Mecklenburg County Inmate Search
In Mecklenburg, an arrest can be done by enforcement agents with or without warrants and by private persons with probable cause. After an arrest in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, the suspect is taken to a local detention center for booking. The booking process commonly comprises fingerprint collection, mugshots, background examination, inspections for outstanding warrants, and inputting the personal details of the suspect into the jail system, after which the accused is either:
- Discharged without charges filed
- Authorized to post bail, released based on recognizance and scheduled for arraignment
- Detained until a hearing date is fixed.
The information collated following an arrest are considered a part of Mecklenburg County Public Records and is disclosable to inquirers who perform Mecklenburg County inmate search on county repositories.
Oftentimes, arrested persons are granted bail unless they are a security threat to themselves or society. The bail or bond fee is usually from hundreds of dollars to thousands of dollars or more, based on the severity of the crime and the suspect’s criminal history. Posting bail normally takes a few hours or more, depending on how busy the jail is and how fast the suspect can provide the bail fee. Persons Released on Recognizance (ROR) or free bail are mostly suspects who:
- Maintain healthy relationships with the community,
- Will not evade bail or run from the law
- Are not a threat to public security.
The charges filed against a defendant or suspect determine the type and length of the incarceration sentence issued by the court.
Crimes in Mecklenburg County are normally classified as misdemeanors or felonies, with misdemeanors being minor crimes. The difference between misdemeanors and felonies hinges on the apparent penalty attached to each, with misdemeanors being punished by a jail term of less than one year and felonies by a jail term of more than one year. There is also a difference between felonies and misdemeanors based on the place of confinement, misdemeanors are punished by incarceration in a county jail, and felonies attract incarceration in a state prison.
Mecklenburg County Jail is managed by the County Sheriff’s Department, and prisoners serving time in Mecklenburg County Jail are those convicted for misdemeanors with sentences up to 12 months. Most of the inmates serving time in prison are sentenced for over a year and are sentenced for more severe crimes. The prison is operated and maintained by the North Carolina Department of Corrections (DOC). The overseeing departments of both jails and prisons provide alternatives to aid interested members of the public in Mecklenburg County inmate search. Individuals ready to look up county inmate records can reach the relevant department and obtain the information needed.
Detainees booked into the jails or prisons in Mecklenburg are usually sorted into different security levels based on their indictments and sentences. The officials in charge of classification determine the classification level for each inmate based on the following:
- Existing charges
- Record of arrests
- Prison escape record
- Past behaviour during confinement
- Previous felony charges
- Substance use history
- Age and employment history.
An inmate's category defines lodging appointments, entry to the day room, schemes, visitation, commissary accounts, etc.
Inmate records are considered public in the United States and therefore are made available by both traditional governmental agencies as well as third-party websites and organizations. Third-party websites may offer an easier means to search, as these services do not face geographical limitations. However, because third-party sites are not government-sponsored, the information obtained through them may vary from official channels. To find inmate records using third-party aggregate sites, requesting parties must provide:
- The location of the sought-after record, including state, county, and city where the inmate resides.
- The name of the person listed in the record, unless it is a juvenile.
Mecklenburg County Crime and Incarceration Statistics
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics reports the county of Mecklenburg had 9,461 arrests during the past three years. In 2017, the arrest rate was 3,081.47 per 100,000 residents, which was 316.97% higher than the national average of 739.02 per 100,000 people. Out of the total arrests, no arrests were recorded for violent crimes such as murder, rape, and robbery but 3,391 arrests were processed for property crimes. The most popular crime committed in Mecklenburg in 2017 was larceny/theft totaling 2,941, followed by burglary and then motor vehicle theft.
Mecklenburg County Prison System
Mecklenburg County Jail is a medium security county jail built in 1978 and located in the city of Charlotte. The facility is considered a regional medium security jail with a capacity of approximately 1904 inmates. The facility is overseen by the County Sheriff’s Office with the help of 133 support staff that handle different areas of the jail, such as security, inmates transport and wellbeing, and maintaining medical records. The Mecklenburg County jail population is 7% female and 93% male at 103 female and 1,249 male inmates.
