Newaygo County Jail

You can support your loved ones at Newaygo Co Jail on InmateAid, if you have any immediate questions contact the facility directly at 231-689-7024.

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 here so that you can stay connected and support your loved one behind bars.

The Newaygo Co Jail is a detention center located at 1035 E James St White Cloud, MI which is operated locally by the Newaygo 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. Newaygo County accepts inmates from surrounding towns, White Cloud 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 Michigan here.

The original jail was constructed and opened in 1967, initially designed to hold thirty-six inmates. Over time, as the county's population increased, the facility became insufficient to meet the county's needs. In 1989, the overcrowding issue became so severe that the jail had to declare and invoke the Jail Overcrowding Act on five separate occasions, resulting in inmates being released back into the community before completing their sentences.

To address this issue, a significant jail expansion project commenced in 1989. This project included major renovations to the original portion and the construction of a large addition, significantly increasing the facility's rated capacity. The expansion was completed in the spring of 1990, and the facility was then rated for 212 beds, with an average daily population of 190. The renovated facility featured 29 individual housing units under one roof, designed to accommodate inmates classified from maximum to minimum custody security levels. The ability to rent bed space to outside agencies helped pay off the project within five years.

A subsequent expansion project was completed on November 1, 2010, increasing the rated capacity to 270 beds. Additionally, new administrative offices were built, and the entrance for the Sheriff’s Office and Jail was relocated to 1035 E. James Street.

The Newaygo County Jail now houses inmates for the West Michigan District of the United States Marshals Service. For inquiries related to federal detainees, individuals are advised to contact the U.S. Marshals Service in Grand Rapids, Michigan, at 1-616-456-2438.

Books and magazines ordered for inmates must come directly from the publisher. This policy ensures that the items are new, untampered, and comply with the facility's regulations. Prisons and jails enforce this rule to prevent the introduction of contraband or prohibited materials. By restricting orders to publishers, the facility can better maintain security and control over the content entering the institution. Any books or magazines not received directly from the publisher will be rejected and not delivered to the inmate.

Inmate workers are chosen based on conduct and cooperation with staff. Participation in the community service program can reduce sentences by one day for every 24 hours of work. Inmate workers receive double feeding trays and two mattresses. Commissary is available weekly, with orders submitted via kiosk two days in advance. On holidays, orders may be doubled. Indigent inmates must miss two commissary days to receive a weekly indigent pack containing basic hygiene items, and indigent mail is stamped only for the Attorney of Record or the Court. Upon receiving commissary items, inmates must present their ID, check their order, and sign for it in the presence of the commissary employee.

The jail offers a phone program for outbound calls only, with inmates unable to receive incoming calls. Accepting collect calls can be expensive, sometimes exceeding $10 per call. Alternatively, setting up an account through a third-party phone company may entail high fees per minute of usage. Click here for discounts on inmate calls, especially if the communication with your inmate is frequent. It's important to remember that all phone calls are recorded, and discussing sensitive legal matters over these lines is discouraged.