Find Hattiesburg Arrest, Booking and Jail Records Through the Correct County
For someone who may currently be in jail after an arrest in the Hattiesburg area, start by identifying the county connected with the booking. Forrest County and Lamar County maintain separate Sheriff and inmate systems, and Hattiesburg’s city limits reach across the Forrest–Lamar county line.
Records Search
Court, Criminal, Marriage, Divorce, Property
A booking record or mugshot documents an arrest-stage event. It does not prove guilt or show the final result of a criminal case. After finding the booking, use the appropriate municipal or county court record when filed charges, hearings or disposition matter.
First Determine Whether the Booking Is in Forrest or Lamar County
Hattiesburg is unusual because its municipal boundary intersects the Forrest–Lamar county line. That matters for arrest searches: the city name alone does not guarantee which county jail or court system holds the record you need.
Start here for many Hattiesburg jail searches
The Forrest County Sheriff’s Office provides an official inmate-roster link for current inmates at the Forrest County Adult Detention Center in Hattiesburg.
Open Forrest County inmate roster →Check Lamar County when the arrest belongs there
Lamar County’s Sheriff page provides its own official inmate search. Do not assume the Forrest County roster will contain every person arrested in the wider Hattiesburg area.
Open Lamar County Sheriff inmate search →Need the Hattiesburg Police incident record?
The City of Hattiesburg has a separate public-record process for Police Department incident and accident records. A police report is not the same record as the county jail booking.
Hattiesburg Police public records →Was it a city misdemeanor case?
Hattiesburg Municipal Court processes misdemeanor arrests within the city and maintains records for those cases. It also handles first appearances and preliminary hearings for felony defendants.
Hattiesburg Municipal Court →Need a Forrest County felony case?
Forrest County Circuit Court handles state felony trials. The Circuit Clerk maintains the docket, including pleas, indictments and other filed court papers.
Forrest County Courts →Was the person transferred to MDOC?
Someone who has moved from a county jail into Mississippi state correctional custody may appear in the Mississippi Department of Corrections inmate search instead of the local jail roster.
Mississippi DOC inmate search →How to Search the Forrest County Inmate Roster
The Forrest County Sheriff’s Office publishes an inmate-roster page that links to its current inmate system. Use this route when you believe the person is currently being held in the Forrest County Adult Detention Center.
Open the Sheriff’s official inmate-roster page
Begin on the Forrest County Sheriff’s Office website and follow its current inmate-roster link. This helps avoid copied arrest information on third-party mugshot sites.
Search the inmate system carefully
Use the strongest identifying information available. If several people have similar names, compare available booking and identifying details before deciding that a record belongs to the person you are researching.
Review the current booking information
Treat charge descriptions, custody status and bond information as booking-stage information. Those details can change after a first appearance, later filing or court order.
Follow the case into the correct court
Use Hattiesburg Municipal Court, Forrest County Justice Court or Forrest County Circuit Court depending on the type and jurisdiction of the case rather than relying on the booking record for the final outcome.
Forrest County Adult Detention Center
55 Arena DriveHattiesburg, MS 39401
Booking / Adult Correctional Facility: 601-545-6148
What the current roster cannot prove
A failed current-inmate search does not establish that an arrest never happened. A person may already have bonded out, been released, transferred or been booked elsewhere.
For an older arrest, move to the arresting agency and court records instead of repeatedly searching the current roster.
When to Check the Lamar County Jail Search
Lamar County maintains a separate Sheriff and inmate-search system. This becomes important when the arrest occurred on the Lamar County side of the Hattiesburg area or when Forrest County produces no current-custody result.
Use Lamar County’s official Sheriff page
Lamar County’s government website links directly to its inmate search. The Sheriff’s Department is based in Purvis and operates county law-enforcement and corrections services separately from Forrest County.
Lamar County jail contact
Lamar County’s official contact directory lists the Sheriff Jail number as 601-794-1088.
If an online search does not answer a custody question, contact the jail before assuming the person is not in Lamar County custody.
Finding Recent Hattiesburg Bookings Without Inventing a Daily Mugshot Archive
Official Forrest and Lamar County inmate searches are useful for present custody, but they should not automatically be described as complete “last 24 hours,” “7 days” or “30 days” mugshot archives unless the responsible agency specifically provides that historical range.
| What you need | Best starting source | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Person may be in jail now | Forrest or Lamar County inmate search | Choose the county connected with the arrest and check current custody. |
| Recent Hattiesburg Police arrest | County jail + HPD records | Use the jail for custody and HPD for an available incident or arrest report. |
| Person was already released | Arresting agency + court | Current jail search may no longer show the person, so follow the record into the court system. |
| Older Forrest County arrest | Forrest County court / relevant agency | Use court records and request the underlying law-enforcement record where needed. |
| Older Lamar County arrest | Lamar County Circuit or Justice Court | Determine which court handled the charge and request the appropriate case information. |
| Person is now in state prison | Mississippi Department of Corrections | Search by name or MDOC ID number. |
How to Request a Hattiesburg Police Incident or Arrest Record
The City of Hattiesburg accepts public-record requests for Police Department records separately from county jail records. This is the better route when you need an incident or accident report rather than simply checking whether someone is in custody.
