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Washtenaw County Jail

2201 Hogback Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48105-9732
(734) 973-4691

Interview with Troy

JM: How long was your sentencing for?
Troy: I was given 2 years of probation with HYTA. This is a program for younger people. When you get off probation they expunge your record. Now I have my probation extended a year.

JM: Did you spend time in a holding cell after your sentencing? If so, what was that like? If you didn't where did they they take you instead?
Troy: For the first two days I was in a holding cell in ITR. That is basically the holding cells. They are cold, you basically sleep on a slab of concrete. I didn't sleep. They will give you a jacket. There were up to 8 people at once in each holding cell.

If you or somebody you know commits a crime in Ann Arbor Michigan you might be curious about what life in the Washtenaw County Jail is really like. Interviews from ex-inmates shed light on what you can expect behind bars.

Making phone calls from Washtenaw County Jail
Phone calls from jail are never cheap but if the memory of a recent jail inmate serves correctly then the prices charged in WCJ are very expensive. According to the inmate calls are about $5 per minute (collect). Calls from jail are all recorded and can be reviewed by the sheriff or obtained by the prosecutor if they suspect evidence may be obtained through them.

Inmates can receive two visits per week but the visits must be scheduled online in advance. This presents a problem for some people who might not have internet access. The sheriff's office does provide some computers to the public in the lobby that allow people without internet access to schedule a visit.

Some items cannot be brought into the jail for a visit. Most electronics, for instance, aren't allowed and obviously you can't bring weapons. You also need to leave your cell phone in your car if it has a camera on it.

The visit is not a normal face-to-face visit. It is done over a video monitor with a webcam and speaker (although you have to actually go to the jail to have the visit). This helps keep contraband from being smuggled in and makes managing visits easier for the sheriff.

Time off for good behavior
Washtenaw does have a program that allows for early release but it requires that inmates fill up an "Early Release Card." Stamps can be obtained by cleaning and following rules in jail.

Jail overcrowding is an issue across the country and Washtenaw County is not exception. From time to time the jail overcrowds to the point where some people are released early and others are put on home ankle monitors.

Continue to the interview