The Lincoln County Inmate Population
The Lincoln County inmate population is centered on the Lincoln County Jail in Brookhaven. The jail is operated by the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office and is the only confirmed detention facility in the county with a public inmate-population role. It holds adults booked by sheriff deputies, Brookhaven Police Department, courts, state agencies, and other local authorities. The public roster also shows warrant, hold, bench-warrant, MDOC-warrant, and city-warrant entries, so the jail count is broader than arrests made by one office.
The sheriff's jail page reports an average daily population of 85 people. Vera/BJS-derived county rows report a rated capacity of 125 for recent years, with a 2023 total jail population of 86. Those figures describe the jail population differently from the live roster. The roster is a point-in-time public list of people currently held, plus a short released list. The annual figures are used for trends, capacity, pretrial counts, and demographic context.
Lincoln County Inmate Population Statistics
Lincoln County's official and data-source figures line up closely for the recent period. The sheriff reports an average daily population near the mid-80s. Vera's county dataset, which draws from BJS and county or state sources, reports 86 people in 2023 against a rated capacity of 125. The same Vera row gives pretrial and sentenced categories, sex, race and ethnicity, admissions, and an age-adjusted jail-population rate.
| Measure | Figure | Source / Year |
|---|---|---|
| Average daily population | 85 people per day | Lincoln County Sheriff's Office jail page, inspected 2026 |
| Rated capacity | 125 | Vera/BJS-derived county data, 2021-2023 rows |
| 2023 total jail population | 86 | Vera county data, 2023 |
| 2023 jail admissions | 372.75 | Vera county data, 2023 |
| 2023 jail population rate | 391.14 per 100,000 age 15-64 residents | Vera county data, 2023 |
The Lincoln County government sheriff page is also useful for confirming the sheriff's contact details. The image below is from that county source and shows the public-facing sheriff contact page used for the local office listing.
That page supports the local fallback chain because roster, bond, and booking questions often need confirmation from the sheriff or jail staff.
Lincoln County Inmate Population Trends
The Lincoln County inmate population rose from the 2020 Vera row to the 2022 row, then eased in 2023 while still staying below rated capacity. The research file does not support a local cause for the 2020 low point, so the trend should be read as a measured data series, not as proof of a specific policy change. The 2026 roster count observed during research was lower than the 2023 annual population, but a live roster count is only a public snapshot.
| Year | Total jail population | Rated capacity | Pretrial | Sentenced | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 57.75 | 125 | 50.31 | 7.44 | Lowest recent Vera row inspected |
| 2021 | 78 | 125 | 74 | 4 | Still below rated capacity |
| 2022 | 92 | 125 | 75 | 17 | Highest recent row inspected |
| 2023 | 86 | 125 | 69 | 17 | About 68.8 percent of rated capacity |
| 2026 roster | About 72-74 current roster entries | 125 | Not published | Not published | Point-in-time public roster count |
Who Makes Up Lincoln County Inmates
Vera's 2023 row gives the best researched breakdown for Lincoln County inmates by custody stage and basic demographic categories. Of the 86-person total jail population, 69 were listed as pretrial and 17 as sentenced. That matters for lookup work. Pretrial jail custody usually remains on the county jail roster, while a sentence to state prison can move the person into the Mississippi Department of Corrections inmate search.
- Pretrial and sentenced custody - Vera reports 69 pretrial and 17 sentenced people in the 2023 Lincoln County jail population.
- Male and female population - The 2023 row reports 78 male and 8 female people in jail.
- Race and ethnicity - The same row reports 56 Black, 28 White, 1 Latinx, 1 AAPI, and 0 Native or other category entries.
- Other agency categories - Dataset fields include people from prison, other jail, BOP, ICE, and federal categories.
The sheriff's own jail page adds operational context. Lincoln County Jail has male and female inmate areas, houses juveniles separately, and uses a distinct county/state joint work crew category. That work crew has separate mail and weekend visitation rules.
