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MS · Find someone in custody

How do I find someone in jail or prison in Mississippi?

Take a breath. You can find where your person is being held in Mississippi using official sources — here is exactly where to look and what to have ready.

State locator
Mississippi DOC Inmate Search
VINELink
Covers Mississippi
Last verified
2026-07-23
Jurisdiction
Mississippi

Which system is holding them in Mississippi?

There is no single search that covers everyone. Match the situation to the right official locator — most families start with the first one.

If the arrest was recent

Start with the county jail

In Mississippi, someone who was just arrested and not released is held in the COUNTY JAIL run by the county sheriff, not in a state prison, so the MDOC Inmate Search will not show a brand-new arrest.

Mississippi participates in the national VINE system through Mississippi SAVIN, which covers both county and state offenders and lets you search custody status and register for alerts (register at vinelink.com or call the Office of MS SAVIN at (601) 359-5759).

Some county sheriffs also post an online jail roster or 'most wanted' list.

For a very recent booking or bail details, call the county jail's booking or records line.

County jails are run by the sheriff in each Mississippi county; some post an online roster. Use the sheriff's roster or Mississippi SAVIN/VINE, and call the jail's booking/records line for recent bookings and bail amounts.

Search VINELink (choose Mississippi)

If they were sentenced to prison

Use the state prison locator

The Mississippi Department of Corrections runs an official Inmate Search (page title 'Inmate Search | Mississippi Department of Corrections').

Search by first and last name or MDOC ID number to see custody status, facility location, sentence, and projected release.

It covers adults sentenced to state prison and people under MDOC supervision.

It does not reliably include county-jail detainees, very recent bookings, or juveniles, so someone just arrested and held in a county jail will generally not appear here.

MDOC assistance: (601) 359-5600.

Open the Mississippi inmate locator

If the charge is federal

Search the Federal Bureau of Prisons

A federal charge means the person is in the federal system, not a Mississippi state or county facility. Search the Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator by name or register number — it is separate from every state and county tool.

Search the Federal BOP locator

Find your county in Mississippi

A recent arrest is handled at the county jail. Open the county where the arrest happened for its facilities, phone numbers, and the exact locators to search — all 82 Mississippi jurisdictions are here.

82 counties

Finding your person in Mississippi, step by step

Work through these in order. Each step points to an official source — you do the searching there, on the government site.

  1. Step 1

    Figure out where the person is likely held

    If they were arrested recently and not released, they are almost certainly in the COUNTY JAIL run by the sheriff where the arrest happened. If they were already sentenced to state prison or are under MDOC supervision, they are in the Mississippi DOC system. If the charge is federal, they are in federal custody (use the Federal Bureau of Prisons locator).

    Official source

  2. Step 2

    For a recent arrest, use Mississippi VINE/SAVIN or the county sheriff's jail roster

    Search VINELink (Mississippi SAVIN) by name, or call the Office of MS SAVIN at (601) 359-5759; you can also register for free custody-status alerts. Or look up the sheriff's online jail roster for the county where the arrest happened. If nothing shows yet, call the county jail's booking/records line to confirm custody and bail.

    Official source

  3. Step 3

    For a sentenced state-prison inmate, use the MDOC Inmate Search

    Use the Mississippi DOC Inmate Search and enter the first and last name or MDOC ID number to confirm the state facility, sentence, and status.

    Official source

  4. Step 4

    For a federal arrest, use the Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator

    If the charge is federal, search the BOP inmate locator by name or register number instead of the state or county tools.

    Official source

What you’ll need to search

You can start with just a name, but these make a match faster and surer.

  • The person's full legal name, plus any aliases, nickname, or maiden name.
  • Date of birth, which helps confirm the right person when names match.
  • An MDOC ID or county booking number if you already have one (helpful but not required to search).

