How Can I Find Out If Someone Was Arrested And Is In Jail In Maryland?

If you wonder how you can find out whether someone was arrested and in jail in Maryland, you can take steps to learn whether that person faces charges and is currently detained. Since there are 24 major local jurisdictions within the state and 23 separate counties, it may be a challenge to figure out exactly where an arrested individual may be held.

What Is The First Step To Take If You Think Someone You Know Has Been Arrested?

The first step to take is to contact the people who may have last been in the company of the person who may have been arrested and put in jail in Maryland, such as their friends, family members, or an employer. These people would be able to provide details as to what may have happened and in what county. If you cannot find out if the person was arrested and brought into custody by contacting the people who last saw them, your next step is to start contacting local officials.

Will Local Law Enforcement Help Me Find An Arrest Record?

Following an arrest in Maryland, a defendant may be transported to local law enforcement for questioning or interrogation for a period of time. It is especially difficult to determine whether someone has been arrested in Maryland and is detained during this period, but local law enforcement is supposed to present the defendant to a commissioner within the 24 hours subsequent to the arrest.

At this point, the commissioner evaluates the arresting officer’s paperwork and determines whether to issue some or all of the requested charges. When the defendant appears before the commissioner, the commissioner will determine whether and how much bail should be imposed. If the person cannot pay the amount of bail requested and a judge refuses to decrease the bond, or if the person does not qualify to be released on bond, they will remain in county or city jail while their criminal case is pending.

If the person you are trying to locate is still within this stage of the process, the most straightforward way to find someone who was recently arrested and in custody in Maryland is to contact the commissioner in the county where you think they may be. You may have to call commissioners in more than one county to determine whether someone was arrested and in a local jail.

How Can The Maryland Department of Public Safety & Correctional Services Help?

Additionally, the Maryland Department of Public Safety & Correctional Services has an inmate locator on its website to help the public search for people who are incarcerated across the state. If you provide an individual’s name, the search will provide the detention location of inmates who have been put in Commissioner of Correction custody and are currently located in Division of Correction facilities, the Patuxent Institution, or Division of Pretrial and Detention Services facilities.

However, the search has limitations and does not include every individual who is within Maryland custody. For example, the inmate locator does not always include inmates who are currently serving short sentences at Division of Pretrial and Detention services facilities or any inmate who has escaped custody.

Speak to a Criminal Defense Attorney Today

If you still cannot locate the person you seek, it could be valuable to search nearby. Maryland is located close to many other jurisdictions, including Virginia, DC, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, so contacting local authorities and correctional facilities in those places can be another step you take.