Dent County Jail – Salem, MO

Dent County Jail is in Dent County and is the correctional facility for that county. Know somebody incarcerated at Dent County Jail? This guide gives you information about everything a person needs to know about Dent County Jail,like: Find out who’s in jail at Dent County Jail? Find mugshots and inmate photos. The jail’s phone number and address. Posting bail. Intake procedures and booking. Court records. And much more…

The prospect of getting arrested and going to jail is a scary and daunting thought, not only for the person who goes to jail, but also their friends and family. This guide is designed to give information and advice you need to make helping someone get out of jail a lot easier. If you have a question, feel free to ask them, and any comments or feedback that might help others is welcome.

Do you have a friend or family member that has gone to jail and need to find them?

Has somebody who has been arrested and you don’t know how to locate them?

To see who is in jail at Dent County Jail you will have to click on their website and do an inmate search.

The Dent County Jail Inmate Lookup is an online list of people currently in custody, including custody status, bail amount, and times the inmate can have visitors. Also, you can find the same information for anyone booked or discharged within the last 24 hours. Jail inmates are shown in alphabetical order by their last name. You can find the information faster if you have their name, birth date, or inmate ID.

If the person you’re searching for could possibly be at a different jail you can check our guide to other Missouri jails: Missouri County Jails

A mugshot, or intake photo, is a photograph that the police take when you get processed at jail intake. They will take one full face and one profile photo. Your name and intake number will be in the pictures, and they’re on file.

Mugshots of inmates are on the Dent County Jail website, or you can go in person to the Dent County Jail. When you search for mugshots online you will need to put in the person’s legal name, and a booking date, if you know it.

Are you trying to have your mugshot erased from the Dent County Jail website? This will be difficult, since your mugshot is a matter of public record. You will need to file a Petition to Expunge with the court. Basically, this means that the record of your arrest would be sealed, so no one will be able to see them. Depending on your situation, this may be a longshot.

For more information about removing your mugshot, the different mugshot sites, and the mugshot removal websites: How To Get Your Mugshot Taken Down

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Naturally, once you’re locked up, your only thought is about when you get out. After you’ve been booked, your bail amount will be decided by a special judge called a magistrate. If there is no bail set this might mean that you will either be free to go until your trial, or you are kept in jail until your court date.

If you do bail out of jail you are required to promise to show up for court, and until that day you are not permitted to go out of town.

In most cases, an inmate in the Dent County Jail are given 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 do exhibit good behavior and the jail believes you can be trusted, you might be given work release detail. You will either have to stay the jail every day when you’re finished with work, or you may be allowed to move into a halfway house instead of the jail.

Your bail is how much money that you will be required to pay to get out of jail until your trial. The amount you have to pay depends on the crime you are charged with. Someone will have to pay to the courts 10% of the amount that was set in order for you to be released. If you fail to show up for your scheduled court date, that person will lose that bail money.

You will have to call the jail or the county courthouse. If you’ve got the person’s info, including name, address and date of birth, they’ll let you know the bail amount. You can also see the bail amount on the Dent County Jail site.

Bailing out of jail is never fun, but in some cases, it’s really easy. First of all, figure out if their bail is a “Cash Bond Only”. If this is the case, you won’t be able to get a bail bondsman. Cash only – the jail won’t accept a personal check. As soon as you’ve posted (paid) bond, the prisoner will be released into your care. If they don’t violate the terms of their bail, you’ll get the bail money back.

If bail is set too high, or you just can’t afford it, you should hire a bail bondsman. Bail bondsmen usually charge you a fee of 10 to 15 percent of the total bail amount, and sometimes with a minimum charge of $100. The money you pay to the bail bondsman will not be returned to you and is typically cash only. If their bail has been set particularly high, the bail bondsman will require that they use assets as collateral in addition to the fee they charge.

To find a local bail bondsman click here: Find a bail bondsman

Have you ever had to find a bondsman either for yourself, a family member or friend? If so, please leave a comment below and tell about your experience and let us know how it worked out for you.

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

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The intake process includes the following steps:

• They’ll put you in a holding cell. If the jail is really busy, you will have to wait a while to get processed.
• You have to answer a number of questions, such as your full name, your address, date of birth and an emergency contact person.
• They’ll also ask you about your mental and medical history.
• You will be given an inmate ID.
• Your fingerprints will be taken.
• You will have a front and profile photo taken for your mugshot.
• All of your personal property will get taken away from you and stored until you get released from jail.
• You will then be allowed to use the telephone to get in touch with a family member, friend, or bail bondsman.
• If you are expected to be released shortly, you might be able to keep wearing your own clothes, but if you are not expected to make bail quickly you will be given a jail jumpsuit.

