How to Access Washington County Jail Inmates Information

The state of Washington maintains records of all the inmates who are incarcerated in its state correctional facilities; inmate records databases are maintained at the county level as well. This information is available to the public, and distributing these records across two levels helps to disperse the volume of requested searches. If you are seeking information on Washington county jail inmates, you can search on the website of that particular county or visit the sheriff’s office. There are 39 counties in Washington, but it is not difficult to locate inmates in the county jails across the state. There are online search engines that allow users to browse the records, while the same websites usually offer the contact details of the appropriate agencies should you wish to contact them directly. To view a list of the website for each county in Washington, visit http://www.mrsc.org/byndmrsc/counties.aspx.

Conducting an Inmate Search

Before conducting an inmate search, you should be aware of the offense of which the inmate was convicted. This is a necessary measure because those convicted of felonies are held in state prisons while those convicted of misdemeanors are placed in county jails. Some inmates in county jails are still awaiting trial, and some convicts of less-severe felonies are held in county jails. In certain cases, prisoners are taken briefly from state facilities to be presented at their court cases; in such interim periods, the inmates are kept in the county jail where the court is located. Locating an inmate in the state of Washington is quicker and easier if you know the type of his or her offense.

Adams County in Washington maintains its own jail roster. To view the roster, visit http://www.co.adams.wa.us/jail_roster/. By clicking on the link to view the roster, you will be taken to the list of all the inmates housed in Adams County. Information provided in the records includes the inmate's date of incarceration, date of arrest, type of arrest, agency, officer, location, offense type, date of offense, and bail type. The estimated date of release is not included in the record. If you would like to request more information on a particular Adams County jail inmate, you can direct your request to the sheriff of Adams County by calling 509-659-1122, faxing the request to 509-659-1724, or mailing the office at 210 West Broadway, Ritzville, WA 99169.

Cowlitz County operates a branch of the Washington Department of Corrections. To obtain inmates for this county, visit http://www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/cccd/jail/Custody/Inmates.aspx. The website offers elaborate data on each inmate, including his or her date of incarceration, block and cell where he or she is held, charges against the inmate, amount and type of bail, sentencing court, holding agency, and a description of the crime committed. The data is updated every hour; thus it represents the latest information available to the county. The sheriff’s office can be reached by telephone at 360-577-3092, by fax at 360-423-1047, or by postal mail at Cowlitz County Sheriff, Hall of Justice, 312 SW First Ave, Kelso, WA 98626.

When visiting these county websites, it is not necessary to provide an inmate's information to view the record. Simply click on the appropriate name from the list and all information that is subject to disclosure will be displayed. If you know the county jail where an inmate is incarcerated, you can view his or her information and status quickly and easily.

Inmate Work Programs

Washington county jail inmates are involved in various work programs, for which they receive commissary. However, there are labor laws pertaining to their work. They are allowed to work for only eight hours a day, and cannot be compelled to work more. Their area of work is restricted to county buildings, public roads, and county grounds. No private agency or organization can hire them for their services. Those county jail inmates who are on default of bail cannot work outside and must remain confined within the facility. These rules are designated by the county commissioners and promulgated by the honorary judges of the Superior Court.

It is the responsibility of the county sheriff to employ the male county jail inmates as per the direction of the board of commissioners of that particular county. A prisoner is neither allowed nor can be compelled to work before his or her conviction. If there are any outstanding fines against a prisoner, the state pays $2.00 toward those fines for each day of the inmate's work. The remuneration of the county prisoners for their work is paid by the respective county. In the case of convicts charged for non-support, $1.50 a day is paid by the county to the immediate family of that prisoner.

The working rules in Washington county jails are very stringent, and inmates as well as officials must strictly abide by them. Violation of these rules is a punishable offense. For more information on Washington inmate work programs, visit http://www.atg.wa.gov/opinion.aspx?section=topic&id=13488.