Swift County Jail – Benson, MN

Swift County Jail is located in Swift County, MN and is the main jail for the county. Do you know somebody incarcerated at Swift County Jail? This page tells you about anything one might want to know about Swift County Jail,such as: How to do a jail inmate search. How to view Swift County Jail mugshots. The jail’s phone number and address. How to post bail. Intake procedures and booking. Court information. And lots more.

The chance of going to jail is a daunting and scary idea, not only for the person who gets arrested, but also their family, friends, and loved ones. The goal of this guide is to offer information that you need to make the process less stressful. If you have a question, please feel free to ask it in the comment section below, and also any comments or tips that might be beneficial to other people in the same situation is welcome.

Do you have a family member, loved one, or friend that is in jail and don’t know how to find them?

Do you know a friend or family member that’s been arrested and you want to locate them?

To see who’s in jail at Swift County Jail you should click on their website and do an inmate lookup.

The Swift County Jail Inmate Locator is a list of persons who have been arrested and are in jail, which includes current status, bail amount, and times the inmate can have visitors. You can also find info on anyone processed or discharged in the last 24 hours. Prisoners are listed alphabetically by last name. You can locate their arrest information quicker if you enter your friend or family member’s full name, date of birth, or arrest number.

If the person you’re searching for could possibly be in another jail you will want to look here, too: List of all county jails in Minnesota

A mugshot, also known as a jail intake photograph, is the photograph that the jail takes when you are booked into jail. They will take one frontal photo and a side-view photo. Your full name and booking number will be on the pictures, and they will be stored.

Mugshots of Swift County Jail prisoners are online, or you can view them at the Swift County Jail. When you search for mugshots online you will need to enter the prisoner’s legal name, and the arrest date, if you have it.

Do you want to get your mugshot erased from the Swift County Jail website? This can be tricky, as your mugshot is public record. You must file a Petition to Expunge with the court. This means that all of your arrest records 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 getting your mugshot taken down, the various mugshot sites, and the mugshot removal websites: Mugshot Removal

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Once you’re locked up, your only thought is about getting out. After you’ve been booked, bail is set either through a preset bail schedule or a magistrate. If there is no bail set this may mean that you will either get released, pending trial, or you must remain in jail until your trial.

If you are released from jail you will have to agree to be in court on your court date, and you can’t leave the county.

In most cases, inmates will be given early release in exchange for good behavior when they respect the rules and don’t cause any problems while they are in jail.

If you prove to be trustworthy, you might be allowed to do work release. You will be required to stay jail each day when you’re finished with work, or you may be allowed to move to a halfway house when you are not working.

Bail is the amount of money that you will be required to pay in order to be released from jail until you go to court. The amount you will be required to pay all depends on how serious your crime is. You will have to pay 10 percent of the total set in order for you to get discharged from jail. If you don’t show up for court, whoever paid your bail won’t get the bail money back.

You will need to call the jail. If you’ve got the person’s info, including name, address and date of birth, they will let you know the bail amount. Also, you can see the bail amount on the Swift County Jail website.

Having to bail someone out of jail is never a fun thing, but most of the time, it’s simple to do if you have the money. To start with, you have to find out if they have a Cash Only Bond. If so, you won’t be able to use the services of a Bail Bondsman. Bail can only be paid by cash – the jail will not accept checks. Once the cash bond has been paid, the inmate will be released. If they don’t violate the terms of their bail, you’ll get the bail money back.

If their bail has been set too high, or you just can’t afford it, you should look into the services of a bail bondsman. Bail bondsmen usually have a fee of 10 to 15 percent of the total amount of bail set, and sometimes with a minimum charge of $100. The amount you pay to the bondsman will not be returned to you and bondsmen usually only accept cash. If their bail has been set particularly high, the bondsman might ask to use assets as collateral for the bond in addition to whatever their charges are.

If you need a local bail bondsman click here: Find a bail bondsman

Have you ever hired a bail bondsman because you or someone you know got arrested? If you have, please leave a comment below and tell about your experience and let us know how it worked out.

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

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The jail intake process is made up of these steps:

• You will be placed in a holding cell. If the jail is busy, you will have to wait, sometimes for many hours, before you get processed.
• Firstly, you will have to answer some questions, such as what is your full legal name, your address, date of birth and an emergency contact.
• They’ll also ask you about your medical and mental history.
• You will be issued an inmate ID number.
• Your fingerprints will be taken.
• You will get your mugshot taken.
• All personal property will be taken away from you and will be stored until you are released.
• You will get to use the phone to contact a member of your family, friend, or bail bondsman.
• If you are expected to be released shortly, you will be allowed to keep wearing street clothes, if not you will have to wear a jumpsuit.

