Physical Address:
9300 Merrimac Trail
Williamsburg, VA 23185
Other Jails and Prisons
To search for an inmate in the Merrimac Center, 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 for the information you are looking for. You can also look up Essex County Criminal Court Cases, as well as Virginia Criminal Court cases online for every other county, and daily court dockets for each of the state's courts. If you are not sure what court your inmate is to appear in, this is a list of all the courts in Virginia, broken down by each court circuit.
The Merrimac Center maintains an average of 48 offenders in custody on any given day. The Merrimac Center 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 Essex County law enforcement agencies arrest and detain approximately 6,600 offenders.
The following charts of Essex 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 Essex County Corrections Department, the state of Virginia Department of Corrections, as well as the United States Department of Justice and Census Bureau records. It represents every person in custody in Essex 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 Essex 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.
⇓ Learn more ⇓ Show less
To find out if someone you know has been recently arrested and booked into the Merrimac Center, call the jail’s booking line at .
There may be an automated method of looking them up by their name over the phone, or you may be directed to speak to someone at the jail. Sometimes the jail staff may ask you the offender’s date of birth to ensure privacy of the offender’s status.
Keep in mind that after an arrest, the information on an offender may not be publicly available for several hours.
If you don’t want to check up on an offender by calling the jail, you can also try looking up people recently booked online.
Merrimac Center Booking Roster
After being arrested and taken into custody, and after being read their Miranda Rights, an offender will next be transported to the local police or department or the Sheriff’s Department in Essex County for booking.
Booking is very involved and requires multiple steps in the process, however, keep in mind that most attorneys will advise that an offender remain silent and not offer any additional information about the crime they have been arrested for because anything they do say may be recorded and may very well be used against them in court.
Booking includes having their photo (mugshot) and fingerprints taken, as well as being asked a lot of questions about their personal history and state of mind. If it’s a serious felony, their DNA may also be taken. They will also be checked for warrants in Essex County and other Virginia and USA jurisdictions.
If the offender was arrested for a DUI offense, and has refused a breathalyzer test, they may also be forced to have blood drawn by a doctor or nurse.
It is also very likely that the offender will undergo a humiliating full body search while in the nude. This includes bending over, spreading their cheeks in the direction of an officer, and coughing. They will also be walked through a metal detector or x-ray machine, like those used at an airport.
The arresting jurisdiction will ask about gang affiliations, tattoos, medical conditions, prescribed medication they are taking, recreational drugs they are on or addicted to, allergies, if they are suicidal, and other relevant information that will help with determining their cell assignment and special needs.
During the arrest and booking process an offender will also have all their personal property confiscated and held for either their release from jail, or with the offender’s approval, released to a friend or family member.
Personal property includes the clothing they are wearing, money, wallets, purses, cell phones, jewelry, body rings, earrings, watches, and even glasses if they are deemed a security risk. If they are allowed to keep their shoes or sneakers, the laces are removed.
At this point the offender will be allowed to make a free phone call to a person of their choice to notify them of their arrest, and/or arrange a bond or bail for their release.
If the offender is being detained and housed while awaiting arraignment, the Merrimac Center will provide a jail garment and slip-on shoes, a blanket, sheets, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, and a towel.
Often, before they are dressed in the jail outfit and brought to their housing location, they will be forced to take a shower and undergo a disinfectant treatment for body and hair lice, scabies or other pests that may be residing on their person.
Booking can take anywhere from an hour to 24 hours or more. It all depends on the number of people that are awaiting processing, the number of staff on duty at the time, and the behavior of the offender.
If the offender is heavily intoxicated and/or violent, the Booking Officer may decide to stick the offender in a holding cell for several hours until they become more manageable.
Bail is what the arrested in Essex County must pay or do to stay out of jail until the first court appearance.
The agreement to bail acts as a promise that the arrested will return to court for court dates and trial. Bail usually refers to a dollar amount, but bail can also mean something that has to be done, or a condition such as reporting to an officer of the court, a curfew, restraining orders or attending a treatment program.
