Clicking on any of the states below will direct you to a list of all the City Jails, County Jails and Juvenile Detention Centers in that specific state.
If someone you love was just arrested, the first question is simple and frightening: where are they? Nearly every arrest in the United States leads to a local jail run by a county sheriff or a city police department, not a state prison. There are about 3,000 of these local jails across the country. Each one keeps its own inmate roster, its own visiting rules and its own way of accepting money and mail. This directory brings all of them together, state by state and county by county, so you can stop guessing and start finding answers.
Start with where the arrest happened. A person picked up by city police is usually booked into that city’s jail, then moved to the county jail if they aren’t released within a day or two. An arrest by a sheriff’s deputy or state trooper almost always goes straight to the county jail. Choose the state below, then the county where the arrest took place. Each jail page gives you the official inmate search link and the jail’s phone number. If you aren’t sure of the county, try the county where the person lives and the counties around it.
Don’t panic if the name doesn’t show up right away. Booking (fingerprints, photos, a medical check and a property inventory) can take several hours, and many online rosters update only a few times a day. Search again later, try a shorter version of the name, or call the jail directly. Staff can usually confirm whether someone is in custody, though they may not share details over the phone. If the person has already been sentenced to more than a year, they may have been moved to a state prison, which uses a separate state inmate locator. Federal cases are tracked by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Most people in a county jail have not been convicted of anything. They are waiting for a court date. In most states, a person must see a judge within 24 to 72 hours of arrest, and that first hearing is often where bail is set or the person is released on their own promise to return. Each jail page explains how bail works in that state, where you can pay it, and what to bring.
Every jail does things differently, and getting it wrong can cost you a visit or send your letter back. On each jail page you’ll find:
A short call or a letter in the first few days means more than most people realize. Being in jail is isolating, and hearing from family helps people get through court, keep their jobs and plan for release.
Click the search button below, choose the state, then select the county or city where you think your loved one is being held. You’ll find the inmate search, phone numbers and step-by-step instructions for that jail, all in one place.