The Manitowoc County Jail is located in the city of Manitowoc, Wisconsin.  The jail has a housing capacity of more than 200 adult inmates and holds both pre-trial detainees and post-conviction inmates sentenced within the county’s jurisdiction.  It is managed by the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Department.  The current Jail Administrator is Deputy Inspector Jason Jost.

Manitowoc County was created in 1836, prior to Wisconsin's statehood, and was formally incorporated in 1848.  The county is located on the eastern edge of the state of Wisconsin with 35 miles of the county’s eastern border running along Lake Michigan.  The county has a total of 1,494 square miles, of which 589 square miles is land and 905 square miles is water.  The 2010 census recorded the population of the county as 81,442 people.  The county seat is located in the city of Manitowoc.

Manitowoc city is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River.  The city is located 40 miles southeast of Green Bay, 80 miles north of Milwaukee, and about 130 miles northeast of Madison, the state capital of Wisconsin.  The city had a reported 2010 census population of 33,736 people, with over 50,000 residents in the surrounding communities.  Manitowoc is home to the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, and is one endpoint of the ferry route of the SS Badger, which connects U.S. Route 10 to Ludington, Michigan.

Many programs are available to inmates of the Manitowoc County Jail.  Sentenced inmates who are classified as medium or minimum risk can participate in the following programs:  Bible Study, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Anger Management, Cognitive Restructuring and Life Skills, General Education Diploma (GED), High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED), Adult Basic Education, Employability Skills, Parenting and Money Management.  It is the inmate’s responsibility to sign up for or request these programs.

The Health Services Unit (HSU) provides the medical care for Manitowoc County Jail inmates.  It is recommended that all persons who will be incarcerated complete and submit a Medical Information Release form prior to their report in date so jail nursing can review and retrieve any medication or medical records needed prior to the report date.  If you are concerned about an inmate’s health or mental status, call the Manitowoc County Jail’s main number (920-683-4228) and choose option #6 for the nurse.

The Manitowoc County Jail has adopted a zero tolerance policy toward any form of sexual abuse or sexual harassment.  There shall be no sexual activity between staff, contractors or volunteers and inmates or inmates and inmates.  If you feel your family member or friend has been the victim of sexual abuse or harassment by another inmate or an employee, contractor or volunteer of the Manitowoc County Jail, contact any of the following to report the incident:

Sheriff's Office: 920-683-4200
Detectives: 920-683-4216
Manitowoc County Jail: 920-683-4228
Sexual Assault Resource Center: 920-684-5770

If you have concerns about Manitowoc County Jail staff that include any allegations of criminal activity or employee misconduct, call Lieutenant Jeffrey Hastreiter, at 920-683-4221 or Lieutenant Joy Brixius at 920-683-5043.

Physical and Mailing Address:

Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Department and Jail
1025 South 9^th Street
Manitowoc, WI 54220

Clerk of Circuit Courts Office
1010 South 8^th Street, Room 105
Manitowoc, WI 54220

Phone Numbers:

Manitowoc County Jail and Sheriff’s Office:  920-683-4228
Manitowoc County Clerk’s Office:  920-683-4030

Inmate Telephone Privileges:

Inmates cannot receive incoming phone calls.  Inmates have access to phones in their housing areas for outgoing phone calls, but their schedule of access depends on their risk classification.  Phone calls must be collect calls, debit or pre-paid phone calls.  Jail phone calls are monitored and may be recorded.  Any attempt to call transfer or conference call will result in the call being disconnected.  Telephone services are considered a privilege for the inmates, and may be suspended due to disciplinary actions or security concerns.

Friends and family of inmates can set up prepaid telephone accounts to receive calls from inmates by calling Securus Technologies at 1-800-844-6591/972-734-1111 or by visiting the Securus website.  Multiple phone numbers can be added to an account to help limit missed calls, and calls will connect to cell phones (subject to facility restrictions).  The receiving party still has to accept the call.  Accounts can be funded through a credit, debit or prepaid card with the Visa or MasterCard logo, through deposits at MoneyGram or Western Union locations, and though payment by personal check, money order or cashier’s check.  Two different account types are available—AdvanceConnect and Direct Bill:

• An AdvanceConnect account automatically deducts the cost of the call from the prepaid account. 
• A Direct Bill account allows the receiving party to have the calls billed to them on a monthly basis.  A credit check is required to qualify for this service. 

