Hamilton County Inmate Search
An individual may be arrested by law enforcement agencies in Hamilton County if there is cause to believe that a crime has been committed or intended. Law enforcement officers may arrest and detain a suspect until a warrant can be obtained if the individual was found violating a law. A person may also be arrested when there is a reason to believe a crime is attempted or has been committed. An arrest in Hamilton County maybe with a warrant or without a warrant. All warrants are prepared by the Hamilton County Central Warrants Unit (CWPU)
According to OH. Rev. Code § 2935.032, law enforcement officers that have the power of arrest in Hamilton County include
- The Sheriff
- Deputy Sheriff
- Township Constable
- University law enforcement officer
- State and Federal Police Officers
- A Peace Officer
- Deputy Marshal
- Municipal Police Officers
- Police Officer of a Township or Joint Police District
- A Sergeant or Assistant Sergeant at arms
OH. Rev. Code § 2935.04 grants the power of arrest to a person other than a law enforcement officer when there is reasonable ground to believe that a suspect has committed a felony.
After an arrest is made without a warrant, the officer who made the arrest is required to file an affidavit describing the offense of the suspect in an appropriate court. The affidavit may also be filed before a magistrate or with the prosecuting attorney. If an arrest is made by a private person, the suspect shall be brought before the clerk of a court of record or a magistrate or delivered to an officer authorized to execute criminal arrests.
After filing an affidavit or a complaint, the judge, magistrate or clerk shall issue a warrant of arrest. This shall authorize further detention of the suspect and prosecution based on the complaint or affidavit and warrant.
A person arrested in Hamilton County may be released if a warrant of arrest was denied by a court, if the defendant posts bail (either cash or bond), or on personal recognizance. Where an offense is not bailable, or the accused could not meet the bail conditions, or where the court denied bail to the accused, the accused shall be detained on the order of the court.
A detained offender may be convicted and issued an incarceration sentence if found guilty of the offense for which a warrant of arrest was issued. The County Sheriff’s Office manages the County jails and prison facilities which house both pretrial and sentenced offenders.
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.
Hamilton County Crime and Incarceration Statistics
The Ohio Incident-Based Reporting System (OIBRS) is the Hamilton County crime data report where all participating law enforcement agencies submit crime data from their jurisdictions. The OIBRS 2022 crime data report for Hamilton County shows that there were about 19,000 property crime cases and 3,356 violent crime incidents with larceny-theft with 14,132 as the most common crime in the County.
According to the Hamilton County Police Association (HCPC) 2023 regular membership, there are about 54 Police Departments in Hamilton County but not all of them are participating in the OIBRS.
The Celorain Police Department 2021 Annual Report presents a continuous decline in the number of arrests made in Celorain Township between 2018 and 2021. The Hamilton County town (Celorain) recorded 2,679 arrests in 2018, 2156 in 2019, 1199 in 2020, and 1086 in 2021.
Hamilton County Prison System
The Hamilton County jail system is the correctional system under the County Sheriff’s Office managed through the Jail Service Division. The Hamilton Jail Services Division is responsible for the operation of all adult incarceration facilities in Hamilton County.
The main facility of the Jail Services Division is the Hamilton County Justice Center with a 1,240-inmate capacity. The Division also provides security for juveniles who are charged as an adult.
Other correctional facilities in Hamilton County include
- Queensgate Correctional Facility with 822 inmate capacity
- Hamilton County Talbert House (Treatment Center) with 172 inmate capacity
- Hamilton County Woodburn Avenue Facility with 60 inmate capacity
- Hamilton County Reading Road Facility with 172 inmate capacity
- Hamilton County Juvenile Court with 160 inmate capacity
There are state correctional facilities in Hamilton County that are maintained by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections. The State correctional facilities in Hamilton County include River City Correctional Center with 220 inmate capacity, Cincinnati RRM, and Hamilton County Hillcrest academy with 118 inmate capacity.
How to Find an Inmate in Hamilton County
To find an inmate in Hamilton County, the inquirer may contact the Hamilton County Sheriff’s office to make a request or conduct an arrest and incarceration lookup. The Hamilton County Sheriff’s office is in charge of both the County Police Service and the Jail Services in the county. The names of the subject of the search are necessary in addition to other information that can help to identify the incarcerated person.
