The Clarke County Inmate Population
The Clarke County inmate population is centered on one local detention facility, the Clarke County Jail, which is operated by the Clarke County Sheriff's Office. The official sheriff page identifies Sheriff Anthony Chancelor as the county sheriff and states that the sheriff serves as county jailor and keeps a jail docket. That local jail count is different from the number of people from Clarke County who are serving Mississippi Department of Corrections sentences. A person arrested in Quitman, Stonewall, Shubuta, Enterprise, Pachuta, or an unincorporated part of the county may pass through the county jail first, then move to court, release, supervision, MDOC custody, federal custody, or another agency hold.
The county does not publish a current daily jail population report, a jail-capacity dashboard, or a public booking roster. That makes Clarke a phone-and-records-request county for live custody checks. Historical data is still useful. It shows the scale of the jail, the way a small rural count can change sharply from year to year, and the difference between pretrial jail custody and sentenced state-prison custody. Current status should be verified through the sheriff at 601-776-5252, while historical counts should be read as dated research-source figures.
The U.S. Census QuickFacts page for Clarke County gives county population context for the jail figures.
Those population figures help frame why a change of a few jail beds or bookings can matter in a small east Mississippi county.
Clarke County Inmate Population Statistics
Research sources give several fixed points for the Clarke County inmate population, but none is a live count from the county. The Vera Institute county dataset reports a jail population of 23 and rated capacity of 26 for 2019. It also reports 10 people in pretrial custody and 13 in sentenced custody for that year. The Prison Policy Initiative extract of the 2006 Census of Jail Facilities lists Clarke County Jail at 444 West Donald Street with 59 local jail population on March 31, 2006. Because those sources use different years and methods, the figures should be cited by source and date instead of treated as a current bed count.
| Measure | Figure | Source / Year |
|---|---|---|
| Clarke County population estimate | 15,102 | U.S. Census QuickFacts, July 1, 2025 |
| County jail population | 23 | Vera county dataset, 2019 |
| Jail rated capacity | 26 | Vera county dataset, 2019 |
| Total jail admits | 116.75 | Vera county dataset, 2019 |
| Jail population rate | 240.59 per 100,000 age 15-64 | Vera county dataset, 2019 |
| Local jail population | 59 | BJS 2006 Census extract via Prison Policy Initiative |
Clarke County Inmate Population Trends
The Vera trend data shows a small jail system with large swings. Clarke County's reported jail population was 55 in 2014, fell to the upper 30s in 2015 through 2017, and then dropped to 23 in 2018 and 2019. The same dataset places the listed rated capacity below the jail population in 2014, 2016, and 2017, then closer to the count by 2018 and 2019. A small county can appear to change quickly because a handful of arrests, holds, bond decisions, or transfers can move the rate.
The 2008 row in the extracted Vera table reports a jail population of 1. The research flags that row as likely anomalous or a reporting issue, so it should not be used to claim the jail normally held one person. The better local reading is that Clarke County had historically higher reported counts in some years and lower counts in the latest county row available. No county source was located with a 2026 daily jail count.
| Year | Total Jail Population | Rated Capacity | Pretrial | Sentenced | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 23 | 26 | 10 | 13 | Latest extracted county jail row |
| 2018 | 23 | 28.79 | 8.85 | 14.15 | Similar count to 2019 |
| 2017 | 37 | 31.57 | 14.23 | 22.77 | Above listed capacity |
| 2016 | 38 | 34.36 | 14.62 | 23.38 | Above listed capacity |
| 2015 | 36 | 37.14 | 13.85 | 22.15 | Near listed capacity |
| 2014 | 55 | 39.93 | 21.15 | 33.85 | Highest recent extracted row |
Who Makes Up Clarke County Jail Custody
The 2019 Vera data breaks the Clarke County jail count into pretrial and sentenced local custody. It reports 10 people in pretrial custody and 13 in sentenced custody, which means the local jail held both people waiting for a case outcome and people serving or finishing local sentences. The research also reports a prison population from Clarke County of 98 in 2019, which is separate from the county jail count. Those sentenced state prisoners are searched through MDOC, not through the sheriff jail docket.
