Washington County Jail

The Washington County Jail (also known as the Washington County Detention Center) is located in Fayetteville, Arkansas and is operated by the Washington County Sheriff's Office. This facility is one of the largest county jails in the state, and houses an average of 700 inmates.

This jail houses adult male and female inmates who have been arrested by local county or city law enforcement. Inmates are held at the Washington County Jail after they are arrested for crimes ranging from violations to misdemeanors to felonies. 

The facility houses those who have been charged with a crime and are awaiting trial, those who have been arrested on warrants, people placed on hold by the Arkansas Department of Probation and Parole, people sentenced by county and municipal courts, and state inmates awaiting transfer to the Arkansas Department of Corrections. 

Pretrial confinement at the Washington County Jail is not for punishment purposes. Instead, detainees who haven't been convicted and who haven't made bail are being held at the facility to make sure that they appear in court. Sentenced inmates are held at the Washington County Jail as punishment for their offense.

To find out if your loved one is being held at the Washington County Jail, click here to see the inmate roster. Detainee records are handled by the Records Department, and you can contact them at (479) 444-5785 between the hours of 8:00am and 4:30pm, Monday - Friday.

A list of the detainee's charges, bond amounts and court dates can be found on the sheriff's department website. If you have further questions, please call the Detention Center at (479) 444-5830.

Posting Bond

The purpose of a bond is to make sure that an arrested person will appear at their scheduled court date when they are released 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. 

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 a professional licensed bail bonding company, aka a “surety bond.” The bonding company will charge non-refundable fees that are not applied to any fines, costs, or restitution that may later be ordered by the court. Check The Arkansas Bail Bond Licensing Board for a list of bondsmen.

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 usually used for minor offenses.

What can you bring?

The Washington County Jail allows you to bring limited items to your inmate. They are:

• Paperback books (cannot be given to a specific detainee)
• Prescription glasses (that have been pre-approved by the jail medical staff)
• Medications (that have been pre-approved by the jail medical staff)

To pick up an inmate's personal property, go to the Detention Center with a photo ID. With the detainee's authorization, they will release their personal items.

Washington County Juvenile Detention Center

The Washington County Juvenile Detention Center provides housing, education, and rehabilitative programming for young people who have been charged or sentenced for violating the law in Washington, Madison, and surrounding counties.

The 36-bed facility is located in Fayetteville and is designed as a secure holding facility for both pre-adjudicated and adjudicated Youth.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

The Washington County Detention Center provides two methods for detainee visitation. The first method is free and is from a visitation kiosk in the lobby of the detention center. The second is a remote visitation that can be done from any computer with a camera, microphone, and internet connection (fees will apply). 

To make a reservation for either method go to www.jailatm.com. Select the individual's name and it will show you the available days and times for visitation. Select a day/time and enter the requested information.

Visitation must be scheduled a minimum of 24 hours in advance. A maximum of two adults and two children may visit each detainee during one visitation.

Directions to the Jail

Traveling Northbound on I-49:

• Make a right on Exit 60 (71 South, Cato Spring Springs Rd)
• Turn right onto N. Cato Springs Road
• Make an immediate right at south 71 South
• Turn left merging onto four-lane (John Paul Hammersmith Expressway)
• Stay in the left lane, travel to the stop light, turn left on S. School Avenue. 
• Go approximately .3 miles on S. School Avenue then turn left on Clydesdale Drive (located between McBride Distributing and the Tyson’s Entrée Plant) 
• Clydesdale will make a sharp curve to the right and you will see the Washington Sheriff’s Office on your left.

Traveling Southbound on I-49:

• Make a right on Exit 61 (71 Business)
• Travel to the stop light, turn left on S. School Avenue. 
• Go approximately .3 miles on S. School Avenue then turn left on Clydesdale Drive (located between McBride Distributing and the Tyson’s Entrée Plant) 
• Clydesdale will make a sharp curve to the right and you will see the Washington Sheriff’s Office on your left.

