Lawrence County Inmate Population
The local detention map for Lawrence County, Missouri resolves to one county jail: the Lawrence County Jail, also called the Lawrence County Detention Center, operated by the Lawrence County Sheriff's Office. The jail holds adult men and women before trial, convicted people serving local jail terms, and people waiting for transport to the Missouri Department of Corrections. The sheriff's Jail Division notes an important local limit: people arrested only on Aurora or Monett municipal charges are not routed through the Lawrence County Jail in the same way as other county arrests.
The Lawrence County inmate population changes when arrests are booked, bond is set or denied, charges are filed, inmates are released, and sentenced prisoners leave for state custody. That means the sheriff roster is the best public source for current local custody, while the Missouri Department of Corrections Offender Web Search is the better source after a sentenced felony inmate transfers out of the jail.
Lawrence County Jail Population Statistics
The sheriff's current roster showed 77 current inmates when inspected on June 20, 2026. The sheriff history page describes the new Lawrence County Jail as a 126-bed facility that opened in December 2024. The county construction archive described the same Law Enforcement Center project as a 120-bed plan replacing the older 52-bed jail. Those figures are useful, but the roster count is a point-in-time count, not an official annual average daily population.
| Measure | Figure | Source / Year |
|---|---|---|
| Current county jail roster count | 77 current inmates | Sheriff roster, inspected June 20, 2026 |
| Rated capacity, new jail | 126 beds | Sheriff history page, opened December 2024 description |
| Construction-phase capacity | 120 beds | County Law Enforcement Center archive, 2024 entries |
| Estimated local jail population rate | About 197 per 100,000 residents | Calculated from 77 and the 2025 Census QuickFacts estimate |
Lawrence County Jail Capacity Trend
Capacity is the clearest documented trend in Lawrence County jail records. The county moved from the older Main Street courthouse-area jail into the new Law Enforcement Center on Missouri Drive in late 2024. County archives described the project as a modern detention center financed by a voter-approved sales tax and built to replace a 52-bed jail from the 1980s. The sheriff later described the opened facility as 126 beds, with space planned for future pods.
| Year or Date | Population or Capacity Figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-2024 old jail | 52 beds | County archive says the new project replaced a 52-bed jail built in 1984. |
| 2024 construction phase | 120-bed planned detention center | County archive entries describe the Law Enforcement Center plan. |
| December 2024 opening | 126-bed facility | Sheriff history page describes the opened jail. |
| June 20, 2026 inspection | 77 current roster entries | Official current inmate roster count observed during research. |
Who Is Held in Lawrence County Jail
The sheriff does not publish a demographic breakdown of the Lawrence County inmate population by race, age, charge level, pretrial share, or sentenced share. The available local custody detail is still useful. The jail houses adult male and female inmates. It holds people before trial, people serving local jail sentences, and inmates awaiting transport to MODOC after a state sentence. It is not listed as a Missouri state prison, federal prison, or ICE detention facility.
The county's population context also matters. The Lawrence County government population page gives a 2020 Census count of 38,001, and Census QuickFacts lists a 2025 estimate of 39,151. Compared with the observed 77-person roster count, the jail was using about 61 percent of the 126-bed capacity listed by the sheriff on the inspection date. That is not proof of an average, but it gives a local snapshot.
- Pretrial detainee
- A person held after arrest while charges, bond, or court dates are pending.
- Local sentence
- A jail term served in county custody rather than in a state prison.
- DOC transport
- Movement from the county jail to Missouri Department of Corrections custody after sentencing.
- Detainer or hold
- A separate case or agency request that can block release even when local bond is posted.
Lawrence County Jail Capacity
The new Law Enforcement Center changed the practical scale of the Lawrence County inmate population. County archive material described a 23 million dollar project at 1525 Missouri Drive that combined the sheriff's office and jail. The archive says the project replaced the older 52-bed jail with a 120-bed modern detention center. The sheriff's history page later described the opened jail as 126 beds and said the building was designed so two future pods could be added.
The observed roster count of 77 was below both the 120-bed construction figure and the 126-bed sheriff figure. No official average daily population report, annual booking count, length-of-stay report, or court-ordered population cap was located in the research. For that reason, local capacity statements should be read as building and roster facts, not as a formal overcrowding finding.
The county archive page documents the Law Enforcement Center construction timeline and is a strong source for the facility change. The sheriff history page adds the local jail-history context, including the December 2024 opening and the move away from earlier jail buildings.
Lawrence County Jail Population Laws
Missouri law controls how jail, arrest, and public-record information is requested and released. The sheriff roster is the first source for current custody, but older booking material, report copies, or records not posted online may require a Sunshine Law request to the custodian of records. Court charges after a jail arrest are separate and are searched through Case.net or the Lawrence County Circuit Clerk.
Key Missouri rules:
RSMo 610.011 states Missouri's policy that public governmental records are open unless a law provides otherwise.
