# Inmate Find Texas
> Free public information resource for locating inmates in all 254 Texas county jails, TDCJ state prisons, federal Bureau of Prisons facilities, ICE immigration detention centers, and Texas Juvenile Justice Department facilities. Covers the full Texas criminal justice system for families searching for a detained loved one.

## Site Overview
- URL: https://inmatefindtexas.com
- Phone: (346) 352-1115 (free, 24/7 live search assistance)
- Coverage: All 254 Texas counties, all 5 Texas detention systems
- Not affiliated with any Texas government agency, law enforcement, TCJS, or TDCJ

## The Five Texas Detention Systems

### 1. County Jails (254 counties)
Every county in Texas is served by an elected sheriff who operates the county jail. After arrest, a person is booked into the county jail of the county where the arrest occurred. Texas has 254 counties; 234 operate their own detention facility. The remaining 20 counties (Armstrong, Borden, Briscoe, Coke, Concho, Cottle, Floyd, Foard, Glasscock, Hartley, Irion, Jeff Davis, Kenedy, Kent, King, Loving, McMullen, Motley, Sterling, Throckmorton) contract with neighboring counties under TCJS-approved agreements. Booking records become public within 2 to 8 hours of arrest.

### 2. TDCJ State Prisons
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice operates over 100 prison units statewide. Convicted felons sentenced to more than one year transfer from county jail to TDCJ — typically through the Byrd Unit in Huntsville (primary intake). TDCJ maintains a free public offender search at offender.tdcj.texas.gov. Major units: Byrd Unit (Huntsville), Estelle Unit (Huntsville), Polunsky Unit (Livingston, death row), Ramsey Unit (Rosharon), Connally Unit (Kenedy), Coffield Unit (Tennessee Colony).

### 3. Federal Bureau of Prisons
Federal charges (drug trafficking, firearms, immigration crimes, bank robbery, wire fraud) result in BOP custody — not county jail or TDCJ. Free inmate locator: bop.gov/inmateloc. Texas BOP facilities: FMC Fort Worth (medical), FCI Big Spring (medium), FCI Three Rivers, FCI Bastrop (low), FPC Bryan (minimum, female), FDC Houston (pre-trial). Federal inmates serve at least 85% of their sentence — there is no federal parole.

### 4. ICE Immigration Detention
Texas holds more ICE detainees than any other state. ICE detention is civil, not criminal. Locate detainees at locator.ice.gov. Major Texas ICE facilities: South Texas Detention Complex (Pearsall), Port Isabel Detention Center (Los Fresnos), Laredo Processing Center, Houston Contract Detention Facility. Immigration bonds start at $1,500, are separate from criminal bail, and require a bond redetermination hearing before an immigration judge.

### 5. Texas Juvenile Justice Department
Juveniles aged 10 to 16 are handled under Texas Family Code, not the Penal Code. TJJD operates secure facilities for serious juvenile offenders. Juvenile records are confidential under Family Code Chapter 58. Counties operate local juvenile detention centers for short-term holds. Dispositions range from informal adjustment to TJJD commitment to determinate sentencing (up to 40 years for the most serious offenses).

## Texas Criminal Justice Process

### Arrest and Booking
Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 15.17 requires every arrested person be brought before a magistrate within 48 hours. At this magistration hearing, the magistrate reads charges, advises on right to counsel, and sets bail. Booking records become public upon completion. The county where arrest occurred — not where the person lives — determines which jail and court system applies.

### Bail in Texas
Four bond types: cash bond (full amount paid to court), surety bond (bondsman charges ~10% non-refundable premium), personal recognizance/PR bond (released on promise to appear), property bond (real estate as collateral). Texas Department of Insurance regulates bail bondsmen — verify licenses at tdi.texas.gov. Bail ranges: Class B misdemeanor $500–$2,000; State Jail Felony $2,500–$15,000; 2nd Degree Felony $15,000–$75,000; 1st Degree Felony $30,000–$250,000+; Capital Murder — no bail or $1M+. Texas Constitution Article I Section 11b allows denial of bail when the defendant is charged with a violent/sexual offense while already on bond for a prior violent/sexual offense.