To set up an AdvanceConnect or a Direct Bill account through Securus, call them at 1-800-844-6591/972-734-1111 or create an account online at https://securustech.net/enroll.

If you want to block calls from inmates of the Manitowoc County Jail, contact Securus Technologies at 1-800-844-6591/972-734-1111.

Manitowoc County Jail Inmate Search:

1. Go to http://www.co.manitowoc.wi.us/departments/i-p/jail/ and click on the Prisoner Listing link on the middle left of the page.  A Prisoner Listing PDF that shows the current list of inmates at the jail (sorted by last names) will load to the screen.  This list provides the inmate’s last name, first name and middle name (if applicable), and is updated at least daily, or more often depending on intakes and releases.
2. Scroll down until you see the name of the person you are looking for.  Each line contains the inmate’s account number (this is their inmate or offender ID number), their full name, their current age, gender, race and housing block/bunk.  A prisoner’s visitation schedule is dependent on their housing assignment so it’s important that you verify the inmate’s housing assignment prior to making a visit to the jail. 

Block/Bunk codes:

Generally, the first number and letter combination (for example 3E, 2C, etc) indicate the inmate’s housing assignment.The last two number(s) or letter and number combination indicate an inmate’s bunk assignment. Note the following code exceptions:

• EMP (Electronic Monitoring Program):  These inmates have been released.
• DRSO:  Inmates with this code are not currently housed in the Manitowoc County jail.  Contact the jail for further details or you can also try to locate the inmate in the VINE system - see the Inmate Status Change Notification section below for details.
• 1R:  These inmates are still in the receiving process and have not yet been assigned to a cell block.
• GRP:  Inmates with this code are in general holding.

Please be aware that inmates can be transferred to different facilities at any time without prior notice.  You can sign up to be notified when an inmate’s status changes – see the Inmate Status Change Notification section below for details on how to do this.

If you are unable to locate your friend or family member by searching the Prisoner Listing PDF, you call the jail at 920-683-4228, and select option #3, to speak with an on duty correctional staff member, or you can search the Wisconsin Vine system for the inmate – see Steps 1-5 in the Inmate Status Change Notification section below for details.

Inmate Status Change Notifications:

Through the Wisconsin Vine system, you can register to be notified when an inmate of the Manitowoc County Jail has a status change.  Call 1-888-944-8463 to set up a notification or create the notification online by taking the following steps:

1. Go to Wisconsin Vine system at https://www.vinelink.com/#/home/site/50100.
2. Click on the Find an Offender image.
3. Enter the full last name and at least part of the first name of the inmate into the relevant blanks or, if you know the inmate’s ID number (from the Prisoner Listing PDF), enter their ID number into the Offender ID # blank. 
4.   to more quickly locate an inmate, click on the Open Advanced Search link, then select the Manitowoc County Jail option from the Facility Name drop down.
5. Click on the orange Search button.
6. An overview of the inmates that matched you search criteria will be displayed on the screen.  The information presented on each inmate in this view includes the inmate’s full name, their age, race, custody status, race and current location.  Click on the More Info link below each listing to see the inmate’s Offender ID, their gender and date of birth.
7. Once you have located the inmate on which you want to receive notifications, click on the orange Notify Me of Status Changes button next to the applicable inmate’s details.
8. Enter all of the relevant information into the blanks on the Registrant Mailing Address page and then click the Next button.
9. Select how you would like to be notified of the inmate’s status change by clicking on the relevant blue boxes (Phone, Email and TTY Hearing Impaired), completing the required information, and clicking on the green Add button. 
10. Enter all of the relevant contact information, then click on the orange Continue button. 
11. Review the information you entered and, if it is correct, click on the orange Yes, Register button.  If you need to edit any of the information, click on the Make Changes link.
12. To edit or disable your VINE system notifications, go to https://www.vinelink.com/#/home/site/50100 and click on the Edit Your Registration image.  Follow the prompts to modify or cancel your notification.  Call 1-888-944-8463 if you have an issues with modifying your notification settings.

