Search Arrest, Mugshot & Inmate Records by Name
Search by name and state for arrest, booking, mugshot, inmate, jail roster, prison, criminal and court-record search categories.
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Durham County, North Carolina · Information reviewed October 18, 2026
Find a Durham County Inmate and Check Current Jail Records
If you are trying to find someone arrested in Durham, start with the Durham County Sheriff’s Office Inmate Population Search. It is the county-maintained jail roster for the Durham County Detention Facility and is the most direct way to check current custody, recent confinement, charges, bond information and the related court docket.
You do not need to start with a commercial people-search site. The county roster itself displays the information most families, friends, attorneys and victims need before taking the next step.
Open Official Durham Inmate Search Detention Services
Durham, NC 27701
For inmate-search page questions, the Sheriff’s Office also lists (919) 560-0897.
How to Search the Durham County Jail Roster
The Durham system works more like a live population list than a traditional search form with several blank fields. The official page shows a current inmate list, a record count and a selector for narrowing or locating records.
- Open the official Inmate Population Search. Check the “Last Updated” time shown near the top. Jail status can change during the day.
- Choose the view that fits your search. Available roster views include current/inmate records, recent records such as the last 24 hours or last 30 days, incarcerated records and broader record views.
- Locate the inmate’s legal name. Names normally appear surname first. Check middle names or initials carefully when several people have similar names.
- Read every charge row. One inmate may have several charges, and each charge can have its own docket, bond information and confinement details.
- Write down the court docket number. It is the best bridge between the jail record and the related North Carolina court case.
- Use the inmate-name link for custody notifications. The Sheriff’s roster directs inmate-name links to VINE, where available custody-status notifications can be registered.
What Information Does the Durham Inmate Search Show?
The public roster is unusually useful because it connects custody information with individual charge records. The official listing currently exposes the following fields.
| Roster field | What it tells you | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Inmate name | Name associated with the detention record. | Match the full name carefully before using the rest of the record. |
| Date Confined | Date the person entered the listed period of confinement. | Useful for confirming a recent arrest or booking. |
| Date Charged | Date associated with a listed criminal charge. | Compare it with the arrest and court-case timeline. |
| Date Released | May show a release date or indicate that the person remains incarcerated. | Use it to separate a past booking from current custody. |
| Statute Description | Description of the listed charge. | Do not interpret it as a conviction; verify the case in court records. |
| Bond Type | May show secured, unsecured, no bond or another status. | Read this together with the amount and current court information. |
| Bond Amount | Amount displayed for that charge at the time of the roster entry. | Confirm before paying or arranging release because bond can change. |
| Court Docket | Case or docket reference tied to the charge. | Use it in the North Carolina Judicial Branch system. |
| Days in Jail/Charge | Length of confinement shown for that charge record. | Helpful for distinguishing recent and older entries. |
The public roster reviewed for this guide did not display a mugshot field in the main listing. Do not assume a third-party mugshot page has newer or more accurate custody information than the Sheriff’s roster.
What to Do if the Inmate Does Not Appear
A missing name is not enough to conclude that the person was never arrested or is no longer in custody. Work through the possibilities in order.
| Possible reason | Best next step |
|---|---|
| Booking is still being processed | Check the official roster again after intake information has been entered. |
| Name is spelled differently | Try the legal surname, middle name, hyphenated name, suffix or alternate spelling. |
| The person was released | Check recent-record views and the related court case. |
| The person was transferred | Check another county, NC Department of Adult Correction or federal custody as appropriate. |
| The record is older than the easy-access roster period | Use the court system or request the relevant Sheriff’s Office record. |
| Juvenile or otherwise protected information | Public online access may be restricted by law or policy. |
If the Person Was Sent to North Carolina State Prison
Durham’s jail roster is a county detention search. A person who has entered North Carolina state-prison custody should be searched through the NC Department of Adult Correction Offender Public Information Search. The state system also covers probation and parole information and is separate from Durham County’s jail roster.
If the Person Was Arrested by Durham Police
Do not assume the Durham Police Department keeps the person in a separate long-term city jail. For local county detention, check the Durham County Sheriff’s roster first. Our City Jail Inmate Search guide explains why an arrest by a city police agency may still lead to a county-jail booking.
Charges, Bond and Durham County Court Records
The jail roster is ideal for answering “Is this person in jail?” but it is not the final source for what happened in court.
- Find the inmate in the Durham County roster.
- Note the exact legal name, charge description and court docket number.
