Search Arrest, Mugshot & Inmate Records by Name
Search by name and state for arrest, booking, mugshot, inmate, jail roster, prison, criminal and court-record search categories.
Independent records-search resource. This website is not a government agency, police department, sheriff's office, jail, prison or courthouse. Search coverage varies by source and jurisdiction. Some links may lead to third-party services, and compensation may be received when a partner service is used.
Start with the Jail Record, Not the Mugshot Feed
A Memphis Police arrest and a Shelby County jail booking are connected, but they are not the same record. MPD handles the police side; Shelby County handles the jail-custody side.
This guide shows how to move from a recent arrest to the official inmate lookup, released-inmate check, bond, court date, visitation, release, police report and Tennessee state-custody record.
What Are You Actually Trying to Find?
The fastest answer depends on whether you need a current inmate, an old booking, a warrant, a police report or a court result.
Best workflow: MPD arrest or warrant → Shelby County booking → General Sessions/Criminal Court → release or Tennessee DOC only when the case reaches that stage.
How to Search a Memphis Arrest in the Jail System
Memphis Police directs users who want to know who has been processed into the jail to the Shelby County inmate database.
Search Option 1: Name and Date of Birth
The official lookup provides fields for first name, last name and date of birth. Use the legal name first, especially for common surnames.
Search Option 2: Unique Identifier
The system also allows you to select an identifier and enter its value. Once you obtain an official identifier, it can reduce wrong-person matches significantly.
Enter the legal first and last name
A nickname, social-media name or incorrect suffix can cause a missed result.
Add DOB when needed
Date of birth is especially useful when several people share the same name.
Decide whether to include released inmates
Leave the box off for a current-custody-first search. Turn it on when the arrest happened earlier or release is possible.
Compare several identifiers
Match name, DOB, booking information, charges and any official ID rather than identifying someone from a photograph alone.
Save the useful record details
Write down the booking information and court clues before moving to bond or court searches.
Photo availability is secondary: use the booking and custody information first. A photograph alone does not establish current detention or what happened in court.
If the Memphis Arrest Just Happened
A police arrest may be known to family or reported publicly before the county inmate result is easy to find.
Jail Information
The Sheriff’s inmate guidance uses this route for questions involving charges, bond and pending court dates.
“I am trying to confirm whether [full legal name, DOB] has completed booking into Shelby County Jail. The arrest reportedly occurred around [time/date], but I cannot confirm the person online yet.”
How to Find Someone Who Was Already Released
The official inmate search has an “Include Released Inmates” option in both its name-search and identifier-search paths.
When to Turn It On
- The arrest happened yesterday or earlier
- You know bond was posted
- The person was expected to receive a quick release
- A previous search showed the person but the current search does not
- You need an older booking instead of present custody
- You are comparing a reposted photograph with the official jail record
If You Need Formal Proof of Release
The Sheriff’s Records and Identification section can issue jail-release verification. That is different from simply viewing a released inmate online.
Use the right document: an online jail result is useful for navigation. A formal release-verification document is better when another agency specifically requires proof of incarceration and release.
Memphis Warrant Search vs Shelby County Jail Search
MPD provides a warrant-search route and separately links to the county inmate system. Do not treat the two as interchangeable.
| Record | What it answers | What it does not prove |
|---|---|---|
| Warrant search | Whether a Shelby County warrant appears in the current search. | That the person has already been arrested and booked. |
| Inmate lookup | Whether a person was processed into the county jail system. | The final outcome of the criminal case. |
| Court record | Hearings, filings and later case activity. | Current physical housing without checking jail status. |
MPD states that the warrant database is updated hourly, while also warning that very recent status changes may not yet be reflected.
201 Poplar, 225 Poplar and Jail East Explained
Shelby County’s downtown Criminal Justice Center and jail complex is referenced by official pages using both 201 and 225 Poplar addresses for different jail and visitation functions.
Main Jail / Criminal Justice Center
201 Poplar Avenue
Memphis, TN 38103
Male inmates are housed in the downtown jail system.
Jail East — Women
6201 Haley Road
Memphis, TN 38134
The Sheriff’s current jail information identifies Jail East as the women’s facility.
Why you may see 225 Poplar: the Sheriff’s current visitation page references the Main Jail at 225 Poplar, while Main Jail and court pages commonly use 201 Poplar. Follow the current visitation confirmation or office-specific address before travelling.
How to Verify Bond and Release Eligibility
One booking can involve more than one charge, case, warrant or hold. Verify the full picture before paying.
