Your Stay in Central Booking

While you are waiting, the paperwork required for your arraignment will be completed and assembled, and you case will be “docketed” for court.  You will probably be moved several times while you await arraignment, and can expect to spend 8 to 12 hours in the courthouse before you see your lawyer, and then the judge.  You will be offered food during this waiting period: cereal and milk for breakfast, and sandwiches and a fruit punch for lunch and dinner.  Sandwiches are made with cheese or processed halal lunch meat.  You have a right to request a cheese sandwich if you do not eat meat.  You also have a right to request drinking water, soap, toilet paper and sanitary pads if these items necessities are not provided.  Most cells have pay telephones. 
 
During the waiting period, you may also be interviewed by someone from the Criminal Justice Agency, an independent agency that evaluates arrested persons’ work histories and family and ties, in order to recommend to the court whether they can be trusted to return to court without bail, or whether bail should be set.  In order to improve your chances for release, you should give the interviewer your current work and residence information, and the name and telephone number of a person who can verify your information. 
 
People must be arraigned within 24 hours unless the police can provide a reasonable explanation for the delay.