The County jail is located at:
Mecklenburg County Jail
801 East Fourth Street
Charlotte, NC
P.O. Box 28202
Phone: (704) 336-0810
How to Find an Inmate in Mecklenburg County
Mecklenburg inmate and jail records can be obtained from the Detention Unit of the Sheriff's Office. The Unit runs the Mecklenburg VINE system through which county residents can make investigations about an inmate's preliminary charges, bond and bail conditions, housing and commissary, arraignment dates, and forthcoming discharge dates. The VINE system can be reached via (800) 247-9658.
The Mecklenburg County Jail also has an online search database for interested individuals to search for inmate information using their names and ID. The online jail population list is updated daily on the website. One can also contact the jail administration directly by asking at the jail lobby or calling (704) 336-8100 to retrieve inmate records. The Mecklenburg County Central Jail also offers a free mobile app that allows the public to acquire information regarding current inmates in the facility.
Interested individuals can also contact the Mecklenburg Sheriff’s Department at this address for all inmate information:
Mecklenburg Sheriff’s Department
801 East 4th Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
Phone: (704) 336-8100
Alternatively, one can carry out an inmate search online at the North Carolina Department of Corrections website. The department retains an inmate database for all prisoners that are detained at correctional facilities in the state. It provides information such as the inmate's name, the jail or prison where they have been detained, the length of time they have been sentenced, and other necessary details.
How Does a Mecklenburg Inmate Search Work?
Inmate information is classified as public records in the North Carolina Public Records Law. Except otherwise stated by law, all inmate records can be reviewed and inspected by members of the public on request. Mecklenburg inmate information contains the inmate’s name, sex, gender, jail time and parole date, date of birth, address, race, identification number, case number, document type, booking date, charges, court date, court event, division, and court role. Information seekers can obtain Mecklenburg inmate information from the Sheriff’s Department or make use of the Mecklenburg County Jail user-friendly website that maintains the information needed. The inmates’ roaster on the website is updated every 15 minutes and provides the following information about Mecklenburg County inmates:
- Name
- Age
- Gender
- Inmate ID
- Height
- Weight
- Arrest Date and Time
- Primary Charge
- Booking agency
- Holding facility
- Mugshots
- A bodily narrative of the inmate
- Bail fee
- Case details such as the case number, contact information of the deciding court, fine payment,
- Court hearing and sentencing date.
Where to Find a Mecklenburg County Inmate Locator
An inmate locator is an online search machine that holds information about convicts confined in a jail or prison facility and makes the information available to the public. The majority of the local, state and federal correctional facilities set up inmate locators suitable for society's safety and allow interested individuals to verify an inmate's location and retrieve specific information regarding them conveniently.
Mecklenburg County has an online Inmate Locator that can be accessed using the Mecklenburg county sheriff's website. The inquirer interested in locating an inmate must make sure that the detainee is detained in the county jail and must have provided the inmate's last, and first name and booking number when making requests. Other search parameters such as date of birth or middle name can be used to filter inmate information from the inmate locator. Persons carrying out an inmate lookup should be aware that there may be fees attached to obtaining these records as stipulated by the sheriff's office. The address of the Sheriff's office is given below:
Mecklenburg Sheriff's Office
700 East 4th Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
Fax: (704) 336-6118
Phone: (704) 336-2543
How to Send Money to a Mecklenburg County Inmate
The Mecklenburg County Jail in Charlotte allows individuals to send money to inmates through the Jail commissary accounts. After confirmation, detainees are given an individual cash account and any money in the prisoner's possession is put in their record alongside subsequent funds obtained while confined at Mecklenburg County Jail. Inmates are authorized to use the cash in their accounts to pay for hygiene and personal items at the jail convenience store. Interested persons can transfer funds to the Mecklenburg County inmate by:
- Opening a Touchpay account with the correctional facility’s ID and the inmate’s ID number
- Sending money orders via the US post office, Western Union, or a reputable bank
- Using the JPay website
- Making use of any of the jail ATMs located in the lobby of the Mecklenburg County Jail.
- Giving cash face-to-face by utilizing the booth in the jail during normal business hours
- Depositing cash via inmatedeposits.com. Or by calling (704) 336-0810 to store cash. There is a charge of $2.80 for using these options.