RSMo 610.023 requires a custodian to act on public-record requests as soon as possible and no later than the end of the third business day, unless the office explains a delay.
RSMo 57.407 requires third-class county sheriffs to report jail conditions, prisoner numbers, and recommendations to the circuit court each quarter.
RSMo 58.451 requires coroner notification and investigation for deaths while in custody or in a public institution.
Search Lawrence County Inmates
The official roster starts at the Lawrence County roster chooser, which separates Current Inmates from 48 Hour Release. The current roster lists people in Lawrence County Detention Center custody. The release view lists people released within the prior 48 hours. The roster is free to use and no login or paid subscription was found.
The sheriff's disclaimer matters. The Detention Center says the roster is collected, maintained, and provided for convenience, and it cannot certify accuracy or authenticity. Use the roster as a public lookup tool, then confirm release-sensitive details directly with the jail before travel, bond action, or sending money.
- Open the official roster chooser and select Current Inmates for active Lawrence County custody.
- Use Search By Name when a last name or full name is known, or use Show All to browse.
- Sort by Name or Date if the first results are too broad.
- Read the booking number, booking date, charges, bond entry, mugshot, and View Profile link.
- Use the 48 Hour Release view when the person may have just left county jail custody.
The current roster screenshot source shows the same public roster structure used for name searches, booking dates, charges, bonds, mugshots, and profile links.
The roster image supports the practical search steps because it shows the public count, sort links, name search, booking photos, booking numbers, charge text, and bond entries in one place.
Lawrence County Roster Search Fields
The Lawrence County jail roster has a simple search field set. It does not publish wildcard rules, minimum name length, or a separate facility filter because there is one local jail facility in the build map. Pagination and sort links matter because the roster can span multiple pages.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Search By Name | Text | Optional | Free-text name search shown above the roster. |
| Search | Button | Not applicable | Runs the name search. |
| Show All | Link or button | Not applicable | Clears the search and returns to the listing. |
| Name | Sort link | Optional | Sorts or views the roster by name. |
| Date | Sort link | Optional | Sorts by booking date or list date. |
| Current / Released | Tab or link | Optional | Switches between active custody and the 48-hour release list. |
What Lawrence County Inmate Records Show
The roster list shows a booking-photo thumbnail, name in last-first format, booking number, booking date and time, charges, bond, and a profile link. Research did not verify housing unit, arresting agency, court date, date of birth, or full physical descriptors in the list view, so those fields should not be assumed. Booking charges can also differ from court charges once the prosecutor files or amends a case.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Mugshot | Booking photo thumbnail appears beside many public roster records while listed. |
| Name | Observed entries use LAST, FIRST format. |
| Booking Number | Local numeric identifier for the jail booking event. |
| Booking Date | Date and time the jail entered the person into custody. |
| Charges | Text descriptions of alleged offenses at booking or tied to the custody event. |
| Bond | Dollar amount, denied bond, no-bond style entry, or blank depending on the record. |
County Jail vs Missouri DOC
Lawrence County jail custody is local. Missouri DOC custody is statewide. A person can begin on the sheriff roster after arrest, then move to Case.net after charges are filed, and later move to the MODOC locator after a state sentence and transport. Federal and immigration systems are separate as well.
| Custody Type | Where to Search | What It Covers |
|---|---|---|
| County jail | Lawrence County current roster | Current local jail custody and many booking details. |
| Recent county release | 48 Hour Release roster | People recently released from the Lawrence County Detention Center. |
| State prison or supervision | MODOC Offender Web Search | Active Missouri offenders, including probationers and parolees, subject to listed exclusions. |
| Federal prison | BOP Inmate Locator | Federal inmates incarcerated from 1982 to present. |
| Immigration custody | ICE Online Detainee Locator | People in ICE custody or CBP custody more than 48 hours. |
Lawrence County Detention Facility
Only one local detention facility is part of this Lawrence County build. The jail is operated by the sheriff, not by Missouri DOC, BOP, or ICE. No state prison, federal prison, or ICE detention facility was identified inside Lawrence County from official locator sources.
- Lawrence County Jail - local adult detention for pretrial detainees, local-sentence inmates, and people awaiting Missouri DOC transport.
Lawrence County Inmate Population FAQ
How many people are in the Lawrence County inmate population? The official roster showed 77 current inmates on June 20, 2026. That is a public roster count from one inspection date, not an annual average.
How big is the Lawrence County Jail? The sheriff history page describes the opened jail as a 126-bed facility. County archive entries described the construction plan as 120 beds.
Where are released inmates listed? The sheriff provides a 48 Hour Release roster for people released from the Lawrence County Detention Center within the prior 48 hours.
What if the person is not on the county roster? Check the 48-hour release list, call the jail, search Case.net for court activity, and use the MODOC, BOP, ICE, or VINELink channels when custody has moved outside the county jail.