Dallas County Jail lock up search tools help people see the status of inmates held at the Lew Sterrett Justice Center. This system tracks people from the moment of arrest through their time in court. People use these records to see charges, bond prices, and where an inmate sleeps. The database updates often to show the most recent arrests in the local area. You can see names and booking dates by using the online portal. This helps families stay connected and helps lawyers track their cases. The system works for all towers in the jail complex. Each record shows the race, sex, and age of the person in custody. This keeps the public aware of who the police hold in the county facility.
Search Steps for Inmate Lookup
People need specific data to see an inmate record. First, type the last name of the person. Type the first name in the next box. You must pick the birth month from a list. The list has names from January to December. Next, type the day of birth. Use two numbers for the day, like 01 or 15. Then type the four numbers for the birth year. Pick the race code from the list. The codes are White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American. Press the button to see the results. The screen will show the booking date and the money needed for bail. It shows the housing unit too. This helps you know if the person is in the North Tower or West Tower. Correct names help the system show the right person fast.
Lew Sterrett Justice Center Lobby Rules
The Lew Sterrett Justice Center has a lobby for the public. This desk stays open from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. every day. It sits on the main floor near the metal detectors. You cannot pay with cash at the windows anymore. This change started in late 2009. If you want to put money on an account, use the bank kiosks. These kiosks sit on the second floor. They take debit cards and money orders. You can mail a check to the jail too. Put the inmate name and number on the check. This money pays for snacks and phone calls. The lobby staff helps people with general questions about the jail layout. They do not give legal advice.
Details on the North Tower Facility
The North Tower sits at 3292 County Road in Dallas. This part of the jail holds up to 1,530 men. It houses people with different risk levels. Some are low risk and some are high risk. People stay here for up to two years. The tower has a special area for mental health care. Doctors and nurses work there to help inmates. The building has many floors for housing. Guards watch the halls at all times. Inmates in this tower can go to school or learn a job. They have rooms for counseling and prayer. The North Tower uses strict rules to keep everyone safe. Families call (214) 653-2930 to ask about people in this building. Faxes go to (214) 653-2799 for legal papers.
The West Tower and Special Care
The West Tower sits at 111 West Commerce Street. It has 132 large cells and 25 small cells for single people. This tower can hold 1,530 men. Many people here need mental health help. The staff checks on them often. This tower also holds people with medium or high risk scores. The intake area is in this complex. This is where police bring people right after an arrest. They take fingerprints and photos here. They check for health problems too. The West Tower has strong locks and cameras everywhere. It is a key part of the justice center. Each cell gets checked for safety every day. The staff works hard to keep order in the units.
Money and Inmate Accounts
Inmates need money for many things inside. They use it to buy stamps, soap, and food from the store. This store is called the commissary. You can send money through the mail as a money order. Never send cash in an envelope. You can use the internet to send money too. Use the jail portal to pay with a card. The money shows up in the account in 24 hours. If an inmate has money, they can make phone calls. They buy phone cards for this. The jail takes a small fee for some health visits. This fee pays for medicine and lab tests. When an inmate leaves, they get the rest of their money back. Usually, they get a debit card with the balance on it.
Mail Rules and Property
You can write letters to people in the jail. Use a plain white envelope. Write the inmate name and their jacket number on the front. Do not put stickers or perfume on the paper. Do not send nude photos. The jail staff opens and looks at all mail. They do this to stop drugs or weapons from getting in. You can send books if they come from a store like Amazon. The books must have a soft cover. Hard covers are not allowed. If an inmate has keys or a phone when they arrive, the jail keeps them. This is called property. The jail stores these items in a safe room. The inmate gets them back when they go home. Sometimes a friend can pick up the property if the inmate signs a paper.
