Why does the Sheriff's Office run the jail?
What kind of people are held in the Washington County Jail?
How long do most people stay in Jail?
What is a normal day in jail like?
TV, telephones, Canteen, meals, exercise, medical care - is that a jail or a spa?
What happens to me if I am arrested in Washington County?
What's the difference between bail and bond?
If I am arrested, when will I go to court?
If I have a warrant out for my arrest, what can I do?
Can I visit someone in the Washington County Jail?
Can I send mail to someone in jail?
Can I send or drop off money for someone in jail?
Can I call someone in jail?

Why does the Sheriff's Office run the jail?

By state law, the Sheriff of each county in Minnesota is designated as the Chief Law Enforcement Officer of the county and has a number of mandatory responsibilities, one of which is to maintain and staff the County Jail.  To carry out this responsibility, the Sheriff has created a division of the Sheriff's Office to run the day-to-day operations of the jail.  The jail is funded primarily through tax funds levied by the County Board and allocated to the Sheriff.

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What kind of people are held in the Washington County Jail?

The jail holds persons arrested or charged with any level of offense from a misdemeanor driving offense to a serious felony as well as people convicted of a crime and serving time on a sentence.   Intoxicated persons who may be a danger to themselves or others are occasionally held in the jail temporarily until transportation to a detoxification center is available.  The Sheriff's Office follows an inmate classification process to determine which housing unit would be the best place to house a particular inmate in order to best maintain the safety and security of the facility.

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How long do most people stay in Jail?

Depending on the charges and situation, someone could be held from a few hours to a year or more.  The majority of people arrested in Washington County on minor charges and brought to the jail only stay for 1-3 days.  Many minor traffic offenses may call for the person to be "booked and released" or held for bail.  In these cases, provided the person can post the bail or bond, they are often released within a few hours of arrest.  Those with "body only" warrants or who cannot post bail are held for court.

Once convicted of a crime, a person could be sentenced to serve time in the jail.  Sentences could run from days to months up to a year for a Gross Misdemeanor charge.  Felony sentences are typically more than one year and are served at a state prison.

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What is a normal day in jail like?

Most people would find jail life quite boring.  Every morning, everyone has to get up at 7:00 AM for breakfast and cleaning - there is no option to sleep in.  Once the meal is done and everyone has done their share of cleaning, each cell is inspected for cleanliness and damage.  Once everyone has passed inspection, the day can begin.  When the unit is not under lockdown and the inmate is not under any other disciplinary restriction, their time is spent between the dayroom, recreation area, and jail programs.  Day programs include G.E.D. classes, AA meetings, chemical dependency/outpatient group sessions, anger management counseling, religious services, and organized recreation sessions.  In the dayroom, a television, books, and periodicals are available, but must be shared with everyone.  If the inmate has funds in his or her canteen account, they can purchase extra snacks or supplies a few times each week.  Telephones are available in most units to make legal calls or collect personal calls.  All phones are outgoing only and cannot be used during lockdown or meal periods.  Mandatory lockdown and lights-out is at 10:30 every night.

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TV, telephones, Canteen, meals, exercise, medical care - is that a jail or a spa?

While this has been suggested by some people in the past, most of the people who have been confined in the jail would disagree.  Prior to the official jail opening, one unit was opened to allow county residents and others to try out a night in jail - no one we talked to expressed an interest in spending their vacations here.  While many of the basic "comforts" of home are provided including television, telephones, games, books, and a small recreation area, all are considered privileges and tools in Washington County's direct supervision philosophy.  Most inmates are locked in their cells for 13 hours a day as part of the normal lockdown schedule.  While meals do not consist of the colloquial bread and water, they are still not "haute cuisine".  Most meals consist of standard cafeteria fare served up on insulated trays in set portions designed to provide proper nutrition and caloric intake.

Under the direct supervision philosophy, jail inmates are treated as much like you and I would like to be treated under the circumstances.  They are given normal privileges and allowed to walk around the day room freely during non-lockdown hours, however, any or all of the privileges can be taken away as part of the disciplinary process.  Correctional officers work in the units and walk around to keep an eye on the units and foresee problems before they occur. 

The most obvious clues that this is not a spa can be easily seen from the locked doors, miniature windows, lack of forks and knives during meals (every meal is eaten with only a spoon - which is particularly interesting on spaghetti day...), the inability to go anywhere - even back to the cell without permission, and the stainless steel toilet/sink units in each cell.

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What happens to me if I am arrested in Washington County?

While some police departments may temporarily hold someone at their station, most people arrested in Washington County are typically brought to the jail for booking.  The charges may involve anything from a misdemeanor driving offense to a serious felony. Once at the jail, the arresting or transporting officer will complete any required paperwork or tests and then turn the arrestee over to the jail for processing.  If the arrestee is cooperative, jail officers complete the booking process, including gathering demographic data, digital fingerprints, and digital photographs and allow an initial phone call.  If the arrestee is not eligible for immediate bail or release, all property and clothing are placed in storage and the inmate is provided jail clothing, bedding, and assigned a cell in a jail housing unit.

