Buncombe County Inmate Population
Buncombe County tracks its inmate population through the Sheriff's Office in Asheville, North Carolina. The county runs a large detention facility that holds both pre-trial and sentenced inmates. Residents can look up the Buncombe County inmate population through public tools kept by the Sheriff's Office. These tools show who is in custody now. They list charges, bond amounts, and court dates. Buncombe County shares this data as part of its duty under state public records law. The county seat is Asheville, and the jail serves all towns in the area. You can search by name or booking date to find an inmate in Buncombe County.
Buncombe County Detention Facility Overview
The Buncombe County Detention Facility sits at 20 Davidson Drive in Asheville, NC 28801. It is made up of a main jail and a jail annex. Together these two parts hold up to 604 inmates. On most days, the facility houses about 430 people. The staff runs in shifts around the clock. About 160 workers keep the jail safe and feed and care for all inmates in Buncombe County.
Major Jill Banks leads the detention facility as its administrator. Captain Jeffrey Littrell and Captain Vivian Bacote serve under her. The team also includes two Executive Lieutenants, four Shift Lieutenants, and 18 Sergeants. All of them work to keep the Buncombe County Detention Facility clean and safe for both staff and inmates. The facility phone number is (828) 250-4570.
Every person charged by a law enforcement agency in Buncombe County goes to this facility on a pre-trial basis. That means they wait for their court dates here. The jail processes and releases inmates 24 hours a day based on orders from the courts. This keeps the Buncombe County inmate population moving as cases resolve.
Note: The Buncombe County Detention Facility can be reached by fax at (828) 250-6078 for written requests about inmate records.
Search Buncombe County Inmate Records
The Buncombe County Sheriff's Office keeps an online search tool for inmate data. This system lets you look up who is in jail right now. You can search by name or booking date. Results show basic facts about each inmate, such as charges, bond details, and custody status.
Inmate records in Buncombe County hold a range of details. Each record shows the person's name and basic information. It also lists custody data, charge information, bond or bail amounts, court dates, sentence length, and release facts. These records are part of the public file under North Carolina GS Chapter 132, which says government records belong to the people.
You can also use the NC Offender Search portal to find people who have served time in a state prison. Keep in mind that state records do not cover county jails. For the Buncombe County inmate population, use the local Sheriff's Office tool.
Buncombe County Inmate Population Resources
The Buncombe County Sheriff's Office shares jail data through its detention facility page. The image below shows the public page for the Buncombe County Detention Facility.
This page gives visitors access to jail details, visitation rules, and contact information for the Buncombe County Detention Facility. It is the main hub for all inmate population data in Buncombe County.
The Sheriff's Office is at 60 Court Plaza, 4th Floor, Asheville, NC 28801. You can call them at (828) 250-4503. The Civil Process Division at this office also serves legal papers like summons, writs, and court orders across Buncombe County.
Visiting Inmates in Buncombe County
Visits at the Buncombe County Detention Facility happen on set days. On-site visits take place on Tuesday and Thursday. Morning visits run from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM. Evening visits run from 6:45 PM to 7:45 PM. Each visit lasts 20 minutes. You must book your visit at least 24 hours ahead of time.
If this is your first visit to an inmate in Buncombe County, call the front desk at (828) 250-4610 or (828) 250-4557. They will walk you through the process. For return visits, you can use the iWebVisit system at www.iwebvisit.com to schedule your time.
Note: All visitors must follow the rules set by the Buncombe County Detention Facility or the visit will not take place.
Contacting Inmates in Buncombe County
Inmates in Buncombe County get mail through a service called TextBehind. This service does not charge the sender any fee to process letters. Each letter must include the inmate's full name and ID number. The address format uses the inmate's name, their ID, and the facility name.
Phone calls are also an option. Inmates can make calls during free time in their housing unit. These calls are not collect. A family member must set up an account or add funds for the inmate to use. You can manage phone funds online at https://www.paytel.com. This lets you add money from home so your family member in Buncombe County can stay in touch.
Buncombe County Inmate Status Alerts
North Carolina runs a system called NC SAVAN that sends alerts about inmates. This tool works for both state prisons and county jails like those in Buncombe County. You can sign up to get a call or email when an inmate's status changes. The toll-free number is 1-877-627-2826. The service works 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
NC SAVAN gives updates in both English and Spanish. It also has access to more than 100 other languages. This is useful for people who need to know when an inmate in Buncombe County gets moved, released, or has a court date. You can register by phone or online.
For court records tied to Buncombe County inmates, visit the NC Courts website. Court files show case details, hearing dates, and final outcomes. These records are separate from jail data but often connect to the same cases.
Public Records and Buncombe County Jail Data
Under North Carolina GS Chapter 132, most government records are open to the public. This includes many records about the Buncombe County inmate population. You have the right to ask for copies of these files. The law says they should be given at little or no cost.
Some records are not public. These include:
- Social security numbers and personal ID data
- Active criminal investigation files
- Internal prison behavior and classification records
- Medical records of current inmates
- Intelligence and security threat data
The NC Department of Adult Correction handles records for state prisons only. For Buncombe County jail records, contact the Sheriff's Office at 60 Court Plaza, Asheville, NC 28801. You can also call (828) 250-4503 or send a written request.
Note: The NC Department of Adult Correction does not hold county jail records, so always contact the Buncombe County Sheriff's Office for local inmate data.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Buncombe County. If you are not sure which county holds the inmate you seek, check the booking location. Each county runs its own jail and keeps its own inmate population records.