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Jail Booking for Virginia DUIs 

When someone is arrested for a DUI, they might not know what to expect. Jail booking for Virginia DUIs can be an overwhelming process, especially if you have never been arrested before. The consequences of a DUI arrest can also have negative repercussions on your reputation, and your record. A lawyer can help mitigate the effects of your arrest. If you have been arrested for a DUI, get in touch with a capable DUI attorney who can advocate for you.

Expectations of What Jail is Like

The first step of jail booking for Virginia DUIs, is placing someone in a holding cell, usually with a lot of other people. Many of them are similarly situated or just waiting to sober up or be released on bond. This process usually only takes a few hours, certainly less than 24 hours for most people. Jail is not a fun place to be, but it is also not as awful as it is often portrayed in movies and television shows.

Generally, people who are in jail say they are just bored most of the time because there is not a lot to do. They are told when to eat when to sleep, and in between, there is not much going on. Some jails have certain programs that people can enroll in that help with things like mental health issues or substance abuse issues. But as a general rule, there is not a lot to do. If a person is going to be sitting a significant amount time in jail, they might be appropriated to workforce programs or something of that nature. Those things usually help the time pass more quickly.

Submitting a Breath Test After Arrest

Once a person is arrested for a DUI, they are going to be brought straight to the jail and be given a breath test as soon as possible. The police do not like to fool around with time when it comes to giving breath test because they know that alcohol dissipates from a person’s body. The more time that passes between the rest of the test, the lower the number is going to be. After a person has submitted a breath test and, if it turns out that they are over the legal limit, they will want to give them another test from time, thereafter, to determine whether or not they have obtained an alcohol level that is sufficient to release the person. They are not going to release them while they are still drunk so they will hold the person until they have sobered up. The only way to prove that is to give another breath test.

Central Booking

Not every jail has something specifically called central booking, but every jail has a process that a person must go through when they are brought to the jail for the first time. These things include seeing a magistrate and having a person’s bond level determined if any. Once they have seen the magistrate then they will be escorted to another part of the jail where they will be seen by both medical and mental health people to determine whether or not they need any treatment. After that, a person will be interviewed to determine criminal history so the court will know whether if there is a violent criminal history that could present issues of concern for staff or other inmates.

At some point, the person will be classified and placed in a population in the jail. Most jails have various levels of security and most people who are charged with a DUI and have no criminal history, will be placed in the very lowest level of security because they have no violent history, they have no violent tendencies, and pose no risk to anyone including themselves. The booking process always takes place within the jail, so there is no difference from a physical perspective because all of that takes place in the same facility.

Medical Resources in Jail

One thing to consider when discussing jail booking for Virginia DUIs and medical attention is that every jail has different staffing capabilities and every jail will have medical personnel on staff all the time. The amount of staff that is on hand at the jail really depends on the jail itself, and the time of day. If a person has medical needs, they can receive medical attention in jail, although they should not expect the level of attention or care that they would traditionally get in a hospital or a doctor’s office. Generally, the people who work in the jail are spread extraordinary thin and do not have the time and resources to devote to a person’s individual cases much as a private physician would.

The biggest issue, from a medical perspective, that people face when they are sent to jail, is a lapse in whatever medication they are on. The jail will not just automatically administer medications because the inmate simply says, that he has been prescribed something. The staff needs to do their own evaluations and they need to investigate whether or not the person has, in fact, been prescribed certain medications. Some jails do not have certain drugs available but do substitute drugs that they consider to be similar. This, very often, can cause problems and the lack of medicine availability in the jail is a massive problem that really does need to be fixed. If you have been arrested for a DUI, and have not received adequate medical treatment, speak to a skilled DUI attorney who can protect your rights, and build your case.