Use official, free sources — and a few things to watch for

  • Use only official sources: the MDOC Inmate Search for state prison, Mississippi SAVIN/VINE or the county sheriff's roster for county jails, or a call to the county jail. Confirm a match by full name and date of birth, since name-only matches are common.
  • The MDOC Inmate Search does not reliably include county-jail detainees or very recent bookings, so it is not the tool for a brand-new county arrest.
  • Be wary of paid data-broker 'inmate search' and mugshot sites. They are not official, often charge fees, and may show stale, incomplete, or expunged records.
  • Custody data can lag. Someone booked within the last few hours may not appear online yet; if an official source shows nothing, call the county jail's booking or records line.
  • This tool only links to official sources. It does not store, search, or republish any inmate records itself.

If you need to bail them out in Mississippi

Finding the person comes first. Once you know where they are, this is how getting them out works in Mississippi.

Commercial bail available

In Mississippi, commercial bail exists. If a judge sets money bail, it can be posted in cash directly with the court or through a licensed bail bond agent for a fee. A judge may also release the person on their own recognizance or on set conditions, so ask the court or the jail what applies before paying anyone.

Mississippi uses money bail alongside release on recognizance.

After an arrest, a judge sets bail — in Justice Court, Municipal Court, County Court, or Circuit Court depending on the charge.

Options can include release on personal recognizance, cash bail posted with the court, or a surety bond posted through a licensed professional bail agent for a fee.

Commercial bail bondsmen legally operate in Mississippi and are licensed and regulated by the Mississippi Insurance Department, which licenses Professional Bail Agents, Limited Surety and Personal Surety agents, and Bail Soliciting/Enforcement Agents.

A surety bail bond carries a non-refundable premium charged by the bail agent. Mississippi regulates bail-bond premiums under state law (Miss. Code Ann. sec. 83-39-25); the rate is set by the agent within the limits the law allows, so confirm the exact premium with the agent. Cash bail posted directly with the court is returned at the end of the case, less any fees, if bail conditions are met.

The person’s rights. The person in custody has the right to talk to a lawyer about their case, and if they cannot afford one, the court can appoint a public defender.

Other official Mississippi contacts

County jails are run by the sheriff where the arrest happened — call that jail’s booking or records line for a very recent booking or the bail amount. These statewide sources can also help.

Common questions about finding someone in Mississippi

How do I find someone who was just arrested in Mississippi?

In Mississippi, someone who was just arrested and not released is held in the COUNTY JAIL run by the county sheriff, not in a state prison, so the MDOC Inmate Search will not show a brand-new arrest. Mississippi participates in the national VINE system through Mississippi SAVIN, which covers both county and state offenders and lets you search custody status and register for alerts (register at vinelink.com or call the Office of MS SAVIN at (601) 359-5759). Some county sheriffs also post an online jail roster or 'most wanted' list. For a very recent booking or bail details, call the county jail's booking or records line.

How do I find someone in state prison in Mississippi?

The Mississippi Department of Corrections runs an official Inmate Search (page title 'Inmate Search | Mississippi Department of Corrections'). Search by first and last name or MDOC ID number to see custody status, facility location, sentence, and projected release. It covers adults sentenced to state prison and people under MDOC supervision. It does not reliably include county-jail detainees, very recent bookings, or juveniles, so someone just arrested and held in a county jail will generally not appear here. MDOC assistance: (601) 359-5600.

Is there a free way to check if someone is in custody in Mississippi?

Yes. VINELink (the free national custody service) covers Mississippi. Search by name for custody status and register for free alerts. County jail rosters and the state locator are also free and official.

What do I need to look someone up in Mississippi?

The person's full legal name, plus any aliases, nickname, or maiden name. Date of birth, which helps confirm the right person when names match. An MDOC ID or county booking number if you already have one (helpful but not required to search).

Does Mississippi have commercial bail bondsmen?

Yes. Commercial bail exists in Mississippi: if a judge sets money bail, it can be posted in cash with the court or through a licensed bail bond agent for a fee, and a judge may also grant own-recognizance or conditional release.

Sources & last verified

Everything here links out to official government or public-safety sources. We don’t store, search, or republish records.

Last verified 2026-07-23 · 8 sources