Going to Jail

If you have been to court and you were sentenced to spend time in the Whitman County Jail, you will need to know some things.

When you come to jail, please leave all jewelry at home. This includes tongue rings, earrings, nose rings, etc. Leave purses and wallets at home as well. Bring:

  • The clothing you will need for your stay
  • Identification
  • Money
  • Prescription medications

Read through a copy of the inmate orientation we give to each inmate. It will tell you what you are allowed to bring, and what you are not allowed to bring.

Whitman County Jail Inmate Orientation

Revision: 1H

It is your responsibility to read and understand the Inmate Manual which is located in each unit. Breaking written rules in the Inmate Manual will result in lockdown.

Jail Website

Visit our jail website. This website has information about your status as an inmate and bail amount(s), visiting, funding your account with money, contact methods, work release, and more. Be sure to give the website address to your family and/or friends.

Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)

We do not condone rape or sexual assault. We will investigate all allegations of rape or sexual assault. You may confidentially report situations of assaults that occur within the facility.

Jail Medical

By signing the acknowledgement statement you are giving authorization for the responsible physician or designee at the Whitman County Jail to administer medical examinations and/or treatment as necessary while you are incarcerated. You also authorize any medical, dental, or mental health information to be exchanged with medical facilities or providers, or other correctional institutions in which you have been house as it pertains to your medical treatment.

Jail Medical Records
All medical records are kept in printed, digital, or both formats. Records are kept per Washington State Record retention laws.

Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA)

HIPAA allows correctional facilities to obtain or use protected health information, if necessary, for providing health care to an inmate; for the health and safety of inmates, officers, or staff; and for administration and maintenance of the safety, security, and good order of the correctional institution. Section 45 C.F.R. 164.512 (k) (5) (i)

Commissary

Commissary is ordered via the kiosks. It will be delivered twice per week. You must have money on your books to order items on commissary.

Do not ask about delivery of commissary. It will be delivered when an Officer is available.

Communication with Corrections Officers

Do not use the call buttons located throughout the jail unless there is an emergency. If you need to speak to an Officer wait for an Officer to come by on a round. If an Officer needs to get the attention of an inmate he will flash the dayroom lights.

An inmate should go to the intercom and speak to the Officer. If the dayroom lights are turned off. It means that you need to turn off the TV and lockdown.

Court Information

Superior Court normally holds first appearances at 3 pm Monday through Thursday and 10:30 am on Fridays. District Court usually holds first appearances at 1 pm on Monday and Tuesday; 3 pm on Wednesday; 1 pm on Thursday and Friday.

Dayroom Privileges

From 6 am to 10 pm you are allowed to use the dayroom. Failure to follow the Inmate Manual will result in lockdown which limits your access to the dayroom.

Meals

Meals are served in each unit. Meals start at 6 am, noon, and 5 pm. Depending on the location of your unit it may take up to an hour for the meal to get to you. 

Have your cups on the table and be ready by the time the meal cart arrives. Officers will not wake up sleeping inmates.

Property

If you bring in property the jail is not responsible for it. Should it be lost, stolen, damaged, or destroyed you will have to replace it on your own. All books you bring into the jail must stay after you are released this excludes school textbooks and your personal Bible.

Morning Wake-up

At 6 am the doors will click several times. This is your cue to get out of bed and push the door open. Inmates who don’t open their cell door at 6 am will spend time locked in their cell.

Phone Calls

You will receive a private PIN to be used on all phone calls. Inmates caught sharing PINs will have their PIN de-activated and will receive lockdown. You may add money to your PIN to use for making phone calls. 

You have the opportunity to make a phone call during booking. Do not waste the telephone call. If you get voicemail, leave a message. If you need phone numbers from your cell phone request to get the numbers prior to leaving booking. You will not be brought back to booking to get them at a later time.

Do not contact, or attempt contact, of any victim in your case. Doing so can result in loss of the use of the telephone and possibly additional criminal charges.

Use of Restraints on Pregnant Women

Except in extraordinary circumstances no restraints of any kind will be used on any pregnant woman or youth incarcerated in the Whitman County Jail during transportation to and from visits to medical providers and court proceedings during the third trimester of her pregnancy, or during postpartum recovery.

The Corrections Officers of the Whitman County Jail will not use any kind of restraints on a woman in labor or in childbirth. If restraints are used, as accordance with law, they will be the least restrictive possible. They will be the most reasonable under the circumstance and in no case shall leg irons or waist chains be used on any woman known to be pregnant.

More information is provided in RCW(s) 70.48500, 70.48501, 70.48502, and 70.48.800. This information is available for review upon request.

Work Release

Just because you are eligible for the work release program does not mean you qualify. One step to obtaining work release is to read the Inmate Manual. Do yourself a favor and read the Inmate Manual. You will also be required to complete an application to be considered for work release. You can receive an application by requesting it on a kite.

Inmate Manual

The Inmate Manual (PDF) is on the Jail website, and also available on the kiosk in each unit. If you would like to have a hard copy of the Inmate Manual you may request one of the Booking Officer. You may request one at a later time via a jail kite.

Conclusion

The Inmate Manual covers many of these subjects in more depth as well as several other aspects of the jail operation that Inmates should know such as:

  • Commissary
  • Laundry
  • Library
  • Mail 
  • Medical
  • Recreation
  • Visiting

It also covers your rights, privileges, rules, and the disciplinary process. Any questions at this point should be asked of your Booking Officer.

Acknowledgement Statement

Read the following statement and indicate that it is true by placing your signature where indicated on the booking coversheet: ’I understand the Inmate Orientation. I further understand it is imperative I read the Inmate Manual and my signature below affirms my promise to read it when I am housed in a unit.’

Acceptable Items to Have With You

You may have the following items in your cell:

  • Art paper in limited quantities
  • Attorney mail and a small amount of other mail and paper
  • Clothing items must not have zippers, buttons, nor strings
  • Items bought from in-house commissary
  • A notebook without a metal binder
  • One set of long johns (thermal underwear)
  • A reasonable amount of stationary, envelopes, and stamps
  • Three pair of plain white briefs-style underwear and plain white tee-shirts
    • Women may have three white bras (without underwire)
  • Three pair of white socks
  • Toilet articles given at booking or purchased through commissary
  • A total of three reading items (books, magazines)
    • Legal books and school books, with Officer approval, are extra
  • Up to four pencils and one set of colored pencils (24 or less). 
    • Marking pens, ink pens, mechanical pencil, extra pencils, and extra colored pencils are contraband
  • Items issued to you at booking