Lincoln County Jail Capacity
Lincoln County Jail's rated capacity in the Vera/BJS-derived rows is 125. The 2023 jail population of 86 was below that figure, and the sheriff's reported average daily population of 85 aligns closely with it. No official overcrowding order, consent decree, or jail-construction bond was located in the inspected official sources. A local news article from 2025 reported a death in custody at the jail, attributed to Sheriff Steve Rushing, but the research does not connect that event to an official overcrowding finding.
Capacity note: Annual population, rated capacity, and live roster count are not the same measure. Use the roster for current custody and the annual data for trend context.
Laws Governing Lincoln County Inmates
Mississippi law supports public access to many jail and booking records, but it also allows exemptions, redactions, fees, and delays when a record includes protected investigative or personal information. For the Lincoln County inmate population, the practical path is to use the sheriff's roster first, then make a written request when a booking record, photo, or incident-report-level item is not online.
Key Statutes:
Mississippi Public Records Act - Public records are generally open for inspection unless an exemption applies.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-3 - Defines public records and incident reports, including basic information about people charged and arrested.
Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-5 - Covers access timing, denials, and redaction duties for public bodies.
Miss. Code Ann. § 19-25-69 - Places the county jail and prisoners under the sheriff's charge.
Mississippi DPS Death in Custody Reporting Act page - Explains covered death-in-custody reporting duties.
Lincoln County State Prison Search
MDOC is the statewide system for sentenced prisoners. The research did not find a state prison physically located in Lincoln County, and the MDOC facilities list does not show one in Brookhaven or Lincoln County. After a Lincoln County case ends in a state-prison sentence, the person may move through MDOC intake and classification, then be assigned to a facility elsewhere in Mississippi. MDOC profiles can show an MDOC ID, demographics, current location, unit, sentence data, offenses, sentence date, photo, and victim-services links.
How to Search Lincoln County Inmates
The official roster starts at the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office roster gateway. It offers current inmates and a 48-hour release list. Use current inmates for someone who may still be held at the detention center. Use the release list for someone who recently bonded out, was released, or was transferred.
The roster is free and does not require a login. It is the first source for immediate custody, booking charges, bond, and booking photos, but it is not the right source for every custody stage. A sentenced state prisoner belongs in MDOC. A federal prisoner belongs in BOP or a U.S. Marshals custody channel. Immigration detention belongs in ICE ODLS.
- Open the official roster gateway and choose Current Inmates or 48 Hour Release.
- Sort by booking time for recent arrests or by name when browsing alphabetically.
- Open a matching profile with the View Profile link.
- Read the booking number, arresting agency, charges, bond, and booking date.
- Call jail staff before posting bond because charges and bail amounts can change after court.
Lincoln County Roster Lookup
The roster search/list page exposes current and released filters, sort URLs, pagination, and profile links. Text extraction did not show a regular name-entry search box, so the concrete public controls are the observed roster filters and sort paths. The roster lists mugshot thumbnails, names, booking numbers, ages, dates, charges, bonds, and profile links.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current Inmates | Link/filter | Optional | Shows people currently at the detention center. |
| 48 Hour Release | Link/filter | Optional | Shows people released within the last 48 hours. |
| Sort by Booking Time | Sort/filter URL | Optional | Observed in ascending and descending booking-time order. |
| Sort by Name | Sort/filter URL | Optional | Observed in name ascending and descending order. |
| View Profile | Link | Optional | Opens the full inmate profile for a matching result. |
The official roster gateway screenshot below shows the current-inmate and 48-hour release paths that split the first search decision.
That split is important because the current roster and release list answer different questions about the Lincoln County inmate population.
Past Lincoln County Inmate Records
For recent releases, use the 48-hour release roster. For older Lincoln County booking records, the research did not find an official historical roster archive. A written public-records request to the sheriff's office is the fallback for older booking records, booking photos, incident-report-level information, or records that no longer appear online. Mississippi law allows fees for actual search, review, duplication, redaction, and mailing costs.