- Confirm the correct inmate
- Record every listed charge
- Record every case number you can find
- Check for another warrant or hold
- Confirm whether cash bond is permitted
- Confirm whether a bonding company is needed
- Keep every receipt
- Ask about physical-release processing after bond
24-Hour General Sessions Clerk
The General Sessions Criminal Justice System Portal lists a 24-hour Clerk’s Office at 271 Poplar Avenue. This is a particularly useful official contact outside normal court-office hours.
Bond scam warning: independently confirm bond through the jail or court. Do not send money solely because someone called or texted claiming immediate payment is required.
What Shelby County Pretrial Services Does
Pretrial Services is a neutral county agency that supports the courts with release assessments, supervision and alternatives to incarceration.
Its Court Operations section assists General Sessions and Criminal Courts with bond and case-disposition information and supervises some people released on their own recognizance under court-ordered conditions.
Shelby County Pretrial Services
201 Poplar Avenue, Suite 8-01
Memphis, TN 38103
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Important: Pretrial Services does not replace the jail lookup or the court. Its role becomes relevant when the judge orders supervised release, recognizance release or other pretrial conditions.
General Sessions vs Criminal Court
Once you confirm the booking, the court record becomes more useful than repeatedly checking the photograph.
General Sessions Criminal Division
General Sessions handles misdemeanors, preliminary felony hearings, traffic matters and other cases within its jurisdiction.
General Sessions Criminal Division
201 Poplar Avenue, Suite LL-81
Memphis, TN 38103
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Shelby County Criminal Court
Felony cases that proceed beyond the preliminary stage are handled through Shelby County Criminal Court and its Clerk.
Criminal Court Clerk
201 Poplar Avenue, Suite 3034
Memphis, TN 38103
Bonds / Warrants: 901-222-3229
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Do not treat the booking charge as the final charge. Prosecutors and courts can amend, reduce, dismiss or otherwise resolve allegations differently after intake.
Why Physical Release Can Still Take 3–6 Hours
The Sheriff’s current guidance says there is no exact release time after release has been ordered.
Best pickup strategy: do not drive to the jail only because someone said bond was posted. Recheck the inmate result or call the jail first.
How Shelby County Jail Visitation Works
The current Sheriff visitation page separates remote incoming video visits from onsite scheduled video visits.
Remote Incoming Video Calls
The visitor must be approved on the inmate’s phone PAN list, and the PAN phone number must match the number associated with the visitor’s GettingOut account.
The GettingOut Visits app must be open and the visitor logged in when the inmate initiates the video visit.
Onsite Video Visits
Onsite visits use the Sheriff’s scheduling system. The facility requires visitor approval and valid photo identification. Available visit times are shown during scheduling and can change.
GettingOut Support
ConnectNetwork Support
Money-account warning: GettingOut family/friends funds, ConnectNetwork PIN-debit phone funds and inmate commissary deposits are different services. Make sure you are funding the correct account.
How to Deposit Money to an Inmate Account
The Sheriff’s inmate-deposit page currently uses VendEngine/CorrectPay for commissary-account deposits.
| Deposit method | Current Sheriff guidance |
|---|---|
| Lobby kiosk | Located in the visitation lobby; accepts cash or debit/credit cards. |
| Online | Use CorrectPay.com or the CorrectPay app. |
| Telephone | Call 1-855-836-3364. |
| In person | Inmate-account offices accept deposits from 8:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m., seven days a week. |
CorrectPay / VendEngine Deposit Phone
Before Sending Anything to the Jail
Main Jail Mail
Use the inmate’s full name, booking number and floor/pod when known, followed by 201 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, TN 38103. Incoming mail needs a complete return address.
Jail East Mail
For women housed at Jail East, use the full name, booking number and housing location when known, followed by 6201 Haley Road, Memphis, TN 38134.
Court Clothing
The Sheriff’s current guidance says conservative court clothes may be brought to the Main Jail or Jail East 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Tennis shoes and inappropriate court clothing are not accepted.
Property Release
The inmate must initiate a property-release request. Property cannot be released when it is evidence or law enforcement has placed a hold on it.
Shelby County Public Defender Contact
Once the question becomes how to defend the criminal case, a booking search is no longer enough.
The Law Office of the Shelby County Public Defender represents eligible indigent people in Shelby County criminal proceedings.