Jail/Arrest Records:

Inmates are provided with copies of their court records at the time of sentencing.  Inmates who need to obtain additional copies of their records, can submit a request to the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Department Records Division through a kiosk in their housing unit.

To request a copy of an inmate’s public record information, complete this form and email it to [email protected] or drop off the form to the Manitowoc County Sheriff's Department Records Division, located at 1025 South 9 Street, Manitowoc, WI 54220.  The Records Division is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.  Information about records fees can be found here.  For questions about the availability of records or ways to obtain information, call the Records Department at 920-683-4211.

Inmate Mail:

Inmates may receive mail through the U.S. Postal Service and through private delivery services.  All personal mail is opened and checked for contraband prior to being delivered to the inmate. All outgoing mail may be inspected.   

All mail must have the full name and address of the sender clearly written on the outside of the envelope.  Mail that is missing the sender’s information or has illegible sender information will be placed in the inmate’s property and provided to the inmate upon their release.  

Mail with the following items will NOT be delivered to inmates:

-Items containing nudity
-Polaroid pictures
-Greeting cards
-Items containing security issues and criminal conduct
-Items that have glitter, glue, or tape on them
-Books not sent by a publisher
-Items that contain tattooing instructions or designs
-Prohibited property and/or contraband
-Any other item not mentioned that poses a risk to the safety and security of the facility

Inmates may receive magazine and newspaper subscriptions, and paperback books if these are sent directly to the inmate by the publisher, clearing house or book distributor.  An inmate can only possess 4 (books or magazines) in their cellblock.  Books or magazines that contain nudity, sexual acts, gang-related material, or any other materials that may disrupt the safety or security of the jail are not allowed.

Inmates may purchase envelopes and writing materials through the inmate commissary service; indigent inmates may order these materials on a routine schedule, with costs being debited from the inmate’s account.

Mail can be sent to the following address and must include the inmate’s full name (if the inmate has a common name you may want to include their Inmate ID as well):

Manitowoc County Jail
1025 South 9^th Street
Manitowoc, WI 54220

Inmates cannot release their property in person or through the mail.  If an inmate wishes to release their property to a designee, they must make a request within 72 hours of being booked into the facility; otherwise their property will be held unit their release from jail.  The designee can pick up the inmate’s property (photo ID is required) from the jail lobby after the inmate’s request has been processed.  The jail lobby is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Manitowoc County Jail Inmate Account:

The Manitowoc County Jail establishes an Inmate Account for each person when they are incarcerated.  This account is used by the inmate to purchase commissary items, barber and medical services, and pay court-imposed fines and restitution fees.

Deposits can be made to the Inmate Account in the following ways:

• A deposit machine is located in the lobby of the jail, located at 1025 South 9^th Street,

• Manitowoc, WI 54220.The machine accepts all cash denominations of $5 or greater, but no coins. A photo ID card or driver's license is required to use the kiosk.A binder is provided at the machine with the inmate's information you will need to make a deposit.If the information for an inmate is not listed in the binder, the officer in Central Control will assist you with this information.A $4.00 convenience fee is charged per transaction.The maximum deposit amount is $300.

• An inmate’s friends or family can create an account and deposit funds for the inmate at SmartDeposit.com.  An account must be created and fees are associated with transactions.  Because deposits are registered to the inmate’s ID number, it is highly advisable that you have the inmate’s ID number available when you make a deposit, as deposits are NOT refundable.  A credit or debit card with a Visa or MasterCard logo is required for deposits; prepaid cards are not supported.  Deposits are limited to $300.00 per day.  Customer service is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) by calling 866-394-0490.

