Venango County Prison – Franklin, PA

Venango County Prison is in Venango County and is the jail for this region. Know somebody incarcerated at Venango County Prison? This site gives you all about everything a person needs to know about Venango County Prison,like the following: How to do a jail inmate search. Find mugshots and inmate photos. The jail’s address and phone number. Bail and how to get out of jail. Intake procedures. Court information. And much, much more.

The thought of getting arrested and going to jail is a daunting and scary situation, not only for whoever is incarcerated, but also their family and friends. The purpose of this guide is to give you all the information and tips you need to make the process less stressful. If you have a question, please feel free to ask them, and any tips or comments that could be a benefit to others is much appreciated.

Do you have a family member, loved one, or friend that is incarcerated and want to locate them?

Has somebody who has been arrested and you don’t know how to find out where they are?

In order to find out who is in jail at Venango County Prison you should go to their link and perform an inmate search.

The Venango County Prison Inmate Search is an online list of persons who were arrested and are now in jail, which includes current status, how much their bail is, and schedule for visitation. Also, you can get information about anybody processed or discharged in the last 24 hours. Jail inmates are shown in alphabetical order by their last name. You’ll be able to get their inmate information fast if you have the arrestee’s name, birth date, or inmate ID Number.

If your friend or family member is in a different jail you will want to look here: List of all county jails in Pennsylvania

A mugshot, also known as a jail intake picture, is the picture that the police take when you are booked into jail. A mugshot is actually one frontal photo and a profile photo. Your full name and booking number will be on the photos, and they’re kept on file.

Mugshots of inmates can be seen on the website, or you can see them in person at the Venango County Prison. When you search for mugshots on the website you have to enter the inmate’s legal name, and an arrest date, if you have it.

Trying to figure out how to have your mugshot removed from the Venango County Prison site? This can be tricky, since the mugshot is a matter of public record. To get your mugshot taken down you have to file a Petition to Expunge with the court. Basically, this means that all of your arrest records would be sealed, and unavailable to the public. It is difficult to do this, and you will most likely need the services of a lawyer.

For more information about removing your mugshot, the many different mugshot websites, and the mugshot removal services: How To Get Your Mugshot Removed

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Of course, if you’re in jail, your main thought is about how to get out. After booking, your bail amount will be set by the magistrate. If there is no bail set this can 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 must promise to go to your court date, and in the meantime you are not permitted to travel out of the county.

Usually, an inmate can earn time off for good behavior when they follow the rules and area a good inmate while they’re in jail.

If you do exhibit good behavior and the jail believes you can be trusted, you may be granted work release. Either you will have to return to the jail at the end of the day after work, or you may have the chance to move to a halfway house instead of jail.

Your bail is the amount of money that you have to pay to get out of jail pending trial. The amount of bail that is set is determined by the seriousness of your charges. You will need to post 10% of the amount that was determined before you can be released. If you miss court, the person that paid your bail will not get their money back.

You will need to call the jail or the county courthouse. If you’ve got the pertinent information, like name, address and date of birth, they’ll tell you what their bail is set at. Also, you can see the bail amount on the Venango County Prison site.

Having to get someone out of jail is never fun, but thankfully, it’s really easy if you have the money. First of all, you have to find out if their bail is a Cash Only Bond. If so, you can’t use a bail bondsman. Cash only – the jail will not accept a check. When you’ve paid bail, the person will be released. If this person doesn’t violate any of the terms of their release, you’ll get your money back.

If bail is set too high, or you can’t afford it, you should try to hire a bail bondsman. They will usually charge you a fee of 10 to 15 percent of the total bail amount, and in most cases charge a minimum of $100. This is non-refundable and has to be paid in cash. If the bail has been set really high, the bail bondsman will ask to use assets as collateral for the bond in addition to their charges.

You can find a bail bondsman go to: Find a Bail Bondsman in Venango County

Have you ever hired a bondsman for someone you know or yourself? If so, please leave a comment below and tell about your experience, and let us know how things turned out.

Click here to tell about all about it

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

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The intake process is made up of each of these steps:

• They’ll put you in a holding cell. If the jail is busy, you will have to wait a while to get processed.
• You will answer a number of questions, like what is your legal name, street address, date of birth and a contact person.
• Also, you will also be asked about your psychological and medical history.
• You’ll be given an inmate ID.
• You will be fingerprinted.
• They will take your mugshot.
• All personal property will be taken away from you and stored until you get discharged from jail.
• You will get to make a telephone call so you can contact a family member, friend, or bail bondsman.
• If they expect that you will make bail and be released quickly, they will let you wear your street clothes, otherwise you will have to change into a jail issued jumpsuit.

Have you ever been booked into jail? 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? How were you treated? Do you have any secrets that could help other people get through jail processing?

