Inmate information is available 24/7 from the 352-bed Berrien County Jail at 269-983-7141.
Misdemeanor and felony suspects arrested in this county are brought to this facility for booking and processing. They remain here, if their charges require it, until they bond out, are released on their own recognizance, or are ordered to stay in custody until their trial ends.
You can view the full roster of people currently in custody with the inmate search tool.
Anyone sentenced to less than one year does that time in this county. Anyone sentenced to more goes to the Michigan State Prison System or the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
This page explains the following inmate services:
Be sure to record the inmate’s jail ID or booking number. You’ll need it for mail and other communication. If it’s not online, call Berrien County Jail at 269-983-7141.
Phone: 269-983-7141
Physical Address:
919 Port Street
St. Joseph, MI 49085
Mailing Address (personal mail):
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID #
(Plain, white, pre-stamped postcards only! No envelopes)
Berrien County Jail
919 Port Street
St. Joseph, MI 49085
Mailing Address (legal mail or subscriptions):
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID #
Berrien County Jail
919 Port Street
St. Joseph, MI 49085
(No publications allowed. Legal Mail OK)
Other Jails and Prisons
To search for an inmate in the Berrien County Jail, review their criminal charges, the amount of their bond, when they can get visits, or even view their mugshot, go to the Official Jail Inmate Roster, or call the jail at 269-983-7141 for the information you are looking for. You can also look up an offender's Criminal Court Case online for Berrien County or any county in Michigan.
Berrien County Jail Inmate Search
The Berrien County Jail maintains an average of 352 offenders in custody on any given day. The Berrien County Jail has a monthly turnover of 40% of their inmate population, another 30% turnover every 90 days, another 20% every six months, and approximately 10% stay incarcerated between six and twelve months. Every year Berrien County law enforcement agencies arrest and detain approximately 7,880 offenders.
The following charts of Berrien County inmate population demographics are updated daily. The information shown is for today. For research purposes we have broken down the inmates by sex, age, ethnicity, and criminal charges.
The information is compiled from the Berrien County Corrections Department, the state of Michigan Department of Corrections, as well as the United States Department of Justice and Census Bureau records. It represents every person in custody in Berrien County.
For complete information on how to get directions, bond, visit, mail, send and receive email and texts, receive phone calls, and send money or commissary to an inmate, find arrest information for Berrien County and other counties surrounding this one, scroll down this page. We have a section for each.
We also provide photos of the jail that we have collected over the years.
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The Berrien County Jail in Michigan has a rated capacity of 352 beds. For a county of 157,000 people this is considered inadequate, but sufficient. It provides the county with approximately 2 beds per 1,000 population, which is about average for the state. The jail is located at 919 Port Street in St. Joseph, MI 49085 and can be reached 24 hours a day by calling 269-983-7141.
HISTORY
Berrien County has had several jails through the years, and unlike most counties, with the exception of one, they are still standing today.
The first jail built in 1834, was a building with six in thick wooden walls and 24' x 32' area in size. It was two stories; the jailer's living quartwers and two cells on the lower floor and 4 cells on the upper floor. Each inmate had a bed, a blanket, a tin washbin and a tin bucket to go to the bathroom. There is no photo of this, but below was the jail that was built in its place several years later.
The second jail in Berrien County, known as the Berrien Springs Jail, located at the corner of Ferry and Main Streets in St. Joseph, was in commission from 1896 to 1958.
The current jail has been in commission since it was first built in 1958 and has had several expansions and renovations since then. The most recent renovations that were completed in 2018, added many security upgrades, a new sally port, booking area with room for 51 men and 24 women, padded cells, a medical exam room, a screening and a triage area. the current numberof beds is now 352.
For over 20 years, there has been discussion with Berrien County officials to build a new jail and courthouse, but that time may have passed, as construction costs have more than tripled in the past few years, and the countyy budget has become tighter and taxes have reached their breaking point for residents. For the time being they will have to do with what they have.
If you need information about an inmate being held in the Berrien County Jail, you can call the jail 24 hours a day at 269-983-7141. You also have the option of looking them up online using the Berrien County Inmate Search. You can look them up by name or booking date. There are no mugshots available to the public, but it does list the offender's name, date of arrest, date of birth and their criminal charges.
