Harris County Inmate Search
Residents of Harris County, Texas face incarceration as one of the possible legal penalties when cited or arrested for violating a Texas statute or local ordinance. A Harris County inmate search can provide inquirers with information regarding the location, offense and penalty of the arrestee. Along with other Harris County, Texas Public Records, inmate information is held and disseminated by record custodians within the county’s jurisdication.
Arrests in Harris County are distinguishable from citations in that they involve the bodily restraint of a person who commits a violent offense, has a warrant out for their arrest, or has a record of criminality. Citations, on the other hand, are typically issued by the local law enforcement agencies for select Class A and B misdemeanors, where the offender would be released on bail within 24 or 48 hours. (Harris County law enforcement reportedly issued 272 citations in 2020, the goal being to eliminate short-term incarceration costs associated with confining certain alleged offenders.)
When an offense’s severity prompts a Harris County court to impose imprisonment as adequate punishment, the defendant is sent to a county jail, state jail, or prison facility. Generally, defendants convicted of jailable misdemeanors are booked in one of the four county jails run by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO). Individuals convicted of state jail felonies are sent to state jail, and those with third-degree or higher felony convictions end up in prison. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) oversees the state jails, state prisons, and private correctional institutions (prisons operated by private enterprises under Senate Bill 251).
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.
Harris County Crime and Incarceration Statistics
Per the incarceration statistics provided by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, the top offenses that lead to imprisonment within the county’s correctional system include:
- Aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon
- Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon
- Aggravated assault-family member
- Assault family/household member with previous conviction
- Murder
- Burglary of habitation
- Capital murder
- Motion to revoke parole
- POSS CS PG1<1G (Possession of a controlled substance in penalty group 1 in an amount less than 1 gram)
- POSS W/INT DEL CS PG1>=4<200 (Possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in penalty group 1 in an amount more than 4 grams but less than 200 grams)
The HCSO only publishes daily incarceration statistics, not yearly compilations, as seen in some other counties or jurisdictions. Hence, one should review the sheriff’s daily incarceration statistics or jail population history for up-to-date inmate statistics.
However, on any good day, the total inmate population in the Harris County correctional system ranges from roughly 8,000 to 10,000 inmates, with male inmates typically having a higher population than female inmates.
For example, on August 28, 2022, the total jail population in the county was 9,991 inmates, of which 89% were males, and 11% were females. The age group having the greatest inmate population was 26-35 (3,409 inmates), followed by 36-45 (2,506 inmates) and 19-25 (2,084). Further, the race/ethnicity with the highest inmate percentage was blacks, non-Hispanic (51% of the total jail population), followed by whites, non-Hispanic (31%).
Harris County Prison System
The Harris County jail system consists of four correctional facilities constructed to hold the county’s imprisoned population: the 700, 701 or 711, 1200, and 1307 jails. These facilities house persons sentenced to a period of confinement in county jail and those awaiting arraignment/trial or unable to post bail. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office manages the county correctional facilities.
How to Find an Inmate in Harris County
Friends, family, and other keen members of the public can locate an inmate in a Harris County jail using the online inmate search tool provided by the county sheriff’s office. Alternatively, the inquirer can call the sheriff’s office at (713) 755-5300 for inmate information.
How Does a Harris County Inmate Search Work?
Information about Harris County inmates or inmates in Texas generally is releasable to the public under the Texas Public Information Act. As a result, citizens can request inmate information from their local and state correctional agencies. The following information can be retrieved upon a Harris County inmate search:
- An inmate’s first and last name
- SPN (System Person Number)
- Date of birth
- Booking date
- Jail facility location and map
- Case number
- Charge
- Presiding court
- Court date
- Fine balance due
- Bond information
Where to Find a Harris County Inmate Locator
The Harris County Inmate Locator is a web-based search tool that the public can use to find a person incarcerated in county jail. This tool can be accessed from the county sheriff’s jail information page by clicking “Find Someone in Jail”.
As stated, the Harris County Inmate Locator can only bring up data on inmates serving time in a county correctional facility using a first name, last name, birth date, SPN, or social security number (SSN). Should an individual wish to locate someone locked up in a state jail, state prison, private prison, or federal prison in Harris County, they must use an inmate locator provided by the state or federal agency with custody. For example, searches for inmates in state-run or privately run correctional facilities should be conducted with the Texas Inmate Search tool. Meanwhile, inmates in federal prisons can be located using the Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Search.
Additionally, several third-party websites offer inmate search engines that interested persons can use to obtain public records on inmates. Usually, the inquirer only needs an incarcerated person’s first name, last name, and state to bring up search results. While basic personal information about an inmate may be available from such sites, the inquirer may have to pay a nominal sum, which differs by site, to acquire the complete record.
How to Send Money to a Harris County Inmate
Members of the public have various means to send money to an inmate in a Harris County jail. These methods include:
- Online
- Using a free mobile app
- Via kiosk in the lobby of correctional facilities
- By phone
- Walk-in retailer
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office provides the above services through third parties. The links to the online portal and mobile application, as well as instructions and relevant phone numbers for depositing money into an inmate’s bank, can be obtained from the sheriff’s website. Information for sending money to an inmate held in the LaSalle Correctional Center can also be gleaned from the site.