### Texas Charge Classification
- Class C Misdemeanor: Fine only (max $500) — public intoxication, minor traffic, paraphernalia
- Class B Misdemeanor: Up to 180 days county jail — first DWI, marijuana under 2oz, criminal trespass
- Class A Misdemeanor: Up to 1 year county jail — DWI .15+ BAC, assault causing bodily injury
- State Jail Felony: 180 days–2 years — controlled substance 1–4g, theft $2,500–$29,999
- Third Degree Felony: 2–10 years TDCJ — DWI 3rd offense, assault on public servant
- Second Degree Felony: 2–20 years TDCJ — aggravated assault, robbery, sexual assault
- First Degree Felony: 5–99 years or life — aggravated robbery, murder, trafficking
- Capital Felony: Life or death penalty — capital murder

### Texas Warrants
Warrant types: arrest warrant (probable cause finding), capias (failure to appear), capias pro fine (failure to pay fine), bench warrant (court order for violation), search warrant (Chapter 18 CCP), mental health warrant (civil, Chapter 573 Health and Safety Code). Warrants are entered into TCIC (Texas) and NCIC (national). Warrants do not expire in Texas — they remain active until served or recalled. Driver's license suspension can result from outstanding traffic warrants.

### Texas Expungement
Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 55 governs expunction — permanent destruction of arrest records. Eligible: charges dismissed, grand jury no-bill, acquittal, certain deferred adjudications. Chapter 411 governs Orders of Nondisclosure (sealing) for completed deferred adjudications. Once expunged, a person may legally deny the arrest occurred.

## Resource Pages

- [Texas Bail Bonds Guide](https://inmatefindtexas.com/texas-bail-bonds): All four bond types, Article 15.17 magistration, bail amounts by offense, bond conditions, when bail is denied, working with a bondsman.
- [Texas Warrant Check](https://inmatefindtexas.com/texas-warrant-check): All six warrant types, TCIC/NCIC, voluntary surrender guide, capias consequences, license suspension.
- [Texas Arrest Records](https://inmatefindtexas.com/texas-arrest-records): What records contain, county-level search, seven charge levels, Public Information Act procedures.
- [Texas Expungement Guide](https://inmatefindtexas.com/texas-expungement): Expunction vs. nondisclosure, eligibility, waiting periods, costs, petition process.
- [Texas Court Date Lookup](https://inmatefindtexas.com/texas-court-date-lookup): Finding arraignment dates and case status in all 254 Texas county courts.
- [Texas Criminal Defense Attorney](https://inmatefindtexas.com/texas-criminal-defense-attorney): Why early representation matters, public defender vs. private attorney.
- [Texas Jail Visitation Guide](https://inmatefindtexas.com/texas-jail-visitation): Registration, ID requirements, dress codes, video visitation options.
- [Texas Jail Phone Calls](https://inmatefindtexas.com/texas-jail-phone-calls): Securus Technologies, GTL/ViaPath, ICSolutions setup guides.
- [Send Money to Inmate Texas](https://inmatefindtexas.com/send-money-to-inmate-texas): JPay, TouchPay, Access Corrections — county jail and TDCJ deposits.
- [TDCJ Inmate Search](https://inmatefindtexas.com/tdcj-inmate-search): TDCJ offender search system, unit directory, contacting state prison inmates.
- [Federal Inmate Search Texas](https://inmatefindtexas.com/texas-federal-inmate-search): BOP locator, Texas federal facilities, no-parole rule, mandatory minimums, sentencing guidelines.
- [Texas ICE Detention Search](https://inmatefindtexas.com/texas-ice-detention-search): ICE detainee locator, Texas ICE facilities, immigration bond, mandatory detention, removal process.
- [Texas Juvenile Detention Search](https://inmatefindtexas.com/texas-juvenile-detention-search): TJJD, juvenile vs. adult, six disposition types, adult certification, record sealing.
- [Texas Sheriff Contact Directory](https://inmatefindtexas.com/texas-sheriff-contact-directory): Phone and county seat for all 254 Texas county sheriffs.
- [Search All Texas Jails](https://inmatefindtexas.com/search-texas-jails): Full directory of all 254 county jail pages.