The local or municipal Police Department may also be contacted to find an incarcerated suspect who was arrested in Hamilton County. However, due to the number of law enforcement agencies in the county, record seekers may contact the Hamilton County Central Warrant Unit (CWPU) to find an inmate in rh Hamilton County. The CWPU is responsible for preparing all warrants in Hamilton County.
The detention and correctional facilities may be contacted to find an inmate in Hamilton County.
How Does Hamilton County Inmate Search Work?
The Ohio Public Records Act grants the members of the public the right to access public records in Hamilton County. Per OH. Rev. Code § 5120.21, inmate records may only be accessed by the public with the permission of the Department of Corrections or the Hamilton Jail Services Division, or by a court order. However, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections, and the Hamilton County Sheriff maintain offender/ inmate search tools on their websites. Inmate information available in Hamilton County may include
- Inmates' last and first names
- Sex, race, and age of the inmate
- Mug shot (photograph
- Date of birth
- Booking number
- Hair and eye color, height, and weight
- The residence address of the inmate
- Release status and information
- Next court date (if applicable)
- Arrest information (date, time, location, arrest officer)
- Case information
- Bail condition and amount
- The trial court information and presiding judge
- The fine amount and other financial impositions
- Sentencing date and details
- Disposition information (code and details)
Where to Find a Hamilton County Inmate Locator
The Hamilton County inmate locator may be accused through the County Sheriff’s website. To find inmates in the County’s detention and correctional facilities using this inmate locator, the inquirer is only required to have the last name of the subject of the search. This inmate locator may only list inmates who are committed to the Jail Services Division of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s office.
The state of Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections (DRC) also provides access to inmate information through the DRC inmate locator on its website. To find an inmate using this inmate locator, record seekers will need the last and first name of the subject of the search to find an inmate in state correctional facilities in Hamilton County.
Offenders who are charged with federal offenses and awaiting trial or serving sentences in the correctional facilities in Hamilton County may have inmate records with the U.S. Bureau of Prison (BOP). The inmate locator on the website of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons can be used to find inmates incarcerated in correctional facilities in Hamilton County. To use the BOP inmate locator, record seekers can search by inmate number or by name. to search by name, the inquirer may need the full name, race, sex, and age of the subject of the search.
How to Send Money to a Hamilton County Inmate
Hamilton County allows friends and loved ones to send money to inmates in the County’s detentions and prison facilities. Interested individuals may also place an order for commissary (items) for inmates in Hamilton County. Hamilton County Justice Center uses CommissaryDeposit.com for an inmate for phone calls and commissary purchases. The deposit options for sending money to inmates are
- Cash and credit card deposits at the Hamilton County Justice Center lobby. There is a fee.
- Money Orders. The money order envelope must have “ATTN: INMATE ACCOUNT” as any money order without it will be returned to the sender. The money order must not contain any other correspondence and should be addressed as follows:
Sender’s full name
Sender’s address
City, state, zip code
Inmate Name and JMS number
Hamilton County Justice Center
900 Sycamore St.
Cincinnati, OH, 45202
- Online deposit. Hamilton County detention facilities use CommissaryDeposit.com to receive money or commissary for inmates. To use this option, the sender will need to know the state, county, inmate ID, inmate last name, and Date of Birth of the inmate.
Senders are not allowed to deposit more than $200 into an inmate's account at a time except with the approval of the authority of the facility. Also, inmates can not maintain more than a $400 balance in their account in a calendar month.
For Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections facilities in Hamilton County, inmates can receive money in their Trust account through
- Money order
- Online deposit using the ConnectNetwork website
- Telephone using the toll-free number 1-888-988-4PMT (4768) with site ID 86 as a reference when prompted by the automated attendant.
Only approved or tentatively approved visitors can send money to an inmate in the custody of ODRC in Hamilton County.
