What Happens in the First 24 Hours After an Arrest at David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center
The first day after an arrest can feel like a blackout period for families. Here's what typically happens during booking at David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center (DLMCJC)—and what you can do while you wait.
The first 24 hours at DLMCJC are mostly about intake: confirming identity, documenting the arrest, checking for medical issues, and making sure the person can be housed safely. Most of this happens before they can contact you - which is why the early hours feel so quiet from the outside. Below, I'll walk through the key moments: search, medical screening, fingerprinting and photos, and when phone calls usually become possible.
Right after arrival in the Booking area, your person will go through a thorough search. DLMCJC searches everyone to keep weapons, drugs, and other contraband out of the facility. It's a safety measure - for people being booked and for staff - and it happens early, before anything else moves forward.
Note: A full search in Booking is routine at DLMCJC and is meant to stop weapons, drugs, and other contraband from coming into the jail.
Booking isn't just paperwork. DLMCJC also screens people for injuries or medical conditions that need attention. If staff determine someone needs treatment first, the jail can refuse to accept them until they've been medically cleared. For families, this is one of the biggest reasons you might not be able to locate your person right away - medical clearance has to happen before the rest of intake moves forward.
Note: If your loved one has a serious injury or medical condition, they may not be accepted into the jail until they’ve been treated and cleared.
Once processing begins, DLMCJC records identifying information: photograph, fingerprints, and an inmate ID card. This creates the jail's official record and helps staff track your person as they move through booking and into housing.
Phone calls usually come after processing wraps up. At DLMCJC, inmates can make calls to arrange bond payment or notify friends and family once they've been processed. If you haven't heard anything yet, it often means they're still moving through earlier steps - search, screening, records.
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- ✓ Keep your phone nearby and answer unknown numbers - calls often come once Booking processing is finished and they’re allowed to notify family or arrange bond.
- ✓ As soon as you can, write down any identifying details you have (full legal name, date of birth). Intake includes recording fingerprints/photos and creating an inmate ID card, and accurate info helps you match the right person.
- ✓ If they call, be ready to talk about next steps quickly - DLMCJC allows calls after processing so they can arrange bond payment or notify you.
- ✓ If you’re preparing to send anything later, keep the jail’s mailing address handy so you don’t have to scramble for it in the moment.
- Wait for Booking processing to finish - at DLMCJC, phone calls are allowed after processing, so silence early on can simply mean they’re still being worked through intake.
- Use the first call to get oriented - once they can call, it’s typically to arrange bond payment or to notify friends and family.
- Capture the key identifiers right away - ask for (and write down) the name information they’re booked under and any inmate identification details they can provide, since DLMCJC records fingerprints/photos and creates an inmate ID card during processing.
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