Bail is usually a significant enough amount of money and/or condition that the person will be negatively impacted and has incentive to return to court and not flee. A flight risk usually means that the person would flee the area, and not necessary that they are going to take an airplane.
If a judge in Essex County feels that the arrested will return to court for further proceedings, the arrested could be released under a conditional release without needing to pay bail money. This is called Released on Own Recognizance, or ROR.
Conditions for ROR might be to obey all court orders and laws, maintain contact with the lawyer, report changes in residence or have no contact with the victim. Family support will show the court that there are people who will make sure that the defendant makes it to court.
If the judge or bail schedule determines that the defendant would be a danger to the public if they were released, bail can be denied, and the person will be detained in the Merrimac Center until the case is resolved or goes to trial.
Bail can be denied if the defendant did not comply with bail conditions from a previous arrest. Bail is usually denied in cases of violent offenses.
Bail and bond are used interchangeably to mean the same thing but technically, they are different. The bail is the amount to be paid and a bond is a signed document promising payment of the bail amount with certain conditions. Think of a bond as a loan to pay for the bail.
The bond payment is always written to the court in your municipality, Essex County or district directly and does not go through the defendant. Chances of obtaining a bond from a bond company or clerk of court are better if family is involved.
The thought of being in jail can cause the arrested to panic and try to secure a bond immediately.
DO NOT panic and take the time to understand all the options.
More courts are now trying to work with defendants to make bail work and might provide non-monetary options or even reduce the bail.
Payments to a bond company are not refundable. It is a long process to get back property title or money that was given to the clerk of court or bondsperson to secure the bond. This could put your loved ones into a difficult financial situation.
Another reason not to unnecessarily rush into securing a bond is that if the court notes that you came up with the money to pay a bond company, they may assume you have resources to pay a defense attorney and decline public defense.
On the other hand, as anyone who has ever been involved in their criminal defense understands, fighting your case while ‘out on the streets’ gives you a much better chance of either winning, or getting a more favorable sentence.
Based on a review of information from the arrest, the judge or bail officer will determine and notify the accused of which types of bonds are available to them.
To describe the types of bonds, let’s use an example of buying your neighbor’s car. Your neighbor decides the price of the car and how they would be paid.
Similarly, the court (meaning a police or bail officer, clerk of court, bail magistrate or judge) determines the bail amount and how it would be paid.
Here are different options that the seller of the car or the court might consider:
You could pay full asking price for the car in cash. This is similar to paying cash bail. The full amount of bail would be paid to the town or county clerk or at the jail. Cash, cashier’s checks and credit cards are usually accepted.
You could sign an agreement on your own or with another person to pay for the car at a future date knowing that your neighbor would know where to find you if you stopped payment. This would be similar to a cash bond or a personal recognizance (PR) bond which are bonds to where someone representing the defendant signs paperwork promising to pay the bail amount if the defendant does not show up to court. There is no money due up front.
If the defendant does not show up, the full amount of the bail will be due to the court and the people who signed the paperwork will be responsible for paying the court and the court will send the sheriff’s department to arrest you.
Cash bonds and PR bonds are types of unsecured bonds because you are not securing it with any money down. In bond terms, a surety is a person who will be responsible for making sure that you will show to court and will be responsible to pay the bond if the arrested person does not show up.
Surety can be family, friend or a bondsperson. Your attorney cannot act as a surety.
You can put a deposit down for your neighbor’s car and sign an agreement that the car will be paid off at a later date. Cash percentage in lieu of bonds is when the defendant pays a percentage of the bail amount, usually 10%, to the court which then holds the money until the case is over.
The amount is returned to the person who paid the 10% after the case is over. In most cases, the full amount is not returned if there are court fees or fines due. This is a type of surety bond if another person signs the bond paperwork.
You could sign an agreement that if the car were not paid off, that your neighbor would get your house or something of value. A property bond is a bond that the courts might consider in which the bond is pledged in land or home real estate (mobile homes are not accepted).
Usually, the property must be in the same state as the courts, and it must be worth at least 1 ½ - 2 times the amount of the bond.