Law Office of the Shelby County Public Defender
201 Poplar Avenue, Suite 2-01
Memphis, TN 38103
Useful information to have ready: full legal name, booking number, charge, court name and upcoming court date if available.
Police Report vs Arrest Ticket vs Public Records Request
This is one of the most important distinctions missing from many Memphis arrest pages.
1. Memphis Police Incident or Offense Report
For an MPD incident, offense or crash report, use Memphis Police Central Records—not the Sheriff’s jail records office.
Memphis Police Central Records
170 North Main Street
7th Floor, Suite 7-11
Memphis, TN 38103
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m., except holidays.
| MPD record/service | Current listed fee |
|---|---|
| Police report — Tennessee resident | $0.15 per page with valid ID |
| Police report — non-resident | $15 |
| Photo CD | $10 per accident/incident |
| Individual photo pickup | $1.50 per photo |
| Photos by email | $5 |
| Emailing a report | $15 |
2. Adult Arrest Ticket or Jail-Release Verification
Shelby County Sheriff’s Records and Identification section handles adult Records of Arrest and formal jail-release verification.
Sheriff Records & Identification
201–271 Poplar Avenue
Jail Annex, Room 10-06
Memphis, TN 38103-1945
Hours: 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., closed holidays.
| Service | Current fee |
|---|---|
| Jail release verification | $20 |
| Arrest ticket | $15 |
| First fingerprint card | $15 |
| Additional fingerprint card | $5 |
| Additional copy | $5 |
Payment rule: current Records & Identification guidance accepts cashier’s checks and money orders, not cash, debit cards or credit cards. Exact payment is required.
Mail-In Request Requirements
A mailed arrest/release request requires the service form, fee, mailing address, valid contact number and a valid state-issued identification copy. The Sheriff’s page states that the ID must be notarized when submitted through the mail.
Active-case limitation: the Sheriff’s Records and Identification section says it does not release an arrest ticket/record that is part of an active case, active investigation or active prosecution.
3. Tennessee Public Records Act Request
A request for specific Sheriff public records that does not fit ordinary arrest-ticket or jail-release services goes through the SCSO Public Records Request Coordinator.
SCSO Public Records Request Coordinator
201 Poplar Avenue, Room 9-15
Memphis, TN 38103
Fax: 901-222-5657
I am requesting the publicly releasable [record type] concerning [full legal name] and an arrest or booking on or about [date] in Shelby County, Tennessee. The booking, case or report number is [number, if known]. Please advise whether your office holds the record, whether any exemption or active-case restriction applies, and the cost for an electronic or paper copy.
What If the Arrest Involves a Juvenile?
The Sheriff’s Records and Identification section states that it only has adult Records of Arrest available through its normal process.
For juvenile arrest-record questions, the Sheriff directs users to Juvenile Court Central Records.
Juvenile Court Central Records
616 Adams Avenue
Memphis, TN 38105
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., except holidays.
Privacy note: juvenile records can be subject to different confidentiality and access rules from adult jail records. Do not assume an adult public-record workflow applies.
A Mugshot Search Is Not an Official Background Check
The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office states that it does not conduct background investigations through its Records and Identification section.
For a formal Tennessee statewide or national criminal background check, use the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation process rather than treating a jail page as a complete criminal history.
FCRA warning: Jail-Mugshots.org is not a Consumer Reporting Agency. Do not use this site for employment, tenant, credit or insurance eligibility decisions.
When to Use Tennessee FOIL
Tennessee FOIL is for felony offenders currently or formerly in Tennessee Department of Correction custody or supervision. It is not the correct first search for every new Memphis arrest.
| Situation | Best source |
|---|---|
| Fresh Memphis arrest | Shelby County inmate lookup |
| Current Main Jail / Jail East custody | Shelby County Sheriff |
| Released Shelby County inmate | Include Released Inmates + court record |
| Tennessee felony prison/probation/parole status | TDOC FOIL |
FOIL can provide available status, location, photo, active sentences and related state-offender information.
Use VINE When Release Alerts Matter More Than the Photo
TDOC directs users to VINELink for free, confidential custody notifications. Users can receive available updates through phone, text, email or the app.
Tennessee VINE Support
Live operator support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Use VINE for custody alerts, not final case outcomes. Court records remain the better source for what happened legally after the arrest.
What If the Case May Qualify for Expungement?
Some Shelby County criminal cases may qualify for expungement under Tennessee law. Eligibility depends on the offense, disposition and the person’s record.
The Criminal Court Clerk provides an official expungement inquiry process. The existence of an old booking image does not tell you whether the underlying case qualifies.