Juvenile Visitation

All visitors at the Juvenile Detention Center must have a valid photo ID to enter. The only personal items allowed into the facility are identification and car keys - please leave all bags, purses, and phones in your car.

During the first 24 hours of a juvenile's intake into the facility, parents or guardians are allowed a 30 minute visit. You will be asked to complete an intake packet so they can have the information needed to provide the best care.

Before sentencing, visitation is allowed by appointment only on Saturdays from 9:00am to 10:30am and 2:00pm to 3:30pm for pre-adjudicated residents (pre-sentencing).

After sentencing or FINS, visitation is allowed by appointment only on Sundays from 9:00am to 10:30am and 2:00pm to 3:30pm for FINS or adjudicated residents (after-sentencing).

Important visitation information for the juvenile detention center:

• Visitation sessions are limited to 30 minutes
• Appointments must be made in advance by calling (479) 444-1670 x 6, Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm.
• Children under 18 may not visit the detention center
• Only parents or guardians are permitted to visit unless a Special Request form is completed by the resident and approved by the JDC director
• Clergy, mental health professionals, and other professionals may call to schedule visitation during normal business hours
• Parents and guardians may request alternative visitation under special circumstances (work, travel, emergencies), as approved by the JDC director - (479) 444-1670 x 3
• Additional holiday visitation for New Year's, July 4th, Thanksgiving, and Christmas can be requested

A complete return address must be used on inmate mail, including first and last name. Friends and family can also send their inmate at Washington County Jail an email through JailATM.com. 

The Washington County Jail does not accept packages of any kind that are addressed to an inmate. Do not send envelopes, stamps, paper, or pens, as those items must be purchased from the commissary.

How to Call an Inmate

Detainees at the Washington County Jail cannot receive incoming phone calls. However, they can make outgoing collect calls from the housing area. They may call out either by calling collect, having an account through the inmate phone company, or by purchasing calling cards off of commissary.

The jail also has a service that allows you to have prepaid minutes on your home phone and cell phone. To set up a prepaid phone account, call 1-877-618-3516.

You can have your phone number blocked from an individual detainee or from all detainees in the facility. To get this accomplished, you can either contact the on-duty Sergeant or contact Correct Solutions Group at 1-877-618-3516.

How to Send Money

An account is maintained by detention center personnel for each detainee at the Washington County Jail. Deposits to a detainee's account may be made in one of two ways:

• Online: Go to www.JailATM.com where all major credit cards are accepted.
• In the jail lobby: There is a kiosk in the lobby of the Washington County Detention Center where all major credit cards are accepted, as well as cash.

To contact the jail commissary, call (479) 444-5873, Monday - Thursday between 9:00am - 5:00pm.

Programs For Inmates

Programming for the Washington County Jail has not been made publicly available. The Washington County Juvenile Detention Center offers the following programming: 

Education

School classes are held Monday thru Friday, following the Fayetteville Public School schedules for holidays and policies. Classes are conducted by on-site, state-licensed Special Education and Middle School teachers. Students work primarily in the areas of reading, language, and math to strengthen their skills.Questions concerning the Education Department may be directed to (479) 444-1670 ext 5.

Physical Education

The juvenile detention center has a Physical Education teacher on-site to provide physical education services to youth who are detained. This structured activity assists with meeting the AR Juvenile Detention Standards Code for daily large muscle movement.

"Be Proud, Be Responsible" HIV Prevention

This program is designed to increase knowledge about transmission and prevention of HIV infection. It explains the importance of responsible sexual decision-making, including abstinence.

Why Try

A strength-based approach program aimed to help youth overcome their challenges and improve outcomes in areas of truancy, behavior, and academics.

Educational Training

Residents are given additional education on topics such as drugs, teen pregnancy, gangs, and STDS, with consent of the parents. There are also opportunities for self expression and empathy training through arts and crafts.

CPR / First Aid

Residents are offered periodic training in the American Heart Association's CPR and First Aid curriculum.

Pictures of Washington County Jail

Careers at Washington County Jail

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