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What to Expect From DUI Jail in Manassas

When a person is arrested for a DUI in Manassas there is a process they should expect, which will likely include a brief stay in jail. A Manassas DUI lawyer can help an arrested individual understand the process, and do what they can to ease and expedite the initial steps and the whole process of their case.

The adult detention center in Manassas is a typical local jail; it is one of the larger local jails in the Commonwealth of Virginia because Prince William County is one of the larger jurisdictions. Most of the ideas that people have about what being in jail is like come from television shows that depict prison. State prisons are facilities that are maintained by the state and in some cases can be rough places, but local jails, for the most part, do not share those characteristics. The adult detention center is considered a safe place for an individual to be. While it is never pleasant to be in jail, it is not a particularly hard place to do time compared to some of the other alternatives around Virginia.

What Happens After Booking

After a person has been booked for DUI, they are brought to the Prince William County Adult Detention Center. The first determination that the detention center will make subsequent to a DUI arrest is whether the person is sober enough to be let go. If the person is still showing a high blood alcohol level, they will typically be held until that level essentially reaches zero. In most cases where there is an arrest, if it is made during the evening hours, the individual that has been charged will be held until the morning before being released.

Breath Tests

If there is probable cause to believe that an individual is guilty of DUI, then under Virginia law they have given implied consented to give a breath test once they have reached the station. Subsequent to the arrest, the individual will be brought to the adult detention center, read the implied consent statement, which lets them know what their obligation is under the law, and tells them what the consequences of refusal are. At that point, the breath test will either be given or the individual will be issued a citation for refusal in addition to the DUI that they received.

Between Arrest and Release on Bail

Once a person is arrested for a DUI, they will be placed in the police vehicle and transported either to a police station or to the adult detention center, which is where they will receive the blood alcohol test. In most cases, that will be the first time that they go in front of a magistrate. The magistrate’s job is to determine whether the individual should be released on their own recognizance, whether bail should be set, or in some cases, whether no bail should be set. After the magistrate has made that determination, the person will be transported to the adult detention center, where they will be processed out or in some cases, held until the next day or until they can get a bond hearing.

Medical Provisions

If an individual is suffering from any type of medical problem, there are medical personnel on staff, in the jail, that can assist with the most common or simple issues. If a person is in medical distress, the individual will be transported to a hospital for treatment prior to being brought back to the jail.

If a person needs to see a doctor, jail personnel have a duty to transport them to a hospital to be evaluated by a doctor where they will receive whatever medical care that they need. This is not something that they have a choice in. An individual’s civil rights under the constitution demand that while they are in the custody of the government, they must be given medical treatment if the need for it arises.

Minimum Time Held in Manassas Jail

There is no minimum amount of time an individual will be held in jail if they are charged with a DUI. In some cases, a person might be released from jail immediately to a family member or a parent. In other cases, they will be held for as long as eight to 12 hours until the intoxicant has worked its way through their system. In some circumstances, depending on the person’s criminal history, ties to the community, and whether anyone was injured or killed as a result of a DUI accident, the accused could be held without bail pending trial.

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