For custody after sentencing, switch systems. MDOC covers sentenced state prisoners and parole-related custody. Mississippi VINE provides custody-status notifications. BOP covers federal inmates from 1982 to present, and ICE ODLS covers current ICE custody or qualifying CBP custody. The Lincoln County MS Sheriff app advertises inmate, most wanted, sex offender, press release, crime tip, and contact features, but the research did not confirm an app-only roster.
What Lincoln County Inmate Records Show
A Lincoln County roster profile is a booking snapshot, not a full court file. The sample profile inspected showed a mugshot, booking number, age, gender, race, arresting agency, booking date, charges, and bond. It did not show height, weight, hair, eye color, date of birth, housing unit, cell, court date, warrant number, attorney, or case number. The profile also warned that charges and bail amounts can change after court appearances.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Booking number | The jail's internal identifier for the custody event. |
| Mugshot | A public booking photo tied to the current roster or profile. |
| Name | List pages use last-name-first; profiles use full name order. |
| Age, gender, race | Basic public demographic fields visible in the sample profile. |
| Arresting agency | The agency that brought the person to jail, such as BPD. |
| Charges and bond | Booking charge text and bond amount or denied-bond status, subject to confirmation. |
Lincoln County Jail vs State Prison
Many search errors come from using the right name in the wrong system. Lincoln County Jail is for local custody, pretrial detainees, short sentences, warrants, holds, and work crew inmates. MDOC is for sentenced state prisoners after commitment or transfer. Federal and immigration custody are separate again.
| County Jail | State Prison | |
|---|---|---|
| Who is held | Pretrial detainees, short local sentences, warrants, holds | Sentenced prisoners in MDOC custody |
| Run by | Lincoln County Sheriff's Office | Mississippi Department of Corrections |
| Where to look | Official sheriff roster and jail phone line | MDOC inmate search and MDOC public-records process |
| Photos | Roster profiles can show booking photos | MDOC profiles can show a state photo |
State Federal and ICE Search
State, federal, and immigration searches each cover a different slice of custody. The MDOC inmate search accepts name or MDOC ID number. The BOP inmate locator searches federal inmates incarcerated from 1982 to present by number or name. ICE's Online Detainee Locator System searches by A-Number or biographical data.
The U.S. Marshals Southern District of Mississippi includes Lincoln County. Federal pretrial detainees may be held under USMS arrangements in a contract facility outside the county, so the BOP locator may not show every federal pretrial person. For notifications, Mississippi VINE can help track custody changes and release or transfer notices.
Lincoln County Detention Facilities
Lincoln County has one confirmed detention facility for this project. Brookhaven is the county's only city, but no separate official Brookhaven municipal jail roster was located. Brookhaven Police Department arrestees appear in the county jail roster through the arresting-agency field.
- Lincoln County Jail - county jail operated by the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office for pretrial detainees, local sentences, warrants, holds, and work crew inmates.
Lincoln County Inmate Population FAQ
How big is the Lincoln County inmate population?
The sheriff reports an average daily population of 85 at Lincoln County Jail. Vera's 2023 county row reports 86 total jail population against a rated capacity of 125. The live roster count can differ because it is a public custody snapshot.
How do I search Lincoln County inmates?
Start with the sheriff's roster gateway, then choose current inmates or 48-hour releases. If the person was sentenced to state prison, search MDOC instead. If the person is federal or immigration custody, use BOP, USMS information, or ICE ODLS.
Can I look up a released inmate?
The sheriff publishes a 48-hour release list. Older release or booking records may require a written public-records request to the sheriff's office. Court case records after an arrest are separate from the jail roster.
Does Lincoln County have a state prison?
No state prison was confirmed in Lincoln County. MDOC's facilities list does not show a state facility in Brookhaven or Lincoln County, so sentenced state prisoners are searched statewide.