, so they are accessible to anyone who requests them. These records include a case file containing a docket and any of the filings and documents filed in your court case. You are able to access your court records on the internet, or at the Cole County Clerk of Court in the county where the case was filed.

Each state maintains a record of someone’s criminal background. These state databases are connected so you can track criminal backgrounds from any other state. Go to the Cole County Courthouse and make an inquiry, or you can check online. It helps to know the county, and if the crime was in a different state, you might have to pay a fee for a more complete search.

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

• DUI or DWI.
• Drug Possession of Drug Trafficking.
• Kidnapping.
• Rape or other sexual assault.
• Violent crimes.
• Property crimes like theft or larceny.

During a criminal records search, usually will not be able to see if they have had any infractions like moving violations:

• Speeding.
• Drivers license revoked or suspended.
• Any accidents.
• Other moving violations.
• Parking Tickets.

To find this information, you must do a driving records search.

Have you ever had to look for criminal records online? How hard was it? Was your search online or did you make a phone call to the local courthouse? Was the information correct? There are many reasons that folks search for criminal backgrounds and records, and your account might help other people that are in the same situation.

Click here to leave a comment

Most Wanted

Everyone knows that the FBI keeps a list of the Top Ten Most Wanted Criminals. In Cole County, the Sheriff has a list of most wanted criminals, too.

FBI Ten Most Wanted List


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Life In Jail / What Its Like

Daily Life

While the prospect of getting locked up in Cole County Jail is no fun, in time you will become accustomed to the routine that is set for you. Prisoners get a wake-up alarm at six in the morning, and then you’ll have roll call. You will then get breakfast. After breakfast, participate 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 Cole 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 Cole 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 Cole County Jail is likely to change, so it would be best to check the official website when you send any money.


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 Cole County Jail

The Deputy Sheriff is the second in command at the Cole 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 Cole County 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.

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:

• Victims have the right to protection from the accused.
• Victims have the right to notification.
• Victims have the right to attend proceedings.
• Victims have the right to speak at criminal justice proceedings.
• Victims have the right to consult with the prosecuting attorney.
• Victims have the right to restitution.
• Victims have the right to a speedy trial.
• Victims 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 an inmate at this jail? Do you know anybody that spent time there? Have you ever been to visit a prisoner at this jail?

If so, then please tell us about it. Write about your jail experience so other people can learn what to expect.

Things you might want to put in your comment:

• Conditions in Cole County Jail.
• Jail and pod facility and layout
• Guards and jail staff
• Jail food and commissary
• Visitation Days
• Inmates.
• Safety
• Gang activity
• Inmate programs and activities


Write a review about Cole County Jail

Tell Your Story

Everyone’s who has been put in jail has a story about it. How’d you end up in jail? Were you mistreated? What happened to you while you were locked up? What about the other inmates? How did it affect you to go to jail?

Click here to tell about all about it

Send a Message to Your Cell Mate

Make some good friends in jail? Do you need to find a friend from jail? Send a message to them here.

Post a message to someone at Cole County Jail


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