Real-Time Arrest Logs and Charge Codes
The arrest log shows who the police caught recently. It shows the names in a long list. The newest arrests are at the top. You can see the time of the booking. You can see what the person did wrong. The list uses codes for the crimes. For example, a code might stand for theft or assault. On a recent day, the log showed many people. One person had a charge for taking a car. Another person had a charge for drugs. The log shows if the person is still in jail or if they left. It shows the court date too. This log helps the public see what the police do every day. It is a good way to check on a friend if they do not come home.
Health Services and Fees
Every inmate gets a health check when they arrive. The jail has a clinic with nurses and doctors. If an inmate feels sick, they ask for a visit. The jail charges a small fee for this. This fee is for things like blood tests or pills. If an inmate has no money, they still get care. The jail does not turn away sick people. The clinic helps with tooth pain and eye problems too. They have a special wing for very sick people. Some inmates take medicine every day for their heart or mind. The staff makes sure they get their doses on time. This keeps the jail population healthy and stops the spread of germs.
Programs and Education
The jail offers classes for the people inside. They can study for a high school test. They can learn how to do a job, like cooking or fixing things. These classes help people get jobs when they leave jail. There are also groups for drug and alcohol help. These groups talk about how to stay clean. Some inmates work in the jail kitchen or laundry room. This gives them something to do and helps the jail run well. There are also religious services for many faiths. Chaplains come to talk and pray with the inmates. These programs aim to help people change their lives for the better.
Dallas County Population and Records
Dallas County is a very big place in Texas. More than 2.6 million people live here now. This makes it the second biggest county in the state. The city of Dallas is the center of the county. Because so many people live here, the jail is often busy. The records office keeps track of more than just jail data. They have papers for houses, births, and marriages. You can look at these records online. This helps people find old family facts or check on property. The jail works with the court to keep all these records right. If a record is wrong, the staff works to fix it. This keeps the legal system fair for everyone.
Mugshots and JailBase Filters
Some websites show photos of people in jail. These are called mugshots. A site called JailBase lets you filter these photos. You can look for only men or only women. You can pick a race like White or Black. You can even pick the type of crime. You can see only people caught for driving drunk or only people caught for theft. The site shows the age and the date of the arrest. This helps you find a specific person in a large group. Many people use these sites to stay safe in their neighborhoods. It is a fast way to see who the police arrested in the last few days.
Visiting an Inmate
You can visit people in the jail using video. This is like a video call on a computer. You do not have to be at the jail to do this. You can do it from home. You must set up a time first. The jail has rules for how you dress and what you say during the call. If you go to the jail to visit, you must bring an ID card. You cannot bring bags or phones into the visit room. Each inmate has a schedule for visits. This depends on which tower they live in. Visits help inmates feel better and stay in touch with their kids and parents. It is a good way to support someone during a hard time.
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Facility Contact Details
Address: 111 West Commerce Street, Dallas, Texas 75202
Phone: (214) 653-2930
Lobby Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Daily
Official Website: www.dallascounty.org
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I use the Dallas County jail lock up search?
To use the search, go to the official county website and pick the inmate lookup page. You will see boxes for the name and birth date. Type the last name first. Then type the first name. You must pick the month of birth from the list. Type the day and the year in the next boxes. You also have to pick the race code. This is very important. If you leave a box empty, the search might not work. Once you click the search button, the system looks through all the towers. It will show a list of people who match the name. Click on the name to see the full record. The record tells you the jail number and the charges. It also shows the bail money needed. If the person is not there, the screen will stay blank or say no results found. Double check the spelling of the name if you do not see the person. Sometimes people use a middle name or a nickname that is not on the legal papers. Use the exact name on their ID card for the best results.
Can I pay bail with cash at the Lew Sterrett Justice Center?
No, you cannot use cash at the windows in the justice center lobby. This rule has been in place for many years. The jail wants to keep money safe and track it better. If you have cash, you must use it to buy a money order or put it in a kiosk. The kiosks are on the second floor of the building. They look like ATM machines. You can put cash into the machine, and it goes onto the inmate account. You can also use a debit card or a credit card at these machines. If you are paying bail to get someone out of jail, you might need to go to a bond office. Bond offices are near the jail and stay open all night. They take cash and then pay the jail for you. This is a common way to get people home fast. Always get a receipt for the money you pay. The receipt shows how much you paid and who it was for. This is proof of your payment if there is a problem later.