Mail can be received every day and is processed and passed to the inmates quickly. The original letter will be scanned and then destroyed. Friends and family of inmates in the Berrien County Jail can arrange to visit inmates by video, both at the jail and remotely from home. Friends and family can also send them money and set up a phone account that allows the inmates to call them during the day and evening seven days a week.
All the information on these inmate services can be found in the sections below. If you still have questions, you can phone the jail 24 hours a day by calling 269-983-7141.
After an arrest, the individual is brought to Berrien County Jail for the booking process. This procedure involves identifying the person, determining charges, and deciding whether they’ll be released on their own recognizance, posted for bail, or held until court.
Remaining silent is highly recommended, as anything said can later be used in court. Wait for legal advice before responding to questions.
The booking process typically involves the following steps at Berrien County Jail:
For details on an offender’s bail or bond, call Berrien County Jail at 269-983-7141.
Once an individual is booked at Berrien County Jail in St. Joseph, options for their release include:
1. Release without paying bail, with a commitment to appear in court.
2. Continued detention until their court date.
3. Release upon paying a bail or bond. Call 269-983-7141 for the bail amount.
Bail can be paid through various methods.
For more details on the bail process in Berrien County, Michigan, visit the Berrien County Jail Bail Page.
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How Do You Visit an Inmate in the Berrien County Jail? What is the Schedule?
919 Port Street
St. Joseph, MI 49085
269-983-7141
Schedule Video Visits online with GTL / Viapath
ON SITE VISITATION SCHEDULE
| DAY | TIME |
| SUNDAY | 9:00 AM - 10:30AM 4:00PM - 8:30PM |
| MONDAY | 1:00PM - 5:30PM |
| TUESDAY | 1:00PM - 5:30PM |
| WEDNESDAY | 1:00PM - 5:30PM |
| THURSDAY | 1:00PM - 5:30PM |
| FRIDAY | 1:00PM - 5:30PM |
| SATURDAY | 9:00 AM - 10:30AM 4:00PM - 8:30PM |
REMOTE VIDEO VISITATION SCHEDULE
| DAY | TIME |
| SUNDAY | 9:00 AM - 10:30AM 4:00PM - 8:30PM |
| MONDAY | 1:00PM - 5:30PM |
| TUESDAY | 1:00PM - 5:30PM |
| WEDNESDAY | 1:00PM - 5:30PM |
| THURSDAY | 1:00PM - 5:30PM |
| FRIDAY | 1:00PM - 5:30PM |
| SATURDAY | 9:00 AM - 10:30AM 4:00PM - 8:30PM |
Next Steps:
For at-home video visits: Sign in to the visitation scheduling site 15 minutes prior to your scheduled visit. Test your connection, and follow the steps to start your visit.
For on-site video visits: Arrive at the facility at least 15 minutes prior to check-in. A valid photo ID is required.
All your questions can be answered after you register, at the Frequently Asked Questions page, or call 855-208-7349 during the following hours:
6AM – 4PM MST Monday – Friday, or
7AM – 4PM MST Saturday – Sunday
Costs for Visits are subject to change but generally run less than $10.00 for a 30 minute visit.
Payment can be made with Visa, Mastercard debit, credit or gift cards.
Follow these instructions to schedule and then visit an inmate using GTL.
For all the information you need to know regarding scheduling, cost, rules, tips and guidelines of inmate visits at the Berrien County Jail, check out our Visit Inmate Page.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Berrien County Jail’s Inmate Visitation Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 269-983-7141 for further assistance.
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Can I Use My Computer or Phone to Have a Remote Video Visit with an Inmate in the Berrien County Jail?