- Open the North Carolina Judicial Branch Durham County page.
- Use the court-date or eCourts services to look for the defendant or case.
- Compare the docket information with the jail entry before assuming records belong to the same person.
- If you need an official copy of a court document rather than online docket information, contact the Clerk of Superior Court.
North Carolina’s eCourts system is used statewide. The public Portal can provide case and hearing information, but the Judicial Branch explains that Portal itself is not a criminal background-check service and online docket information should not be confused with a certified court record.
Open NC eCourts information and online services
Durham County Detention Facility Information
| Facility | Durham County Detention Facility |
|---|---|
| Address | 219 South Mangum Street, Durham, NC 27701 |
| Detention Services | (919) 560-0912 |
| Sheriff general information | (919) 560-0897 |
| Operator | Durham County Sheriff’s Office |
| Operations | 24 hours a day, 7 days a week |
| Published capacity | 736 after additional bunk capacity was added |
The Sheriff’s Office says the detention facility opened in 1996 and uses a direct-supervision design. Intake/release, criminal magistrates, medical services, administration, programs and inmate housing are integrated into the facility. The Sheriff’s published detention information also lists educational, treatment, religious, work and reentry-related programs.
Review official Durham detention information
How to Visit a Durham County Inmate
Durham publishes separate procedures for virtual/local video visits and in-person visitation. Because schedules can change for holidays, security or housing needs, check the official page before traveling.
SmartInmate Video Visits
The Sheriff’s current virtual visitation schedule lists Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. and 4 p.m.–9 p.m.
- Create a SmartInmate account and verify it by email or text.
- Find the incarcerated person and send a connection request.
- Wait for the connection to be approved.
- Choose Visitation and schedule the available visit type.
- For a local/on-site video visit, select the Local Visit option; the Sheriff states local visits are provided without charge.
In-Person Visit Rules
- Visits must be scheduled at least 2 days and no more than 7 days in advance.
- Visitors should arrive at least 30 minutes before the scheduled visit.
- Visitors age 18 or older must bring valid identification.
- A visitor under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian age 18 or older.
- An inmate may receive up to two in-person visits per month under the published rules.
- Up to three visitors may attend a visitation period.
- A cancellation should be made at least one day ahead or it may count against the allowed visits.
| Published in-person day | Time | Housing pods |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | 4:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m. | A & B |
| Thursday | 4:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m. | C & D, with the Sheriff’s listed exception for 3C North & South |
The Sheriff notes that in-person visitation is not available on Durham County holidays.
Check the current Durham inmate visitation rules
Send Money, Receive Calls and Mail an Inmate
Adding Money to an Inmate Account
Durham currently uses TouchPay for inmate-account deposits. For online or telephone deposits, have the inmate’s ID/JCA number ready. The Sheriff’s published facility number is 227701.
- Online: TouchPay; service fees apply.
- Lobby kiosk: located at the detention center and listed as available 24/7. The Sheriff says cash deposits through the lobby kiosk are available without a charge.
- Phone: TouchPay at 1-866-232-1899; service fees apply.
- Mail deposit: cashier’s checks or money orders may be sent to DCSO Money Intake, P.O. Box 544, Durham, NC 27702 under the Sheriff’s current rules.
Do not send ordinary personal correspondence to the money-intake address.
Check current inmate-fund instructions
Inmate Phone Calls
The detention facility’s published phone-service information identifies Smart Communications as the provider. Incarcerated people place outgoing calls from the facility. The Sheriff describes two common account types:
- PrePaid Account: funds are connected to a specific outside phone number so incarcerated individuals can call that number.
- PIN Account: funds are connected to a specific incarcerated person’s calling account so that person can call approved numbers.
Review official inmate phone-service instructions
Important 2026 Change to Personal Mail
Durham changed its personal inmate-mail procedure effective June 9, 2026. Personal letters, cards, pictures and drawings are processed offsite through Smart Communications’ mail-scanning system and delivered digitally.
Personal correspondence:
Recipient Name and Recipient ID NumberC/O Mail Processing Center
P.O. Box 9173
Seminole, FL 33775-9173
The Sheriff specifically says not to send cash, checks or money orders with personal correspondence.