Identify the record as an HPD record
Confirm that Hattiesburg Police—not the Forrest County Sheriff, Lamar County Sheriff or another agency—created the report you need.
Complete the City’s public-record request form
Hattiesburg directs Police Department records requests through its public-record process. The city accepts an email submission after the required form is completed.
Email the Police records request
The City currently lists [email protected] for Hattiesburg Police public-record requests.
Allow for exemptions and redactions
Mississippi public-record laws and other legal restrictions can limit disclosure. Hattiesburg specifically notes that investigative material beyond information contained in an incident report may be exempt from public inspection.
Hattiesburg Police Records contact
Records: 601-545-4964
Main line: 601-544-7900
Because current City webpages contain differing street-address references for Police services, calling Records before an in-person visit is the safest way to confirm where a request should be delivered.
Current City response guidance
Hattiesburg says it seeks to provide requested records within seven working days. If a difficult request cannot be completed in that period, the requester is to be notified of the reason for the delay, with more time-consuming requests delivered within fourteen working days.
What Hattiesburg Charges for City Public-Record Requests
The City publishes specific copy and labor-fee rules for public-record requests. These apply to city records, including qualifying requests involving the Police Department, and should not be confused with separate county or court fees.
| Situation | Published City guidance |
|---|---|
| Photocopies of 25 pages or fewer | No copy charge is listed by the City. |
| Request exceeding 25 pages | The City states a charge of $0.15 per copy beginning with page one. |
| Employee retrieval takes more than one hour | Labor may be charged at the hourly rate of the appropriate employee for the actual retrieval time. |
| Estimated request cost of $50 or more | The City says a deposit equal to half of the estimate may be required. |
Fees and procedures can change. Confirm the current City of Hattiesburg public-record rules before submitting a large request.
Where to Check Bond After a Forrest County Booking
Forrest County publishes bonding availability for the Adult Detention Center. Bond status and release timing can depend on the court, charge and stage of the case, so do not infer a bond amount simply because a person appears in the inmate roster.
Published weekday bonding hours
Forrest County currently lists bonding Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.–12 p.m., 1 p.m.–4 p.m. and 7 p.m.–12 a.m.
The Sheriff notes a Tuesday exception, when bonding hours are listed as 7 p.m.–12 a.m. because of visitation.
Published weekend bonding hours
Forrest County currently lists Saturday and Sunday bonding from 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
For case-specific bond information, confirm the current inmate entry or contact the Adult Detention Center at 601-545-6148.
Which Hattiesburg Court Record Shows What Happened Next?
A Hattiesburg-area arrest can move into different courts depending on the agency, charge level and county. The court record—not the mugshot—is normally the better source for filed charges and later case activity.
Hattiesburg Municipal Court
The City states that Municipal Court processes and adjudicates misdemeanor arrests within Hattiesburg. Its cases also include police-initiated arrests, personal affidavits, traffic citations, first appearances and preliminary hearings for felony defendants.
Municipal Court: 601-545-4933
Municipal Court information →Forrest County Circuit Court
Forrest County states that its Circuit Court handles trials involving state felonies. The Circuit Clerk maintains docket information, including pleas, indictments and papers entered in the case.
Circuit Clerk: 601-582-3213
Forrest County Courts →Lamar County Circuit Clerk
Lamar County’s Circuit Clerk maintains court records, while its criminal division handles case types including felony, misdemeanor, DUI and traffic matters.
Circuit Clerk: 601-794-8504
Lamar County Circuit Clerk →Search MDOC if the Person Is No Longer in the County Jail
The Mississippi Department of Corrections maintains a statewide inmate search for people in MDOC custody. The search accepts a name or MDOC ID number.
When MDOC is the right source
- The person has been sentenced into Mississippi state custody.
- The person was transferred from a local county facility.
- You have an MDOC ID number.
- You need the current state correctional location rather than an old county booking.
When MDOC is not the first source
- A new Hattiesburg-area local arrest.
- A person awaiting local proceedings in Forrest or Lamar County.
- A municipal misdemeanor record.
- A Hattiesburg Police incident report.
