Morgan County Inmate Population Overview
The Morgan County inmate population has two official facility tracks in the research file. The local custody track is Morgan County Jail, operated by the Morgan County Sheriff's Office at the sheriff and jail complex in Decatur. That jail handles arrests, warrants, pretrial custody, local sentences, short-term holds, work release screening, transport custody, and recently released records shown through the sheriff's roster. The state custody track is the North Alabama Community Based Facility and Community Work Center, an Alabama Department of Corrections facility in Decatur for male state inmates in minimum-community and minimum-out custody.
Those two tracks should not be mixed. The sheriff roster answers whether a person is in Morgan County Jail now or was released through the sheriff's recent release path. The ADOC locator answers whether a person is currently incarcerated in state prison custody, including assignment to the North Alabama work center. A person can move from arrest to jail booking, first appearance, court case, sentence, and state custody, but each stage leaves records in a different system.
Morgan County Inmate Population Statistics
The strongest local figures come from the official Morgan County Jail page. It states that the current jail opened with 550 beds, that the annex added 444 beds, and that the facility can now house up to 994 inmates. The same page states a daily inmate population of 620 and says 108 corrections officers work with contracted medical staff to provide care around the clock. The live roster count observed during research was lower than the daily population figure, but that roster count changes and should be treated only as a point-in-time web observation.
| Measure | Figure | Source note |
|---|---|---|
| Original current jail capacity | 550 inmates | Sheriff jail page, facility opened in 2006. |
| Annex capacity added | 444 beds | Sheriff jail page, annex completed in 2016. |
| Total stated jail capacity | Up to 994 inmates | Sheriff jail page. |
| Daily jail population | 620 inmates | Sheriff jail page. |
| Corrections officers | 108 | Sheriff jail page. |
| Roster count observed | 549 | Current roster observed May 27, 2026, changes frequently. |
The sheriff's jail overview page is the source for the most stable Morgan County Jail numbers. The official jail page also describes the current facility, annex, work release, staff, and program context.
The screenshot fits this section because it comes from the sheriff's jail page that reports the capacity and daily population figures.
Morgan County Inmate Population Trends
Morgan County's official sources do not publish a multi-year average daily population table. They do provide a clear capacity timeline. The current jail replaced the older jail connected to the courthouse, opened in 2006, and began with 550 beds. As the daily headcount grew, the county decided in 2014 that an addition was needed. The annex was completed in 2016 and first housed inmates in spring 2017, adding 444 beds. The sheriff frames that annex as a way to prevent overcrowding and reduce security risks.
| Year or period | Population or capacity fact | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 550-bed current jail opened. | Replaced the older jail tied to the courthouse. |
| 2014 | County decided added capacity was needed. | Official source ties the decision to growing daily headcount. |
| 2016 to spring 2017 | 444-bed annex completed and first housed inmates. | Total stated capacity reached up to 994 inmates. |
| Current sheriff page | 620 daily population stated. | Most stable local population figure located in official sources. |
Detailed Morgan County Jail demographic breakdowns by sex, race, sentence status, charge level, or pretrial status were not published in the official jail sources reviewed. Statewide ADOC demographic figures exist, but those are not Morgan County Jail demographics.
Morgan County Inmate Record Laws
Alabama law helps explain why jail data, booking entries, and custody records are public in many adult cases. It also explains the limits. Public access does not override juvenile confidentiality, sealed records, expungement orders, active-investigation limits, medical privacy, facility security, or other exemptions. Morgan County's sheriff public-records instructions cite Alabama's public-record law and require a hand-delivered request for sheriff-held records not available online.
Key statutes:
Alabama Code Section 36-12-40 gives citizens access to inspect and copy public writings unless another law creates an exception.
Alabama Code Section 36-22-8 requires the sheriff to keep a public prisoner book with identifying and custody details.
Alabama Code Section 14-6-1 places custody and charge of the county jail and prisoners with the sheriff unless another law applies.
Alabama Code Section 41-9-625 covers criminal-justice biometric identifiers, including photographs, for people arrested or taken into custody.
Where Morgan County Inmates Are Held
Morgan County has one primary local jail and one state corrections facility in the Facility Map. There was no current official BOP prison, ICE detention facility, or separate adult city jail found in Morgan County official sources. Decatur Police materials and Decatur Municipal Court materials point adult custody and inmate-care questions back to Morgan County Jail. State prisoners assigned to the North Alabama work center are searched through ADOC, not through the sheriff roster.
