Understanding facility rules, handbooks, and common onsite procedures

Start with the facility's inmate handbook or jail information page. That's where sheriffs usually publish the rules that affect families: property, visits, mail, and day-to-day procedures. The Marion County Adult Detention Center inmate handbook, for example, lists an effective date of March 9, 2023. It also explains that the Sheriff can modify rules, policies, and practices at any time, so even a posted PDF may not reflect last week's changes.

Property and drop-off rules catch people off guard. One Indiana county jail states that medication drop-offs are not permitted and will not be accepted. That same county describes a property release process where the incarcerated person must complete a release form first. Then a designated person can pick up property during weekday hours with a state-issued photo ID. If your loved one is transferred to IDOC, the jail may set a deadline for picking up their property, and after that the property can be destroyed.

If you're trying to resolve a release or sentencing question, make sure you're calling the right office. Allen County notes that the Board of Commissioners is not involved in sentencing or release decisions for inmates. Counties may also be managing population limits behind the scenes. Allen County mentions that a jail with 732 beds must keep its census at or under 622 individuals to avoid being legally deemed overcrowded, which can affect how strictly schedules and movement are managed.