Charleston Jail Roster Records
The Charleston jail roster is managed by Charleston County, not the City of Charleston. Charleston does not run its own jail. When Charleston police make an arrest, the person goes to the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center in North Charleston. You can search the Charleston jail roster online through the county inmate search portal. The system shows current inmates, booking dates, charges, bond amounts, and mugshots. There is no cost to look up jail roster records for Charleston arrests.
Charleston Quick Facts
Where Charleston Arrests Go
Charleston does not operate a city jail. This is common across South Carolina. Most cities rely on county facilities for detention. When the Charleston Police Department arrests someone, that person is taken to the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center. The facility sits at 3841 Leeds Avenue in North Charleston, SC 29405. It is run by the Charleston County Sheriff's Office.
The detention center processes roughly 33,000 inmates each year. It has a capacity of about 1,250 beds. Four teams work rotating 12-hour shifts to keep the processing division open around the clock. Most people booked into the Charleston jail roster are released within 24 hours.
| Facility | Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center |
|---|---|
| Address | 3841 Leeds Avenue North Charleston, SC 29405 |
| Phone | (843) 529-7300 |
| Sheriff Phone | (843) 554-4700 |
| Inmate Search | inmatesearch.charlestoncounty.org |
Note: The Sheriff's Office will never call to ask for bail money by phone, as this is a known scam targeting families of inmates.
Charleston Jail Roster Search Steps
You can look up anyone on the Charleston jail roster using the county inmate search portal. The system is free and open to the public. Go to the Charleston County inmate search page to start.
Enter a last name in the search field. Partial names work. You can add a first name to narrow the results. The system also lets you filter by booking date range or search by inmate number. Check the "Show Past Bookings" box if you want to see people who have already been released from the Charleston jail roster.
Each result shows the inmate's name, mugshot, booking date and time, charges, and bond amount. Click on a record for full details. The portal displays up to 50 results at a time. You can print or save what you find.
The Charleston County inmate search portal shows these fields on the jail roster:
- Full legal name and booking number
- Mugshot photo and date of birth
- Current charges with statute citations
- Bond amount and arresting agency
- Housing assignment and release date if applicable
The Charleston jail roster portal at the county inmate search site shows results from the Al Cannon Detention Center. The information here covers bookings from the Charleston Police Department, the Charleston County Sheriff's Office, and other agencies that process arrests through this facility.
The screenshot above shows the Charleston County inmate search page where you can look up jail roster records for anyone booked into the Al Cannon Detention Center.
Charleston Police Department
The Charleston Police Department handles law enforcement within city limits. It is a separate agency from the Charleston County Sheriff's Office. The police department makes arrests, writes reports, and conducts investigations. After an arrest, the person goes to the county detention center and appears on the Charleston jail roster.
| Agency | Charleston Police Department |
|---|---|
| Address | 180 Lockwood Boulevard Charleston, SC 29403 |
| Phone | (843) 743-7200 (Non-Emergency) |
| Website | charleston-sc.gov/police |
Charleston is the oldest and second-largest city in South Carolina. It has about 137,000 residents as of the 2020 Census. The city has its own municipal court for minor offenses. More serious charges go through the Charleston County court system.
The Charleston Police Department website provides information on local public safety resources. You can view the department page for non-emergency contact details and community resources.
This view of the Charleston Police Department site can help you find contact information for police records and non-emergency services.
Booking Process After Arrest
Once a Charleston police officer makes an arrest, the person is taken to the Al Cannon Detention Center. The booking process runs around the clock. Booking includes a medical screening, fingerprinting, and mugshot photography. Staff take a personal property inventory and issue uniforms and hygiene items. Then the inmate goes through classification and gets a housing assignment.
After booking, the person appears on the Charleston jail roster. The inmate search portal updates regularly. In February 2026, the Charleston County Sheriff's Office began delaying online posting of booking information to protect families from bail scams. A printed booking list is posted daily at 9 a.m. in the detention center lobby.
Video visitation is available after 72 hours in custody. In-person visits follow a set schedule. The facility uses a cashless system. All inmate funds go through commissary accounts managed at kiosks in the lobby.
Note: Between October 2024 and October 2025, the sheriff's office investigated 188 fraud reports, including 8 identified as jail-related bail scams.
Records Requests in Charleston
You can request police records from the Charleston Police Department through a FOIA request. Reports less than 14 days old are free for victims and cost $3.00 for others. Older reports require a formal FOIA request. The department responds within 10 business days.
For jail roster records and detention information, contact the Charleston County Sheriff's Office at 3691 Leeds Avenue, North Charleston, SC 29405. Call (843) 202-1700 for FOIA requests. The county charges fees for copies and staff time, including $0.10 per black and white page and hourly rates for search and redaction.
South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act requires that certain records be provided right away. Under S.C. Code Title 30, Chapter 4, anyone who appears in person during business hours can get the identities of people jailed in the last three months and crime information from the past 14 days.
State Inmate Search Resources
If you cannot find someone on the Charleston jail roster, they may be in a state facility. The South Carolina Department of Corrections runs a statewide inmate search at doc.sc.gov. This system covers people sentenced to state prisons, not county jails.
VINE is a free service that lets you check custody status and sign up for release alerts. Visit VINELink.com or call 1-800-846-3546. The South Carolina Judicial Branch Public Index at publicindex.sccourts.org provides court case details including charges and case status for all 46 South Carolina counties.
The City of Charleston homepage offers links to city departments and public services, including the municipal court and police department.
Note: The SCDC inmate search only shows people currently in state prisons and does not include those held at county detention centers like the Al Cannon facility.
Charleston County Jail Roster
Charleston arrests are handled by Charleston County. Visit the county page for full detention center details.