How to Find Someone in Jefferson County Jail (Birmingham vs. Bessemer)

Jefferson County Corrections processes about 43,000 people each year. On any given day, roughly 1,000 inmates are spread across two facilities - one in downtown Birmingham, one in Bessemer. This split is why searches get confusing. Someone might be booked at one location but housed at the other, or you could just be looking at the wrong address entirely.

The Sheriff's Pre-Trial Release Office also plays a role in what shows up online. This office operates at both Birmingham and Bessemer, handling releases for qualified individuals and helping people post bond for those who don't qualify. Need to confirm release status or bond information? That's the office to contact at either location.

Open Inmate Inquiry Fields

• ✓ Name - enter the person’s name if that’s all you have.
• ✓ Subject Number - use this if you’ve been given a subject number; it can help narrow results.
• ✓ Booking Number - use this if you have the booking number tied to a specific booking event.
• ✓ In Custody - use this filter to focus on people who are currently held.
• ✓ Booking From Date - set a start date to narrow or broaden the time window.
• ✓ Booking To Date - set an end date to match the timeframe you’re searching.
• ✓ Housing Facility - use this to see (or filter by) which facility currently holds the person.

When you pull up a result in the county's inmate inquiry, look at the

• ✓ Birmingham (Sheriff’s listed headquarters address): 2200 Rev Abraham Woods, Jr., Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35203
• ✓ Bessemer (Sheriff’s listed address): 1822 2nd Avenue North, Bessemer, AL 35020

1. Double-check the name spelling - try a simpler version of the name if you’re not sure how it was entered.
2. Use a number if you have it - search by Subject Number or Booking Number to narrow things down fast.
3. Widen the booking date range - adjust Booking From Date and Booking To Date to cover a broader window.
4. Toggle the “In Custody” filter - if it’s set one way, switch it and run the search again.

Still no match? Don't guess - reach out directly. The Sheriff's Pre-Trial Release Office works out of both facilities and handles releases and bonds, making it a good starting point when timing might be the issue. Contact the location where you think the person is housed: 2200 Rev Abraham Woods, Jr., Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35203 for Birmingham, or 1822 2nd Avenue North, Bessemer, AL 35020 for Bessemer.

Quick Tips Verify

• ✓ If you have a Subject Number or Booking Number, use it - it’s usually faster than searching by name.
• ✓ Check the “Housing Facility” field each time you search, especially if you’re running multiple attempts.
• ✓ If you’re trying to confirm release or bond-related details, the Sheriff’s Pre-Trial Release Office (based out of both facilities) is part of that process.
• ✓ Before you travel or call around, match the housing location to the correct address: Birmingham (2200 Rev Abraham Woods, Jr., Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35203) vs. Bessemer (1822 2nd Avenue North, Bessemer, AL 35020).