Trying to Locate an Arrestee? - The Musical Chairs of Moving and Finding an Inmate

• In Texas all Inmates are theoretically supposed to be held at the County Jail (ie…Bexar County Jail, Dallas County Jail, etc.).

• The arresting agency (County Sheriff, Municipal Police, etc.) ultimately determine where the Inmate will initially be detained and processed (“booked”).

• An Inmate arrested by a Texas State Trooper or a County Sheriff are normally processed (“booked”) into the County Jail.

• An Inmate arrested by Municipal Police are either processed (“booked”) into the County Jail if that Municipality does NOT have its own jail OR are directly processed (“booked”) into that Municipality’s very own Jail (city jail) if they do in fact have one.

• Some small Municipalities group together and hire a Contracted Jail Facility where the Inmate will be processed (“booked”).

• Some Municipal Jails can hold Inmates for long term while they await normal Court proceedings while other Municipal Jails can only hold an Inmate for a few days while awaiting transfer to the County Jail.

• Likewise some Contracted Jail Facilities can hold Inmates for long term while they await normal Court while others Contracted Jail Facilities can only hold an Inmate for a few days while awaiting transfer to the County Jail.

• Theoretically, a reading of the Inmates legal rights and bond review is supposed to occur within the first 48 hours by a Judge at whatever facility they are located.

• Theoretically, an issued bond can be satisfied (“paid”) at the whatever facility is holding the Inmate.

• When attempting to locate your Relative be sure to have his or her full and correct name spelling including their date of birth.