How to Visit a Harris County Inmate
Loved ones can visit Harris County inmates on-site or remotely via video. Intending on-site visitors to the Harris County jail facilities must meet certain conditions before being allowed to visit inmates. First, visitors must register or log into the scheduling platform the county sheriff’s office provides to book their visit up to seven days in advance. On-site registration is still possible for persons who go to a county jail facility without an appointment, but there is no guarantee of same-day visitation.
Other rules that on-site visitors must abide by include:
- Visitors should arrive 30 minutes before their visitation time.
- Visitors must have the printed confirmation sent to their email.
- Visitors must be 17 years or older and possess an acceptable ID. For example, a valid driver’s license, U.S. passport, resident alien card, or foreign passport with a valid entry visa.
- Only one visitor can see an inmate, and children are not permitted.
- No audio or video recordings are allowed.
- Visitors cannot carry any item into the jail facility except for the key to a storage locker that temporarily holds their belongings.
- Visitors must dress appropriately according to the dress code, or visitation will be terminated.
- Visits to the Harris County jail are only 20 minutes long.
Other visitation policies are available on the county sheriff’s inmate visitation page. One can also find the on-site visitation times and days for the Harris County and LaSalle Correctional Facilities, plus attorney visitation resources.
On the other hand, individuals who prefer not to go to the county jail can schedule remote video visitations from their webcam-enabled personal computers. Like on-site visitation, remote visits to the Harris County jails are only 20 minutes long, but a $5.99 charge applies for each visit.
Notably, if an inmate is being held at the Lasalle Correctional Center, there is no charge assessed to schedule a remote visit with the inmate. Instead, one must call (318) 495-6209 on weekdays to talk to the visitation supervisor. Remote visits are also 20 minutes in duration in the LaSalle Correctional Center, but visits cannot be scheduled on the same day that a person wishes to visit. Visits must be scheduled one to seven days prior.
How to Send Jail Mail in Harris County
Any mail to be sent to a Harris County inmate must carry the information listed below, or else the county sheriff’s office will return it to the sender:
- The sender’s full name and return address
- The inmate’s complete booking name
- The inmate’s SPN
- The inmate’s housing facility and cell location
Furthermore, the following items cannot be sent to inmates:
- Contraband
- Pencils
- Food
- Cash or money orders
- Stamps
- Envelopes
- Greeting cards
- Medicine
- Obscene pictures
- Photographs larger than 5” x 7”
- Photographs depicting sexually explicit or gang-related contents
- Mail containing perfume, cosmetics, body fluids, and other substances
A complete list of prohibited mail items can be viewed on the county sheriff’s website.
Individuals who satisfy the above requirements can send packages to the following mailing addresses based on where the inmate is housed:
701 or 711 N. San Jacinto
Harris County Sheriff’s Office
701 N. San Jacinto
Houston, TX 77002
1307 Baker Street
Harris County Sheriff’s Office
1307 Baker Street
Houston, TX 77002
1200 Baker Street
Harris County Sheriff’s Office
1200 Baker Street
Houston, TX 77002
However, the mailing address differs for publications (e.g., paperbacks, magazines) sent by publishers. According to the sheriff, Harris County inmates can only receive up to two paperbacks and four magazines or other publications that they purchased. Furthermore, all publications must be new and must not have hardbound covers. Publications can be delivered by the United States Postal Service (USPS), Federal Express (Fed-Ex), United Parcel Service (UPS), or Amazon driver to the following address:
Inmate Full Name, Full SPN
701 North San Jacinto, Visitor Control Center
Attn: Books-Mail Room
Houston, TX 77002
Harris County Jails and Prisons
Below are the jail and prison facilities in Harris County, Texas:
Harris County Jail Facilities
700 North San Jacinto - Joint Processing Center (JPC)
700 North San Jacinto
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: (713) 755-5300
701 or 711 North San Jacinto
701 North San Jacinto Street
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: (346) 286-2840 (701 jail)
Phone: (346) 286-2998 (711 jail)
1200 Baker Street
1200 Baker Street
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: (346) 286-2211
1307 Baker Street
1307 Baker Street
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: (346) 286-2600
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office also utilizes some out-of-county facilities to house inmates, including:
Newton County Correctional Facility
2402 East Court Street
Newton, TX 75966
Phone: (409) 379-3000
LaSalle Correctional Center
15976 Highway 165
Olla, LA 71465
Phone: (318) 495-6200
West Carroll Detention Center
180 Capital Bank Drive
Epps, LA 71237
Phone: (318) 926-4626
State Correctional Facilities in Harris County
Joe Kegans Intermediate Sanction Facility
707 Top Street
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: (713) 224-6584
Pam Lychner State Jail
2350 Atascocita Road
Humble, TX 77396
Phone: (281) 454-5036
Federal Prisons in Harris County
Federal Detention Center (FDC) Houston
1200 Texas Avenue
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: (713) 221-5400