What are the different towers in the Dallas County Jail?
The Dallas County Jail has three main towers. These are the North Tower, the West Tower, and the South Tower. The North Tower is for men who might stay for a long time. It can hold over 1,500 people. It has units for many security levels. The West Tower is also for men but it has a special focus on mental health. It has many cells for people who need extra care from doctors. The West Tower is where the intake happens. New inmates go there first to get their photos and fingerprints taken. The South Tower is another part of the jail for more inmates. There is also a place called the Suzanne Kays Detention Center. This is often called the Tower 3 or the Decker unit. It holds both men and women in different sections. Each tower has its own guards and its own rules for when inmates can eat or shower. When you search for an inmate, the record will tell you which tower they are in. This helps you know where to go for a visit or where to send mail.
How does the inmate telephone system work?
Inmates cannot take incoming calls from the outside. If you want to talk to them, they must call you. They use the jail phones in their housing units. These phones are not free. The inmate must have money in their phone account to make a call. You can put money on this account online or at the jail kiosks. The phone system uses a company that charges by the minute. Sometimes you can set up a collect call. This means the charge shows up on your home phone bill. Most people prefer to use a prepaid account because it is cheaper. Each call has a time limit, like 15 minutes. When the time is up, the phone cuts off automatically. The jail records all calls to keep the facility safe. Do not talk about illegal things on the phone. The guards listen to the tapes if they think there is a problem. Inmates can only use the phones during certain hours. They cannot use them during sleep time or when the jail is on lockdown.
What can I send to an inmate in the mail?
You can send letters and photos through the mail. All mail must go through the jail post office. Use a white envelope with no decorations. Write your return address clearly in the corner. You can send up to three photos in one letter. The photos cannot be larger than four by six inches. Do not send photos that show drugs, guns, or gang signs. You can also send books and magazines. These must come directly from a store or a publisher. Do not send them from your house. The books must be paperback. The jail does not allow hardback books because they can be used as weapons. You cannot send food, clothes, or jewelry in the mail. If you send these things, the jail will throw them away or send them back. If you want the inmate to have a special item, they usually have to buy it from the jail store. This keeps the jail clean and stops people from sneaking things in. Always check the latest rules before you mail a package to be sure it gets to the inmate.
How do the health service fees work for inmates?
The jail has a system to pay for medical care. When an inmate asks to see a doctor, the jail charges a small fee from their account. This is like a co-pay at a regular doctor office. This fee covers the visit and any basic tests the doctor runs. If the inmate needs medicine, there might be a fee for that too. The jail does this to help pay for the cost of the clinic. However, the jail will never deny care to someone who has no money. If the account balance is zero, the inmate still sees the nurse or doctor. The jail keeps track of the debt and might take the money later if someone puts funds in the account. Emergency care is always free and happens right away. If an inmate gets hurt or has a heart problem, they go to the hospital. The health staff works 24 hours a day to make sure everyone is safe. They also help with mental health and give out daily pills for things like high blood pressure.
What programs are available for inmates to help them stay out of jail?
Dallas County wants to help people so they do not come back to jail. They have many programs for this. One big program is for education. Inmates can take classes to get a GED. This is a high school diploma. They also have job training. They teach skills like working in a kitchen or doing laundry. These programs give inmates something to do and teach them how to work hard. There are also groups for substance abuse. These groups help people who have problems with drugs or alcohol. They talk about why they use drugs and how to stop. Another program is for mental health. Many people in jail struggle with their minds. The jail has therapists who talk to them and give them tools to feel better. There are also religious groups that visit the jail. They provide support and a sense of community. When an inmate participates in these programs, it can sometimes help them in court. It shows the judge that they are trying to change their life for the better.