919 Port Street
St. Joseph, MI 49085
269-983-7141
Schedule Video Visits online with GTL / Viapath
ON SITE VISITATION SCHEDULE
| DAY | TIME |
| SUNDAY | 9:00 AM - 10:30AM 4:00PM - 8:30PM |
| MONDAY | 1:00PM - 5:30PM |
| TUESDAY | 1:00PM - 5:30PM |
| WEDNESDAY | 1:00PM - 5:30PM |
| THURSDAY | 1:00PM - 5:30PM |
| FRIDAY | 1:00PM - 5:30PM |
| SATURDAY | 9:00 AM - 10:30AM 4:00PM - 8:30PM |
REMOTE VIDEO VISITATION SCHEDULE
| DAY | TIME |
| SUNDAY | 9:00 AM - 10:30AM 4:00PM - 8:30PM |
| MONDAY | 1:00PM - 5:30PM |
| TUESDAY | 1:00PM - 5:30PM |
| WEDNESDAY | 1:00PM - 5:30PM |
| THURSDAY | 1:00PM - 5:30PM |
| FRIDAY | 1:00PM - 5:30PM |
| SATURDAY | 9:00 AM - 10:30AM 4:00PM - 8:30PM |
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Berrien County Jail’s Video Remote Visitation Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 269-983-7141 for further assistance.
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How Do You Deposit Money for an Inmate in the Berrien County Jail?
Option 1 - Dropping Money at the Jail
Bring money to the jail in person.
Either the jail personnel will process the Inmate Account payment or you will use an Express Account self-serve kiosk in the lobbies that accepts cash, debit or credit cards.
Option 2 - Deposit Inmate Money Online
Berrien County Jail uses Express Account to process all online deposits to an inmate's account.
The company charges you a small fee for doing so, but the fee probably isn't as much as gas and parking would cost to take it to the jail in person.
Option 3 - Mail the Inmate Deposit to the Jail
Mailing a deposit takes more time to process than the other methods but can be done if you live too far away to bring it in person and you don't have a debit/credit card for online deposits. Never send cash. Always send a Money Order from the US Post Office, a reputable bank or Western Union.
Call the Berrien County Jail first as they may want you to do this online or at the jail kiosk instead.
Make the Money Order out to the inmate's name and put their Inmate ID# in memo section of the Money Order.
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID #
Berrien County Jail
919 Port Street
St. Joseph, MI 49085
(No publications allowed. Legal Mail OK)
Option 4 - Make an Inmate Deposit with Express Account 24/7 over the Phone by calling 866-422-6833.
To do this you will need the inmate's offender # (inmate ID #) and full legal name.
By creating an account with Express Account you can send money:
Express Account also serves Berrien County Jail inmates by allowing friends and family to purchase commissary items for them and having them shipped directly to the facility.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Berrien County Jail’s Inmate Money and Trust Fund Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 269-983-7141 for further assistance.
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How Do I Receive Phone Calls from an Inmate in the Berrien County Jail?
Follow these instructions on how to open an account with GTL Connect Network (aka Viapath Technologies)
For full instructions on the Berrien County Jail Inmate Phone System, what the costs are, how it works, and tips and guidelines on rules, regulations and saving money on calls, check out our Inmate Phones Page.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Berrien County Jail’s Inmate Phone Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 269-983-7141 for further assistance.
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How do I Mail an Inmate in the Berrien County Jail, and what can I send them?
Postcards
The Berrien County Jail ONLY allows inmates to receive pre-metered postcards like the type purchased from the post office unless noted otherwise.
Envelopes
Envelopes with personal letters are NOT allowed.
Postcards MUST be mailed to the following address:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID #
(Plain, white, pre-stamped postcards only! No envelopes)
Berrien County Jail
919 Port Street
St. Joseph, MI 49085
Legal Mail
Envelopes from an attorney or professionals related to an inmates case ARE allowed.
Send all Legal Mail to this Address:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID #
Berrien County Jail
919 Port Street
St. Joseph, MI 49085
(No publications allowed. Legal Mail OK)
Newspapers
Newspapers may also be mailed to an inmate as long as they are shipped directly from the publisher.
Magazines
News, special interest or sports magazines may also be mailed to an inmate as long as they are shipped directly from the publisher. Any magazines that contain profanity, weapons, pornography or other content that is adult in nature will be confiscated by the jail staff and will NOT be delivered to the inmate.
Books
The Berrien County Jail allows books to be mailed directly to the jail from a reputable source such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million. You can order them directly from your computer and have them shipped to the inmate at the address noted.
Books must NOT contain images or content that are considered excessively violent, pornographic or obscene. Any book that does not meet the Berrien County Jail standards will be disposed of.
Hard cover books will not be accepted by the jail due to their potential to be used as a weapon.
