Jackson County Inmate Search
Per the Missouri Criminal Code, Chapter 544, arrests in Jackson County are made when law enforcement officers have probable cause to believe that an individual has committed a crime. Arrests can occur with or without a warrant, and police officers and private citizens have the legal authority to make arrests (although a private citizen can only arrest someone under specific conditions).
After an arrest, the arrestee is booked into the Jackson County Detention Center, where they are registered for the alleged offense in the criminal justice system.
Subsequently, the individual will appear before the court within 48 hours of arrest. At the arraignment, the judge will read the charges against the accused individual and impose bail if necessary. Through a trial or other court proceedings, the court will determine whether the defendant is guilty of the alleged offense. If the defendant receives a guilty conviction, the trial court will pass judgment—often a fine or imprisonment. An imprisonment sentence will send the defendant to a county or state prison for a limited or extended duration.
Offenders serving short-term sentences are usually imprisoned in the county jail and placed under the supervision of the Jackson County Department of Corrections. Those with longer sentences are incarcerated in state prisons and are placed in the custody of the Missouri Department of Corrections.
Members of the public can perform a Jackson County inmate search or look up a Jackson County inmate through the Jackson County Department of Corrections, as inmate data are considered part of Jackson County Public Records.
Jackson County Crime and Incarceration Statistics
The Jackson County Prosecutor's Office regularly publishes criminal case statistics on its website. Data from the prosecutor's criminal dashboard reveals the offenses that commonly led to a person's prosecution in the county's criminal justice system. From 2018 to 2022, the county prosecutor's office received an average of 5,797 criminal cases and filed an average of approximately 3,657 cases. The most common criminal charges were drug violations, weapons charges, assault, motor vehicle offenses, and property damage.
The number of persons arrested versus those incarcerated in Jackson County is not publicly released. Individuals who want to determine these statistics are advised to contact the local sheriff's office or the Jackson County Department of Corrections. The county's DOC circulated the latest data regarding the inmate population in the Jackson County jail system in 2019. At that time, the average inmate population was 872.
Jackson County Prison System
The Jackson County Department of Corrections manages the Jackson County prison system. The jail system consists of one local detention facility, the Jackson County Detention Center, which comprises facilities that house the following adult inmates:
- Pre-trial offenders
- Post-trial offenders awaiting sentencing
- Offenders awaiting pre-sentence investigations
- Offenders sentenced to a year or less in jail
- Offenders awaiting probation and parole hearings
- Holds from other jurisdictions
Inmates at the Jackson County Detention Center are primarily individuals from Jackson County and Kansas City.
Jackson County also has a Juvenile Detention Facility at the Family Justice Center in Kansas City. The facility has a 40-bed design capacity. Persons confined at the facility are male and female youths between 10 and 17 who live in Jackson County and have committed one or more law violations. More details about the county's juvenile detention system are accessible on the local family court's website.
How to Find an Inmate in Jackson County
Interested persons can obtain information about Jackson County inmates in any of the following ways:
- Contact the Jackson County jail at (816) 881-4200 or corrections@jacksongov.org
- Use an inmate locator to find the inmate
It is crucial to have an inmate's first and last name or booking or ID number to submit an inmate inquiry.
How Does a Jackson County Inmate Search Work?
The Missouri Sunshine Law permits the dissemination of inmate information, but certain information (e.g., an inmate's medical records) is legally exempt from disclosure. Inmate information that may be obtained upon a Jackson County inmate search includes:
- An inmate's first, middle, and last name
- Sex
- Race
- Date of birth
- Booking/ID number
- Photograph
- Date of birth
- Physical description (hair color, eye color, height, and weight)
- Housing location
- Charges
- Fines (where applicable)
- Sentence summary
Where to Find a Jackson County Inmate Locator
The Jackson County Department of Corrections provides an inmate search tool that interested persons can use to search for incarcerated inmates in Jackson County. Here's how to use the tool:
- Go to the inmate search site.
- Agree to the terms and conditions and select "I Agree; go to Search".
- Type in the inmate's last name where indicated (one can also provide the inmate's first name, sex, or race to filter the search results).
- Click "Search".
If an inmate cannot be found with the Jackson County inmate locator, it may mean the individual was discharged or transferred to another facility.
Where the inmate is sent to a state penitentiary, the inquirer could access the Missouri Department of Corrections offender search tool. Each user must provide an inmate's first and last name or DOC ID number to facilitate the search inquiry.
If an inmate is housed in a federal facility, inquirers may use the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator tool to perform the search. Users must provide an inmate's name or BOP register number to use this tool.