- Pretrial custody means a person has been arrested and is held before case disposition or release.
- Sentenced local custody means the person is serving a local jail sentence or held under a court order.
- State prison custody means a sentenced prisoner is in the statewide MDOC system after transfer.
- Agency holds can include warrants, detainers, probation or parole holds, federal matters, or immigration custody questions.
Vera's demographic fields for 2019 include race and sex figures, but the research notes that the male and female values do not sum perfectly to the total because the dataset harmonizes and estimates annual series. For that reason, the best use of the demographic data is broad context, not a precise current profile of every person in Clarke County custody.
Clarke County Jail Capacity Caveats
The current official Clarke County capacity was not located on the county website. Historical research gives two different capacity-related references. Vera reports a rated capacity of 26 in 2019, while the 2006 Census of Jail Facilities extract lists 59 local jail population at the same West Donald Street facility address. The research file advises labeling capacity as not published by Clarke County and noting that historical sources show 26 to 59 depending on year and source.
This distinction matters for the Clarke County inmate population because a capacity figure can be a rated-bed number, a census-day population, or a data-series estimate. The county website does not publish a housing-unit map, construction date, current capacity dashboard, or overcrowding order. A reader who needs a live count, bed status, or transport status should call the sheriff instead of relying on a dated dataset.
Laws Behind Clarke County Jail Records
Mississippi law gives Clarke County jail records their strongest public-record footing through the sheriff's jail docket. The sheriff page says the sheriff keeps a jail docket, and Miss. Code § 19-25-63 requires every sheriff to record the warrant or mittimus, issuing authority, prisoner name, received date, arrest and commitment dates, charge or cause, confinement length, and release or discharge method. That does not mean every piece of a booking file is public without redaction, but it does make the jail docket the key local record when no online roster exists.
Key Clarke County record laws:
Miss. Code § 25-61-5 makes nonexempt public records available for inspection or copying under reasonable procedures.
Miss. Code § 25-61-7 allows public bodies to charge lawful search, review, duplication, and mailing fees.
Miss. Code § 25-61-13 gives the Mississippi Ethics Commission authority over public-record access complaints.
Mississippi DPS death-in-custody reporting explains the federal reporting duty for deaths during custody or arrest-related events.
Clarke County and MDOC Custody
Once a Clarke County defendant is sentenced to Mississippi prison, the local jail is no longer the main lookup point. The Mississippi Department of Corrections inmate search is the statewide search for sentenced state prisoners. MDOC fields include first name, last name, and MDOC ID number, and public profiles may show ID, demographics, location, unit, sentence information, offense list, county of conviction, tentative release date, and a photo. The state also has a parolee search for people under supervision.
No MDOC prison was found inside Clarke County on the official MDOC facilities list. MDOC does list a Clarke Probation and Parole Office at 100 East Church Street in Quitman, but the research identifies that as a supervision office, not a detention facility. For the Clarke County inmate population, that means the single local facility is the county jail, while sentenced state prisoners are tracked statewide.
The MDOC inmate search page is the correct state-level lookup when a Clarke County case has resulted in a prison sentence.
The state search should not be confused with the county jail docket, which covers local custody under the sheriff.
Search Clarke County Inmate Population
Because no official Clarke County online jail roster was located, the search path starts with the sheriff and then moves through state and federal systems as needed. This is not the same workflow as a county with a public booking grid. A live Clarke County custody check should begin by calling 601-776-5252 and asking whether the person is currently booked in the jail, whether bond has been set, whether a first appearance is scheduled, and whether a jail docket entry or booking record can be requested.
Bring or provide the person's full legal name, date of birth if known, approximate arrest date, arresting agency, and any court, warrant, or case number. The official local address for the sheriff and jail contact point is 444 West Donald Street, Quitman, MS 39355. If the person has been sentenced to state custody, switch to MDOC. If federal or immigration custody is possible, use BOP or ICE.
