What Happens to Cash and Personal Belongings During Booking at Etowah County Detention Center
Booking moves fast. Knowing what happens to your loved one's cash and personal items can save you a lot of confusion. Here's what Etowah County Detention Center does during intake, plus practical next steps for families.
At Etowah County Detention Center, everyone who comes in gets searched first. If you're waiting for updates, this explains why the early part of intake can feel slow from the outside. Staff have to work through required security procedures before anything else.
During intake, your loved one's belongings are inventoried and secured. Staff document everything the person has with them so it can be accounted for while they're in custody.
If your loved one has cash at booking, Etowah County Detention Center has them deposit it into a kiosk. The kiosk creates an account they can use to buy items inside the facility. The cash doesn't stay in their pocket; it gets converted into an internal account tied to them.
Tip: Don't assume you can hand cash to staff for your loved one. Since booking cash goes into a kiosk account, call or email the facility to confirm the approved way to add funds.
After booking, your loved one may be able to shower. The facility has one located in the changing room.
Families Practical Next Steps
- ✓ Call booking for custody information and basic questions: 256-549-5408
- ✓ Email booking if you can’t get through by phone or need to send a written question: booking@etowahcounty.org
- ✓ Ask staff how your loved one’s cash is handled at booking (kiosk account) and what your options are for adding money later
Since cash at booking goes into a kiosk account for purchases inside, think in terms of "account funds" rather than "cash on hand." If you want to help with spending money, check with booking first to make sure the funds end up in the right place.
Questions to Ask Booking
- ✓ Can you confirm my loved one is in custody, and that their property was inventoried and secured during intake?
- ✓ If they had cash at booking, was it placed into the kiosk and set up as an account for purchases?
- ✓ If I want to add money, what is the approved way to deposit funds so it reaches that account?
- ✓ When will they be able to shower in the changing room after booking?
For information about someone in custody at Etowah County Detention Center, call 256-549-5408 or email booking@etowahcounty.org. If you don't get an answer on the first try, follow up using your loved one's full name.
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