The criminal justice system can be complex, particularly for those who are encountering it for the first time. Navigating its ins and outs in order to help a family member or friend can be incredibly stressful. Luckily, there is the Fayette County Jail Inmate Locator tool to help those at the Fayette County Jail.
We believe that anyone facing criminal charges deserves a zealous defense and that their loved ones need support. From locating an inmate in a correctional facility to figuring out the best course of action when it comes to posting bond, having someone by your side can give you peace of mind.
How to Use the Fayette County Jail Inmate Locator Tool
If a loved one has recently been arrested, you may be overwhelmed and wondering about next steps. Dealing with law enforcement and the department of corrections is obviously not something that most people do on a regular basis.
The first thing that you should do is find your family member or friend. The process is relatively simple, thanks to the Fayette County Jail Inmate Locator search tool available through the Lexington city website. This search tool will allow you to find all of the relevant inmate information you’ll need to help you contact and provide support for your friend or family member.
To start an inmate search, you will need to create an account. Fill in the necessary information, and then confirm your email by clicking the link in the email sent to you by the site. From there, you can log in to the Fayette County Inmate Locator through the Division of Community Corrections website and perform an inmate search for any inmate currently at the Fayette County jail in Lexington.
You can call the Fayette County Jail directly at 859-425-2700 as well. Through this number, you can obtain more information about current charges and paying bail or bond for an inmate once you have verified that your loved one is indeed being held at the jail through an inmate lookup.
You can also contact the facility and ask for the chaplain in the event of a family emergency; he or she will contact your family member. After normal business hours, ask for a shift commander if there is a family-related incident. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to make direct phone calls to inmates being held at the detention center.
If your loved one has been incarcerated at the Fayette County jail, you can deposit funds in his or her commissary online, by phone, or in-person at kiosks (for a nominal fee) located in the lobby of the facility. The kiosks accept cash, debit cards, and credit cards.
You can also pay bail and court fees in an amount of up to $2,000. Mail can be sent to inmates (subject to search for contraband) by addressing it as follows:
Inmate first name and last name
Inmate ID number
600 Old Frankfort Circle
Lexington, Ky. 40510
Visitation hours at the Fayette County Jail take place every day except for Friday. There are specific visitation times based on an inmate’s classification: maximum security (MX), minimum security (MI), general population (GP) or alert behavior (AB). A schedule can be found here, along with specific visitation rules, such as the maximum number of visitors per session (five) and the maximum number of times a person may visit per week (twice).
Phone and Voice Mail Services
Even though you won’t be able to call your loved one, they will have opportunities to call and communicate with you via telephone. The following three options are available to help facilitate communication:
- Collect Calls – offenders may place collect calls using the inmate telephone system. The called party is responsible for all billed charges.
- Debit Calls – offenders may place a debit call using money in their commissary account. The offender is responsible for all billed charges.
Voice Mail – Create and activate a private mailbox ID number by contacting Correctional Billing Services at 1-800-844-6591. An account can be set up online by visiting Correctional Billing Services.
How Is Bond Set in Kentucky?
In Fayette County and throughout Kentucky, the initial bond is set through Pretrial Services, a state agency created by the Kentucky Legislature. Pretrial Services administers the Kentucky pretrial release program and makes release recommendations to the courts. It operates in all 120 counties in Kentucky. Importantly, Kentucky does not have bail bondsmen. It was the first state in the country to abolish for-profit bail bonding in 1976.
To determine bond, Pretrial Services conducts a risk assessment to make release recommendations. This assessment must be “an objective, research-based, validated assessment tool that measures a defendant’s risk of flight and risk of anticipated criminal conduct while on pretrial release pending adjudication.”
Within 24 hours of arrest, a Pretrial Services officer will interview your loved one. The officer will collect and verify information such as their name, address, length of residence, employment, education, ties to the community and criminal history.
In addition, the officer will perform a criminal background check, which will appear in the pre-trial report. Based on this interview, the officer will conduct a risk assessment to determine their potential flight risk, danger to the community, and potentially criminal behavior.
Pretrial Services will then make a recommendation to the on-call district court judge, who will make the initial bond determination. If your friend or a family member has not bonded out before his or her initial arraignment, the arraignment judge will review the bond at this hearing, where a Lexington criminal defense attorney will have the opportunity to make an argument for release.
Police Departments in Fayette County
There are a number of police departments in Fayette County, any of which may be involved in your loved one’s case. They include:
- Fayette County Sheriff’s Office
- Kentucky State Police
- Lexington/Fayette Urban County Police Department
Fayette County, Kentucky Local Statistics
Centered around Lexington, Fayette County has an estimated population of just under 322,000. It is a relatively youthful area, with 21% of the population under the age of 18 years old and just 12.9% of the population over the age of 65. The median household income is just over $50,000, with 17.9% of the population of Fayette County living in poverty.
The Fayette County Jail has a capacity of 1,266 inmates. It offers programs such as education and life skills, community service, religious services, and recreation.
How a Lexington Criminal Defense Attorney Can Help
Working with an experienced Lexington criminal defense attorney can be the first step towards helping your family member or friend defend their rights and potentially gain their freedom. A seasoned lawyer can advise you and your loved one about the best course of action, from posting bond to negotiating plea deals to taking a case to trial, as well as how to use the Fayette County Jail Inmate Locator.
The legal professionals of the Baldani Law Group are fierce advocates for our clients. With more than 100 years of combined experience in Kentucky criminal law, we know the system—and how to best defend our clients. Our attorneys know how to get results, and we work diligently to get the best possible outcome for your case. Contact us today by phone at 859-259-0727 or online to schedule a consultation with a Lexington criminal defense attorney.