Alachua County Jail Roster
Alachua County inmates are held at the jail run by the Alachua County Sheriff's Office. This facility serves Gainesville and all of Alachua County in Florida. The sheriff's office posts inmate information online. You can search for current inmates using their database. Searches are free and open to anyone. The roster updates as new people are booked and others are released throughout the day.
Alachua County Inmate Information
Search Alachua County Inmates Online
The Alachua County Sheriff's Office runs an inmate search at acso.us/inmate-search. Enter the last name, first name and/or booking number. Incomplete entries are allowed and are not case sensitive. You can also search for all inmates in the facility by leaving all fields blank.
The search tool shows people currently in Alachua County custody. Results include the inmate's name, age, booking date, and charges. You can see which facility holds them and whether bond has been set. The database does not require an account or login to use.
Alachua County jail updates its online roster throughout the day. New bookings appear within hours of arrest. When someone is released or transferred, their record is updated. For the most current information, search the database directly rather than relying on older printed reports or lists.
If a search returns no results, check the spelling of the name. Try using just the last name without a first name. Some people may be listed under a nickname or middle name. You can also try searching the Florida Department of Corrections database if the person might be in state prison instead of county jail.
Alachua County Sheriff's Office Contact
The Alachua County Sheriff's Office is at 3333 NE 39th Avenue, Gainesville, Florida 32609. The main phone number is 352-491-4444. This office handles law enforcement and jail operations for all of Alachua County.
For questions about an inmate, try the online search first. If you need additional help, call the sheriff's office during business hours. Staff can answer questions about visitation, inmate mail, and phone calls. They can also help if you have trouble using the online search tool.
The sheriff's website at acso.us has more resources for families and friends of inmates. You can find visitation schedules, rules for sending packages, and information about inmate services. The site also explains how to deposit money for phone calls or commissary purchases.
Information in Alachua Inmate Records
Alachua County inmate records show basic custody information. Each record includes the person's full name and booking number. The booking date tells when they were arrested. Physical description includes age, race, sex, height, and weight.
Charge information lists the crimes the person is accused of committing. This does not mean they have been convicted. People in jail are often awaiting trial and are presumed innocent. The charges shown are allegations made by law enforcement or prosecutors.
Bond amount appears if a judge has set bail. Some people have no bond, which means they must stay in jail until their court date. Others may have been released already. The database shows current custody status, so you can tell if someone is still in jail or has been let out.
Facility location indicates where the person is being held. Alachua County has multiple housing areas within its jail complex. High-security inmates are kept separate from general population. The record may also show a projected release date for people serving short sentences.
Alachua County Public Records Access
Florida law makes most jail records public. Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, is the state's public records law. It gives citizens the right to view and copy government records, including inmate information. Anyone can search Alachua County jail records without giving a reason.
The online inmate search shows information that is already public. You do not need permission from the inmate to look them up. Family members, employers, landlords, and the general public all have the same access to this data in Alachua County, Florida.
Some details about inmates are kept confidential. Medical records and mental health information are not public. Security procedures and certain personal identifiers may also be restricted. The online database only displays information that is legally available to everyone under Florida public records law.
For records beyond the online search, you can file a formal public records request with the Alachua County Sheriff's Office. This might include booking photos, incident reports, or other documents. The sheriff's office may charge copying fees for extensive requests. Simple online searches are always free of charge.
Gainesville and Other Alachua County Cities
Alachua County includes the city of Gainesville, which is the county seat and largest city. Gainesville Police Department makes arrests within city limits, but arrestees are booked into the county jail. The county sheriff's office operates the only jail facility for the entire county.
Other cities and towns in Alachua County include Alachua, Archer, Hawthorne, High Springs, LaCrosse, Micanopy, Newberry, and Waldo. Police departments in these municipalities also bring arrestees to the county jail. All inmates from anywhere in Alachua County appear in the same sheriff's office database.
If you are looking for someone arrested in Gainesville or another Alachua County city, use the county-wide inmate search. Do not contact city police departments for jail information. They do not maintain separate jails or inmate rosters. The county system handles all detention for the area.
State vs County Custody in Alachua
Alachua County jail holds people for short periods. This includes those awaiting trial and those serving sentences of less than a year. People convicted of felonies with longer sentences go to Florida state prison. The county and state operate separate systems in Florida.
If someone is not in the Alachua County jail roster, check the Florida Department of Corrections database. The state inmate search covers all prisons in Florida. People sometimes transfer from county to state custody after sentencing, which can take weeks or months to complete.
Recent arrestees are almost always in county jail first. State prisons only receive people after conviction and sentencing. Use the county search for anyone arrested in the past few days or weeks. Check the state system for people serving longer sentences in Alachua County, Florida.
Nearby Counties
Alachua County borders several other Florida counties. Columbia County is to the north. Bradford County and Clay County are to the northeast. Marion County is to the south. Levy County and Gilchrist County are to the west.
Each county runs its own jail with a separate inmate database. If you cannot find someone in Alachua County, they may have been arrested in a neighboring county. County boundaries are not always clear to residents, and arrests sometimes happen across county lines from where someone lives.