Union County Jail – La Grande, OR

Union County Jail is located in Union County, Oregon and is the primary jail for that county. Know someone locked up in Union County Jail? This page will tell you information about everything one might want to know about Union County Jail: How to locate an inmate. Find mugshots and inmate photos. The jail’s address and phone number. Bailing out of jail. Union County Jail intake procedures. Court information. And much more…

The thought of getting arrested and going to jail is a scary and stressful situation, not only for whoever gets arrested, but also their family and friends. The purpose of this guide is to give you all the information and tips that you’ll need to make helping someone get out of jail easier. If you have a specific question, just ask it, and also any comments or tips that could be a benefit to other people in the same situation will be welcome.

Do you know someone that is in jail and need to find out where they are?

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

In order to find out who’s in jail at Union County Jail you have to visit their website and use the inmate search.

The Union County Jail Inmate Locator has information on persons who have been arrested and are in custody, which includes custody status, bail amount (if applicable), and times the inmate can have visitors. Also, you can get the same information on anyone booked or released in the past 24 hours. Inmates are shown in alphabetical order by their last name. You’ll be able to find their inmate information faster if you have your friend or family member’s first and last name, birth date, or inmate ID.

If your friend or loved one is in another county jail you can check our Oregon county jail guide: Oregon Jails

A mugshot, or jail intake photo, is a photo taken by the police when you get processed at jail intake. A mugshot is actually two photos one full face and one profile photo. Your name and intake number will appear on the pictures, and they will be kept on file.

Mugshots can be found online, or you can see them at the Union County Jail. When you search for mugshots online you will have to input the legal name, and the booking date, if you have one.

Need to know how to get your mugshot taken down from the Union County Jail site? This will be difficult, as your mugshot is a public record. To get your mugshot removed you need to file a Petition to Expunge with the court. What this means is that your arrest record will be sealed, so no one will be able to see them. Depending on your situation, this may be a longshot.

For a more in-depth article about getting your mugshot taken down, the different mugshot websites, and the websites that offer to remove your mugshot for you: Mugshot Removal

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Naturally, once you are incarcerated, your primary thought is about when and how you will get out. After you’ve gone through the booking process, your bail is decided using the bail schedule or the magistrate will decide it. If no bail is set this may mean that you will either be free to go until your court date, or you don’t get released while you wait for your court date.

If you are released you will have to agree to be there for your court date, and in the meantime you won’t be allowed to leave the county.

Usually, prisoners are given early release in exchange for good behavior if they follow the rules and don’t cause any problems while incarcerated.

If you follow the rules, you may be allowed to do work release. You will have to return to the jail each day when you’re finished with work, or you may have the chance to live in a halfway house instead of jail.

Bail is how much money that you have to pay to the courts in order to be released from jail until you go to court. The amount you will be required to pay is dictated by the crime you are charged with. You or someone you know will have to put up 10% of the amount set before you can get discharged from jail. If you don’t show up for your scheduled court date, whoever put up your bail money will lose that money.

In order to find out how much someone’s bail is, you will have to call the Union County Jail. If know the person’s information, including name, address and date of birth, they’ll be able to let you know the bail amount. Also, you can find out how much their bail is on the Union County Jail site.

Having to bail someone out of jail is never a fun thing, but in some cases, it’s very simple to do. First of all, you have to find out if they have a Cash Only Bond. If this is the case, you will not be able to get a bail bondsman. Bail can only be paid by cash – they can’t take 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, or you can’t afford it, you should try to hire a bail bondsman. Bondsmen will usually charge you a fee of 10-15% of total bail, and sometimes charge a minimum charge of $100. The money you pay to the bail bondsman is non-refundable and has to be paid in cash. If bail is very large, the bail bondsman will in most cases request to use your personal assets as collateral for the bond in addition to whatever their charges are.

You can find a local bail bondsman go to: Find a bail bondsman

Have you ever used the services of bail bondsman to bail someone out of jail? If you have, leave a comment below and tell your story, and let us know how it worked out for you.

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

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The intake procedure includes the following steps:

• You will get put in a holding cell. If the jail is really busy, it will take a while to get processed.
• You will have to answer a number of questions, like your legal name, your address, birthdate and an emergency contact person.
• They’ll also ask about your psychological and medical history.
• You will be issued an inmate ID.
• You will be fingerprinted.
• You will have your mugshot taken.
• All personal property will get taken away from you and stored until you get released from jail.
• You will be allowed to use the phone so you can contact a member of your family, friend, or bail bondsman.
• If you are expected to be released shortly, they will let you keep wearing your own clothes, otherwise you will be issued a jail issued jumpsuit.

