An arrest can happen anytime and anywhere. It is not unusual for people to notice a friend or loved one has gone missing, only to learn that they have been arrested. Their next step is to find out if they are in jail, which is easier said than done.
The Philadelphia prison system has an online search function we can use to find inmates. If you do not have enough information to perform an online search, you can hire a lawyer to help you. Our attorneys are familiar with the prisons and jails in Philadelphia and know how to track down inmates. If your loved one still cannot be located, we may need to consider other possibilities, such as whether they are even incarcerated or if they were jailed in another state. Once we find your loved one, we can work on bailing them out of jail.
The system of prions and jails in Philadelphia can be bogged down in bureaucratic red tape, but our Philadelphia criminal defense attorneys know how to cut through the red tape. For a free review of your case, call The Law Offices of Lloyd Long at (215) 302-0171.
Searching the Philadelphia Prison System to Find Out if Someone is in Jail
If someone you love has been arrested, of course you want to find where they are being held. Unfortunately, depending on where and how your loved one was arrested, you might not even know where to begin. Fortunately, the Philadelphia prison system has an online search function you can use to find loved ones in jail. Anyone placed in jail is assigned a unique prisoner identification number (PID) you can use to find them. If you do not have this number, you can search using your loved one’s name and date of birth.
If you do not have enough information to perform an online search, you can try making some phone calls to find out if your loved one is in jail. This tactic may be more challenging because there are numerous agencies and departments you could call. For example, you could call the various jails your loved one might be held in, or call the police station where they were taken into custody. There is no guarantee you have this information handy. Even if you do, there is still no guarantee you will get an answer to your question.
The more information you have about your loved one, the more likely you will be able to find out if they are in jail. First, you need basic information like their name, birthday, and biographical information. Second, you need information about where and how they were arrested. If you do not have this information, our Montgomery County criminal defense lawyers can help you explore other options.
Call an Attorney to Find Out if Someone is in Jail in Philadelphia
You might be able to locate someone based on the information you provide an attorney. For example, details about the alleged crime, where the arrest occurred, and jurisdictional information might help a lawyer determine the most likely location of your loved one. Knowing where your loved one was arrested can point you and your lawyer in the right direction.
Once your loved one is located, our Bucks County criminal defense attorneys can help you make contact with the person in jail. While you will probably be very relieved to find your loved one, we need their help to get their case going. We will need as much information about their case from them as possible. Details they might have told the police and information about the alleged offense are crucial to developing effective defense strategies.
Our attorneys can also help your loved one get out on bail. In some cases, we can argue that the defendant should be released on their own recognizance, meaning they do not have to pay any money, and the court attaches few strings to their release.
What if I Cannot Find Someone in the Philadelphia Prison System?
If you cannot locate someone you believe has been arrested, there are several factors to consider. Are you using their government name? Many people go by aliases or nicknames. It is not unusual for people who have been very close for years not to know each other’s full government names because they do not use those names in their daily lives.
Are you sure they were arrested? Perhaps they were picked up by the police but quickly released. If the arrest just happened, the information in the prison system might not be up to date. For example, if your loved one was taken into custody within the last 24 hours, there is a good chance they are still being criminally processed.
If your loved one was arrested in the nearby neighboring states of New Jersey or Delaware, the Philadelphia prison system would not have any information regarding their whereabouts. An attorney can help you determine which state your loved one is being held in based on the location of their arrest. This is a common area of confusion when people are arrested during traffic stops on interstate highways.
What to Do Once You Have Found Out Your Loved One is in Jail
We need to figure out what has happened to them so far. Have they been booked? Did the police question them? What did they say? Did they invoke their rights to remain silent and get a lawyer? The sooner our Philadelphia criminal defense lawyers can meet with your loved one in jail, the sooner we can work on bailing them out and mounting a defense.
We can also start gathering evidence about their case. The more we know about where and how their alleged offense occurred, the more we can do to help. Depending on what we find, we can begin preparing pretrial motions to suppress evidence from the prosecution or even have the case completely dismissed.
Call Our Philadelphia Criminal Defense Attorneys for Help Now
If you cannot find your loved one and believe they are being held in jail somewhere in Philadelphia, our legal team can help you find them. Our Northeast Philadelphia criminal defense attorneys can conduct a free case review and help you track down your loved one. Call The Law Offices of Lloyd Long at (215) 302-0171.