- Morgan County Jail holds local arrests, pretrial detainees, warrant holds, local sentenced inmates, release-processing cases, and some transfer custody.
- North Alabama Community Based Facility and Community Work Center holds male ADOC inmates in minimum-community and minimum-out work center custody.
Note: A Decatur, Hartselle, or Priceville case can still produce a Morgan County Jail booking when the person is held in county custody.
Search Morgan County Jail Roster
The fastest current Morgan County inmate population lookup is the sheriff's roster chooser. It offers Current Inmates and a 48 Hour Release roster. The roster is free and public. No login or payment was observed. Search by first or last name, browse the full roster, sort by name or booking date, and open a profile for the full public entry.
- Start at the sheriff roster chooser if custody status is unknown.
- Choose Current Inmates for someone believed to be in jail now.
- Choose 48 Hour Release for a recent bond-out, release, or transfer.
- Enter a first or last name, or browse without a name.
- Open the profile to read charges, bond entries, booking number, and VINE link.
- If the person was sentenced to state custody, search ADOC instead.
The current roster screenshot shows the sheriff's roster controls and public listing format. Open the Morgan County current inmate roster for the live version.
The roster display is central because it is the public list most readers use before calling the jail or filing a records request.
Morgan County Inmate Lookup Fields
The roster can be searched with a name, but it can also be browsed and sorted. The public profile has more detail than the list view. It may show a mugshot, VINE link, booking number, arresting agency, booking date, charges, charge details, and bond. It does not show date of birth, Social Security number, home address, medical information, housing pod, internal classification, or disciplinary records.
| Roster control | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Search By Name | Text input | Enter first or last name. |
| Show All | Button | Clears the name search. |
| Name | Sort or filter link | Allows alphabet browsing. |
| Date | Sort link | Sort by booking date. |
| Current | Roster tab | Current jail population. |
| Released | Roster tab | Recent 48-hour release path. |
| Pagination | Links | Move through roster pages. |
What Morgan County Inmate Records Show
A Morgan County roster profile is useful, but it is still a jail record. It reflects booking and custody data, not a final court outcome. The profile disclaimer says charges and bail may change after court appearances and may not be current. For correct bail amount, charges, and case numbers, the sheriff directs bond companies and people posting bail to call Detention Center staff at 256.351.4825.
| Field | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Mugshot | Booking photo in list and profile when available. |
| Booking number | Numeric profile and VINE identifier. |
| Arresting agency | Agency such as Decatur Police or Morgan County Sheriff's Office. |
| Booking date | Date and time the person was booked. |
| Charges | Charge text and sometimes Alabama Code citation. |
| Bond | Bond type, amount, and source or status per charge. |
| Release date and reason | Shown on recent release entries, not the current profile example. |
State and Federal Inmate Search
The Morgan County jail roster should not be used for every custody question. Use the ADOC inmate search for currently incarcerated state inmates, including people assigned to the North Alabama Community Based Facility and Community Work Center. ADOC warns that its database contains current incarcerated inmates only, excludes Youthful Offender Act inmates, and does not provide historical online data. Search fields include AIS number, first name, and last name.
For federal custody, use the BOP inmate locator after a person is in BOP custody or has historical BOP custody since 1982. Federal pretrial defendants from Morgan County may be in U.S. Marshals Service custody before they appear in BOP. For immigration detention, use ICE ODLS for adults currently in ICE custody or in CBP custody for more than 48 hours. No current BOP or ICE facility in Morgan County was confirmed in current official facility lists.
| System | Use it for | Do not use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Morgan County roster | Current jail custody and 48-hour releases. | Sentenced state prison population. |
| ADOC locator | Current Alabama state inmates. | Recent county jail bookings or historical jail records. |
| BOP locator | Federal sentenced or historical BOP custody. | Most new federal pretrial arrests. |
| ICE ODLS | Adult ICE custody or CBP custody over 48 hours. | People under 18 or local county custody only. |
Released Morgan County Inmates
The sheriff's release path is labeled 48 Hour Release. That means a person who bonded out, was released, or was transferred may remain visible for a short local window, but official sources did not publish a broad historical roster archive. If the person is no longer in the current or 48-hour roster, a booking record may require the sheriff public-records process. The request instructions require hand delivery to the Sheriff's Office, Attn: Admin Captain, 119 Lee St, Decatur, AL 35601.