Have you been arrested and gone through jail intake? If so, please tell our readers about your experience. How long did you have to wait? Were you treated fairly? Can you share any things that could help other people that get arrested get through the process?

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When you finally post bail, you will get released from jail. The discharge process can take anywhere from 30 minutes to many hours. Or, simply, the faster you can post bail, the faster you will be released. Also, how fast you get released can depend on if you’ve got a cash bond amount or if a judge has to determine the amount of bail to be set. For minor charges, you will get booked and get released without having to post bail. When you get to the end of your sentence and have a release date, expect to get released anywhere between the hours of 9am and 12pm.

If there is a, or if you need to report to start a sentence, it is highly advisable that you do the right thing and go down to the jail and turn yourself in. If you have a warrant, report to the jail, in the reception area, and tell someone that you think they might have an outstanding warrant for your arrest. The officer will verify that you have an outstanding arrest warrant, and if you do, you will be taken into the sheriff’s custody. If it is for a jail sentence, go to the jail at the time and date that the sentence order or court paperwork states. Make sure that you don’t show up late. Only bring approved items when you turn yourself in, such as a driver’s license or ID, any prescription medication you might take, as well as the sentencing order from court.

To have visitors, you need to list each visitor’s full name to the jail. This information will go in a log of approved visitors for the inmate. Each and every visitor has to provide acceptable photo identification when visiting an inmate. Visitors that gets to visitation or that is not on the visitation list will be turned away.
Jail visitation policies are always changing, so make sure that you review the jail site before you try to visit an inmate.

All phone calls from jail are made through a jail approved pre-paid phone account or phone card . Jail phone calls are generally more expensive than phone calls made outside of jail. There is no limit to when and how often you can use the phone, but bear in mind that you are just one of many people who want to talk to their loved ones. If you break the rules and are disciplined, an inmate’s ability to use the phone may be limited or forbidden completely.

Phone Number: (541) 963-1020

All mail must be sent via the actual US Postal Service, and not courier or delivery, or hand delivered. You cannot use any other form of mail or package delivery. Clearly print the inmate’s name, inmate ID number, and the jail address on the envelope. Do not mail a box or package, envelope with padding or insulation, bag, or an envelope with metal inside. All mail gets opened and examined and read by staff, and will get sent back to the person who mailed it if deemed inappropriate.

If you would like to send a letter to an inmate at Union County Jail, use this address:

Union County Jail
1109 K Ave
La Grande, OR 97850

Here is how you should address the letter:

[INMATE’S FULL NAME]
[INMATE ID]
Union County Jail
1109 K Ave
La Grande, OR 97850

The Union County Jail mail policy changes, so you should visit the site when you send a letter.

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When you’ve been arrested, you still have certain rights, one of these is the right to request an attorney. You won’t get many phone calls in jail, so make sure you ask a friend or family member to locate an attorney when you call 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 attorney will advise you about your rights, help protect your interests and guide you through the court system in your county. The sooner you get a lawyer involved with your charges, the better your chances.

For more information about this, visit: Find an Attorney

If you are in trouble, but can’t afford a lawyer, the courts will assign you a public defender, which is a free lawyer. The Public Defender’s Office has access to independent investigators, forensics experts and social workers. Public Defenders are actual attorneys who are members of the Oregon State Bar and are fully licensed to practice law as an agent of the court.

Have you or someone you know used a Public Defender? How did they do?

All court records are public records. They are comprised of a court case file containing a sheet called a docket sheet and each of the motions, documents, and evidence in your case. You are able to access your court case records using the Union County website, or at the Clerk of Court’s office.

The Union County Clerk of Court is a member of the court that maintains court records. They also administer the oath for any court participant who must be under oath, and also read the jury’s verdict. All records and documents associated with your case are available at the office of the Clerk of Court.

Court fees and costs are all costs associated with your court case, for example filing fees, motion fees and various court charges. If you don’t have the money to pay these fees and have been assigned a Public Defender, you will not be responsible for these fees.

The Union County court magistrate acts as the judge that rules over your case. Magistrates are judges that do a number of different things, like determining how much your bail will be, issuing warrants, and presiding over first court appearances and detention hearings.

Your pre-sentencing report is prepared to include information about the defendant’s background and information about the arrestee’s life and public history, which the magistrate will take into consideration when deciding on the sentence. Information will be requested from the person on trial, the defendant’s family, and if necessary the victim of the crime. Be sure to remember that you should ask to get a copy of your pre-sentencing report before sentencing, and correct any inaccurate information.

