Jefferson County jail inmate search

Both county jails are covered by the online Inmate Search, which the Corrections Division of the Sheriff's Office operates. This tool works without a person's full name.

These details let you narrow the custody list:

• The booking number, which serves as the intake ID assigned when someone is arrested
• The start and end dates of booking
• Either Birmingham or Bessemer as the housing facility

Custody status, housing location, subject number, photo, the person's name, and scheduled release date all appear on every matching record. Height, weight, race, date of birth, and gender are listed too.

About 43,000 people come into jail and leave it each year through Corrections Division staff. After an arrest, officers record fingerprints, photos, and charges during the intake step known as booking. For new arrivals, Birmingham or Bessemer is the destination.

Someone who was just brought in may not show up online immediately. If a recent arrest hasn't been added to the roster, phone the switchboard and ask whether intake is still in progress.

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Corrections page lists separate phone lines for each facility. Pick the number that fits your situation and call:

• Birmingham Jail main switchboard: (205) 325-5670
• Birmingham Pre-Trial Release: (205) 325-5716
• Birmingham Jail Administrative Office: (205) 325-5772
• Bessemer Jail main switchboard: (205) 481-4160
• Bessemer Pre-Trial Release: (205) 481-8529

For custody checks, dial the main switchboard; for bond questions, call the Pre-Trial Release line.

On the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Contact page, the county lists its 2 jail locations. So you don't end up at the wrong jail, confirm which building holds the person.

• Birmingham County Jail: 809 Richard Arrington Jr., Blvd. N, Birmingham, AL 35203, the facility in downtown Birmingham
• The Bessemer County Jail: 1822 2nd Avenue North, the facility in Bessemer

Every profile on the online roster includes the person's current housing facility.

Both the Birmingham and Bessemer jails are run by the Corrections Division of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. Since the sheriff oversees county custody, the online lookup portal is also maintained by the sheriff's office.

Use the County Jail page or the sheriff's website to open the search tool and check both buildings there.

Scheduling a visit isn't something you can do on your own. The Corrections Division page says the person in custody must set a 45-minute slot 1 day beforehand.

Use these rules as you plan your visit:

• A person in custody may have no more than 2 visits weekly
• Visits don't happen on Monday or Friday, and schedules can shift
• Bring a valid ID, and you must be 17 or older

The commissary is the jail store that lets people in custody get snacks and personal items. Check the online roster first: it shows if Birmingham or Bessemer holds the person before you send mail or funds.

Call the Birmingham Jail Administrative Office at (205) 325-5772 for questions at the downtown building. For the Bessemer facility, call the main switchboard at (205) 481-4160.

Before setting up phone service, look up the person's housing facility and subject number on the Jefferson County Inmate Search. For phone questions, call the Birmingham switchboard at (205) 325-5670 or the Bessemer switchboard at (205) 481-4160.

Names, mugshots, and arrest records aren't shown by County Jail Lookup. Open the county's Inmate Search itself to see what the sheriff publishes.

A county roster entry includes custody status, the person's name, subject number, and a booking photo. Also shown are height, weight, race, gender, date of birth, housing facility, and scheduled release date.

Bond means money or a promise allowing someone to get out of jail ahead of court. At both facilities, the Sheriff's Pre-Trial Release Office releases qualified people and helps families with bond posting.

Alabama allows release through an appearance bond or on personal recognizance, a written promise to appear in court. If a secured bond is required, you can use cash, property, or a professional bail company to post it.

Call Birmingham Pre-Trial Release at (205) 325-5716 or Bessemer Pre-Trial Release at (205) 481-8529 for bond help.

You'll see a scheduled release date on the online Inmate Search profile once one is set. For questions about a release in Birmingham, call Pre-Trial Release at (205) 325-5716 or the main switchboard at (205) 325-5670. For a release in Bessemer, call Pre-Trial Release at (205) 481-8529 or the main switchboard at (205) 481-4160.