Important distinction: expunging or sealing an official court record does not automatically guarantee that every third-party copy or screenshot disappears from the internet.
Why You May Not Find the Record You Expected
Use the most likely explanation instead of repeatedly searching an unofficial mugshot page.
If the Arrest Was Outside Memphis
Tennessee local jail searches are county-based. A Memphis/Shelby County search will not reliably answer an arrest booked in another county.
Before You Trust or Share a Memphis Arrest Record
Complete these checks so an old image, warrant or released booking is not presented as current custody.
- I used the official Shelby County inmate database.
- I searched released inmates when appropriate.
- I matched name, DOB and other identifiers.
- I separated a warrant from an actual jail booking.
- I confirmed the current facility before travelling.
- I verified bond through the proper court or jail contact.
- I checked the court record for later case activity.
- I did not treat the arrest as proof of guilt.
- I used FOIL only when state custody applies.
- I used the correct records office for the document I need.
Memphis Arrest and Shelby County Jail FAQs
How do I search for someone arrested in Memphis?
Use the Shelby County inmate lookup linked by Memphis Police. Search by first name, last name and date of birth, or use an available unique identifier. Turn on the released-inmates option when the person may already have left custody.
Does Memphis Police have a separate jail roster?
Memphis Police links users seeking jail information to the Shelby County inmate database. MPD police reports, arrest news releases and warrants are separate from the county jail booking system.
How do I find a released Shelby County inmate?
Use the Include Released Inmates option in the official Shelby County inmate lookup. For formal proof of incarceration and release, Shelby County Sheriff’s Records and Identification section provides jail-release verification.
Where are Shelby County jail inmates housed?
Male inmates are generally housed at the downtown Shelby County Jail at the Criminal Justice Center on Poplar Avenue. Women are housed at Jail East at 6201 Haley Road. Always confirm the current location before travelling or scheduling services.
How do I check bond and court dates after a Memphis arrest?
Start with the inmate record, then use the Shelby County Criminal Justice System Portal or the appropriate court clerk. General Sessions handles misdemeanors and preliminary felony hearings, while Criminal Court handles felony cases that proceed beyond that stage.
How long does release take from Shelby County Jail?
The Sheriff’s current guidance says there is no exact time. Average processing is less than two hours, but actual physical release can take about 3 to 6 hours after release is ordered because required fingerprint, photograph, warrant, NCIC and medical checks remain.
How does Shelby County jail visitation work?
The jail offers video visitation. Remote incoming video calls use the GettingOut Visits app and require the visitor to be approved on the inmate’s PAN list. Onsite video visits are scheduled through the facility’s current visitation system.
How do I get a Memphis Police arrest or incident report?
Incident, offense and crash reports are handled by Memphis Police Central Records at 170 North Main Street. Shelby County Sheriff’s Records and Identification handles adult arrest tickets and jail-release verification instead.
When should I use Tennessee FOIL?
Use Tennessee FOIL when the person is currently or formerly under Tennessee Department of Correction felony custody or supervision. A fresh Memphis booking should be checked through Shelby County first.
Can a Shelby County arrest record be expunged?
Some qualifying Tennessee cases may be eligible for expungement. Eligibility depends on the offense and case history. Shelby County courts provide official expungement information and inquiry routes; an old booking page alone cannot determine eligibility.
Mugshot Record Excavator: Official Jail, Court & Booking Verification Tool
Use this tool to build a safer official-record search plan, generate better search queries, decode booking terms, score match confidence, prepare a records request, and avoid wrong-person mistakes. It runs in your browser and does not submit your entries.
Build a practical official-record search plan
This does not search hidden records. It creates a safer step-by-step path to find the right official jail, sheriff, court, state, or federal source.
Match confidence calculator
Use this before assuming a mugshot, arrest listing, or booking entry belongs to the right person.
Booking and jail-record field decoder
Select a term commonly found on jail rosters, inmate searches, booking pages, and court follow-up records.
Generate a records request note
Create a clean, polite request note for a sheriff’s office, jail, court clerk, police department, or public-records office.
Problem solver: missing, old, or confusing results
Choose the issue you’re facing and get a practical next-step checklist.
Generated result
Your plan, links, decoded explanation, request note, or checklist will appear here.
Start with the Planner tab
Add a state, county/city, name, date, and goal. The tool will create an official-source search path and copyable verification log.
Browser-only privacy note: this tool does not send your entries to this website.