If you get convicted of a crime, you will be given a sentence for your crime. The presiding judge in your case will weigh several options when determining your sentence, including community service, house arrest, and probation, to prison or jail time. Depending on the particulars of your trial, the severity of your crime, and any sentencing guidelines that they judge will use, you might get taken into custody, right there in court, or you could get a date that you are required to go to jail to serve your sentence.

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Do you need to find out if some you know is incarcerated, or has been an inmate in the past?

To do this, you need to access the jail website and do an inmate search, and do a search using:

• The inmate’s name.
• Date of birth.
• Their booking date if you know it.
• and their jail ID.

If you’re not sure if this person is in jail, you should call the jail get confirmation.

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

If you have a first and last name, and possibly an arrest date, contact the jail, either by phone, in person, or you can check online. An arrest is public record and these records are accessible by the public.

Civil processes are when someone has been served with papers, such as court orders. You can find these by contacting the Union County Sheriff’s office, on their website or by phone.

All convicted sex offenders are required to be registered on a sex offender database. The people on these databases have been convicted in a court of law of a sex or kidnapping crime. You can access these listings online, but you should know that you won’t see the actual address, rather the neighborhood block that they live on.

Court Records are public records. Court Records include a court case file that includes a court docket and all documents and filings filed in the case. You are able to access the court records via the internet service ‘Public Access to Court Electronic Records’, or at Clerk of Court office where the case was filed.

Each and every state keeps a record of someone’s criminal history. These databases are connected so you can track criminal backgrounds from any other state. Go to county courthouse and check in person or you can check online. It helps to know the county, and if it 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 report detailing any arrests, charges, or convictions that may be on a person’s record for crimes, which include:

• Driving Under the Influence (DUI).
• Drug crimes like possession or trafficking.
• Kidnapping.
• Rape or other sexual assault.
• Violent crimes.
• Breaking and entering, theft, larceny.

During a criminal records search, you generally will not learn if that person has had any moving violations, like:

• Tickets for speeding.
• Lost their driver’s license or license revoked or suspended.
• Any accidents.
• Moving violations.
• Parking Tickets.

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

Have you ever needed to find criminal records? Was it an easy process? Did you do your search online or did you make a phone call to the courthouse? Was it correct? There are many reasons that people look up criminal records, and your feedback might help other people.

Click here to share your story

Most Wanted

Everyone knows that the FBI maintains a list of the Ten Most Wanted Criminals. In Union County,The Sheriff’s Department maintains their own list of the top most wanted criminals in the county.

FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List


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Life In Jail / What Its Like

Daily Life

Everyone knows that getting locked up in the Union County jail is very scary, in time you will get accustomed to the routine that is set for you. All inmates get an alarm for wake-up at 6am, and then you’ll have roll call. Then you will have breakfast. When you finish eating breakfast you will have to work in the work program that you’ve been assigned to. This could be working in the kitchen, laundry, or some sort of manufacturing job. While this may seem tedious, it may help you when you leave jail, as you are gaining experience in a certain field of work. Other inmates go to school, while some take part in mandated treatment programs. After lunch, there will be another roll call, then back to work. Your evening will be spent either in your cell or a common room. During this time dinner is served and you will be expected to take a shower. After another roll call, it’s lights out. Even though you will be confined to your cell, there may be enough light to read or write letters. Then again, most inmates welcome lights out, and try to get as much sleep as they can.

Most people are frightened at the idea of jail because they don’t know what to expect. If you have spent any time in Union 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 Union 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 money to inmates at Union County Jail might change, so you should review the the Union County Jail website before you send any funds.


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 Union County Jail

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

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Sex Offender Information and Search

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

Domestic Violence

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

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


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Reviews

Reviews of this Jail

Have you ever spent any time in Union County Jail? Do you have a family member or friend there? Have you ever been to visit an inmate at this jail?

If so, then you should write a review about it. Write down your experience so that other people can learn what to expect.

Things you can put in what you write:

• Conditions in Union County Jail.
• Jail layout and facility
• Jail staff and Guards
• Food and commissary
• Visitation Days
• Other Inmates.
• Inmate safety
• Gangs
• Prisoner activities and programs


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Tell Your Story

Everybody who’s been arrested and thrown in jail has at least one story to tell about it. How’d you get locked up? Did you experience fair treatment? What happened to you while you were locked up? How did you get along with the other inmates? Did going to jail affect your life? How?

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Send a Message to Your Cell Mate

Make some good friends in jail? Want to send a message to a friend from jail? Post a message to them below.

Send a message to people incarcerated at Union County Jail


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