Bates County Jail

Bates County Jail basic information to help guide you through what you can do for your inmate while they are incarcerated. The facility's direct contact number: 660-679-5880

This facility is for adult inmates.

The Bates County Jail is a medium-security detention center located at 6 W Ft Scott St in Butler, MO. This county jail is operated locally by the Bates County Sheriff's Office and holds inmates awaiting trial or sentencing. Most of the sentenced inmates are here for less than two years. Bates County accepts inmates from surrounding towns, municipalities, the US Marshal's Service and the Butler Police Department who do not have their own long-term lock-up.

There are new detainees delivered to the jail daily, you can see arrest records here. Some are released after putting up bail, are released to a pretrial services caseload, are placed under supervision by a probation agency, or are released on their own recognizance with an agreement to appear in court. If there is no release, the inmate must wait here at the jail for their court appearance as a guest of the County, getting a bed and three square meals.

Trustees are inmates who work in the jail as cooks, as orderlies for the staff, in the laundry or in the commissary. The trustees are paid a very small amount for their time and some jail gives the trustees a few days off their sentence in exchange for their work.

When an inmate arrives in jail they are put together in a large holding cell with other inmates in the intake. While in intake they are under heightened observation. Violent and out of control inmates are segregated.

Can I Get Work Release?

Work release is when you are released from jail during the day so that you can go to work. At the end of the day, you return to jail for the night. There are a number of requirements to be able to get into the work-release program. Most programs require your employer to fill out some paperwork. If you want to get into the work release program then apply prior to being sentenced to jail. This will minimize the amount of time you spend in jail waiting to get into the program.

Can I call my family in Jail?

Bates County Jail has a phone program where inmates make outbound calls only, you cannot call into jail. Since you are paying for those calls don't make it a habit of accepting collect-calls, they are over $15 each. The alternative is to set up an account through their third-party phone company which charges steep fees for each minute used. You are paying for them to call you. Click here if you are going to speak a lot and need a discount on the calls.

Remember – These phone calls are recorded and conversations can be used against you or the inmate so do not discuss your case over these phone lines.

visitation Info

Bates County Jail – Visitation

In-house Video Visitation (Visits and Visitation Schedule are subject to change.)

1. In-house visits will take place via video kiosk from lobby visitation room at no charge to the visitor and/or inmate
2. Visitor must check-in and present identification to control room operator
3. The visitor will dial inmate in the pod area
4. The inmate will pick up the kiosk and visit with the approved visitor
5. Visitors must have photo I.D. and be at least 17years old
6. Visitors under the age of 17 must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or responsible adult, and have a copy of a birth certificate for identification
7. Visitors are subject to a background check
8. Visits will be 15 minutes in duration
9. Visit times will be as follows: 7:00 am to 11:00 am, 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm, 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm Sunday thru Saturday
10. Inappropriate conduct during the visit will result in denial of future visits
11. Visitation is a privilege and may be disallowed for disciplinary purposes
12. Legal visits will take place in a designated room