- Call the Clarke County Sheriff's Office at 601-776-5252 for current county jail custody.
- Ask whether the jail will release a jail docket entry, booking status, bond status, or release method.
- Use Mississippi VINE for custody status and notification searches.
- Search MDOC if the person may have moved to state prison after sentencing.
- Use the BOP locator or ICE Online Detainee Locator for federal or immigration custody.
Current Clarke County Inmate Lookup
The county-hosted search-field table is short because no official online roster was found on the county website, sheriff page, forms page, or official navigation. The lack of a web form is a local fact, not a missing content item. It changes how the Clarke County inmate population should be searched. Public users have to use the sheriff phone line, an in-person request, the Public Records Act route, VINE, and then MDOC, BOP, or ICE depending on custody type.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| No official Clarke County online roster located | n/a | n/a | No county-hosted search form, released-inmate tab, booking-date filter, mugshot gallery, or profile page was found. |
| MDOC First Name | Text | Conditional | Used for sentenced state-prison searches when ID number is not known. |
| MDOC Last Name | Text | Conditional | Best name field for state prisoner lookup. |
| MDOC ID Number | Text | Conditional | Use when known to avoid common-name results. |
| BOP Last Name | Text | Yes for name search | Federal locator covers federal inmates from 1982 to present. |
Past Clarke County Jail Records
Released or past Clarke County jail records are not available through a public archive on the county site. The sheriff jail docket is the practical route. A request should identify the person, the estimated booking or arrest date, the arresting agency if known, and the record requested, such as the jail docket entry, booking record, release record, or nonexempt booking photo if maintained. Mississippi's Public Records Act allows request procedures and fees, and the research found no sheriff-specific public-record request form on the county forms page.
Court files may also preserve the arrest path after release. Justice Court handles felony initial appearances and affidavits, as well as DUIs and county ordinance matters. Circuit Court and the Circuit Clerk handle felony filings, indictments, motions, judgments, and other criminal papers. For that court side of the record, use the Clarke County court offices and Mississippi Electronic Courts rather than the jail.
What Clarke County Inmate Records Show
The local record inventory comes from the jail docket statute rather than a sample online profile. A Clarke County jail docket entry should record the legal authority for custody, the prisoner's name, key custody dates, charge or cause, and release details. Some fields may be withheld or redacted when a record involves sealed court matters, juvenile records, medical information, victim information, active investigations, or other exemptions.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Warrant or mittimus | The court or legal paper that authorized the person to be received or held. |
| Issuing authority | The official or court that issued the warrant, mittimus, or custody order. |
| Prisoner name | The name entered in the statutory jail docket. |
| Received, arrest, and commitment dates | Key dates tied to custody and intake. |
| Charge or cause | The criminal charge, warrant cause, or other reason for confinement. |
| Release or discharge method | How the person left custody, when the docket contains that information. |
Clarke County Jail vs State Prison
The most common lookup mistake is searching the wrong system. The Clarke County Jail is a county jail for people arrested locally, awaiting first appearance, waiting on bond, serving short local sentences, or held under court and agency orders. MDOC is the statewide system for sentenced Mississippi prisoners. Federal and immigration custody use separate national locators. A person can move from one system to another as the case changes.
| Question | Clarke County Jail | MDOC State Prison | Federal or ICE Custody |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who is held | Pretrial detainees, short local sentences, holds, and transfers | Sentenced Mississippi prisoners | Federal inmates, federal detainees, or immigration detainees |
| Run by | Clarke County Sheriff's Office | Mississippi Department of Corrections | BOP, U.S. Marshals, or ICE depending on custody |
| Where to search | Sheriff phone, in person, jail docket request, VINE | MDOC inmate search or parolee search | BOP locator or ICE ODLS |
| Photo availability | No official county mugshot gallery located | Photos appear on many MDOC profiles | Federal locators generally do not publish mugshots |
VINE MDOC BOP and ICE
Mississippi VINE/SAVIN is available for custody status and notifications. MDOC describes SAVIN/VINE as a notification service for county and state offender status changes based on booking-system updates. It is useful when a person may be in local or state custody, but users should still verify critical release, bond, or court details with the originating agency.