Have you ever been booked into jail? If you have, please tell your story. How long did it take to get through intake? Were you treated fairly? Can you tell us tips that might help others get through the procedure?

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Once you are able to post bail, you will be allowed to leave jail. This process will take between 30 minutes to hours or even all day long. So, the faster you can post bail, the quicker you can get released from jail. Also, it will depend on whether or not you’ve been given a bond amount or if the judge must determine how much your bail will be. For a minor charge, you will simply be booked and released on your own recognizance. When you get to the end of your sentence and know the date of your release, you should expect to be released in the morning.

If you have a, or if you must report to start a sentence, you really should do the right thing and turn yourself into the authorities. If it is for a warrant, go to the jail intake center, and tell them that you think there is an outstanding arrest warrant out for you. They will check to see if you have a warrant, and if they verify that there is a warrant for your arrest, you will be taken into jail custody. When reporting to serve a sentence, report at the exact time and date that the sentence order requires you to. Ensure that you are not late to report. Be sure to only bring necessary items when you go, for example a driver’s license or even your ID, prescription medication, as well as the sentencing order from court.

In order to have visitors, inmates have to give each visitor’s full name to the jail in advance of the visit. Your visitor’s names will be put in a Visiting log for the inmate that requested the visitor. All visitors have to provide acceptable photo identification. Anyone arriving late or that is not on the visitation list will be turned away.
Visitation procedures at Dent County Jail can change, so we suggest that you visit the official jail site before go to the jail to visit an inmate.

All phone calls from jail are made through a jail approved pre-paid phone account or phone card . Calls made in jail are typically more expensive than regular phone calls. 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 calls might get reduced or eliminated completely.

The Dent County Jail phone number is: 573-729-3241

All inmate mail must be sent using the actual US Postal Service. You shouldn’t use any other form of mail delivery. You must write or type the name, inmate ID, and the address of the jail on the letter that you send. Don’t mail a box or package, envelope with padding, bag, or an envelope with any metal in it. Any mail gets opened and read and examined by staff, and the mail will be sent back to the person who mailed it if it can’t be delivered.

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

Dent County Jail
112 E. Fifth Street, Suite 7
Salem, MO 65560

Here is how you should address the letter:

[INMATE’S FULL NAME]
[INMATE ID]
Dent County Jail
112 E. Fifth Street, Suite 7
Salem, MO 65560

The mail policy changes often, so it would be best to check the official website before you send a letter.

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If you have been arrested, you need to be aware that you still have rights, and an important one is the right to request a lawyer. You don’t get to make many phone calls when you get arrested, so it is important to ask a friend or family member to find an attorney when you talk to them. You might be asking yourself ‘I don’t have to get a lawyer – I can just represent myself’ You’re not required to have an attorney in all cases, a criminal defense attorney will make sure you know your rights, protect your interests and help you find your way through the court system. The sooner you hire an attorney to represent you and work on your case, the better.

For more information about the benefits of and how to hire an attorney, click here: Find an Attorney

If you cannot afford an attorney, you will get a public defender. The Public Defender is staffed by investigators, forensics experts as well as case workers. You should be reassured that Public Defenders are full-fledged attorneys, admitted to the State Bar and are fully licensed to practice law.

Have you or someone you know used a court appointed attorney or Public Defender? Do you think that they did a good job of defending you?

Dent County court records are public records and are available upon request. They are comprised of a court case file with a docket and all documents and motions that have been filed. You have the ability to access the records and documents in your court case with the online service, or at the Clerk of Court’s office.

The Dent County Clerk of Court is a member of the court who maintains court records and controls access to them. They also administer the oath for any court participant who must be under oath, and read the verdict when decided by the jury. All records, documents, and evidence from your court case are maintained at the Dent County Clerk of Court.

Court costs and court fees are the fees and charges associated with your court case, which include filing fees, motion and claim fees, and court charges. If you don’t have the money to pay these fees and have a Public Defender, you can get a waiver for these fees and won’t have to pay them.

The Dent County court magistrate is the person that rules on your court case. Magistrates do different tasks, like determining how much your bail will be, issuing arrest warrants, and overseeing preliminary court appearances and detention hearings.

