Harris County, which includes the county seat of Houston, is the most populous county in the State of Texas along with being one of the most populous counties in the entire United States. Unsurprisingly then, Harris County is home to one of the largest sheriff's offices in the country (after Los Angeles County and Cook County) and has a large jail system to go along with it. With three large jails currently in operation in Downtown Houston, the Harris County Sheriff's Office has the ability to book and hold thousands of inmates at any given time. For those who want information related to an inmate in custody at a Harris County jail, here are some quick tips.
Inmate Locator
The Harris County Sheriff's Office runs a useful inmate locator if you need to find a current inmate who has been booked through one of the three Harris County jails. You can search for inmates using their names, Social Security number, or SPN number. The results will show which jail the inmate is being held in, their date of birth, booking date, as well as the charges against him or her. In some cases, information about bond amount and/or fine balance due will also be displayed.
Warrants Search
The Harris County Sheriff's Office also allows you to search online for certain outstanding warrants. This online database only includes Class A and Class B misdemeanor warrants along with other processes that have been issued by a Harris County Criminal Court at Law. Conducting a warrants search is really important for a number of reasons. For example, you may find your own name on the list, which would require you to take action right away in order to avoid arrest. If your name is on the list then it may be a good idea to contact a criminal defense attorney about what steps to take next.
Contacting Inmates
Finally, the Harris County Sheriff's Office provides some very useful information for those who would like to contact or visit a current inmate. The visitation page, for example, gives information about when inmate visitations are permitted and what is permissible during such a visit, including information about the dress code and prohibited items. The contact information page also points out that while inmates are allowed to make phone calls from jail, calling an inmate from outside a jail is not permitted. There is also a list detailing rules about inmate mail. This list is especially important since some of the items considered contraband, such as greeting cards, envelopes, and perfumed letters, may sound surprising to some. It's a good idea to become familiar with the Harris County Sheriff's Office website if you plan on getting in touch with any inmate in one of the Harris County jails.
As one of the most populous counties in the nation, Harris County runs a very large jail system. If you know somebody who is currently an inmate of a Harris County jail, becoming familiar with the online resources provided by the Harris County Sheriff's Office may prove useful and relieve some of the stress of having a friend or relative currently incarcerated.
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