Bexar County Inmate Search
When a Bexar County resident violates a federal, state, or county ordinance or law, the person risks being arrested, temporarily detained, arraigned, or imprisoned upon conviction by the court. This incarceration may be for a short time, a prolonged period, or the rest of an individual's life. Most times, running afoul of the law (committing a crime) has grave consequences for the offender. A Bexar county inmate search affords inquirers a means to access inmate information from custodian agencies in the county. This information is usually featured as part of Bexar County, Texas Public Records and are made available to the public pursuant to the Texas public information act.
Texas Criminal Law defines "crime" as illegal conduct, such as theft or murder, punishable by fines, imprisonment, or other sanctions. According to the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure § 14.01, an arrest can occur when an officer has a warrant from the court to bring in an individual for a crime.
An individual can also become subject to a warrantless arrest when a law enforcement officer strongly suspects a person has committed a crime. A peace officer or private person can arrest someone without a warrant, especially if the offender has committed a felony or any offense against the public peace. However, this offense must have happened in their presence or within their view.
Generally, individuals arrested in Bexar County are classified according to the type of crime they commit: misdemeanor or felony. Upon arrest, the alleged misdemeanor or felony offender may go through a booking process that creates an official arrest report. Then, they may be arraigned in court to answer for the offense. If convicted of a criminal offense in Bexar County, the individual may be imprisoned in the jail facility within the county. The county sheriff's office operates the Bexar County jail facility.
Inmate records are considered public in the United States and therefore are made available by both traditional governmental agencies as well as third-party websites and organizations. Third-party websites may offer an easier means to search, as these services do not face geographical limitations. However, because third-party sites are not government-sponsored, the information obtained through them may vary from official channels. To find inmate records using third-party aggregate sites, requesting parties must provide:
- The location of the sought-after record, including state, county, and city where the inmate resides.
- The name of the person listed in the record, unless it is a juvenile.
Bexar County Crime and Incarceration Statistics
The Bexar County Sheriff's Office publishes monthly incarceration statistics of the county's jail population on its website. According to the latest Jail Track Report released on August 9th, 2022, the county's custodial jail population was 4,745 inmates, compared to the same date in the previous year when the total jail population was 4,364 inmates. This data shows an 8.73% increase in the number of inmates in the county.
For further information on incarceration statistics in the Bexar County jail facility, individuals can contact the Bexar County Sheriff's Office, Central Filing, at (210) 335-2238 for misdemeanor reports and (210) 335-2591 for felony reports.
Bexar County Prison System
The county sheriff's office manages the Bexar County prison system, which consists of one jail: the Bexar County Adult Detention Center (BCADC). The jail is the 16th largest in the United States and has a capacity of 4,563 inmates.
How to Find an Inmate in Bexar County
To find an inmate in Bexar County, an individual may contact the county sheriff's department at (210) 335-2011. This line is always available.
Alternatively, one may access information about recently booked inmates through the Magistrate's Office Search Website. The public can use this inmate search tool to search for persons arrested and processed by the central magistrate's office within the last 24 hours. The search results display the offender's information and their crime.
How Does a Bexar County Inmate Search Work?
The Texas Public Information Act (PIA) provides public access to inmate records in Bexar County. Thus, anyone searching for inmate information in Bexar County can access a wealth of data and information. This information includes:
- Inmate full name (first, middle, and last names)
- Age
- Race
- Booking time, location, and number
- Date of birth
- Gender
- Arrest time, location, and arresting agency
- A physical description, such as eye color, hair color, height, and weight
- Magistrate's release date
- Disposition
- Offense description
- Offense type
- Bond amount
- Case number, court name, and address
Where to Find a Bexar County Inmate Locator
An inmate locator is a search tool that can retrieve information from a database of persons incarcerated in a specific jail facility. The Bexar County inmate locator can be found on the central magistrate's office website. Individuals can access this tool to find Bexar County inmate data.
How to Send Money to a Bexar County Inmate
Friends and family of Bexar County inmates can send or deposit money into their loved ones' accounts through a third-party site. This system permits individuals to send money to inmates online or through walk-in cash deposits through a network of partners.
Other convenient ways to quickly and easily deposit money into inmates' trust funds include:
- Calling the jail administration at (866) 345-1884 or walking into any of the participating retail locations provided by the jail authority. Individuals can call 844-340-CASH (2274) for more information about these locations.
Individuals can contact the Bexar County Sheriff's Office for information on sending funds to inmates.
How to Visit a Bexar County Inmate
The Bexar County Sheriff's Office allows friends and families to visit inmates through the Visitor Video Visitation System (VVVS). This system enables friends, family members, and professionals to schedule and conveniently conduct video visits. This video visitation method replaced the conventional face-to-face visits that were previously operational at the facility.
Video visitation is usually conducted without the inmate leaving the jail and housing unit. When using the visitation system, one can visit on-site at the TouDouze Video Visitation Center or remotely. Although, visitors must register (at no cost) to participate in a video visitation session with an inmate at the facility. The cost of remote video visitation ranges from $7 to $10 for 20 minutes.
Note that some regulations bind every visitation. For example, public visitations are not allowed when judges and attorneys (professionals) visit inmates. These professionals have 24 hours visiting access on a particular day. Therefore, anyone visiting an inmate must contact the facility administrators for information on days and times of visitation. It should be noted that one must schedule a visit at least 24 hours ahead.
Furthermore, visitors must comply with Bexar County sheriff's video visitation rules and regulations, which include:
- Disruptive inmates or visitors may have their visitation rights suspended or revoked.
- All visits are recorded and monitored.
- A visitor must check in 15 minutes before their scheduled visit.
- Valid photo ID (driver's license, state ID, military photo ID, etc.) is required for all visitors, except for children under 17 years of age.
- An authorized adult visitor must supervise visitors under the age of 17. Only two adults and one minor child or one adult and two minors are allowed per visit.
- Visitors who arrive after the arranged start time are not allowed to visit their loved ones.
- Fees are not refunded for internet connectivity issues during off-site visits.
- Visits last 20 minutes. Each session has a timer to show the caller how much time is left.
How to Send Jail Mail in Bexar County
Bexar County inmates can receive mail (letters) throughout the week (Monday through Friday). The mail can be collected and delivered through kiosks, except on federal holidays. Usually, all incoming mail is opened, checked, and scanned into kiosks for inmates to view within six months.
Mail sent to inmates at the Bexar County Adult Detention Center must include the inmate's name and SID number at the top left corner of the envelope or postcard. Failure to include this address may result in the mail not being delivered or destruction.
The public can address their jail mail as suggested below:
[Inmate's name and SID number]
[Unit location, if known]
Bexar County Adult Detention Center
200 North Comal Street
San Antonio, TX 78207
Bexar County has a list of prohibited items that cannot be mailed to inmates. These include:
- Contraband in letters (combs, jewelry, bookmarks, cigarettes, stickers, greeting cards with ribbon/glitter/string/beads, and other items deemed inappropriate). Illegal items are confiscated.
- Eyeglasses or contact lenses.
- Mails with more than six photos in an envelope and pictures larger than 5" x 7".
- Photos must not contain nudity (partially nude or sexually suggestive). Photos with hand gang signs or gestures, weapons, drugs, or drug paraphernalia.
- Art supplies, including writing instruments, watercolors, paint, and colored pencils.
Bexar County Jails and Prisons
Below is the name, contact information, and address of the Bexar County jail:
Bexar County Adult Detention Center
200 North Comal Street
San Antonio, TX 78207
Phone: (210) 335-6219
