Mason County Jail – Shelton, WA

Mason County Jail is in Mason County, Washington and is the correctional facility for this region. Do you know someone locked up in Mason County Jail? This guide tells you all about anything you might want to know about Mason County Jail,such as: Find an inmate at Mason County Jail. Find mugshots and inmate photos. The jail’s address and phone number. Bail and how to get out of jail. Mason County Jail intake procedures. Court information. And lots more.

The thought of getting arrested and going to jail is a scary thought, not only for whoever goes to jail, but also their friends and family. This guide is meant to give information that you need to make helping someone get out of jail easier. If you have questions, feel free to ask it in the comment section below, and also any feedback or comments that might help others is appreciated.

Do you have a family member or friend in jail and want to contact them?

Has someone who’s been arrested and you don’t know how to find them?

In order to find out who is in jail at Mason County Jail you will need to navigate to their website and use the inmate search.

The Mason County Jail Inmate List is a list of persons who have been arrested, which includes current status, how much their bail is, and visiting hours. You can also find information for anyone arrested and booked or released in the past 24-hour period. Prisoners are listed alphabetically by last name. You can get their arrest information quicker if you’ve got the arrestee’s name, date of birth, or inmate ID.

If the person you are looking for is locked up at a different jail you will want to check the other Washington county jails in our Washington County Jail Guide: Washington County Jails

A mugshot, or booking photograph, is a photograph that the jail takes when you get booked into jail. A mugshot is actually two photos one face photo and a side-view photo. Your name and jail ID number will be in the pictures, and they’re on file.

Mugshots can be found on the website, or you can view them at the Mason County Jail. When viewing mugshots online you have to enter their legal name, and the booking date.

Are you trying to have your mugshot removed from the Mason County Jail website? This is difficult, since your mugshot is public record. To get your mugshot removed you must 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. Unfortunately, this happens very rarely.

For a more in-depth article about getting your mugshot taken down, the various mugshot websites, and the mugshot removal websites: How To Get Your Mugshot Taken Down

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Of course, if you’re incarcerated, your primary thought is about how to get out. After booking, your bail will be set by the magistrate. If no bail is set this may mean that you will either be free to go until your trial, or you don’t get released while you wait for your court date.

If you are released from jail you are required to agree to be in court on your court date, and until that day you must not travel out of the county.

Typically, an inmate at Mason County Jail will earn an early release in exchange for good behavior if they don’t break the rules and area a good inmate while they are in jail.

If you follow the rules, you may be allowed to do work release. You will be required to go back to jail each day when you’re finished working, or you could have the chance to move into a halfway house instead of jail, so it is kind of like an early release.

Bail is the amount of money that you have to pay in order to be released from jail pending trial. Your bail amount is dictated by the seriousness of your charges. You will need to put up ten percent of the total that was determined before you can be released from jail. If you fail to show up for court, the person that bailed you out of jail will lose all of the bail money.

In order to find out how much someone’s bail is, you will have to call the jail or the county courthouse. If you’ve got the pertinent information, such as name, address and date of birth, they’ll tell you how much their bail is. You can also find out how much their bail is online.

Needing to bail someone out of jail is an unpleasant situation, but in some cases, it’s really easy if you have the money. To start with, figure out if it is a “Cash Bond Only”. If so, you will not be able to use a Bail Bondsman. Take cash only to the jail – the jail won’t take checks. As soon as you’ve paid the bail bond, the prisoner will get released. If the conditions of bail are not violated, you’ll get your money back.

If the bail amount is too high, or you just can’t afford it, you might need to use a bail bondsman. Bondsmen generally charge you a fee of 10-15% of total bail, and in most cases have a minimum charge of $100. This will not be returned to you and bondsmen usually only accept cash. If bail is very large, the bondsman will in these cases use your assets as collateral for the bond in addition to whatever their charges are.

If you need a bail bondsman go to: Find a bail bondsman

Have you ever had to find a bondsman for yourself, a family member or friend? If you have, leave a comment below and tell your story, and let us know how things turned out.

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

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The intake procedure includes each of these steps:

• You will be placed in a waiting area or cell. If the jail is busy, it will take a while to get processed.
• The first step is that you will have to answer some simple questions, such as your full legal name, street address, birthdate and contact person.
• They’ll also ask about your psychological and medical history.
• You’ll be given an inmate number.
• You will get fingerprinted.
• You will have your mugshot taken.
• Any personal property you have will be taken from you and stored until you get discharged from jail.
• You will get to use the telephone to contact a member of your family, friend, or bondsman to arrange bail.
• If they expect that you will make bail and be released quickly, you might be allowed to keep wearing your own clothes, if not you will have to wear a jail issued jumpsuit.

