Mitchell County Jail & Sheriff

housed at McDowell Jail

INTERESTING FACTS about the Mitchell County County Jail/Detention Center.

A full body scanner was recently added to this facility to help mitigate contraband items being smuggled into the facility.The scanner is also able to detect the possibility of covid by detecting body temperature.This facility not only holds local detainees but also persons detained by the NC Marshalls office. Inmates can initial calls to friends and family members on their approved list.

VISIT YOUR LOVED ONE  

Showing support by visiting friends at the Mitchell County Jail is critical to their well-being. Visits and calls can make a difference in their mental health. They may have medical needs to inform you of, or they may have complaints about the way they are being treated by the Mitchell County Jail & Sheriff staff.

Remote visitation is usually allowed. Visitation hours may be dependent upon the sex of the person and, also dependent upon the section of the facility in which they are housed.

 In 2020, COVID stopped in person visitation in all facilities, but some have reinstated in person visitation. Call 828.688.3982 to check the current status of in person visitation in.

You must submit a picture and government photo ID for facility approval prior to visiting someone in our facility.

If you are doing in person visitation, visitors are subject to search. Dress appropriately. If too much skin is showing, you may be refused visitation rights.

Purses will be searched.

Visitation Center Hours: See in section below.

COMMISSARY

Help your friend or loved one get through this difficult time by adding funds for them to get items in the commissary. Note: You must have the inmate's ID number in order to add money to an account in the kiosk of the lobby. They are responsible for purchasing their own items. CASH ONLY in the lobby! Posts immediately for use. See other ways to deposit commissary below. Cash is available immediately but money orders may take longer to post.

Deposit money online with a debit or credit card by registering with an account. See details below in the Commissary section.

PHONE CALLS AND TABLETS

Money to friends and loved ones may also be used for them to have time for phone calls or time on a tablet for entertainment or educational purposes to better themselves during this time. Also, it may be used for sending texts or emails. See the sections below for details.

MAIL

Please include the inmates name, ID number, dorm number and cell or bed number if possible, when sending mail. 

Inmates do NOT have the right to send mail to one another!

DO NOT SEND lewd photos. All mail will be inspected by authorities and contraband seized.

How do I find out if someone has been arrested and booked into the Mitchell County Jail & Sheriff?

To find out if someone you know has been recently arrested and booked into the Mitchell County Jail & Sheriff, call the jail’s booking line at 828.688.3982.

There may be an automated method of looking them up by their name over the phone, or you may be directed to speak to someone at the jail. Sometimes the jail staff may ask you the offender’s date of birth to ensure privacy of the offender’s status.

Keep in mind that after an arrest, the information on an offender may not be publicly available for several hours.

If you don’t want to check up on an offender by calling the jail, you can also try looking up people recently booked online.

Mitchell County Jail & Sheriff Booking Roster

What happens during booking in Mitchell County?

After being arrested and taken into custody, and after being read their Miranda Rights, an offender will next be transported to the local police or department or the Sheriff’s Department in Mitchell County for booking.

Booking is very involved and requires multiple steps in the process, however, keep in mind that most attorneys will advise that an offender remain silent and not offer any additional information about the crime they have been arrested for because anything they do say may be recorded and may very well be used against them in court.

What is the booking process like at the Mitchell County Jail & Sheriff?

Booking includes having their photo (mugshot) and fingerprints taken, as well as being asked a lot of questions about their personal history and state of mind. If it’s a serious felony, their DNA may also be taken. They will also be checked for warrants in Mitchell County and other North Carolina and USA jurisdictions.

If the offender was arrested for a DUI offense, and has refused a breathalyzer test, they may also be forced to have blood drawn by a doctor or nurse.

It is also very likely that the offender will undergo a humiliating full body search while in the nude. This includes bending over, spreading their cheeks in the direction of an officer, and coughing. They will also be walked through a metal detector or x-ray machine, like those used at an airport.

What kind of questions are asked during booking?

The arresting jurisdiction will ask about gang affiliations, tattoos, medical conditions, prescribed medication they are taking, recreational drugs they are on or addicted to, allergies, if they are suicidal, and other relevant information that will help with determining their cell assignment and special needs.

What happens to an offender’s personal property during booking?

During the arrest and booking process an offender will also have all their personal property confiscated and held for either their release from jail, or with the offender’s approval, released to a friend or family member.

Personal property includes the clothing they are wearing, money, wallets, purses, cell phones, jewelry, body rings, earrings, watches, and even glasses if they are deemed a security risk. If they are allowed to keep their shoes or sneakers, the laces are removed.

What happens after booking?

At this point the offender will be allowed to make a free phone call to a person of their choice to notify them of their arrest, and/or arrange a bond or bail for their release.

If the offender is being detained and housed while awaiting arraignment, the Mitchell County Jail & Sheriff will provide a jail garment and slip-on shoes, a blanket, sheets, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, and a towel.

Often, before they are dressed in the jail outfit and brought to their housing location, they will be forced to take a shower and undergo a disinfectant treatment for body and hair lice, scabies or other pests that may be residing on their person.

How long does the Mitchell County Jail & Sheriff Booking process take?

Booking can take anywhere from an hour to 24 hours or more. It all depends on the number of people that are awaiting processing, the number of staff on duty at the time, and the behavior of the offender.

If the offender is heavily intoxicated and/or violent, the Booking Officer may decide to stick the offender in a holding cell for several hours until they become more manageable.