• Money orders and cashier’s checks, made payable to the inmate’s full name, can be mailed to the jail through the U.S. mail for deposit into the Inmate’s Account.  The money order/check should include the inmate’s ID number on the memo line for Inmate Account verification.  Funds are mailed to:

Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office Jail
1025 South 9^th Street
Manitowoc, WI 54220

Personal checks and cash received by mail will NOT be deposited into an Inmate’s Account; these will be held for pick up by the sender.

For questions or concerns regarding an Inmate’s Account call the jail at 920-683-4228, and select option #5.

Commissary items (such as snacks, hygiene products, clothing, etc.) can be ordered by inmates through the telephones in their housing units.  Commissary orders can be placed at any time and are delivered on Tuesdays.  Medical personnel might prohibit inmates from making certain purchases because of health concerns.

If an inmate wishes to release money from their Inmate Account to friends or family, they can submit a request to the jail bookkeeper.  Provided sufficient funds are available in the inmate’s account and the person receiving the funds is not on the inmate’s “no contact” list, a check will be issued for the designated person.  The check can be mailed to the designee if the inmate provides a stamped, addressed envelope.  Otherwise the check is held for the designee to collect from Central Control in the jail lobby.  The lobby is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  The designee must present photo ID to collect the check.

Jail Visitation:

Family and friends wishing to visit an inmate must be on the Inmate’s Approved Visitors List; this includes children of the inmate.  Inmates designate the names of their visitors, and may have unlimited immediate family visitors approved to visit.  Immediate family includes: father, mother, step-father, step-mother, brother, sister, spouse, grandparents, and the inmate's children.  They may also have up to four non-immediate family members on their Visitors List.  Non-immediate family includes: step-brother, step-sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews, nieces, and friends.

Visitors wishing to be added to an Inmate’s Visit List, should write the inmate and provide the following information, which is required to be an approved visitor:  full legal name, date of birth, phone number, full address, race, eye color, and hair color.  It is the inmate’s responsibility to notify visitors when they have been approved (typically by mail or telephone).

Once a visitor has been approved, they simply show up at the jail at least 15 minutes prior to the beginning of the inmate’s visitation schedule.  If you arrive after the beginning of a visitation session for the inmate you want to visit, you will not be allowed to visit.

Each inmate is allowed only one visit per week, but the length of the visit depends on the inmate’s risk classification:

Minimum: 60 minutes
Medium: 45 minutes
High Medium: 30 minutes
Maximum: 15 minutes

If you are not sure which classification has been assigned to the inmate you are visiting, call the jail at 920-683-4228 and select option #3.

Visitors 18 years of age and older must be able to produce a valid, government-issued, photo ID.   Children under age 18 must be immediate family to the inmate, and be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian.  Children must be supervised at all times.

Visitors must be dressed appropriately for the facility.  Unacceptable clothing includes revealing clothing or clothing with logos endorsing alcohol, drugs, weapons or gangs.

The visitation schedule is dependent on an inmate’s housing assignment.  Refer to the inmate’s current Block/Bunk assignment on the Prisoner Listing on the Manitowoc County WI website prior to planning your visit.  Generally, the first number and letter combination (for example 3E, 2C, etc) indicate the inmate’s housing assignment and the last two number(s) or letter and number combination indicate an inmate’s bunk assignment:

Housing Unit  Day     Time Period

3A and 4A      Monday           6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
3D and 4D      Monday           7:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
3B and 4B       Wednesday     6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
3C and 4C       Wednesday     7:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
2C       Friday  10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
2A       Friday  6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
2B       Friday  7:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
1S (Admin Segregation)         Saturday          9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
1M (Medical Segregation)      Saturday          10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
3E        Saturday          1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
3F        Saturday          2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.
3G       Saturday          6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
3H       Saturday          7:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
2D       Sunday            10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
2E (Beds 1-12)            Sunday            1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
2E (Beds 13-24)          Sunday            2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.
2F (Beds 1-12)            Sunday            6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
2F (Beds 13-24)          Sunday            7:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.