Have you been arrested and gone through jail intake? If so, please share your experience so others can benefit from your story. How long did it take to get processed? How were you treated? Do you know any secrets that might help other people that get arrested make it through the process?

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When you finally post bail, you will be allowed to go home after you get discharged. The discharge process may take between 30 minutes to all day long. Or, simply, the quicker bail is posted, the faster you will get discharged from jail. It also might depend on if you’ve got a cash bond or if the judge has to decide on the bail amount. For minor charges, you will get booked and then released on your recognizance without having to pay bail. When you have served out your jail sentence and have a date of your release, plan to be released at any time that day – but usually in the morning.

If you have a, or if you have to begin your sentence in jail, you should follow the rules and turn yourself in willingly. If it is for a warrant, go down to the jail reception area, and tell an officer that you think they might have an outstanding warrant for your arrest. They will check their system to see if there are any outstanding local, state or federal arrest warrants out for you, and if they find one, they will ask that you surrender yourself and you will be taken into custody. When reporting to serve a sentence, go to the jail at the exact time and date that the sentence order states. Be sure that you aren’t late. Make sure that you only bring necessary items when you turn yourself in, such as your driver’s license or your ID, any prescription medication you might take, and the official sentencing order.

In order to have visitors, inmates have to list information about each visitor to the jail. Your visitor’s names will be entered into the log as an authorized visitor. Each visitor must provide acceptable photo identification when visiting an inmate. Anyone that gets to visitation or that does not have a visitation order will not be allowed to attend visitation.
Visitation procedures frequently change, so it would be wise to check the official Mason 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 . Phone calls made in jail are much more expensive than phone calls made at home. Inmates are able to make phone calls, with restrictions on when you can make phone calls, how long you can talk, and how often you can make calls, but inmates should keep in mind lots of people want to use the phone – so you have to share. If you break the rules, an inmate’s phone privileges may be limited or eliminated altogether.

Phone Number: 360-427-9670

Any mail that you send to an inmate is required to be sent via US Postal Service. You can’t use any other method of delivery. Clearly write or type the prisoner’s name, inmate number, and jail address on the letter that you send. Don’t send anything in a box, envelope with padding, bag, or an envelope with metal in it. Any mail gets opened and inspected and read by the jail officers, and will get sent back if the jail decides it is inappropriate.

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

Mason County Jail
322 N 3Rd Street
Shelton, WA 98584

Here is how you should address the letter:

[INMATE’S FULL NAME]
[INMATE ID]
Mason County Jail
322 N 3Rd Street
Shelton, WA 98584

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

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Even if you’ve been arrested, you still have certain rights, the first of which is your right to request a lawyer. You are only allowed to make so many phone calls in jail, so make sure to have a friend or relative find a lawyer when you call them. You may be asking yourself ‘I don’t have to get a lawyer – I can just represent myself’ While you are not required to have one, a criminal lawyer can advise you of your rights, help protect your best interests and help you navigate through the court system that you are now faced with. The quicker you hire a lawyer to represent you and work on your situation, the better off you’ll be.

For more information on this, click here: Find an Attorney

If you’ve been arrested and cannot afford an attorney, you will get a public defender. The Public Defender Office is staffed by private investigators, experts in forensics and case workers. All Public Defenders are licensed lawyers that are members of the Washington State Bar and are fully licensed to practice law in Washington.

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

All court records are public records and are available upon request. They are comprised of a court case file containing a docket and every documents that have been filed. You are able to access your court case records with the online service, or by going to the Clerk’s office of the Court where the case was filed.

A Clerk of Court is an officer and clerk of the court who manages court records. The Clerk of Court also administer the oath in a court case, and read the verdict when decided by the jury. All records, documents, and evidence related to your court case are kept at Mason County Clerk of Court office.

Court fees and costs are the charges and fees from your court case, for example filing fees, motion fees and various court charges. If you cannot afford these fees and have court appointed legal counsel or a Public Defender, you may get out of having to pay them.

A Magistrate is the type of judge who presides over your court case. They do many different things, which include setting bail, issuing warrants for arrest, and presiding over initial court appearances and detention hearings.

