Craighead County Detention Center

The Craighead County Detention center is located in Jonesboro, Arkansas and is operated by the Craighead County Sheriff's Office. The facility houses adult male and female inmates who have been arrested by local county or city law enforcement. There is also a Juvenile Detention Center that services Craighead County and surrounding counties for juveniles between the ages of 10 and 17.

Inmates are incarcerated at the Craighead County Detention Center for crimes ranging from violations to misdemeanors to felonies. The facility also houses those who have been charged with a crime and are awaiting trial, as well as state inmates awaiting transfer to the Arkansas Department of Corrections. 

The goal of the Craighead County Detention Center is to create a safe, secure, and humane environment for both staff members, and inmates. To see a roster of current inmates at the Craighead County Detention Center, click here. 

The facility can house a maximum of 360 inmates, who are separated out into felon status male, misdemeanor status male, and special needs male. There is a separate wing for female inmates, who are also separated between felony, misdemeanor, and special needs. 

Juvenile Detention Center

The Craighead County Juvenile Detention Center provides services for Craighead and surrounding counties for juveniles between the ages of 10 and 17. Referrals are accepted from juvenile or municipal courts, intake officers, and law enforcement agencies. The maximum capacity of the facility is 62 beds --  32 males, 28 females, and 2 isolation cells. 

Posting Bond

The purpose of a bond is to make sure that an arrested person will appear at their scheduled court date after their release from jail. Judges usually determine the amount of bond, while the sheriff determines the sufficiency of the bond. If a person is arrested with a warrant, it will generally have the bond amount listed. 

To post bond for an inmate at Craighead County Detention Center, you have a few options through the Sheriff's Office:

• Visit craigheadjail.com to post a bond online.
• There is also a bond kiosk in the lobby of the Sheriff's Office that only accepts denominations of $100, $20, $10, and $5, but it does not give change.
• You can use a debit/credit card with a terminal that will process your payment for a 7% service fee.
• No personal checks are accepted. Money Orders or Cashier's Checks must be made to Craighead County.

Cash Bond: The person who is arrested (or someone acting on their behalf) may post the entire bond amount in cash, which will be held by the sheriff or the court pending disposition of the criminal case.

Surety Bond: Secure release from jail through the utilization of a professional licensed bail bonding company, aka a “surety bond.” The bonding company will charge certain “fees” which are non-refundable and are not applied to any fines, costs, or restitution that may later be ordered by the court. 

OR Bond: Releasing someone on their “own recognizance” is simply a promise to re-appear at a later date for further judicial proceedings. These are only used for very minor offenses.

Property Release

The jail releases small property to approved persons on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays between 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. You must bring a photo ID and have the permission of the inmate.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Inmates at the Craighead County Detention Center are allowed one visit per week.

Male visitation: Friday (8:30 to 10:30 a.m.) Saturday and Sunday (1:00 to 3:00 p.m.)

Female visitation: Thursday (8:30 to 10:30 a.m.) Saturday (8:30 to 10:30 a.m.)

• Dress code for women: "only conservatively-dressed ladies will be allowed to visit inmates."
• Any visitor 12 years old or younger must be accompanied by an adult.
• You must have a state-issued photo ID or other official form of identification in order to visit. 
• Only two people are allowed to visit an inmate at a time.

No packages are allowed; only letters may be sent to inmates. You must include your full name in the return address.

How to Call an Inmate

You can't call an inmate who is housed at the Craighead County Detention Center, but they do have access to phones and can make outgoing collect calls. If you have inmate phone related questions, please call 1-877-618-3516.

How to Send Money

Anyone may add funds to an inmate’s commissary account at the Craighead County Detention Center using one of the following methods:

• Visit the lobby of the Craighead County Detention Center. There is a commissary Kiosk machine in the lobby that is accessible at all times, including nights, weekends, and holidays. Just follow the touch screen prompts on the Kiosk to add funds to a particular inmate’s commissary account. There are signs above each kiosk denoting the purpose for the station. Make sure you are at the correct kiosk before submitting your payment, because the machines do not issue returns.
• Go online to www.tigercommissary.com and select “order commissary or send money online.”  Follow the prompts by selecting the appropriate state, county, and jail facility. Then select “Web Deposit,” enter the inmate’s name, and follow the prompts to add money to that inmate’s commissary account. Or, click here. You can either send money, or you can place an order for commissary items that are delivered to your inmate.

Programs For Inmates

Craighead County Juvenile Detention Center

The juvenile facility has an education program that's provided under the supervision of the Jonesboro Public School system, and funded through the Arkansas Department of Education, Special Education Division. The goal of the education program is to have students continue their education while incarcerated.

Pictures of Craighead County Detention Center

Careers at Craighead County Detention Center

If you are interested in a career with the Sheriff's Department and would like more information about the job openings at the Craighead County Detention Center, click here.