In addition to these options, third-party inmate locator websites offer access to inmate records for a fee. These sites typically require a person to provide an inmate's first and last name and the state where they are incarcerated. The fee to use such sites varies.
How to Send Money to a Jackson County Inmate
Friends and family members can send money to a Jackson County inmate via the inmate's trust account. While incarcerated, inmates use their trust accounts to purchase various items, such as snacks, toiletries, and phone credits.
Several options are available to send money to an inmate in Jackson County, including:
Online and Telephone Deposits
A person can deposit money online or by telephone into a Jackson County inmate's account through the jail's third-party commissary provider. Information on depositing money through the provider can be obtained from the jail's website under "Inmate Information".
Lobby Kiosk
An individual can deposit money at the lobby kiosk in the Jackson County Detention Center's lobby. The kiosk accepts cash and credit/debit cards.
Mail-In Deposits
If one prefers to mail their deposit, they can send a U.S. postal money order or cashier's check made payable to the inmate's name and booking number. The deposit should be mailed to:
Attention Mail Clerk
Jackson County Detention Center
1300 Cherry Street
Kansas City, MO 64106
The correctional facility does not accept personal checks or cash from mail depositors. Furthermore, there is a $1,000 limit on checks and money orders sent via mail.
Including the inmate's name and booking number is necessary to deposit money into a Jackson County inmate's trust account. Online and phone deposits generally take 48 hours to arrive in the inmate's account. Interested persons can contact the Jackson County Detention Center at (816) 881-4200 for further information, questions, or concerns.
How to Visit a Jackson County Inmate
Individuals who want to visit an inmate incarcerated in the Jackson County jail can do so in person or via a video call.
Onsite Visits
Each in-person visit to a Jackson County inmate has a 30-minute limit. Onsite visits are available Monday through Friday at times specified by the jail facility.
Any adult can visit an inmate, but a legal guardian or parent must accompany underage individuals (under 17). All visitors to the jail facility are subject to a search and police records check. Further, all adult visitors must present a valid government-issued ID before entry, such as a driver's license, green card, U.S. passport, state-approved ID card, or U.S. military card. Visiting is prohibited if an inmate has a clinic, professional appointment, or pre-scheduled program.
Visitors to the Jackson County jail must comply with specific facility rules, available on the jail's website or by contacting the jail facility at (816) 881-4236. For example, visitors must dress appropriately (no provocative or revealing attire) and conduct themselves reasonably (loud and disruptive behavior is prohibited).
Members of the public can also contact the jail to find out the visiting hours and make other visitation inquiries.
Video Visits
Alternatively, loved ones and other interested parties can schedule video visits with inmates through a third-party site or app. Instructions for scheduling a video visit at the Jackson County jail are provided on the jail's website. Visits are available any day of the week at specific times.
As with in-person visits, specific rules and guidelines apply when conducting video visitations. Committing any of the following during a visit may result in an immediate termination of the visit:
- Abusive language or behavior
- Nudity, near nudity, or depictions of either
- Use of a cell phone or camera within the frame
- Illegal drugs, paraphernalia, or depictions of either
- Driving a motor vehicle (being a passenger in a car is acceptable)
- Weapons or weapon depictions
Initial violations of these guidelines will result in a revocation of visitation privileges for 90 days. Repeated violations result in a permanent revocation of a person's visitation privileges.
How to Send Jail Mail in Jackson County
Inmates at the Jackson County Detention Center in Kansas City, Missouri, can only receive packages or correspondence from the United States Postal Service. Any mail that a person intends to send to an inmate in Jackson County should be addressed thus:
Inmate's Full Name and Booking/ID Number
JACKSON COUNTY DETENTION CENTER
1300 Cherry Street
Kansas City, MO 64106
Packages or items that cannot be mailed to inmates include:
- Cash or personal checks
- Tobacco
- Food or candy items
- Stickers or labels
- Any items containing metal or plastic
- Polaroid pictures or instant photos
- Perfume or cologne
- Any item that promotes or depicts violence, gang activity, escape, nudity, or drug use
- Glitter or confetti
If any contraband is found in a mail correspondence, the mail officer at the jail will confiscate the entire package or return it to the sender, depending on the contents. Individuals can review the Jackson County jail's mail policy for other prohibited items and additional information about the detention center's mailing rules.
Jackson County Jails and Prisons
The following is the address information for the jail in Jackson County, Missouri:
Jackson County Detention Center
1300 Cherry Street
Kansas City, MO 64106
Phone: (816) 881-4200
