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

Jefferson County's jail system stays busy, housing around 1,000 inmates across two facilities at any given time. With that volume, having a reliable way to look someone up and confirm their location makes a real difference.

Here's why searches can feel confusing: Jefferson County runs two separate jail locations - one in downtown Birmingham, the other in Bessemer. Whether you're planning a visit, dropping off property, or just confirming custody, knowing which facility matters just as much as knowing whether they're in jail at all.

Online Inquiry Fields

• ✓ Name - Use this if you don’t have a booking number; try different spellings if you’re not sure.
• ✓ Booking Number - The fastest, most precise way to pull up the right person if you have it.
• ✓ In Custody - Shows whether the person is currently held.
• ✓ Booking From Date - Helps narrow results if the name is common or you’re searching around a specific arrest date.
• ✓ Booking To Date - Works with the “from” date to tighten the date range.
• ✓ Housing Facility - Tells you which Jefferson County location is holding the person.

Focus on the "Housing Facility" field - that's the one that tells you exactly where someone is being held. "Jefferson County Jail" is the system; the housing facility tells you the actual location: downtown Birmingham or the Bessemer facility at 1822 2nd Avenue North, Bessemer, AL 35020. Once you have that, you can plan your next move without guessing or showing up at the wrong place.

1. Open the Jefferson County Inmate Inquiry - Start with the county’s online inmate inquiry page where the search fields appear.
2. Search by booking number (if you have it) - Enter the Booking Number for the cleanest match.
3. If you don’t have a booking number, search by name - Use the Name field and be ready to try alternate spellings.
4. Check “In Custody” - This tells you whether the person is currently being held.
5. Use the booking date range if you need to narrow results - “Booking From Date” and “Booking To Date” can help when there are multiple people with the same or similar names.
6. Read the “Housing Facility” result carefully - This is how you tell whether they’re housed at the downtown Birmingham facility or the Bessemer facility.
7. Write down the key details for follow-up - Record the Booking Number, booking dates, In Custody status, and the Housing Facility so you have the same information staff will ask for.

• ✓ Booking Number
• ✓ In Custody status
• ✓ Booking From Date / Booking To Date (or the dates shown on the record)
• ✓ Housing Facility (Birmingham vs. Bessemer)

No luck with the online search? Contact the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office directly. The Birmingham headquarters is at 2200 Rev Abraham Woods, Jr., Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35203, and you can email info@jeffcosheriffal.com. Include the person's full name and any details you have - like an approximate booking date - to help them route your question faster.

Don't assume you can sort everything out by showing up. If you're planning to travel, verify the right contact path first - use the sheriff's office email and headquarters address - and confirm you're headed to the correct facility for the person's housing location.

Documenting Findings

• ✓ Booking Number
• ✓ Booking From Date / Booking To Date
• ✓ In Custody status
• ✓ Housing Facility

Before you drive across town (or across the state), double-check the housing location in the online system. Jefferson County uses a downtown Birmingham facility and a Bessemer facility at 1822 2nd Avenue North, Bessemer, AL 35020 - showing up at the wrong one can cost you hours. Keep the sheriff's office contact info handy: 2200 Rev Abraham Woods, Jr., Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35203, or email info@jeffcosheriffal.com.