A defendant’s pre-sentencing report is put together with information about the arrestee’s background and details of the arrestee’s life history, which the judge will consider when determining your sentence. Information, details, and character witnesses will be collected from the defendant, his or her family members, and in some cases the victim in the crime. Don’t forget you can request to have a copy of the report before your sentencing, and make sure that you correct any inaccurate information.

After being convicted of a crime, you will then get sentenced. The presiding judge in your case will weigh several options when determining your sentence, including community service to probation, to incarceration in jail or prison. Depending on sentencing guidelines and the severity of your crime, you might get locked up immediately, or you could be given a date that you are supposed to surrender and report to jail to do your time.

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Do you need to find out if someone is locked up, or has gone to jail in the past?

This is pretty simple to do, just just visit the jail’s website, and search by:

• Their name.
• Birth date.
• Their booking date if you know it.
• and their inmate ID.

If you think that they are currently in jail, you can call the jail get confirmation.

If you think you might have an outstanding warrant, you are able to check the arrest warrants on the Dent County court website or call the jail. You have to have their first and last name. Or, you can just go the jail in person and ask one of the officers. Bear in mind that if there is an arrest warrant out for you, you will be taken into custody immediately.

If you know a person’s name, and their arrest date, contact the Dent County jail, on the phone, in person, or look online. Arrest records are public record and this information is available to anyone.

Civil processes are when you get served with papers, which can be court orders. You can find these by going to the Sheriff’s office, either by phone or through their website.

All people registered as sex offenders are required to be registered on a sex offender database. The people on these databases have been convicted of a sex or kidnapping crime. You are able to view this information on the website, but keep in mind that you won’t get the street address, but rather the neighborhood block that they live on.

Court Records are public, and are accessible by anyone. These records include a court case file that contains a docket sheet and all documents and filings filed in your court case. You can access court records online, or at the Dent County Clerk of Court in the jurisdiction where the case was filed.

Each state maintains records of their state citizen’s criminal history. These online databases are linked together and you can track criminal convictions from any other state. You are able to go to the Dent County Courthouse and make an inquiry, or check the website. You must know which county the crime occurred in, and if it was in a totally different state, you might have to pay a fee for a more intensive search.

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

• DUI or DWI.
• Drug crimes.
• Kidnapping.
• Sexual offenses including rape, assault.
• Violent crimes like assault or murder.
• Property crimes like theft or larceny.

When you do a criminal history search, in most cases will not be able to see if they have had any:

• Tickets for speeding.
• Drivers license suspended or revoked.
• Been in a traffic accident.
• Moving violations.
• Parking Tickets.

To get this kind of information, you have to do a search for their driving record.

Have you ever needed to find criminal records? How easy was it? Did you do your search online or did you have to make a phone call to the local courthouse? Did you get information that was correct? There are many reasons that folks look up criminal records and backgrounds, and your story might 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 Fugitives. In Dent County,The Sheriff’s Department keeps their own list of most wanted criminals and fugitives.

FBI Top Ten Most Wanted List


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Life In Jail / What Its Like

Daily Life

Just the thought of getting locked up in Dent County Jail is something you wish you could avoid, eventually you will get used to the routine that is set for you. You will get a wake-up alarm each morning at six in the morning, and next you’ll have roll call. Then you will get breakfast. Following breakfast participate 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 Dent 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 Dent 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 rules for sending funds to Dent County Jail inmates could change, so we suggest that you double check the site before you send funds to an inmate.


Commissary

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

Inmate Medications

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

Meals

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

Pods / The Yard

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

Gangs

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


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News and Media

News

Photos / Pictures

Videos


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Jobs

Types of Jobs at Dent County Jail

The Deputy Sheriff is the second in command at the Dent 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 Dent 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 comment


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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 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 a prisoner at this jail? Do you know someone that is a prisoner there? Have you ever visited a prisoner at Dent County Jail?

If so, then please write a review about it. Tell us about your jail experience because other people can learn what to expect.

What to put in the review:

• Conditions in Dent County Jail.
• Jail and pod layout and facility
• Guards and jail staff
• Food and commissary
• Visitation
• The other inmates – what are they like?
• Inmate safety
• Gang activity
• Programs and activities


Click here to write your review

Tell Your Story

Everybody who’s been arrested and thrown in jail has some stories to tell about the whole experience. How’d you end up in jail? Did you experience fair treatment? What was it like in jail? What were the other inmates like? How did going to jail affect your life?

Tell the World All About It

Send a Message to Your Cell Mate

Did you make friends in jail? Are you trying to reconnect with an inmate you met while you were incarcerated? Send a message to them here.

Say Hello to Dent County Jail


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