The Bronx jail roster is a public resource that allows residents of New York to look up individuals currently held in city custody. BronxCourt.us can help you find publicly available information about current and recent inmates booked through Bronx County. You can also search for custody information through the official New York City Department of Correction (DOC) website, by calling 311, or by making in-person inquiries. A jail roster search lets the public confirm whether someone is in custody, view basic booking details, and identify which facility is holding them. In New York City, the DOC maintains custody records for all five boroughs — including the Bronx — and updates its online lookup tool as individuals are processed in and out of city jails.
Search Current Inmates in Bronx Jail
People arrested in Bronx County and held on charges are booked into the New York City jail system, which is operated by the NYC Department of Correction. Unlike counties with standalone sheriff-run jails, the Bronx relies on the citywide DOC system. Here is how to search for someone currently in custody:
Online Search
- Visit the NYC DOC Person in Custody Lookup tool.
- Enter the person's last name and first name. You can also search by NYSID number or book-and-case number if known.
- Click search. Results will display the individual's current facility, basic case information, and custody status.
You can also use BronxCourt.us to search for publicly available court and custody record information related to Bronx bookings.
By Phone
- Call 311 (or 212-639-9675 from outside NYC) and ask to find an arrested person. The operator can check whether someone is in DOC custody or still being held by the NYPD.
- If the person was recently arrested and may still be in police custody, 311 can direct you to the appropriate Bronx precinct or central booking.
In Person
You can inquire about a person in custody at the Bronx Criminal Court, which handles arraignments for Bronx arrests:
The court's information window can confirm whether someone has been arraigned and provide basic case status. Note that juvenile offenders are excluded from the public lookup system, and individuals still in NYPD police custody will not appear in the DOC database.
If the person has already been sentenced and transferred to state prison, use the NYS DOCCS Incarcerated Lookup instead.
Find Bronx Jail Booking Records Online
A booking record is created when an individual is processed into the jail system after arrest. During booking in Bronx County, the following information is typically generated:
- Book-and-case number
- Date and time of booking
- Charges filed
- Arresting agency (usually NYPD)
- Assigned facility within the NYC jail system
- Bail or remand status
The DOC Person in Custody Lookup page displays basic booking and case details for anyone currently in city custody. It does not cover individuals held by federal authorities, New York State prisons, or those still in NYPD police holding.
For more detailed arrest or criminal records — such as complaint reports or arrest documentation — you can submit a request through the NYPD Record Requests process. Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests are handled through the NYPD Legal Bureau. Some records require a fee, typically paid by money order or certified check.
The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services maintains statewide criminal history records, but those are generally restricted to authorized agencies and individuals requesting their own records.
Search the Bronx Jail Roster by Last Name or Booking Number
The NYC DOC lookup tool supports two primary search methods:
| Search Method | What You Need | Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Last name (and first name) | Full legal name as it appears on booking documents | Use exact spelling. Try common alternate spellings if no results appear. Hyphenated last names may be entered with or without the hyphen. |
| Book-and-case number | The number assigned at booking | This is the most precise search method. Family members sometimes receive this number from an attorney or the court. |
Practical Tips
- The system does not support partial name or wildcard searches. You need at least a last name to begin.
- If a name is very common, add the first name to narrow results.
- Middle names are not always required but can help distinguish between individuals.
- If the search returns no results, the person may still be in NYPD police custody (before transfer to DOC), may have been released, or may have been transferred to state custody.
If you cannot locate someone through the online tool, call 311 and provide whatever identifying information you have. The operator can check multiple systems.
Jail Roster Updates and Search Limitations in Bronx
The NYC DOC lookup tool is updated frequently — generally within hours of an individual being processed into or released from city custody. However, several limitations apply:
- Processing delays: After an arrest in the Bronx, a person may spend time in NYPD central booking before being transferred to DOC custody. During this window — which can last up to 24 hours or longer — the individual will not appear in the DOC system. Use the 311 arrested person lookup to check police custody status during this period.
- Released individuals disappear: Once someone is released — whether on bail, recognizance, or after serving time — their record is typically removed from the active lookup. The tool reflects current custody only.
- No historical archive: The DOC lookup is not a searchable archive of all past bookings. It shows only people presently in city jail custody.
- Data entry lags: Occasionally, name misspellings or data entry delays at booking can cause a record to be temporarily unsearchable.
- Transfers: If someone is sentenced and moved to a state correctional facility, their record will drop from the DOC tool. Search the DOCCS incarcerated lookup for state prison records.
The New York State Commission of Correction also provides links to locator tools for county jails, NYC jails, and state prisons — a useful starting point if you are unsure which system is holding someone.
For warrant-related inquiries in Bronx County, you can contact the Criminal Court information line at (718) 618-2460 to check whether an active warrant exists.