If the inmate you are visiting has a Block/Bunk assignment not listed in the above visitation list, he/she is likely not eligible for visitation, may no longer be located at the jail or may have been released from custody.  Call the jail at 920-683-4228 and select option #3 to clarify the inmate’s status.

All visitors and their personal effects are subject to search. Visitors should limit items brought into the jail during visitation.  This facility has storage lockers for visitors.  The following items are not permitted in the visitation area, and should be left in your vehicle or placed in the storage lockers:

-Cigarettes, vapors, tobacco products, lighters, and/or matches
-Any items considered to be a weapon, such as knives, Kubatons, etc.
-Photo/video cameras and/or recording devices
-Food or beverages
-Cell phones and pagers
-Purses or handbags
-Letters, pictures, magazines, or books for the inmate

Note, this is not all-inclusive list.  Other items may be deemed inappropriate by the jail staff at their discretion.

Items That Can be Dropped Off at the Jail

Family and friends of inmates may drop off prescription medications that are not classified as narcotics, provided that the medications are in the original pharmacy container, are not expired, and are properly labeled.  Multiple medications combined in one container are not allowed. 

You can also drop off glasses in a soft case, contacts, and dentures.  Clothing may be dropped off for Huber inmates to wear out to work, or for an inmate to wear to his/her jury trial.

Posting Bail or Bond:

Bail allows an arrested person (defendant) to be released from jail until his or her case is completed. 

Bail bonds or surety bonds are written agreements entered into by the individual and his/her sureties (most commonly a bail bondsman) that guarantees the individual will appear in court at an appointed date and time.  Cash bonds are the most common form of bonds in Manitowoc County; surety bonds in the form of property bonds may be issued on occasion by the court, but these are rare.

Cash Bond and Bail

Cash bond and bail payments (post hearing) can be made in person with cash at the Clerk of Circuit Court’s Office. You may also pay with a cashier’s check or a money order made payable to the Manitowoc County Clerk of the Circuit Court for the exact amount of the bond. The Clerk’s office is located at 1010 South 8th Street, Room 105, Manitowoc, WI 54220, and is open 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Mondays, and 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, excluding holidays.  Outside of these business hours, cash payment (for the exact amount of the bond) can be made in the lobby of the Manitowoc County Jail.

If you are posting bail for an inmate prior to their bail hearing, you may post it at the Manitowoc County Jail.  The jail accepts cash or personal checks that are drawn from a banking institution within the state of Wisconsin.  The maximum amount a check can be written for is $500.00.  The check is to be made payable to the Manitowoc County Clerk of the Circuit Court.

If you are not located in Manitowoc you may post cash bail for the inmate it at your local Sheriff's Department, but they may charge you fees to process the transaction.  You can also pay for a bail or bond online with a debit or credit card (with the Visa, MasterCard or Discover card logo) at PayGOV.US.  You must have the case or citation number to post a payment and convenience fees are charged for payments.  Refer to the Manitowoc County Clerk of Circuit Court Pay Court Fines of Fees page for more details.

You must have a valid identification card or driver's license when posting bail.  Contact the Clerk of Circuit Courts Office at 920-683-4030 for any questions you may have about bail or bond payments.

Bonding Company

The use of bonding companies for surety bonds is not permitted in Manitowoc County.

Revoking a Bond

If a person who posted a bond for an inmate wishes to revoke it, they must submit paperwork to the relevant court in which the inmate was sentenced.

Bond Refund

The Manitowoc County Jail does not process bond refunds.  For a bond refund, the person who posted the bond will need to request a refund through the relevant court in which the inmate was sentenced.

Conclusion

Now that you have read our article on the Manitowoc County Jail, we hope we have made it much easier to view current inmate list, schedule visits, send mail, fund inmate accounts for commissary purchases and telephone use, make bail or bond payments, and contact the jail.  We understand how difficult it can be when a family or friend is incarcerated, and we try our absolute best to provide the most updated information on each facility, to make your life easier.