Is your loved one in a county jail?

Jail vs. prison: the difference

• Jail: run by the county or city, usually the sheriff's office. It holds people waiting for trial or sentencing, and people serving short sentences.
• Prison: run by the state (the Department of Corrections) or the federal government. It holds people serving longer sentences.
• Every jail sets its own rules for visits, calls, money and mail. What applies in a state prison doesn't always apply in jail.

How to find someone in jail

• Go to the official website of the sheriff's office in the county where they were arrested. Most have an "inmate search" or "jail roster." If you don't know the county's site, USAGov: Local governments (opens in new tab) helps you find the official one.
• Use only official sites (.gov or the sheriff's site). Private "inmate search" sites can be out of date or charge fees.
• If they don't show up, call the jail. Have their full name and date of birth ready.
• If federal or immigration agents made the arrest, see find someone or the ICE detention guide.

States where the state runs the jails

In these states the state Department of Corrections also holds people awaiting trial, so the official statewide search works:

• Alaska: Alaska DOC VINELink offender search (opens in new tab)
• Connecticut: CT DOC Inmate Information Search (opens in new tab)
• Delaware: Delaware VINELink offender search (opens in new tab)
• Hawaii: Hawaii VINELink offender search (opens in new tab)
• Vermont: Vermont VINELink offender search (opens in new tab)

Get notified with VINELink

VINELink (opens in new tab) is the notification service many jails and states use for victims and families. You can search for a person and sign up for an alert when their custody status changes, for example a release or transfer. Not every county takes part; if yours isn't listed, ask the jail.

Bail and bond, in plain words

• Bail is money or a promise that lets someone leave jail while the case goes on, on the condition that they come to every court date.
• A judge sets it, often at the first hearing. Some people are released without paying ("on their own recognizance"); some are denied bail.
• If cash bail is paid and the person keeps every court date, the money is usually returned at the end of the case, sometimes minus fees. Ask the court or the jail.
• A bail bond agent charges a fee that you don't get back. Read the contract before you sign.
• The public defender or lawyer can ask the judge to lower bail. Rules differ by state; the county court is the official source.

Good time in jail

Good-conduct credit in a jail varies by state and county. It's set by state law or the sheriff's policy, and it isn't always the same as in state prison. We don't give numbers for jails: ask the jail for its written policy or look up the state statute. Our sentence credit pages by state cover the rules for state prisons.

Calls, money and visits

• Each jail picks its own phone, money and video-visit services. Use only the ones listed on the jail's or sheriff's official page. We don't recommend any company.
• Before you visit, check the schedule, the ID you need, the dress code and whether you have to register.
• Calls may be recorded. Don't talk about the case on the phone or during visits; talk to the lawyer.
• Ask the jail how to send mail and what's allowed (many accept only postcards or plain paper).

When they move to state prison

After sentencing, someone with a longer sentence usually moves from the jail to a state prison. The transfer can take days or weeks. Then use the state's search: find someone in prison and our state pages.