Justice Center Information
Management & Arrangment of the Housing Units in the Jail
The Housing Units in the Onondaga County Jail are often referred to as Pods. They are managed using a method called “direct supervision.” This means that a single deputy manages a pod with 32 to 60 inmates. The activities of everyone on a pod are monitored with video cameras, and the doors to each pod are controlled from a central control room in the jail.
A pod deputy provides leadership and supervision within the pod, and the persons held on the pod are expected to follow the directions and orders of the pod deputy. Those who behave appropriately and follow directions are given a high degree of freedom within the housing pod during the morning, day and evening. This includes access to a phone, television, educational programs, a basketball court/recreation area open to outside air, and receipt of food and personal care items that can be purchased from the jail commissary program.
However, there is a low threshold for unacceptable behavior on the housing pods. Individuals who do not behave according to the rules and expectations for inmates can lose privileges and be locked in to their cells on the pod for a period of hours or days. Serious misbehavior can result in placement in the more restrictive Segregated Housing Unit (SHU) where individuals may be locked in 23 out of 24 hours a day and may not make phone calls, except to their attorney, Jail Ministry and Human Rights.
| |
Photo by Brett Carlsen - Syracuse Post Standard - 2013 File Photo |
|
General Housing Pods are located on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Floors of the Jail. Males age 16 and 17 are currently held in a separate pod on the 2nd floor. However recent news reports indicate that they may soon be moved to Hillbrook Detention Center. Women held in the jail are located on the 3rd and 5th floors. There are separate pods for men and women identified with mental and behavioral health issues. The Booking Unit is located on the 1st floor.
A Note about Direct Supervision:
This method of management of corrections facilities was developed in 1974 by the federal Bureau of Prisons to hold inmates who had not yet been sentenced. This method has slowly been adopted by county jails since 1981, and is considered the standard of best practice in this field. There are about 350 Direct Supervision jails operating throughout the country. Part of this approach involves the idea that deputies have more interaction with the persons held and can work with them as human beings rather than ensure only that they are held securely as inmates.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Inmate Handbook (English) Inmate Handbook (Spanish)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What is the SERT Team and why would it be used?
SERT stands for Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team. Here is information about the SERT Team from the Sheriff’s Website at http://sheriff.ongov.net/custody/control-section/
“Utilizing state-of-the-art training and equipment, team members respond to emergency situations involving inmates. Being a member of this team requires on-going rigorous training specific to emergencies that may be encountered and in-service participation in emergency response team activities. Assignments are geared to allow team members to be the first responders to any emergency situation that arises within the Justice Center.“
| Photos from sheriff.ongov.net |
VISITATION
How To Visit Someone in the Onondaga County Justice Center
For more information about video visitation Click here to read more
To register for video visitation click here: https://onondagany.gtlvisitme.com/app
COMMISSARY
How to Send & Receive Mail to Someone Held in the Jail?
* Go to http://sheriff.ongov.net/lookup to identify a person’s Inmate Control Number
How Can I Put Money Into the Commissary Account of a Person Held in the Jail?
For information about how to deposit money into a commissary account over the internet click on this link on the Sheriff's website. Note: This process will require you to have the person's full name as well as their Inmate Control Number (ICN), and to use SYR for the facility code. To identify their ICN see the section below.
**Person held in Administrative or Punitive Segregation will NOT be permitted access to their commissary account.**
PHONE CALLS
How to Recieve Phone Calls from a Person Held in the Jail
PROPERTY DROP-OFF
How Can I Deliver Items to a Person Held in Jail and What is accepted?
BAIL
How Can I Post Bail for a Person Held in the Jail?
How can I Retrieve Bail Paid for a Person Held in the Jail after their Case is Over?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How Can I Contact Administrative & Medical Staff in the Jail by Phone?
To reach the Front Desk (in the Jail Lobby/Visitors Waiting Room) :
To contact or leave a message for the Medical Department :
To contact or leave a message for the Mental Health Department :
To contact or leave a message for Custody Administration : |
(315) 435-1770
(315) 435-1790
(315)435-1760
(315) 435-1709 |
To be transferred to the Booking Unit or the Bail & Property Window call the front desk.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jail Ministry Information
Jail Ministry describes itself as "a grassroots, social justice, spiritually founded community collective organized to advocate on behalf of the incarcerated, to promote peace-making and to advance the protection of human dignity within the community." (Source: http://bradyfaith center.org/ministries) Its volunteer Visitor-Advocates regularly go into the Justice Center and visit inmates on their housing pods.
The Jail Ministry Office Can be Reached at (315) 424-1877
Persons held in the jail can call Jail Ministry for free once a day. They can ask Jail Ministry to relay a message to a family member or someone else that they need to contact, however three way calls are NEVER allowed. Note: Persons held in administrative or punitive segregation may only call Jail Ministry once a week.
Jail Ministry volunteers can visit a person weekly on their housing pod while they are held in the jail. Persons held in the jail can use a referral form to request this service, or their family members can contact Jail Ministry to make this request.
Jail Ministry also has volunteers who enter the jail daily to visit inmates on their housing pod to assist with specific needs or requests for assistance. Persons held in the jail should fill out a referral form to request this service.
Jail ministry also has a program to assist with low cash bail. Family or friends of a person held in the jail are encouraged to contribute half of the low cash bail amount up to $2000. The bail office can be reached at (315) 960-4528. Jail Ministry does not assist with bail bonds.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How to find out/lookup Information about Someone being held in the Onondaga County Justice Center, Jamesville Correctional Facility, or a New York State Correctional Facility
Inmate Lookup
Onondaga County Justice Center Inmate Lookup
Jamesville Prison Inmate Lookup
Note: There is a similar Inmate Lookup feature for person's held at Jamesville Prison
at sheriff.ongov.net/correction/lookup/. This Onondaga County Department of Corrections site is separate from the Sheriff's Inmate Lookup Site.
New York State Correctional Facility Inmate Lookup
Where could I find out more information about a person's criminal case?
| |
Photo of Criminal Court Building
by John O'Brien - Syracuse Post Standard |
|
To seek more information about a person’s criminal case you may also try to contact the clerk of the court in which their case will be heard:
- For Misdemeanors In Syracuse City Court – City Court Clerk (Criminal) 315-671-2760
Note: The City Court judge that presided over the original arraignment of a person
after arrest may or may not be the same judge that hears the case as it goes forward
- For Misdemeanor and Traffic Offenses that were alleged to occur in Onondaga County but outside of the City of Syracuse, contact the related Town or Village Court.
To view an official government website listing town and village courts with only
their addresses click here. To view a word document with a 2017 listing of all
courts in Onondaga County with their addresses, phone numbers, and several related
websites click here.
- For Felonies – Onondaga County Court Clerk (315) 671-1020
Note: Cases that are awaiting decision of the grand jury may not be assigned to a specific
County Court judge until the grand jury has officially reported its decision whether
or not to indict the defendant. A person newly indicted will then be re-arraigned in
front of the County Court judge that will hear their case.
END OF PAGE
|