There are multiple court fees involved to execute a property bond with the courts and a tedious process to get the property deed back. This is another type of surety bond if another person or a bond company is used to secure the bond.
You could also go to a local bank and take out a car loan offering property or anything of value for collateral. You may get someone to co-sign on the loan and offer their property. The bank charges fees, interest and could keep your property if you did not pay the loan back, or even on time.
A professional bondsperson makes money, at least 10% of the bond amount by providing you with a “loan” called a bond. The percent that they charge is fixed by the state and cannot be negotiated. The defendant or surety does not get that 10% or more back even if the terms of the bail are met.
With a property bond, the property deed would need to be signed over to the bondsperson and everyone on the deed would need to be involved.
Since the bondsperson signed off, to be responsible that you show to court as your surety, they can send a bounty hunter to bring you to court if you flee. A bondsperson does not have to give you a bond if the defendant seems to be too much of a risk.
Ask the bondsperson to explain all the costs: percentage, fees or court fees. There is never a reason to rush through signing the paperwork with a bond company. Make sure that everything told to you is in writing and that you understand what you are signing. Ask questions, and if you feel rushed or don’t understand the contract with the bond company, you might want to call another one.
(There have been phone scams where a bond company calls and informs a person that their family member has been arrested and they ask for financial information. A bondsperson will not call asking for money without involvement of the arrested.)
Yes, Essex County recognizes most types of bonds.
There are three types of bail available in Essex County: release on own recognizance, unsecured bail, and secured bail.
Bail is set by a magistrate at the first court date, also known as first appearance.
The first court date, or first appearance is generally scheduled within 1-3 days of arrest.
Yes, your attorney can file a motion to request a reduction or modification of bail.
The person posting bail should be a relative or close friend, called a surety, because they are promising and taking responsibility that you will return to court to get their money back.
A surety is not responsible for court fees or paying off personal debts for the defendant. A professional bondsperson who is approved by the State of Virginia could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Virginia counties do not currently offer online bail payments. Contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Merrimac Center for more information about the jails in Essex County.
Cash, check, money order, or surety. Use of a surety may require hiring a bail bond agent. Contact the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted: Go to the Merrimac Center for more information about posting bail in Essex County.
Bail money is returned to the person who paid the bail; in whole or in part once the case is finished. There may be fees, restitution (money to pay for damage caused by the crime) or fines that come out of that amount. If you used a bondsperson, you would not get your 10% back. Property is returned by the court or bondsperson after the appropriate requests and formal paperwork are completed with the court.
The judge or officer who sets bail determines which kind of bail will be an option for you, but a cash bond and PR bonds usually do not require cash down, though you might have to pay court fees.
A cash bond or a personal recognizance (PR) bond are bonds where someone representing the defendant signs paperwork promising to pay the bail amount if the defendant does not show up to court. There is no money due up front.
If the defendant does not show up, the full amount of the bail will be due to the court and the people who signed the paperwork will be responsible for paying the court and the court will send the sheriff’s department to arrest you.
Cash bonds and PR bonds are types of unsecured bonds because you are not securing it with any money down. In bond terms, a surety is a person who will be responsible to make sure that you will show to court and will be responsible to pay the bond if the arrested person does not show up. A surety can be family, friend or a bondsperson. Your attorney cannot act as a surety.
The Merrimac Center or court in this jurisdiction can provide you with a list of approved and licensed bond companies, but they cannot recommend a specific company. You are not obligated to use the first company available and can call several companies to compare what kind of bonds that the bondsperson is willing to execute.
The percentage of bail that the bond company can charge is set, usually at 10%, by the state and cannot be negotiated.
Learn even more ⇓ Learn more ⇓ Show less
How Do You Visit an Inmate in the Merrimac Center? What is the Schedule?