Click here to share your story

When you post bail, you will get released from jail. This process may take between 30 minutes to all day long. Or, simply, the faster you can pay your bail, the faster you can get out of jail. It also might depend on if you’ve got a cash bond or if a judge still needs to decide on how much to set your bail at. For lesser charges, you will simply be booked and get released without having to post bail. When you have served out your jail sentence and have a release date, plan to be discharged in the morning.

If the police have a, or if you need to start a jail sentence, you really should follow the law and go down to the jail and turn yourself in. For a warrant, go to the jail processing area, and tell someone that believe that there could be an outstanding arrest warrant out for you. They will do a record check, and if they verify that there is a warrant for your arrest, they will take you into custody and begin the intake process. If it is for a jail sentence, go down to the jail on the date and time that the sentence order requires you to. Be very careful that you get don’t get there late, or they may decide to arrest you. Only bring approved items when you go to jail, such as your driver’s license or your ID, any prescription medication you might take, along with your doctor’s prescription, and the sentencing order.

To have visitors, you need to list information about each visitor to the jail before anyone can visit them. Your visitors will go into a log of visitors for the inmate. All visitors have to provide proof of identification. Any visitors showing up late or that is not on the visitation list will be turned away.
Jail visitation policies can change, so you should visit the official Venango County Prison jail site before you try to visit an inmate.

All phone calls from jail are collect calls or through a pre-paid phone account. Calls made in jail are a lot more expensive than regular phone calls. There are certain restrictions about how often you can use the phone, but inmates must keep in mind lots of people want to use the phone – so you have to share. If you are under any sort of disciplinary procedure, phone calls might get cut back or cut altogether.

The Venango County Prison phone number is: (814) 432-9629

All inmate mail is required to be sent using the actual US Postal Service. You can’t use any other form of mail delivery. You must write or type the prisoner’s name, inmate ID number, and jail address on the letter. Don’t mail a package, padded envelope, plastic bag, or an envelope with any metal in it. Any mail sent to inmates will be opened and read by staff, and will get returned to the sender if the jail decides it is inappropriate.

The mailing address for Venango County Prison is:

Venango County Prison
1186 Elk Street
Franklin, PA 16323

Here is how you should address the letter:

[INMATE’S FULL NAME]
[INMATE ID]
Venango County Prison
1186 Elk Street
Franklin, PA 16323

The mail policy at Venango County Prison can change, so we suggest that you review the the Venango County Prison website when you send a letter to an inmate there.

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When you get arrested, you have certain rights, one of these is that you have the right to request a lawyer. You are only allowed to make so many phone calls in jail, so make sure to ask a friend or family member to locate a lawyer when you call. You might be asking yourself ‘do I really need a lawyer?’ While you are not required to have one, a criminal lawyer will make sure you know your rights, help protect your best interests and help you understand the court system that you are now faced with. The sooner you hire an attorney to represent you and work on your criminal case, the better off you’ll be.

To read more about this, read our guide: How to Find a Lawyer in Venango County

If you can’t afford a lawyer, you will be given a public defender for a lawyer. The Public Defender’s Office has a number of staff such as private investigators, experts in forensics and social case workers. You will be reassured to know that Public Defenders are full-fledged lawyers that are members of the State Bar and are fully licensed to practice law and represent you in court.

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 public and available to anyone who requests them. They have a case file with a docket sheet and every documents and motions filed in the case. You have the ability to access the records and documents in your court case using the internet service, or at the Clerk’s office of the Court.

A Clerk of Court is an officer 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 verdict when the jury makes their final decision. All records and documents associated with your case are kept and available to you at Clerk of Court.

Court fees and costs are the charges and fees from your case, which include filing charges, motion and claim fees, and court appearance fees. If you cannot afford these fees and have court appointed legal counsel or a Public Defender, you can get a waiver for these fees and won’t have to pay them.

The Venango County magistrate is the type of judge that rules over your case in court. Magistrate judges do different functions, which include determining how much your bail will be, issuing warrants, and overseeing preliminary and procedural court proceedings and detention proceedings.

A pre-sentencing report is prepared to include the defendant’s background information and information about the defendant’s life and history, which the judge will review and take into account when deciding on the sentence. Information will be solicited from the defendant, his or her family members, and if necessary the victim of the crime. Bear in mind that you can ask to see your own copy of this report before your sentencing, so you have the opportunity to review it and correct any mistakes.

If you get convicted of a crime, you will be sentenced. The judge will have several different options when sentencing you, which include community service and probation, to incarceration in either jail (short term) or prison (long term). Depending on the severity of the crime, you could be locked up immediately, or you might be given a date that you must turn yourself into jail to serve out your sentence.

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Do you want to find out if somebody you know is locked up, or has ever been locked up?

This is pretty simple to do, just you should access the Venango County jail website, and do a search using:

• The inmate’s name.
• Birthdate.
• Their approximate booking date.
• and their jail inmate ID.

If you’re not sure if your friend or family member is in jail, you can also call the jail to find out.

If you believe you have an outstanding warrant, you can check the court records on the Venango County court website or call the court. You have to have the person’s first and last name. You can also go to the local jail and ask them. Bear in mind that there is an outstanding warrant for your arrest, they will take you into custody immediately.