Sheriff records fees are separate from inmate funds and court-record fees. The minimum processing fee is $25. Additional labor is $23 per hour, rounded up to the next full hour. Black-and-white copies are $1 per page. Fees must be paid by cashier's check or money order, and the sheriff will attempt to comply within 30 business days after final production cost is received.
Morgan County Booking and Court Flow
A local arrest may involve Morgan County Sheriff's Office, Decatur Police, Hartselle Police, Somerville Police, or another agency. Adult arrestees are commonly taken to Morgan County Jail unless a citation or another release path applies. The intake record becomes public through the sheriff roster when the person is booked. Court paperwork then creates or confirms the warrant, affidavit, complaint, case number, and formal charge history.
Release is not instant after a bond payment or court order. The sheriff release page says the jail must receive complete court paperwork, often around 5:00 p.m. most days. Release can still take up to five hours because of new arrests, warrant checks, inmate issues, headcount, lockdowns, and other operations. For filed charges after a jail arrest, use Morgan County arrest records and court charges.
Custody flow: Arrest to booking to first appearance to court case to county jail release or state transfer.
Morgan County Jail Contact Rules
Visitation, mail, and inmate funds also affect how families interact with the Morgan County inmate population. The sheriff's current visitation page says the jail is non-contact and that all visits are available online at JailATM. The FAQ still mentions VendEngine, so the safest reading is to follow the current visitation page and confirm with the jail when scheduling. No detailed day-by-day visit schedule or official JailATM fee table was located in the sheriff pages reviewed.
Personal mail changed on April 1, 2025. Physical mail is photocopied or scanned and delivered electronically, while legal mail is still delivered to the inmate. The mail address is Morgan County Jail, Inmate Name / Inmate ID, PO Box 16060, Jonesboro, AR 72401. Inmate funds are accepted by lobby kiosk cash deposit or online credit/debit card through JailATM only. Money orders, cash, and certified funds are not accepted by mail or in person for inmate funds.
Morgan County App and VINE
The Morgan County AL Sheriff app is another official access channel. The sheriff app page and press release say it includes inmate roster features, arrest and warrant details, alerts, press releases, contact tools, and daily inmate roster push notifications. The website has the roster, but the app's daily notification feature is useful for people who need roster changes without manually refreshing the web page.
VINE is different. Morgan County Jail participates in VINE, and roster profiles include VINE links tied to booking identifiers. Use VINELink for custody notification, release, or transfer alerts. Do not treat VINE as a full replacement for the sheriff roster, the jail phone line, or the court record. If the issue is a bond amount, charge, or case number, call the jail or check court records.
Morgan County Jail Programs
The jail page says Morgan County Jail is not limited to simple confinement. It describes an inmate worker program for qualified inmates charged with non-violent, minimal offenses, a work-release program, and a partnership with the Neighborhood Christian Center. The sheriff says that partnership has traditionally allowed 40 to 50 inmate classes per week, including educational classes, religious services, and activities.
Community Corrections and work-release functions are tied to the Morgan County Courthouse, 1st Floor, 302 Lee Street NE, Decatur, AL 35601, phone 256.351.4739. Listed programs include Community Corrections, Adult Drug Court, Court Referral, Misdemeanor Probation, Drug Testing, and Electronic Monitoring. The North Alabama ADOC work center has its own work release, drug treatment, aftercare, NA/AA, adult education, and GED services.
Morgan County Inmate Population FAQ
How big is the Morgan County inmate population?
The sheriff's jail page states a daily Morgan County Jail population of 620 and a total stated capacity of up to 994 inmates. ADOC listed the North Alabama work center in the mid-600s at research time, but that is a state facility population, not a county jail count.
How do I search the Morgan County inmate population?
Use the sheriff current inmate roster for Morgan County Jail, the 48-hour release roster for recent releases, and the ADOC inmate search for sentenced Alabama state inmates. Federal and immigration custody require BOP or ICE locators.
Are Morgan County jail mugshots public?
Adult booking photos appear on the Morgan County roster and profile pages when available. The sheriff does not publish a separate historical mugshot archive or broad mugshot retention policy beyond the current and 48-hour release paths.
What if online records disagree?
Call Morgan County Jail at 256.351.4825 for current bail, charges, and case-number information. For filed court charges, use the Circuit Clerk or AlaCourt.
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