When depositing money into a prisoner's record, the sender will need the correct inmate name and booking number. To be declared poor a prisoner must have $1.99 or less in their record for seven successive days or more. For further inquiry on how to send money to inmates confined in the Mecklenburg County Jail, one can contact the jail administration using the contact information below:
Mecklenburg County Central Jail
801 East Fourth Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
Phone: (704) 336-8100
How to Visit a Mecklenburg County Inmate
The Mecklenburg Sheriff’s Office allows two forms of inmate visitation which are video and on-site visitation. All Inmates incarcerated at the Mecklenburg County Jail are allowed two 45-minute onsite video visits each week. These visits must be scheduled before the visiting date anytime between 8:15am to 4pm Tuesday through Sunday. Individuals can visit inmates in the county jail on any day of the week as long as they schedule visits on time. Video visits can be scheduled on any day of the week. Visitors can also speak virtually with Mecklenburg County inmates at home or within the facility. In both visitations, inmates are observed and recorded to ensure the safety of visitors and inmates during the visits. For online visitations at home, Mecklenburg County Jail permits a maximum of 4 visitors.
Scheduled visits may be cancelled and restricted if either the prisoner or guest violates visiting rules. Visitors are required to also be dressed formally and not carry any contraband material (such as cellular phones or other communication devices, intoxicants, drugs, weapons, parts of weapons, ammunition etc) into the jail or they will be sent away and prohibited from visiting inmates.
For more information regarding visiting an inmate in Mecklenburg County, an individual can contact the jail facility with the information below:
Mecklenburg County Detention Centre
801 East 4th Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
Phone: (980) 314-5200
How to Send Jail Mail in Mecklenburg County
Inmates can receive letters from their family members and friends, as well as packages from home with prior written approval from the inmate's unit team or authorized staff member at Mecklenburg County Jail. The rules for sending mail to an inmate in Mecklenburg County jail are listed below:
- Mecklenburg County Jail inmates cannot write to each other or inmates incarcerated in other North Carolina facilities
- All mail being sent must have a return address and the name of the receiver.
- Packages and mail sent or received must not contain any contraband or hazardous item
- Publications are to be sent directly from the publisher or the authorized distributor else they will be returned.
- Checks, cash, and money orders are not accepted through the mail at the County Jail.
- Mails must have legal marking and will be examined by the County Jail staff in the presence of the inmate receiving the mail.
- All items that will be impossible to inspect at the County Jail without destruction will be returned to the sender.
- All personal (incoming and outgoing) mail will be inspected for contraband.
Individuals willing to send mail to an inmate held at the county jail must address it as follows:
Mecklenburg County Central Jail
Prisoner's Full Name and identification number
801 East Fourth Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
To make sure the mail and package being sent fall under the approved item list and for further clarification on how to send jail mail, interested persons can contact the County Jail administration at (980) 314-5500 or via email at garry.mcfadden@mecklenburgcountync.gov.
Mecklenburg County Jails and Prisons
Mecklenburg County Jails are short-term facilities where inmates either await trial or sentencing for a crime or serve relatively short sentences. Mecklenburg County Prisons, on the other hand, are longer-term facilities where prisoners serve out a prison sentence, usually of a year or more, for their offences. The names and locations of Jails and Prisons found in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina are listed below:
Mecklenburg County Jail Annex
700 East 4th Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
Phone: (704) 336-2543
Fax: (704) 336-6118
Email: irwin.carmichael@mecklenburgcountync.gov
Mecklenburg County Central Jail
801 East Fourth Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
Phone: (704) 336-8100
Mecklenburg County Jail-North
5235 Spector Drive
Charlotte, NC 28269
Phone: (704) 336-0810
Huntersville City Jail
102 Gilead Road
Huntersville, NC 28078
Phone: (704) 875-6542
Mecklenburg County Work Release & Restitution Center
901 Elizabeth Avenue
Charlotte, NC 28231
Phone: (704) 353-0822
Charlotte Correctional Center
4100 Meadow Oak Drive
Charlotte, NC 28208
Phone: (704) 357-6030
Mint Hill City Jail
7151 Matthews-Mint Hill Road
Mint Hill, NC 28227
Phone: (704) 545-1085
Mecklenburg County Detention Centre
801 East 4th Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
Phone: (980) 314-5200