How to Visit a Hamilton County Inmate
The Hamilton Jail Services Division allows friends and loved ones to visit inmates incarcerated in County detention and correctional facilities. All visits are done by video visitation using Securus Technologies. Prospective visitors are required to have an approved Securus account before they can schedule a visit. The visit can be off-site or on-site at the jail facility. Remote visits may be at a regular fee and taxes for using Securus Video Connect, while onsite visits are at no cost to the visitor. Some of the visit guiding rules include
- All visits must be scheduled and approved before the actual visit
- Inmates are only allowed to have 3 remote visits per day
- A maximum of four (4) people including children are permitted for onsite visits. Visitors can be one adult and three children
- Children visitors must be accompanied by an adult
- Visitors are required to provide a valid photo ID for a visit
- Visitors are allowed to bring prescription glasses and Court clothing for inmates. Visitors bringing any visiting property will have to present a valid government-issued photo ID. Prescription glasses may be delivered at the property window at the Justice Center, while all clothing will be subjected to a drugs dog search
How to Send Jail Mail in Hamilton County
Hamilton County Jail Services allows inmates to exchange correspondence with friends and loved ones. However, only legal mail is allowed to be sent directly to the Hamilton County Jail facilities. All personal mail has to go through a third party which is an approved courier company. This is a result of recurrent cases where Hamilton County Jail facilities staff found out that letters were dipped into illegal drugs in liquid form before mailing them. Hence, all mail is to be sent through Securus Digital Mail Center. All inmate mail (paper and electronic) should be addressed as follows
Sender's full name
Sender's address
City, State, Zip Code
Inmate name and Securus ID
C/O Securus Digital Mail Center - Hamilton County Justice Center
P.O. Box 1295
Lebanon, MO, 65536
Securus ID comprises an Inmate number, 2 digit birth month, and 2 digit day of birth. The inmate number and date of birth may be found using the inmate search tool on the website of Hamilton County Sheriff, or by using the "Find Contact" under "Securus Debit" after logging into the sender's Securus account.
Some of the guiding rules for inmates correspondence in Hamilton County are
- Publication must be directly sent in from a publisher, distributor, or authorized retailer, I should be addressed as
Company/ Organization name
Business address
City, State, Zip Code
Inmate name and Securus ID
Hamilton County Justice Center
900 Sycamore Str
Cincinnati, OH, 45202 - Legal mails are to be sent directly to Hamilton County Justice Center and must bear the return address
- The money order should include "ATTN: INMATE ACCOUNT" and be addressed appropriately
- Checks are not accepted at Hamilton County Justice Center
- No correspondence should be sent with a money order
- All mail will be inspected for contraband
- Any mail that is not addressed appropriately will be returned to the sender
- Pictures and drawings will only be accepted for scanning and delivery to an inmate in soft or printed format. All items that cannot be scanned will be returned to the sender
- Any original personal documents, civilian pictures, or drawings that are expected to be returned to the sender must include a self-addressed, stamped envelope sent with the original mail
Hamilton County Jails and Prisons
The Hamilton County Sheriff maintains all detention and correctional facilities where offenders are incarcerated in the County. There are also Ohio State incarceration facilities in Hamilton County. The names and addresses of the jail and prison facilities in Hamilton County are:
Hamilton County Justice Center
900 Sycamore Str
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Phone: (513) 946-6300
Fax: (513) 946-6628
Hamilton County Talbert House (Treatment Center)
2600 Victory Parkway
Cincinnati, OH 45206
Phone: (513) 751-7747
Hamilton County Woodburn Avenue Facility
2605 Woodburn Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45206
Phone: (513) 946-9553
Hamilton County Reading Road Facility
1617 Reading Road
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Phone: (513) 946-6750
Cincinnati City Jail
310 Ezzard Charles Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45214
Phone: (513) 946-6300
Cincinnati Prison
3075 Jessup Road
Cincinnati, OH 45239
Phone: (513) 741-4027
Hamilton County Juvenile Court Youth Center
2020 Auburn Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45219
Phone: (513) 946-2600
Queensgate Correctional Facility
516 - 5128 Linn Street
Cincinnati, OH 45203
Phone: (513) 946-8300
River City Correctional Center
3220 Celorain Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45225
Phone: (513) 986-6800
Fax: (513) 946-6833
Cincinnati RRM
36 E. 7th Street, Suite 2017
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Phone: (513) 684-2603
Fax: (513) 684-2590
Hamilton County Hillcrest Academy
246 Bonham Road
Cincinnati, OH 45215
Phone: (513) 552-1200