If you have a first and last name, as well as their arrest date, contact the jail, either by phone, go there in person, or check online. Records of arrests are a matter of public record and the information is accessible by the public.

A Civil Process is when someone has been served with papers, such as warrants. You can find these civil process orders by going to the Sheriff’s office, by phone or online.

All convicted sex offenders are required to be listed and registered on the sex offender databases required by the area they live in. Those listed on these databases have been convicted in a court of law of a sex or kidnapping crime. You are able to see this information online, but you should know that you won’t find the exact address, but only the block of the address that they registered.

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

Each and every state maintains a record of a person’s criminal past. These state databases are all linked so you can track criminal histories from another state. Go to the Venango County Courthouse and make an inquiry, or you can check online. It is helpful to know the county the crime was committed in, and if it was in a different state, you might have to pay for a more comprehensive search.

A search of someone’s criminal history you are able to find out if a person has ever been arrested, charged or convicted for crimes, which include:

• DUI or DWI.
• Drug offenses such as possession or trafficking.
• Kidnapping.
• Rape or other sexual assault.
• Violent crimes including assault, battery and murder.
• Theft, breaking and entering.

But, when you do a criminal records check, you generally won’t find if someone has had:

• Tickets for speeding.
• Drivers license revoked or suspended.
• Traffic accidents.
• Minor infractions or moving violations.
• Parking Tickets.

To find driving records, you will have to do a search for their driving record.

Have you ever searched for criminal records? Was it an easy process? Was your search online or did you call the jail? Was it correct? There are lots of reasons that people look up criminal backgrounds and records, and your comments may help other people.

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Most Wanted

Everyone knows that the FBI keeps a list of the Top Ten Most Wanted Criminals. In Venango County, the Sheriff keeps their own list of most wanted criminals and fugitives.

FBI Top Ten Most Wanted List: Link


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Life In Jail / What Its Like

Daily Life

Just the thought of spending time in the Venango County jail is very scary, eventually you will get accustomed to the routine that is set for you. You will get an alarm to wake up every morning at 6:00AM, and then you’ll have roll call. Next, you will get breakfast. Following 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 Venango County Prison, 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 Venango County Prison 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 jail inmates changes, so it would be best to double check the official Venango County Prison site when you send money 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 Venango County Prison

The Deputy Sheriff is the second in command at the Venango County Prison, 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 Venango County Prison

Requirements:

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


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Family Resources

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

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

Click here to tell about all about it


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Victim Resources

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

Victim’s Rights

The Victim Rights Act grants victims the following rights:

• You have the right to protection from the accused.
• You have the right to notification.
• You have the right to attend proceedings.
• You have the right to speak at criminal justice proceedings.
• You have the right to consult with the prosecuting attorney.
• You have the right to restitution.
• You have the right to a speedy trial.
• You have the right to be treated with fairness, dignity and respect.

The definition of victim includes:

• Spouses and children of all victims.
• Parents and guardians of minor victims.
• Parents, guardians and siblings of mentally or physically incapacitated victims or victims of homicide.
• Foster parents or other caregivers, under certain circumstances.

There are a number of services and programs designed to help victims and their families. You can find out about these services by contacting the courthouse, or local law enforcement agency.

Victim Notification

The Department of Justice Victim Notification System (VNS) is a system that provides victims with information pertaining to their case and/or any defendants in the case. You will receive a Victim Identification Number (VIN) and a Personal Identification Number (PIN) that will allow you to access VNS via the internet or by phone. Here, you will find information about future court hearings, historical court events, and detailed information about the defendant. This will include criminal charges filed, the outcome of charges, sentence imposed, custody location, projected release date and any other release information. The VNS website is updated daily. You will also receive any ongoing information by mail or email.

Have you, a family member or friend ever used the Victim Notification System? If so, was it effective? Did you get the information in a timely manner? Was the system difficult to use? We would like to hear from you, so please post any comments here.

Tell 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 spent any time at this jail? Do you know someone that is an inmate there? Have you ever visited someone at Venango County Prison?

If yes, then you should tell us about it. Write down your jail experience so others will know what to expect.

Things you might want to include in what you write:

• Conditions in Venango County Prison.
• Jail and pod layout and facility
• Guards and jail staff
• Food and commissary
• Visitors
• Inmates.
• Inmate safety
• Gang activity
• Programs and activities


Click here to review Venango County Prison

Tell Your Story

Everyone’s who has been put in jail has some stories about their time ‘inside’. How’d you get locked up? How did the guards treat you? What was your daily routine in jail? How did you get along with the other inmates? How did getting locked up affect your life?

Tell Your Story About Venango County Prison

Send a Message to Your Cell Mate

Did you meet some cool folks in jail? Need to reconnect with somebody you met when you were locked up? Leave a message for them here.

Send a message to people still locked up at Venango County Prison


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