First Step: The Arrest
People are arrested all of the time. Sometimes, the arrest happens right there on the spot after someone calls the police. Other times, someone reports a crime, and the police spend time researching and gathering evidence. Then, they appear before a judge to obtain an arrest warrant before locating the person they are going to arrest. In some cases, people aren’t arrested - they are issued a citation and told to turn themselves in to avoid being physically arrested.
Second Step: Booking
The booking process can be tedious. Some jails are quite efficient, but others seem to draw out the process. There are many things that take place during booking. They include but aren’t limited to the following:
- Fingerprinting
The arrested person’s fingerprints will be taken and added to the database.
- Mug Shot
A mug shot will be taken to document the arrested person’s physical condition at the time of the arrest.
- Body Search
A full search of the arrested person will take place. This is to make sure that they are not smuggling in contraband such as a weapon or drugs.
- Questioning & Examination
The arrested person will be questioned. This is to make sure there are no gang ties or any other information that could lead to it being dangerous for them to be in a certain part of the jail. Additionally, they are examined to make sure they aren’t sick with something that could infect the whole jail.
