You can support your loved ones at Shawnee County Detention Center on InmateAid, if you have any immediate questions contact the facility directly at 785-291-5000.
When someone you care about gets locked up, it's tough to figure out all the ins and outs of jail life. From sending mail to visiting, there are a lot of things to sort out. And getting info about the arrest? Not always easy. That's where this webpage comes in handy. It's here to help you get a handle on how things work at Shawnee County Detention Center so you can stay connected and support your loved one behind bars.
The Shawnee County Detention Center is a detention center located at 501 SE 8th St Topeka, KS which is operated locally by the Shawnee County Sheriff's Office and holds inmates awaiting trial or sentencing or both. Most of the sentenced inmates are here for less than two years. Shawnee County accepts inmates from surrounding towns, Topeka Police Department, and the US Marshal's Service.
New detainees arrive at the jail regularly, with some being released on bail, placed under pretrial services caseloads, supervised by probation agencies, or released on recognizance with a court appearance agreement. Those who are not released await their court appearances at the jail, receiving accommodations including bedding and meals. You can see all the arrest records for Kansas here.
INMATE FUNDS
Each inmate/resident is allowed to maintain an account for the purpose of paying various fees and purchasing commissary items. The Shawnee County Department of Corrections shall only accept bank money orders, attorney trust account checks, cashier’s checks, government checks, tribal checks, and other correctional facilities’ checks. These checks and orders must be made payable to the inmate. The sender’s name and address must also be written on the money order or check for deposit to the inmate’s account. Any unauthorized classification of check received shall be returned to the sender at the inmate’s/resident’s expense. Any cash received by mail will be returned to the sender at the inmate’s/resident’s expense. If there is no valid return address, the cash shall be placed in the Commissary Account Fund. Cash will be accepted for placement on the inmate's account at the Records window, accessed through the front lobby. The booking window will accept cash and other identified payment methods whenever the Records department is closed.
Adult Detention Center (ADC) inmates are allowed to release money one (1) time from their account. Only the money they were in possession of at the time of arrest shall be released. Inmates on Trusty status may release money from their account one time per pay period.
Authorized withdrawals from an inmate/resident’s account during the inmate/resident’s confinement shall be made according to a priority established by the department. Inmates/residents shall be required to pay the following fees prior to being allowed to purchase any commissary items:
Payment of bonds or other court ordered payments;
ADC fees including but not limited to:
- Booking and processing
- Inmate Work Program fees (room and board)
- Disciplinary
- Medical co-pays
- Cost of off-site medical services
- Alcohol/Drug Treatment
- Copies
- Notary services
- Haircuts
Release of funds to a third party (ADC only).
INMATE AND RESIDENT PROGRAMS
Effective programs have become an essential part of both Adult and Juvenile Corrections institutions. While incarcerated, provision of programs relating to educational opportunities, physical, social and mental health stability, maintenance of family relationships, and religious freedom and practice are some areas by which the quality of offender life in a correctional institution can be measured.
The Shawnee County Department of Corrections has embarked on meeting these needs with respective programs departments at the Adult and Juvenile Detention Centers.
Regular programs conducted at the Juvenile Detention Center are:
- Weekly reading exercises provided by the Optimist Club of Topeka
- Character Building
- Positive Action
- Risks and Decisions
- Church Services
- Weekly social skills/life skills presentations by the Programs Officer
- Teachers from 501 School District classroom educational curriculum instructions Monday through Friday
- Daily exercise opportunities at the facility gymnasium
- Monthly barber services
- Commissary
- Save Your Self facilitated by Women Empowerment Inc.
Regular programs held at the Adult Detention Center are:
- Alcoholics Anonymous Groups
- Bible Study Classes
- Chaplain Services
- Church Services
- Commissary
- Community Resource Information
- Greeting Card Program
- Library Services
- Law Library
- Minister and Clergy Visits
- Narcotics Anonymous
- Project Dads
- Visitation with Family and Friends
- Work Programs
- Barber Shop
- Inmate Wedding Services
- Exercise opportunities at the facility gymnasium
The programs offered are provided through the use of community volunteers.