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What's the difference between bail and bond?

Bail and Bonds are related terms referring to a requirement imposed by the court that a defendant put forth a financial backing to their promise to appear in court as ordered.  Basically, bail is cash paid by the defendant, or on his/her behalf.  Bonds are, essentially, a document provided by an authorized bonding company guaranteeing that the defendant will appear or the bonding company will have to pay the court.  Bail is accepted in the full amount in cash only.  Bonds are usually posted by an approved bonding agent for a set fee (typically around 10% of the bond amount) and other guarantees or collateral.

Bail that is posted is normally returned to the defendant once they have satisfied the courts requirements, but may be forfeited if the defendant does not appear on the assigned court date or may be credited towards fines and fees due to the court.  Money paid to a bonding agent is normally considered a fee and is not returned.

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If I am arrested, when will I go to court?

This is completely dependant on the court system and their court schedule.  The Sheriff's Office has little or no control over court appearances.  Everyone in custody by 6:00 AM Mon-Fri is booked and the paperwork delivered to Court Administration to be included on the daily jail calendar, however, special circumstances in the courts can arise.  By law, new arrests fall under either the 48 or 36 hour rules.  Each one has slightly different calculation requirements that determine how long someone can be held before being seen in court.  The primary difference is that the 48 hour rule requires judicial review within 48 hours of arrest.  The 36 hour rule does not count Sundays, holidays, or the day of arrest.  To ease the process, Washington County holds most first appearance court sessions in a court room inside the jail.  Family and friends of defendants can watch the proceedings live and interact with the court if necessary via two-way video from a room in the County courthouse (across the street from the jail).

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If I have a warrant out for my arrest, what can I do?

If a warrant has been issued for your arrest, you can turn yourself in at the main jail window no later than 6:00 AM on a regular court day and the Sheriff's Office will make every attempt to get you on the court docket for that day.  Due to varying circumstances in the courts and the jail, we cannot guarantee that you will be seen that day, but in most cases you will be seen the same day.  If a judge has set a bail amount on the warrant, you may pay the bail at the jail or post bond through an approved bonding agency.  In most cases, the bail may be paid at any Sheriff's Office in Minnesota.  Once bail has been paid or bond posted, a court date will be assigned and the warrant will be cleared.

If you want to post bail or bond for someone currently in jail, this can be done in person at the jail, Court Administration, or any Sheriff's Office in Minnesota.  Bail is accepted in cash only.  Bonds are accepted from approved bonding agents who, in effect, guarantee the bail amount to the courts in exchange for a set fee and collateral arranged with the person posting the bond.  Bail that is posted is normally returned to the defendant once they have satisfied the courts requirements, but may be forfeited if the defendant does not appear on the assigned court date or may be credited towards fines and fees due to the court.

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Can I send mail to someone in jail?

Yes.  Washington County Jail inmates can receive letters and money for canteen purchases through the mail.  Please send only regular, paper mail and no extra stamps, food, magazines, newspapers, books, clothing, or other large items.  They may also receive a limited number of regular photographs (no Polaroid photos).  Any cash or money orders received for a current inmate will be deposited in their canteen account by jail staff upon receipt.  We cannot accept personal checks.  Any prohibited items will be refused and returned to sender or placed in the inmates property locker until they are released.  Any mail received for someone no longer in custody will be returned to the post office for redelivery or return to sender.

Send mail addressed to the inmates full name addressed as:

[Full Name]
Washington County Jail
PO Box 3801
Stillwater, MN 55082-3801

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Can I send or drop off money for someone in jail?

Yes.  You can mail or drop off cash or money orders only.  In person, check in at the information window and proceed to the Cashier window to drop off the money and receive a receipt.  To send money by mail, make the money order payable to the inmate by name or to the Washington County Jail in care of the inmate's name.  Funds received will be credited to the inmate canteen account upon receipt.  Any funds left in the account at time of release will be refunded to the inmate in the form of a check.  Any personal checks received by mail will be held in the inmates property and not cashed.  The check will be given to the inmate on their release.

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Can I call someone in jail?

No.  Washington County Jail inmates are not able to receive any phone calls while in the facility.  They can make collect phone calls from the housing unit at specific times during the day unless they are under a phone restriction or lockdown status.  All calls are recorded by the Sheriff's Office and billed by a third party phone company except for authorized legal calls which are not billed or recorded.  If you receive a call, you will hear a recording that states that the call is coming from the Washington County Jail and will ask you to press a key on your phone to accept the charges.  Please be aware that three way calls are not permitted.  Attempting a three-way-call or answering a call waiting call could cause the line to be disconnected.  If this happens, you will still be charged.

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