What to Do if You Cannot Find a Hattiesburg Booking
One failed name search is not enough to conclude that no arrest exists. Work through the jurisdiction and record type before giving up.
| Problem | Possible explanation | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No Forrest County result | The booking may belong to Lamar County, the person may have been released, or the arrest may not have resulted in current Forrest custody. | Check Lamar County and identify the arresting agency. |
| No Lamar County result | The person may be in Forrest County or may no longer be jailed. | Check Forrest County, HPD records and the relevant court. |
| Current roster shows no older arrest | A current inmate system is not necessarily a historical arrest archive. | Request the law-enforcement record and check court records. |
| You found the booking but need the incident narrative | Jail and police records serve different purposes. | Request the report from HPD, Forrest County Sheriff, Lamar County Sheriff or the other arresting agency. |
| You need the final case result | Booking information reflects an earlier stage. | Use Municipal, Justice or Circuit Court records as appropriate. |
| Person was transferred after sentencing | The person may now be in state custody. | Search Mississippi Department of Corrections. |
Hattiesburg Jail, Police and Court Contact Information
Use the office that actually controls the record. A county detention center cannot necessarily provide an HPD investigative report, and the Police Department is not the custodian of every county court file.
Forrest County Adult Detention Center
55 Arena DriveHattiesburg, MS 39401
Booking: 601-545-6148
Forrest County Sheriff’s Office
55 Arena DriveHattiesburg, MS 39401
Dispatch: 601-544-7800
Hattiesburg Municipal Court
701 James StreetP.O. Box 1898
Hattiesburg, MS 39403-1898
Court: 601-545-4933
Forrest County Circuit Clerk
630 Main StreetHattiesburg, MS 39401
Circuit Clerk: 601-582-3213
Hattiesburg Mugshots, Arrests and Jail Records FAQs
Where can I find mugshots in Hattiesburg, Mississippi?
Start with the official county inmate system connected with the arrest. Forrest County Sheriff provides a current inmate roster, while Lamar County maintains a separate inmate search. Availability of a booking photograph depends on what the responsible agency currently publishes.
Which jail handles Hattiesburg arrests?
There is not one answer for every Hattiesburg-area arrest. Forrest County Adult Detention Center handles Forrest County custody, while Lamar County maintains a separate jail system. The arrest location and agency help determine which system to check.
How do I search Forrest County inmates?
Use the Forrest County Sheriff’s Office inmate-roster page and follow its official current-inmate search. The Adult Detention Center is located at 55 Arena Drive in Hattiesburg.
How do I search Lamar County inmates?
Use the inmate-search link on Lamar County’s official Sheriff page. Lamar County publishes a separate inmate system from Forrest County.
Why can’t I find someone in the Hattiesburg inmate search?
The person may be in the other county, may already have been released or transferred, or may not currently be held in a county jail. Identify the arresting agency, check both relevant county systems and then use court records for an older case.
How do I get a Hattiesburg Police report?
Hattiesburg Police public-record requests may be submitted through the City’s records process. The City lists [email protected] for Police Department requests and 601-545-4964 for the Records division.
How long does Hattiesburg take to respond to a public-record request?
The City says it seeks to provide records within seven working days. When a difficult request cannot be completed within that time, the City says the requester will be informed of the delay and more time-consuming requests will be delivered within fourteen working days.
Where do I check a Hattiesburg criminal case after the booking?
Hattiesburg Municipal Court handles city misdemeanor arrests, while county Justice and Circuit Courts handle other matters depending on jurisdiction and charge level. Forrest County Circuit Court handles state felony trials in Forrest County; Lamar County has its own Circuit Clerk and criminal division.
Does a Hattiesburg mugshot mean the person was convicted?
No. A mugshot or booking record documents an arrest and detention stage. It does not establish guilt or the final result of the criminal case. Use the appropriate court record to check later filings and disposition.
Where do I look if the person was sent to Mississippi state prison?
Use the Mississippi Department of Corrections inmate search. MDOC allows searches by name or MDOC ID number and covers state correctional custody rather than ordinary local jail intake.
Official Sources for Hattiesburg Arrest and Jail Records
This guide uses government and law-enforcement sources for custody, police-record and court-routing information. Official systems can change, so confirm live availability, fees, addresses and office procedures through the responsible agency before making an in-person visit or paid request.
- Forrest County Sheriff’s Office — Inmate Roster
- Forrest County Adult Detention Center
- Forrest County Sheriff’s Department
- Lamar County Sheriff’s Office and Inmate Search
- Lamar County Official Contact Directory
- Hattiesburg Police Public Records Requests
- Hattiesburg Municipal Court
- Forrest County Courts
- Lamar County Circuit Clerk
- Mississippi Department of Corrections Inmate Search