Houston County Jail Roster

Houston County jail roster records are kept by the Sheriff's Office in Dothan. This is Alabama's youngest county, created in 1903. The jail has 400 beds and serves about 109,000 people across 587 square miles. Sheriff Donald Valenza leads the office. You can search for inmates online through the sheriff's website. The roster shows booking photos, charges, and bond amounts. Under Alabama Code Section 36-22-8, jail records are public. This guide shows how to find jail roster records in Houston County, Alabama.

Houston County Sheriff's Office

The Houston County Sheriff's Office sits at 411 N Foster Street in Dothan. Sheriff Donald Valenza runs the office. He was appointed by the governor in 2014. He has been elected twice since then. The office handles law enforcement for the entire county.

The Sheriff's Office operates the county jail. Staff book inmates and keep records. They can answer questions about who is in custody. The office has a full website with inmate search tools.

How to Search Houston County Inmates

Houston County has a full online inmate roster. Visit houstoncosoal.gov/inmate-listing to use it. The roster shows current inmates with photos and details.

You can search by name or booking number. The results show each inmate's photo. You see the local ID and age. Race and sex are listed. The roster shows admit date and time. It shows housing location in the jail. The confining agency is noted. All charges appear.

Houston County also uses Southern Software's Citizen Connect portal. This is at cc.southernsoftware.com. It provides another way to search booking records. The system is designed for Alabama law enforcement.

To search Houston County jail records online, you may use:

• The inmate's first or last name
• Booking number if known
• The Citizen Connect portal for more options

If you cannot find someone online, call the jail at (334) 712-0762. Staff can search by phone. They can tell you if a person is in custody. They share charges and bond amounts.

What Houston County Jail Records Show

Jail roster records contain details about each booking. Alabama law requires the sheriff to keep these records. They are public under state code.

Houston County jail roster records generally contain the following:

• Full name and booking photograph
• Local ID number from the jail
• Age, race, and sex of the inmate
• Date and time of admission
• Housing location in the facility
• Confining agency that made the arrest
• All criminal charges filed
• Bond amount if set

The Houston County Jail is a medium-security facility. It can hold 400 inmates. The jail serves the entire county. This includes the city of Dothan. The facility holds people before trial. It also holds those serving short sentences.

Houston County Jail Facility

The Houston County Jail is run by the Sheriff's Office. It has space for 400 inmates. This makes it one of the larger county jails in southeast Alabama.

The jail holds adults arrested in Houston County. It houses people waiting for court. It keeps those serving sentences under two years. Inmates with longer terms go to state prison. The Alabama Department of Corrections handles those cases.

Booking happens at the jail. When someone is arrested, they come here for processing. Staff record personal details. They take a mugshot and fingerprints. Within 24 hours, the data goes to the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center. This is required by Alabama Administrative Code 265-X-2-.03.

Houston County is Alabama's youngest county. It was formed in 1903. Despite being young, the county has a modern jail system. The online tools make it easy to find inmate information.

Jail Visitation in Houston County

Houston County Jail offers visitation. The jail has face-to-face visits. These are non-contact, meaning you see the inmate through glass. Video visitation is also available for those who cannot come in person.

Video visits use a third-party system. Legacy Inmate Communications handles this service. You can schedule visits online or by phone. There are fees for video visits.

For all visits, you need a valid photo ID. The jail may check for warrants. Follow the dress code rules. Contact the jail at (334) 712-0762 for the current schedule and rules.

Alabama Laws on Jail Records

Alabama law makes jail rosters public. Two main statutes apply. These give you the right to see inmate records.

Alabama Code Section 36-22-8 is the jail records law. It says the sheriff must keep a book with facts about each prisoner. The book must show name, age, sex, race, and charges. It must show booking and release dates. This book is open for public view during office hours.

Alabama Code Section 36-12-40 is the Open Records Act. It gives Alabama residents the right to inspect public records. Jail rosters are public. You can ask to see them. The sheriff can charge a fair fee for copies. You do not need to explain why you want the records.

Some data is protected. Juvenile records are sealed under state law. Medical records are private. Information that could harm jail safety may be withheld. But basic booking facts are always public.

Note: Expunged records will not show in searches. Alabama Code Section 15-27 allows some records to be sealed if charges were dropped or the person was cleared.

How to Request Jail Records

Getting Houston County jail records is easy. The online roster handles most needs. For official copies, you have other options.

The online inmate listing is free. Use it for basic checks. You can see who is in jail. You can view photos and charges. This works for most quick questions.

For copies of records, contact the Sheriff's Office. Call (334) 677-4882 to ask what you need. You can visit the office at 411 N Foster Street in Dothan. Bring a photo ID. Staff can print records for you. Fees apply for copies.

Written requests work too. Mail your request to the Sheriff's Office. Include the inmate's name and date of birth. State what records you want. Send payment by money order. Call first to confirm fees.

The Sheriff's Office has a Facebook page at facebook.com/hcsoal. This can be useful for updates and general questions.

Dothan Jail Records

Dothan is the county seat. It has about 71,650 people. Most of the city is in Houston County. Parts extend into Dale and Henry Counties.

People arrested in Dothan by city police may go to the Houston County Jail. The city does not have its own large jail. The county jail serves the area. If you are looking for someone arrested in Dothan, start with the Houston County roster.

If you cannot find the person, check Dale County and Henry County too. The city spans three counties. The arrest could have happened in any of them.

Court Records in Houston County

Jail records show who is in custody. Court records show the case progress. These are kept by different offices.

Houston County is part of the 20th Judicial Circuit. This circuit includes Henry County. The circuit court handles felony cases. The district court handles misdemeanors and small matters.

Search Alabama court records online at pa.alacourt.com. The AlacourtAccess system covers all state courts. You can look up cases by name or case number. There are fees for detailed searches.

For court questions in Houston County, contact the Circuit Clerk. The office is at the courthouse in Dothan. They can help with case files, judgments, and court documents.

Search Houston County Records

Use this tool to find jail records and other public records in Houston County, Alabama.

Cities in Houston County

Houston County has several cities and towns. People arrested in these areas may be booked at the Houston County Jail.

Other towns in Houston County include Ashford, Columbia, Cowarts, Gordon, Kinsey, Madrid, Taylor, and Webb. Residents of all these places use the Houston County jail system when arrested by county deputies.

Nearby Counties

These counties share a border with Houston County. Check them if you are unsure where someone was arrested.