Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center – MDC

The thought of going to jail is a scary and stressful idea, not only for the person who is incarcerated, but also their family, friends, and loved ones. The purpose of this guide is to give you some of the information and advice you need to make going to jail easier.

Inmate Search

The Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center Inmate List is a list of people currently in custody, including custody status, bail amount, and visiting hours. Also, you are able to get the same information about anybody arrested and booked or discharged within the past 24 hour period. Prisoners are listed in alphabetical order by their last name. You’ll be able to locate the information more quickly if you’ve got their name, birth date, or inmate ID Number.

If you cannot find your friend or family member in the MDC list, they could possibly be in another jail. If so, here is a list of other New Mexico jails: List of all jails in New Mexico.

A mugshot, also called a jail booking picture, is the photo that the jail takes when you get processed at jail intake. They take one face photo and a side-view photo. Your full name and jail ID number will be in the mugshot, and they will be kept on file.

Do you want to have your mugshot taken down from the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center site? This may not be possible, since your mugshot is public record. To get your mugshot taken down you need to file a Petition to Expunge with the court. Basically, this means that all of your arrest records will be sealed, so no one will be able to access them. Depending on your situation, this may be a longshot.

To learn more about getting your mugshot removed, the many different websites with mugshots, and the websites that offer to remove your mugshot for you: How To Remove Your Mugshot from the Internet

Obviously, once you’re arrested and put in jail, your main thought is about when and how you will get out. After you’ve been booked, your bail amount will be determined by a special judge called a magistrate. If no bail is set this can mean that you will either be released on your ‘own recognizance’ until your court date, or you don’t get released while you wait for your court date.

If you are released from jail you will have to promise to be in court on your court date, and in the meantime you won’t be permitted to travel out of the county.

Usually, inmates in the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center will earn an early release in exchange for good behavior if they respect the rules and don’t cause any problems while they’re in jail.

If you follow the rules, you might be allowed to do work release. You will have to go back to the jail at the end of the day when you’re finished at your job, or you may be allowed to move to a halfway house instead of living at the jail.

Your bail is the amount of money that you have to pay to the courts in order to be released from jail until your court date. The amount you will have to pay all depends on the crime you’ve been charged with. You will have to post ten percent of the total that was determined so you can get out of jail. If you miss your court date, that person will not get their money back.

In order to find out how much someon’s bail is, you will have to call the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center or the County Courthouse. If know the person’s info, such as name, address and date of birth, they’ll let you know how much their bail is. Also, you can check their bail amount and status on the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center site.

Having to get someone out of jail is never a fun thing, but in some cases, it is very simple to do. To start with, you need to find out if they have a “Cash Bond Only” situation. If this is the case, you won’t be able to get a bail bondsman. Bail can only be paid by cash – the jail can’t take a check. As soon as you’ve posted (paid) bond, the inmate will be released to your care. If this person doesn’t violate any of the terms of their release, you’ll get the bail money back.

If the bail amount is too high, of if you can’t pay it, you should look into the services of a bail bondsman. They generally charge a fee of 10-15% of total bail, and usually with a minimum of $100. The amount you pay to the bondsman will not be returned to you and the bondsman only accepts cash. If the bail has been set really high, the bondsman may require that they use your personal assets as collateral for the bond in addition to whatever their charges are.

You can find a local bail bondsman go to: Find a bail bondsman for Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center

Other Ways to Get Out of Jail

• Time Off For Good Behavior (up to 50%)
• Work Release Programs (not currently available)
• Released For Time Served
• Pre-Trial Release Programs (community corrections, pretrial services)
• Get Out on House Arrest (electronic monitoring GPS)
• Get Released on Your Own Recognizance

The intake process is made up of these steps:

• They’ll put you in a holding cell. If the jail is busy, it will take a while to get processed.
• The first step is that you will answer a bunch of questions, like your legal name, address, birthdate and a contact person.
• They’ll also ask you about your psychological and medical history.
• You will be given an inmate ID.
• You will get fingerprinted.
• You will have your mugshot taken.
• All personal property will be taken away from you and stored until you are discharged.
• You will then be allowed to use the phone so you can talk to a member of your family, friend, or bondsman to arrange bail.
• If you are expected to be released quickly, you might be able to keep wearing street clothes, if not you you will have to wear a jumpsuit.

Discharge Procedures

Once bail has been posted, you will be discharged from jail. The discharge process may take between 30 minutes to quite a few hours. In simple terms, the quicker bail is posted, the faster you will get released. It also will depend on whether or not you’ve got a bond amount or if a judge must decide on how much your bail will be. For minor charges, you will simply be booked and get released without having to post bail. When you get to the end of your sentence and know the release date, you should expect to get discharged that morning.

for your arrest, or if you must begin your sentence in jail, it is recommended that you follow the rules and turn yourself in willingly. If you have a warrant, go down to the jail, in the reception area, and tell them that you think they might have a warrant out for your arrest. The officer will verify that you have an outstanding arrest warrant, and if they verify that you have one, you will be taken into custody. If you are reporting to serve out your sentence, go to the jail at the exact time and date that the sentence order lists. Be sure that you get don’t get there late, or they may decide to arrest you. Make sure that you only bring approved items with you, like your drivers license or even ID, prescription medication, as well as a official sentencing order.

To have visitors, you need to provide each visitor’s name and date of birth to the jail in advance of the visit. Your visitors will be entered into a log of approved visitors as an authorized visitor. All visitors has to provide acceptable photo identification when visiting an inmate. Any visitors that gets to visitation or that does not have a visting order will not be allowed to attend visitation.
Visitation procedures are always changing, so we suggest that you check the jail site before you go to the jail to visit.

The only phone calls that inmates are allowed to make are made through a jail approved pre-paid phone account or phone card . Phone calls made in jail are much pricier than phone calls made outside of jail. There are certain restrictions about when you can make phone calls, how long you can talk, and how often you can make calls, but inmates must keep in mind that a long line can form at the phones, because everyone wants to use the phone, too. If you are disciplined for an infraction, your ability to use the phone could be reduced or forbidden completely.

The Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center phone number is: (505) 839-8700

All mail has to be sent via the actual US Postal Service. You shouldn’t use any other method of mail delivery. You have to clearly print the inmate’s name, prisoner number, and the address of the jail on the letter. Don’t send a box or package, padded envelope, plastic bag, or an envelope containing metal parts. All mail sent to inmates is opened and inspected by the jail officers, and will be returned to the sender if it can’t be delivered.

Here is how to address letters to an inmate being housed at MDC:

[INMATE’S FULL NAME] [INMATE ID]
Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center
100 Deputy Dean Miera Dr SW
Albuquerque, NM 87121-1000

The mail policy is always changing, so be sure to review the MDC website before sending your first letter to an inmate.