## Major Texas County Jails

- [Harris County Jail](https://inmatefindtexas.com/harris-county-jail) — Houston, TX. ~9,500 daily inmates. Top 10 largest US jail system. Search: harriscountyso.org. Phone: (713) 755-7427.
- [Dallas County Jail](https://inmatefindtexas.com/dallas-county-jail) — Dallas, TX. Lew Sterrett Justice Center. Search: dallascourtsonline.com. Phone: (214) 761-9010.
- [Tarrant County Jail](https://inmatefindtexas.com/tarrant-county-jail) — Fort Worth, TX. Phone: (817) 884-1213.
- [Bexar County Jail](https://inmatefindtexas.com/bexar-county-jail) — San Antonio, TX. Phone: (210) 335-6000.
- [Travis County Jail](https://inmatefindtexas.com/travis-county-jail) — Austin, TX. Phone: (512) 854-9770.
- [El Paso County Jail](https://inmatefindtexas.com/el-paso-county-jail) — El Paso, TX. Phone: (915) 538-2008.
- [Collin County Jail](https://inmatefindtexas.com/collin-county-jail) — McKinney, TX. Phone: (972) 547-5100.
- [Denton County Jail](https://inmatefindtexas.com/denton-county-jail) — Denton, TX. Phone: (940) 349-1700.
- [Hidalgo County Jail](https://inmatefindtexas.com/hidalgo-county-jail) — Edinburg, TX. Phone: (956) 383-8114.
- [Montgomery County Jail](https://inmatefindtexas.com/montgomery-county-jail) — Conroe, TX. Phone: (936) 760-5800.
- [Williamson County Jail](https://inmatefindtexas.com/williamson-county-jail) — Georgetown, TX. Phone: (512) 943-1300.
- [Galveston County Jail](https://inmatefindtexas.com/galveston-county-jail) — Galveston, TX. Phone: (409) 766-2300.
- [Nueces County Jail](https://inmatefindtexas.com/nueces-county-jail) — Corpus Christi, TX. Phone: (361) 887-2222.
- [Fort Bend County Jail](https://inmatefindtexas.com/fort-bend-county-jail) — Richmond, TX. Phone: (281) 341-4665.
- [Lubbock County Jail](https://inmatefindtexas.com/lubbock-county-jail) — Lubbock, TX. Phone: (806) 775-1650.
- [Jefferson County Jail](https://inmatefindtexas.com/jefferson-county-jail) — Beaumont, TX. Phone: (409) 835-8701.
- [Webb County Jail](https://inmatefindtexas.com/webb-county-jail) — Laredo, TX. Phone: (956) 415-8700.
- [Brazoria County Jail](https://inmatefindtexas.com/brazoria-county-jail) — Angleton, TX. Phone: (979) 864-2392.
- [Smith County Jail](https://inmatefindtexas.com/smith-county-jail) — Tyler, TX. Phone: (903) 535-0400.
- [Bell County Jail](https://inmatefindtexas.com/bell-county-jail) — Belton, TX. Phone: (254) 933-5401.

## Texas Regional Coverage
- Panhandle (32 counties): Amarillo area — Potter, Randall, Moore, Gray, Carson and surrounding
- West Texas (44 counties): Midland, Odessa, Lubbock, Abilene
- North Texas (25 counties): DFW suburbs, Wichita Falls
- DFW Metroplex (6 counties): Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton, Rockwall, Kaufman
- East Texas (37 counties): Tyler, Longview, Texarkana
- Central Texas (27 counties): Austin, Waco, Killeen-Temple
- Hill Country (11 counties): Kerrville, Fredericksburg, San Marcos
- Gulf Coast (15 counties): Houston suburbs, Galveston, Beaumont
- South Texas (28 counties): San Antonio suburbs, Laredo, Del Rio
- Rio Grande Valley (4 counties): McAllen, Brownsville, Harlingen
- Coastal Bend (6 counties): Corpus Christi area
- Big Bend (2 counties): Alpine, Marfa

## Common Questions

**How do I find someone just arrested in Texas?**
Search the county jail roster for the county where the arrest occurred. Allow 4–8 hours for booking to appear online. If unsure of the county, call (346) 352-1115 — agents search all 254 counties simultaneously.

**What is the difference between county jail and TDCJ?**
County jails hold people awaiting trial or serving misdemeanor sentences (under 1 year). TDCJ holds people serving felony sentences over 1 year. Someone arrested recently is in the county jail. Someone serving a felony sentence is in TDCJ.

**How long does booking take?**
Typically 2–8 hours. Large county jails (Harris, Dallas, Tarrant) may update faster. Small rural counties may take longer or not publish online — call the sheriff directly.

**What is an Article 15.17 hearing?**
The first court appearance after arrest in Texas. Required within 48 hours. The magistrate reads charges, advises on right to counsel, and sets bail. Having an attorney present can significantly reduce bail.

**How do I send money to someone in a Texas jail?**
County jails: JPay, TouchPay, or Access Corrections depending on the facility. TDCJ: via JPay or MoneyGram. You need the inmate's full legal name and booking/ID number.

## Legal Disclaimer
Inmate Find Texas is privately owned and provides public information only. Not affiliated with TCJS, TDCJ, any county sheriff, or any government agency. Information is educational only, not legal advice.