9300 Merrimac Trail
Williamsburg, VA 23185
ON SITE VISITATION SCHEDULE - ALWAYS CALL TO CONFIRM VISITATION SCHEDULE!
| DAY | TIMES |
| SUNDAY | 9:00AM - 11:00AM 2:00PM - 4:00PM |
| MONDAY | 9:00AM - 11:00AM 2:00PM - 4:00PM 6:00PM - 8:00PM |
| TUESDAY | 9:00AM - 11:00AM 2:00PM - 4:00PM 6:00PM - 8:00PM |
| WEDNESDAY | 9:00AM - 11:00AM 2:00PM - 4:00PM 6:00PM - 8:00PM |
| THURSDAY | 9:00AM - 11:00AM 2:00PM - 4:00PM 6:00PM - 8:00PM |
| FRIDAY | 9:00AM - 11:00AM 2:00PM - 4:00PM 6:00PM - 8:00PM |
| SATURDAY | 9:00AM - 11:00AM 2:00PM - 4:00PM |
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Merrimac Center’s Inmate Visitation Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call for further assistance.
Learn even more ⇓ Learn more ⇓ Show less
Can I Use My Computer or Phone to Have a Remote Video Visit with an Inmate in the Merrimac Center?
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Merrimac Center’s Video Remote Visitation Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call for further assistance.
Learn even more ⇓ Learn more ⇓ Show less
How Do You Deposit Money for an Inmate in the Merrimac Center?
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Merrimac Center’s Inmate Money and Trust Fund Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call for further assistance.
Learn even more ⇓ Learn more ⇓ Show less
How Do I Receive Phone Calls from an Inmate in the Merrimac Center?
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Merrimac Center’s Inmate Phone Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call for further assistance.
Learn even more ⇓ Learn more ⇓ Show less
How do I Mail an Inmate in the Merrimac Center, and what can I send them?
Postcards
The Merrimac Center allows inmates to receive pre-metered postcards like the type purchased from the post office. They may also allow certain photo postcards as long as they have not been tampered with or contain images that may be considered to be obscene or violent in nature.
Envelopes
The Merrimac Center may also allow regular postcards and envelopes to be mailed to inmates as well, however more and more jails are no longer allowing envelopes or paper letters due to concern about paper being dipped into liquefied drugs like methamphetamines and cocaine and then mailed into secure facilities.
To confirm that the Merrimac Center still allows letters in envelopes call or view the Inmate Mail Instructions.
Newspapers
Local or national newspapers may also be mailed to the inmate as long as they are mailed directly from the newspaper 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
Most jails allow 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 above.
Books must NOT contain images or content that are considered excessively violent, pornographic or obscene. Any book that does not meet the Merrimac Center 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.
To confirm that the Merrimac Center continues to allow books to be mailed by a third party publisher or bookseller, call .
Care packages
Care packages are pre-chosen items packaged together and sent to the inmate from a third-party vendor. They can include clothing, snacks and seasonal items.
When a jail allows the inmate to receive Care Packages they must come directly from an approved company that specializes in serving the inmates of jails.
Call to see if the Merrimac Center participates in a Care Package program and if so, how to purchase one.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Merrimac Center’s Inmate Mail Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call for further assistance.
Learn even more ⇓ Learn more ⇓ Show less
Can I purchase Commissary Online for an Inmate in the Merrimac Center, and what can I purchase?
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Merrimac Center’s Commissary Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call for further assistance.
Learn even more ⇓ Learn more ⇓ Show less
How Can I Communicate with an Inmate in the Merrimac Center using an Online Messaging Service?
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Merrimac Center’s Text and Email Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call for further assistance.
Learn even more ⇓ Learn more ⇓ Show less
Do Inmates in the Merrimac Center have Access to Tablets or Computers?
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Merrimac Center’s Tablet Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call for further assistance.
Learn even more ⇓ Learn more ⇓ Show less
What are the other City and County Jails in Essex County?
What are the other Jails in the Neighboring Counties surrounding Essex County?
This facility, known as "Merrimac Center" is also known as Merrimac Juvenile Detention Ctr - Essex, Merrimac Juvenile Detention Ctr - Essex , Merrimac Juvenile Detention Ctr - Essex , Virginia, Essex.