Have you been arrested and gone through jail intake? If you have, please share your experience. How long did you have to wait? How were you treated? Can you share any things that will help others get through the process?

Click here to share your story

Once bail has been posted, you will be allowed to leave jail. Getting discharged may take from 30 minutes to many hours. In other words the quicker you post bail, the sooner you can get released from jail. How quickly you get discharged can depend on if you have a bond amount or if a magistrate has to determine your bail amount. 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 are given a release date, plan to get released between 9am and noon.

warrant out for your arrest, or if you have to begin your sentence in jail, it is recommended that you do the right thing and go down to the jail and turn yourself in. If it is for a warrant, report to the jail intake center, and tell the intake officer that you think they might have a warrant out for your arrest. 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 you are reporting to serve out your sentence, report to the jail on the date and time that the sentence order lists. Be sure that you aren’t late. Be sure to only bring approved items when you turn yourself in, for example your driver’s license or even state issued ID, any prescription medication you might take, as well as the sentencing order from court.

Inmates need to list the name and date of birth of each visitor to the jail in advance of the visit. Your visitors will be entered into the visitation log for the inmate. Each visitor will have to provide acceptable photo identification. Visitors that arrives for visitation late or that is not an approved visitor will not be allowed to visit the inmate.
Visitation procedures at Swift County Jail change often, so visit the official site before go to the jail to visit an inmate.

Phone calls that inmates are allowed to make from jail are with a pre-paid phone card or account, or are collect calls . Jail phone calls are a lot more expensive than regular phone calls. There is no limit to how often you can use the phone, but inmates should keep in mind that every inmate wants to use the phone too, so they can call their family. If you break the jail rules, your ability to use the phone might get cut back or eliminated completely.

The Swift County Jail phone number is: (320) 843€‘3133

All mail has to be sent via the US Postal Service. You must not use any other form of delivery. You should write the prisoner’s name, inmate ID, and the address of the jail on the outside of the letter that you send. Do not mail a box or package, padded envelope, plastic bag, or an envelope containing metal parts. All mail that you send to inmates will be opened and examined and read by the jail officers, and will be returned to the sender if deemed inappropriate.

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

Swift County Jail
Law Enforcement Center Suite 4 301 14Th Street N
Benson, MN 56215

Here is how you should address the letter:

[INMATE’S FULL NAME]
[INMATE ID]
Swift County Jail
Law Enforcement Center Suite 4 301 14Th Street N
Benson, MN 56215

The Swift County Jail mail policy can change, so it would be best to check the site when you send a letter to an inmate.

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Even if you’ve been arrested, you need to be aware that you still have rights, one of these being the right to request an attorney. You don’t get to make many phone calls when you get arrested, so it is a good idea to ask a friend or family member to locate an attorney when you call them. You may be asking yourself ‘do I really need a lawyer?’ You are not required to have an attorney for some criminal charges, a lawyer will make sure you know your rights, help protect your best interests and show you the way through the court system in your county. The sooner you get an attorney working on your situation, the better.

For more information about the benefits of hiring a lawyer, visit: How to Find a Lawyer

If you are in trouble, but can’t afford an attorney, you will get a public defender. The Public Defender’s Office is staffed by independent investigators, crime scene and forensics experts as well as case workers. All Public Defenders are licensed lawyers who are admitted to the Minnesota State Bar Association and are fully licensed to handle your case.

Have you ever had to use the services of a Public Defender? Do you think that they did a good job of defending you?

All court records are public record and are available upon request to anyone who requests them – not just the person who they pertain to. Court records contain a case file with a sheet called a docket sheet and all of the motions, documents, and evidence that have been filed in the case. You can access your court records via the internet service, or by going to the Clerk of Court’s office where the case was filed.

The Swift County Clerk of Court is an officer and clerk of the court who manages access to court records. The Clerk of Court also administer the oath for anyone testifying in court, and read the verdict when delivered by the jury. All records and documents relating to your case are kept at Swift County Clerk of Court office.

Court fees are the costs from your court case, which include filing charges, motion and claim fees, and court appearance fees. If you are low income and have a court appointed attorney, you may get out of having to pay them.

The Swift County magistrate is the type of judge who presides over your case in court. Magistrates do different functions, such as setting your bail amount, issuing arrest warrants, and presiding over initial court appearances and detention hearings.