Federal custody does not flow through a Clarke County jail roster. The BOP locator covers federal inmates incarcerated from 1982 to present and can be searched by name or number. ICE ODLS can be searched by A-number and country of birth, or by biographical information including name, country of birth, and date of birth. The U.S. Marshals Southern District of Mississippi is relevant for federal pretrial custody and prisoner transport, but the Marshals do not publish a county jail roster.
The Mississippi VINE portal is a key notification channel when the county roster is not online.
VINE should be used with the sheriff phone line for current Clarke County custody questions that need confirmation.
Clarke County Detention Facilities
The facility map for Clarke County contains one detention facility. No MDOC prison, BOP prison, ICE facility, or regional correctional facility was found inside the county. The MDOC Clarke Probation and Parole Office is a supervision office, not a housing facility, so it does not receive a detention-facility page.
- Clarke County Jail - the county jail operated by the Clarke County Sheriff's Office for local arrests, pretrial detention, short local sentences, and authorized holds or transfers.
Clarke County Jail Court Path
Clarke County has one unusually specific court detail. The official courts page says Justice Court judges hold court sessions at the jail three times each week to protect each arrested person's right to an initial appearance within three days. That point matters for bond, charge status, and the move from booking record to court record. A booking charge states why the person entered custody. The prosecutor may later amend, reduce, dismiss, replace, or present charges to a grand jury.
Recent local reporting also affects how readers should treat live custody information. WLBT reported in June 2025 that a female inmate was found unresponsive at the Clarke County Jail and that state investigators were involved. WTOK and Mississippi Today reported in May 2026 that six deputies resigned from the sheriff's office amid public allegations and the sheriff's response. These are news-context items, not current population counts, and they should not replace direct confirmation from the sheriff.
Clarke County Custody Terms
Local jail and court terms can sound alike, but they point to different records. These definitions help separate a booking record from a court case and a state-prison profile.
- Jail docket
- The sheriff's statutory record of who was received into jail, why, under what authority, and how the custody ended.
- First appearance
- An early court appearance after arrest where the court addresses rights, charges, bond, and next steps.
- Detainer
- A hold from another agency that may keep a person in custody even if a local bond is set.
- MDOC
- The Mississippi Department of Corrections, which tracks sentenced state prisoners and parolees.
- Expunction
- A court order that removes eligible arrest or case records from public access under Mississippi law.
Clarke County Inmate Population FAQ
How big is the Clarke County inmate population?
The latest county jail row in the extracted Vera dataset reports 23 people in jail custody in 2019, with a rated capacity of 26. The county does not publish a current daily jail count online, so live population or custody status must be verified with the Clarke County Sheriff's Office.
Can the Clarke County inmate population be searched online?
No official Clarke County online jail roster was located. Current county jail searches should start with the sheriff at 601-776-5252. VINE, MDOC, BOP, and ICE cover different custody types and should be used only when they match the person's status.
Does Clarke County publish mugshots?
No official county mugshot gallery or recent-bookings photo page was found. Jail docket information is public under Mississippi law, but a booking photograph is different from the required docket fields. Ask the sheriff whether a maintained photo is releasable under the Public Records Act.
What happens after a jail arrest?
The jail booking creates the custody record, while Justice Court handles initial appearances and affidavits for felony cases. If the case moves forward, prosecutors and court clerks create the formal court record. Court records and jail records should be checked separately.
Where are sentenced Clarke County prisoners searched?
Sentenced Mississippi prisoners are searched through MDOC, not through the county jail. MDOC also has a parolee search for people under supervision in the community. Use the county sheriff only for current local jail custody and jail docket records.