Legal mail, books and packages follow a different process. The published legal-mail address remains:
P.O. Box 771
Durham, NC 27702
Verify current inmate-mail requirements
Older Jail Records and Public-Records Requests
If the online roster does not provide the historical information you need, separate the request into the correct record type.
| You need | Use |
|---|---|
| Current custody or recent detention information | Durham County Sheriff’s Inmate Population Search |
| Criminal case, hearing or disposition | NC Judicial Branch / Durham County Clerk of Superior Court |
| North Carolina state-prison custody | NC Department of Adult Correction Offender Search |
| Older Sheriff’s Office record or record not posted online | Durham County Sheriff’s Public Information Office |
| Custody-status notifications | Follow the VINE link provided from the inmate’s name on the official roster |
Durham County directs Sheriff’s Office public-record requests to the Sheriff’s Public Information Office at PIO@DurhamSheriff.org. When requesting an older record, provide enough information to identify it: the person’s legal name, approximate arrest or booking date, case or docket number if known, and a clear description of the record requested. Avoid including unnecessary sensitive personal information.
Read Durham County’s official public-record request guidance
Which Search Should You Use?
| Your question | Best source |
|---|---|
| Is someone in Durham County Jail now? | Durham County Inmate Population Search |
| What charges and bond are listed? | Current Durham jail record |
| When is the next court date? | North Carolina Judicial Branch / eCourts |
| What was the final court outcome? | North Carolina court record or Clerk of Superior Court |
| Was the person sent to NC state prison? | NC Department of Adult Correction offender locator |
| How do I receive release/status alerts? | VINE link from the Durham jail roster |
| How do I visit, call, send funds or mail? | Durham County Sheriff’s Detention Services pages |
Durham County Jail Inmate Search FAQs
1. How do I search for an inmate in Durham County Jail?
Open the Durham County Sheriff’s official Inmate Population Search, review the current or recent inmate list, locate the person’s legal name and compare the confinement date, charges, bond information and court docket before relying on the match.
2. Is the Durham County jail roster free to use?
Yes. The public Inmate Population Search maintained for the Durham County Sheriff’s Office can be viewed without paying for a commercial inmate-search subscription.
3. What information is shown in a Durham County inmate record?
The public roster can show the inmate’s name, date confined, date charged, release date or incarcerated status, statute description, bond type, bond amount, court docket and days in jail for the listed charge.
4. Why can I not find someone who was recently arrested in Durham?
The booking may still be processing, the name may be entered differently, the person may already have been released or transferred, or the person may be held by another jurisdiction. Check the roster again and call the Sheriff’s Office if current custody remains unclear.
5. What is the Durham County Detention Facility address and phone number?
The Durham County Detention Facility is at 219 South Mangum Street, Durham, NC 27701. The Sheriff’s published Detention Services number is (919) 560-0912.
6. How do I check a Durham inmate’s bond and court case?
Start with the jail roster for the current bond type, amount and court docket. Then use the North Carolina Judicial Branch Durham County or eCourts services to check the related criminal case and hearing information.
7. How do I visit someone in Durham County Jail?
Follow the Durham County Sheriff’s current visitation page. Visits require registration and scheduling, and in-person visits must generally be booked at least two days but no more than seven days ahead. Bring acceptable identification and verify the schedule before traveling.
8. How can I send money to a Durham County inmate?
Durham currently uses TouchPay for online, telephone and lobby-kiosk deposits. Online and phone transactions require the inmate ID/JCA number, and the Sheriff’s published facility number is 227701. Fees may apply depending on the deposit method.
9. What address should I use to mail a Durham County inmate?
Since June 9, 2026, personal correspondence is sent to the inmate’s name and recipient ID, C/O Mail Processing Center, P.O. Box 9173, Seminole, FL 33775-9173. Legal mail, books and packages follow separate rules and should be checked on the Sheriff’s inmate-mail page.
10. Where do I search if the inmate was transferred to a North Carolina state prison?
Use the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction Offender Public Information Search. Durham County’s jail roster covers county detention records and should not be used as a substitute for the state-prison locator.
Related Jail Lookup Guides
- Gaston County, NC Jail Inmate Search & Roster — another North Carolina county lookup with state-court and prison-search guidance.
- City Jail Inmate Search & Booking Lookup — useful when you know the arresting city but are unsure which detention system holds the person.
- Spartanburg County, SC Jail Inmate Search & Roster — useful for searches that extend into the Carolinas outside North Carolina.
Before You Rely on a Jail Record
Custody, bond, release status, visitation availability and vendor procedures can change quickly. Use this guide to understand the process and prepare the information you need, then use the official Durham County roster for the final live custody check. For criminal-case outcomes, use the court record rather than treating a jail booking as proof of guilt.