If you are interested in serving as a volunteer, for existing or proposed programs at the Adult Detention Center or the Juvenile Detention Center, please complete the Volunteer Application and Criminal History Authorization form and send the completed forms along with a copy of your valid driver's license to:
Programs Division Manager
Attention: (Please indicate Juvenile or Adult Detention)
501 S.E. 8th St
Topeka, KS 66607
How do I deliver permissible items to an inmate/resident?
You will need to contact the facility’s Operations Division Manager, that information can be located in the contact information on this website. The Operations Division Manager will determine if the inmate/resident is permitted to utilize the item during the inmate/resident’s detention. If approved, you must bring the item to the front desk employee of the facility the inmate/resident is being held. If the inmate is detained at the Adult Detention Center, you may drop the item off Monday through Friday, 8am – 5pm. If the resident is detained at the Juvenile Detention Center, you may drop the item off Monday through Friday, 8am – 1130am or 1230pm – 5 pm.
How do I put money on an inmate/resident’s account?
See inmate funds section of this website.
How do I post an inmate/resident’s bond?
Typically, only adult offenders have bonds. However, under special circ*mstances a juvenile may be granted a bond. If you are inquiring about a bond for a juvenile, you will need to contact the Juvenile Detention Center at 785-233-6459.
If you are posting a bond for an adult offender who has a CA (cash) bond, you will be required to pay the full amount of the bond in cash at the public access window of the Adult Detention Center’s booking area.
If you are posting a bond for an adult offender who has a PS (professional surety) bond, you will have to contact a bondsman to post the bond.
If you are posting a bond for an adult offender who has an ORC, ORCD, or CS (own recognizance with cash, own recognizance with cash deposit, or cash deposit) bond, you will have to pay ten percent of the bond amount in cash only at the public access window of the Adult Detention Center’s booking area.
If the adult offender has a WS (with surety) bond, in some cases the judge will allow a family member to sign for the offender. A professional bond will also satisfy this type of bond.
How do I keep in contact with an inmate/resident?
Inmates/residents are allowed to write and receive letters while detained. All incoming and outgoing mail is subject to an inspection to prevent contraband from entering the facility. All mail must be received through the U.S. Postal Service. Inmates/residents are not allowed to receive cash, packages, or pictures/photos containing p*rnography.
INMATE RESIDENCE CORRESPONDENCE
Overview
Providing avenues by which inmates and juvenile residents can communicate with family and friends plays an important role during their incarceration. It allows them a means to stay in touch and stay connected to those in the community that are important to them. There are some general rules and guidelines that both inmates/residents as well as those that are writing to them must follow.
Outgoing Mail
Inmates and residents shall be allowed to correspond in writing with persons or organizations. The facility has the right to prohibit correspondence if it is determined necessary to protect the safety and security of the recipient, the public, staff or inmates/residents. Any such mail determined not appropriate for those reasons will be returned to the inmate. All outgoing mail must be legibly addressed and have no other markings other than the inmate's/resident's name, sending address, and return address on the envelope. Inmates/residents are not authorized to write to others in the facility. If an inmate/resident has an immediate family member incarcerated, he/she may obtain prior authorization from the Operations Division Manager to correspond with the family member.
Incoming Mail
All incoming mail must come through the U.S. Postal Service. The mailing address for:
Adult Inmates
Inmate Name
Shawnee County Adult Detention Center
501 SE 8th St.
Topeka, KS 66607
or
Inmate Name
Shawnee County Corrections Annex
818 SE Adams
Topeka, KS 66607
Only the inmate's/resident's name, address, and the sender’s return address are allowed on the envelope. Incoming mail that has any additional markings or graffiti on the envelope or on the inside contents shall be returned to the sender or placed in the inmate's/resident's personal property.