A defendant’s pre-sentencing report is prepared to include information about the arrestee’s background and as much detail about the defendant’s life and history, which the judge will take into account when determining the sentence. Information and personal details will be collected from the person on trial, his or her family members, and, if applicable, the victim in the crime. Bear in mind you are allowed to ask to receive your own copy of the pre-sentencing report before you are sentenced, and make sure that you review it and correct any mistakes.

After you are convicted of a crime, you will be given a sentence for your crime. The judge will have several different options when sentencing you, ranging from community service and probation, to incarceration in either jail (short term) or prison (long term). 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 immediately, or you could get a date that you are required to turn yourself into jail to do your time.

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

You can you should query the jail’s website, and search by:

• Name.
• Birth date.
• Their approximate booking date.
• or jail ID.

If you’re not sure if this person is in jail or not, you should call the jail to find out.

If you think you have an outstanding warrant for your arrest, you are able to check the arrest warrants on the Mason County court website or you can call the court directly. This requires a first and last name. You can also go to the local jail and ask the officer in charge. Bear in mind that if you do have an outstanding warrant, they will take you into custody immediately.

If you know the person’s first and last name, and the date of their arrest, contact the jail, on the phone, in person, or look online. An arrest is in the public record and these records are accessible by the public.

Civil processes are when you are served with legal papers, like , subpoenas, and arrest warrants. You can find these civil process orders by contacting the Mason County Sheriff’s office, online or by phone.

All people registered as sex offenders are registered on the sex offender databases required by the area they live in. Those listed on these databases have been tried by jury and convicted in a court of law of a sex crime. You are able to see this information online, but you should know that you will not see the precise address, just the block of the address that they registered.

Court Records are public records and available to anyone. Court Records include a court case file that contains a docket and any of the documents filed in the case. You are able to access court records online, or at the clerk’s office of the court where the case was filed.

Each state keeps a record of a person’s criminal past. These online databases are all connected so you can track criminal histories from another state. You can go to the Mason County Courthouse and check in person or you can check online. It helps to know which county the crime occurred in, and if the crime was in a totally different state, you may have to pay for a more comprehensive search.

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

• DUI or DWI.
• Drug offenses such as possession or trafficking.
• Kidnapping.
• Sex offenses which could include rape, and sexual assault.
• Violent crimes.
• Theft, breaking and entering.

But, when you do a criminal records check, you generally will not see if they had:

• Speeding or reckless driving.
• Drivers license suspended or revoked.
• Traffic accidents.
• Other moving violations.
• Parking Tickets.

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

Have you ever had to search for criminal records of someone you know? Was it a difficult process? Did you search online or did you call the jail? Was it correct? There are lots of reasons that folks look up criminal records, and your comments might make it easier for others.

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Most Wanted

Everyone knows that the FBI has a listing of the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. In Mason County, the Mason County Sheriff has their own list of the most wanted criminals, that you can access online.

FBI Top Ten Most Wanted List


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Life In Jail / What Its Like

Daily Life

Everyone knows that getting locked up in the Mason County jail is quite unpleasant, in time you will settle into the daily routine. You will get an alarm for wake-up every morning at six in the morning, and then roll call. Next, you will get breakfast. After breakfast, you will be required to work in the work program or other activity that you are assigned. 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 Mason 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 Mason 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 procedure to send funds to people in jail could change, so you should visit the official website when you send money to an inmate there.


Commissary

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

Inmate Medications

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

Meals

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

Pods / The Yard

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

Gangs

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


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News and Media

News

Photos / Pictures

Videos


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Jobs

Types of Jobs at Mason County Jail

The Deputy Sheriff is the second in command at the Mason 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 Mason 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 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:

• 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.

Click here to tell about all about it

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 incarcerated at this jail? Do you know someone that spent time there? Have you ever been to visit an inmate at this jail?

If yes, then you should write your review about it. Write down your experience so others can find out what to expect.

Things you could include in your comment:

• Conditions in Mason County Jail.
• Jail, yard and pod facility and layout
• Guards and staff
• Commissary and food
• Visitation Days
• The other inmates.
• Safety
• Gang activity
• Activities and programs


Click here to review Mason County Jail

Tell Your Story

Anybody that’s ever been locked up has some stories about their time ‘inside’. Why were you locked up? Were you mistreated? How was day to day life at Mason County Jail? Tell us about the other inmates. How did it affect you to go to jail?

Click here to leave a comment

Send a Message to Your Cell Mate

Make some good friends in jail? Do you want to reconnect with an inmate you met while you were incarcerated? Leave a message for them here.

Send a message to someone incarcerated at Mason County Jail


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