Your pre-sentencing report is prepared with the defendant’s background information and information about the defendant’s life history, which the judge will take into consideration when decide your sentence. Information, details, and character witnesses will be gathered from the defendant, their family, and in some cases the victim. Remember you are able to ask to receive your own copy of the pre-sentencing report before sentencing, so you get the chance to review it and correct any mistakes.

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, which include community service and probation, to even prison or jail time. Depending on the severity of the crime, you will either be taken into custody immediately, or you could be given a date that you must to surrender and report to jail to serve your jail time according to your sentence.

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Want to find out if a family member or friend is currently in jail, or has gone to jail in the past?

This is pretty simple to do, just just go to the Swift County jail website, and do a search using:

• The inmate’s name.
• Birth date.
• Their booking date.
• or inmate ID.

If you think that they are currently in jail, you should call the jail confirm whether they’ve been arrested or not.

If you think you have a warrant out for your arrest, you can find out by checking the court records online or call the court. You have to have the person’s first and last name. You can also go to the local jail and inquire at the information desk. You should know that if there is a warrant for your arrest, they will take you into custody immediately.

If you know a person’s name, as well as their arrest date, contact the Swift County jail, by phone, go there in person, or find out online. Records of arrests are public record and this information is available to anyone.

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

All people registered as sex offenders must be registered and listed on a sex offender database. The people listed on these databases have been convicted of a sex or kidnapping crime. You are able to see these listings on the website, but keep in mind that you won’t find the actual address, rather the block they live on.

Court Records are considered public records, so they are accessible to anyone who requests them. They include a case file that contains a court docket and all documents filed in the court case. You are able to access the court records on their website, or at Clerk of Court where the case was filed.

Each state maintains records of people’s criminal past. These online databases are connected and you can track criminal backgrounds from other states. Go to courthouse and make an inquiry, or check online. It is helpful to know the county, and if it was in a totally different state, you might have to pay a fee for a more complete search.

When you look up someone’s criminal record you will be able to find out if someone has been arrested, charged, or convicted for any of the following crimes:

• DWI or DUI.
• Drug Possession.
• Kidnapping.
• Sexual offenses including rape, assault.
• Violent crimes including assault, battery and murder.
• Theft, breaking and entering.

During a criminal records search, usually will not discover if someone has had any moving violations, like:

• Tickets for speeding.
• Drivers license revoked or suspended.
• Accidents.
• Moving violations.
• Parking Tickets.

To get this information, you have to do a driving records search.

Have you ever tried to search for someone’s criminal records? Was it an easy process? Was your search online or did you call the courthouse? Did you get information that was correct? There are plenty of reasons that people search for criminal backgrounds and records, and your story could make it easier for others.

Click here to tell about all about it

Most Wanted

On a Federal level, the FBI maintains a list of the Top Ten Most Wanted Criminals. In Swift County, the Swift County Sheriff’s Department has their own list of the most wanted criminals, that you can access online.

FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List


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Life In Jail / What Its Like

Daily Life

Everyone knows that spending time in the Swift County jail is something you wish you could avoid, you will soon settle into the routine that is set for you. Expect an alarm to wake up at 6:00 AM, and then roll call. Then you will get breakfast. After breakfast, you will 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 Swift 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 Swift 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 might change, so we suggest that you visit the official website before you send any money.


Commissary

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

Inmate Medications

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

Meals

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

Pods / The Yard

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

Gangs

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


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News and Media

News

Photos / Pictures

Videos


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Jobs

Types of Jobs at Swift County Jail

The Deputy Sheriff is the second in command at the Swift 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 Swift County Jail

Requirements:

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


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Family Resources

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

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

Click here to 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:

• 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 leave a 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 anybody that is an inmate there? Have you ever visited someone at this jail?

If so, then we would like you to write a review about it. Write down your jail experience so others will know what to expect.

Things you could include in what you write:

• Conditions in Swift County Jail.
• Jail layout and facility
• Staff and guards
• Commissary and food
• Visitation Days
• The other inmates – what are they like?
• Inmate safety
• Jail gangs
• Inmate activities and programs


Speak Your Mind

Tell Your Story

Anyone who’s been in jail has a story to tell. Why were you locked up? Were you fairly treated? What happened to you while you were locked up? Tell us about the other inmates. How did going to jail affect your life?

Click here to leave a comment

Send a Message to Your Cell Mate

Did you meet some cool folks in jail? Do you want to find out how to get in touch with a person you met in jail? Leave a message for them here.

Send a message to someone at Swift County Jail


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