All newspapers, magazines and books are to be shipped to:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID #
Berrien County Jail
919 Port Street
St. Joseph, MI 49085
(No publications allowed. Legal Mail OK)
For inmates receiving mail in the Berrien County Jail there are different addresses and policies depending on the inmate's status, as well as what type of mail they are receiving; personal mail, legal mail, subscriptions or books sent from a third-party such as Amazon. Due to drug smuggling, not all inmates are even allowed to receive mail in envelopes, as only certain types of postcards are allowed.
For complete information on mail policies and addresses, check out our Inmate Mail page.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Berrien County Jail’s Inmate Mail Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 269-983-7141 for further assistance.
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Can I purchase Commissary Online for an Inmate in the Berrien County Jail, and what can I purchase?
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Berrien County Jail’s Commissary Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 269-983-7141 for further assistance.
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How Can I Communicate with an Inmate in the Berrien County Jail using an Online Messaging Service?
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Berrien County Jail’s Text and Email Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 269-983-7141 for further assistance.
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Do Inmates in the Berrien County Jail have Access to Tablets or Computers?
Follow the instructions below to get a tablet for your inmate at Berrien County Jail
The devices are similar to common handheld tablets, but are made exclusively by GTL and Viapath.
Tablets offer specialized content and services for inmates to use during their stay at Berrien County Jail, such as:
Free services are already available for use on the device at Berrien County Jail.
Subscription services are funded separately by family and friends with deposits made into an inmate’s Debit Link account.
Berrien County Jail Inmates will then be able to purchase subscription services and premium content to enjoy.
What It Costs
To estimate costs for tablets and other services such as phone calls, sign in to your account and click “Rate & Fees Calculator” in the footer (bottom of the page), but the following gives you a general idea.
Game Center:
30-Day Subscription: $4.99, with an additional $1.00 service infrastructure charge ($5.99)
Fourteen-Day Subscription: $2.99, with an additional $0.75 service infrastructure charge ($3.74)
Seven-Day Subscription: $1.99, with an additional $0.50 service infrastructure charge ($2.49)
Unlimited eBooks:
Thirty-Day Subscription: $1.99, with an additional $1.00 service infrastructure charge ($2.99)
Fourteen-Day Subscription: $0.99, with an additional $0.75 service infrastructure charge ($1.74)
Seven-Day Subscription: $0.49, with an additional $0.50 service infrastructure charge ($0.99)
Streaming Music:
Thirty-Day Subscription: $8.99, with an additional $16.00 service infrastructure charge ($24.99)
Fourteen-Day Subscription: $5.99, with an additional $9.00 service infrastructure charge ($14.99)
Seven-Day Subscription: $2.99, with an additional $5.00 service infrastructure charge ($7.99)
Newsfeed
Thirty-Day Subscription: $3.99, with an additional $6.00 service infrastructure charge ($9.99)
Fourteen-Day Subscription: $1.99, with an additional $5.00 service infrastructure charge ($6.99)
Seven-Day Subscription: $0.99, with an additional $3.00 service infrastructure charge ($3.99)
Same Day Subscription Services
Game Center: $0.99, with an additional $0.50 service infrastructure charge ($1.49)
Unlimited eBooks: $0.25, (Total = 0.25)
Newsfeed: $0.24, with an additional $0.75 service infrastructure charge ($0.99)
FM Radio: $0.24, with an additional $0.25 service infrastructure charge ($0.49)
All Subscription and message credit pricing is subject to state and local taxes.
Replacement Components - should your inmate break it...
Tablet: $249.99 per each
Charger: $8.99 per each
Earbuds: $2.99 per each
To find out how to get access to a tablet for an inmate read the following:
1. First, Register or Sign In to GTL / Viapath Services.
2. In the top menu, click on 'Services', then on 'Inmate Devices & Content'.
3. All inmates have free access to the tablets to read their letters from family & friends, but there are many other services available to keep your inmate busy while incarcerated... such as Games, Books, Music and Movies. These other services come with fees that you can pay for when you pay for phone service.
To learn more about Tablet Rentals for inmates, including the cost, all the services available and everything else you need to know, check out our Tablet Rental Page.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Berrien County Jail’s Tablet Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 269-983-7141 for further assistance.
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What are the other City and County Jails in Berrien County?
What are the other Jails in the Neighboring Counties surrounding Berrien County?