All non-legal incoming mail shall be opened and inspected. Legal mail shall be opened and inspected in the presence of the inmate/resident. No money is allowed to be sent through the mail. Any mail that contains money will be returned to the sender. If there is no return address, the funds will be deposited in the general commissary fund account, but will not be placed onto the inmate's personal account.
Publications
Adult inmates are permitted to subscribe to and receive publications, without prior approval, from a publisher, distributor book club, or a bookstore. Family members and/or friends are not allowed to send publications to inmates. They must be received by the inmate from the original publisher, distributor book club, or bookstore.
Phone Calls
Inmates/residents are allowed to make collect calls while being detained. In order to receive a call from an inmate/resident, the party will need to ensure they do not have a block on their phone restricting collect calls and will need to accept the collect call from the inmate/resident..
How do I restrict an inmate/resident from contacting me at home/work?
If you are receiving calls from an inmate/resident and you wish to have the inmate/resident restricted from calling you, you will need to contact Lt. Matt Biltoft via email at matt.biltoft@snco.us
How do I pickup an inmate/resident’s property?
During detention an inmate/resident will only be authorized to release financial cards, cell phones, keys, and food assistance cards (if the inmate/juvenile is not the authorized card holder and the person to receive the released card can demonstrate he/she is the authorized card holder). The inmate/resident’s property shall not be released until the inmate/resident receives prior written approval from the facility’s Operations Division Manager.
An adult inmate may release his/her other personal property to a third party. The inmate shall purchase a prepaid mail envelope/box from the Operations Division Manager. The inmate may mail the envelope/box to an address of his/her choosing at the inmates' expense or use the envelope/box in order to package the property and have the property picked up by an authorized person. The authorized person shall have sixty (60) days from the inmate's release to pick up the prepaid mail envelope/box of property. If the property is not picked up within sixty (60) days, the property shall be considered abandoned property and shall be destroyed in accordance with department procedures. The agency reserves the right to charge a processing fee for the release of any property that the inmate did not have during initial in-processing, which shall be paid by the inmate or the person picking up the property before the property is released.
If you are picking up an inmate/resident’s property because the inmate/resident is being released from the ADC/JDC to another facility, you can pick up that property at the ADC/JDC front lobby during regular business hours. You will be required to show a valid picture identification card such as a valid Kansas driver’s license.
How do I find out an inmate’s court date?
The Shawnee County Department of Corrections has established an Inmate Work Program to provide life enhancement skills to inmates within the Adult Detention Center. The Inmate Work Program consists of three separate programs: the Inmate Trusty Program, the Work Release Program, and the Re-Entry Program.
Inmates may begin their participation in the Inmate Work Program as an Inmate Trusty. Inmate trusties are typically housed and work within the secure area of the main jail. Some trusties may perform work details within the community. These trusties are carefully screened to ensure they do not pose a threat to the public and are supervised by a security officer. These inmates may be housed in the Corrections Annex.
The Work Release Program is intended for those inmates who have been sentenced to serve time at the Adult Detention Center. Those inmates need to have an established employment history, demonstrate a positive work ethic, and demonstrate the ability to display appropriate conduct while being incarcerated. Inmates in the Work Release Program are housed at the Corrections Annex.
The Shawnee County Department of Corrections provides a Re-Entry Program that will provide inmates with employment skills, training, and on-site work opportunities to assist inmates in achieving meaningful employment and life skills once discharged from the facility. Inmates sentenced to the Adult Detention Center may be recommended for the Re-Entry Program by the courts. The Re-Entry Program consists of three (3) phases. Each phase is designed to help reintegrate inmates back into the community. An inmate may begin the Re-Entry Program in either phase as determined by the Programs Division. Phase one of the program consists of classroom based employment skills curriculum. Inmates in phase two of the program shall begin the program as an inmate trusty. Inmates in phase three shall be employed or able to obtain employment in a legitimate business within the community and may be required to complete Drug and Alcohol Treatment in the community.
