Baltimore County Inmate Population
Baltimore County holds its inmate population at the Detention Center on Bosley Avenue in Towson. The facility can hold more than 1,500 people and had 915 occupants as of July 2025. There is no online inmate roster run by Baltimore County itself, so you need to use other tools to find out who is in custody. VINELink is the best free option for searching the Baltimore County inmate population by name. You can also call the detention center at 410-512-3200 to check if a specific person is being held. This page covers all the ways to look up inmates, request records, and reach people inside the facility.
Baltimore County Detention Center Overview
Baltimore County Inmate Population Search
Baltimore County does not run its own online inmate roster. That is a key fact to know before you start looking. Many people go to the county website and expect to find a search tool there, but it does not exist. Instead, Baltimore County relies on third-party tools and phone calls to help the public check on inmates. The main option is VINELink, a free national victim notification network that tracks custody status in real time.
On VINELink, you can search for someone in the Baltimore County inmate population by name, ID number, or case number. The system runs around the clock. Results show if the person is in custody and which facility holds them. You can also set up alerts to get notified when their status changes. Alerts come by phone, email, or text. It is free and anonymous. Call 1-866-277-7477 if you need help with VINELink.
The DPSCS Incarcerated Individual Locator is another option, but it only covers people in state custody. If someone was just booked at the Baltimore County Detention Center, they may not show up in the state system yet. The state locator works best for inmates who have been sentenced and transferred to a state prison. For local jail checks, VINELink or a phone call to 410-512-3200 are more reliable.
You can also call the detention center to ask if a person is in custody. Press 0 for an operator. Staff can confirm if someone is held there but will not give out details about charges or release dates over the phone.
The VINELink search portal shows real-time custody data for Baltimore County inmates held at the detention center in Towson.
VINELink supports over 200 languages and covers more than 2,900 facilities across 48 states, making it the most accessible tool for checking on someone in the Baltimore County inmate population.
State Locator and Baltimore County Inmates
The Maryland DPSCS runs a statewide inmate locator that covers state correctional facilities. This tool is free and open to anyone. You search by last name, and you can add a first name to narrow results. The system uses partial matching, so exact spelling is not required. Under Correctional Services Article Section 8-101, the Commissioner of Correction must keep accurate records on every inmate received, discharged, or released from a state facility.
There are limits to what the state locator shows. It does not list people held at county detention centers like the Baltimore County facility on Bosley Avenue. If someone is in pretrial status at the county level, they will not appear in this tool. Once a person is sentenced and moved to state custody, they show up in the DPSCS system. For people recently booked in Baltimore County, stick with VINELink or the phone line at 410-512-3200.
The DPSCS inmate locator page lets you search by name for inmates in Maryland state custody.
Inmates who transfer from the Baltimore County Detention Center to state facilities will appear in this system once the transfer is processed.
Note: The state locator does not include short-sentenced inmates or those still in pretrial at county facilities.
Baltimore County Inmate Records Requests
You can request inmate population records from Baltimore County through the Maryland Public Information Act. The custodian of records is Kelly Shaw, Personnel Manager at the Baltimore County Detention Center. Send your request to kshaw@baltimorecountymd.gov, call 410-512-3417, or fax it to 410-512-3406. The mailing address is 720 Bosley Avenue, Towson, MD 21204. The Baltimore County PIA request page has more details on how to file.
Under General Provisions Article Section 4-301, any person can request to inspect public records. Section 4-305 lays out what inmate data is public. Names, charges, convictions, sentences, and facility location are all available. Some things are off limits. Medical records, mental health records, social security numbers, victim details, and sealed or expunged records cannot be released. Security-sensitive data and juvenile records are also exempt.
What you can get from a Baltimore County inmate records request includes booking records, custody records, release data, housing and transfer details, charge data, disciplinary records, and program participation records. The first two hours of search time are typically free. Copying fees apply after the initial search period. Under Section 4-308, fee waivers are possible if your request serves the public interest and is not for commercial gain.
Visiting Baltimore County Inmates
The Baltimore County Detention Center runs 30-minute non-contact visits. Each inmate can have up to 10 designated visitors on their list. Children 12 and under do not need to be listed. All visitors must bring a valid government-issued photo ID. The Baltimore County visitation page has the full rules and scheduling details.
You schedule visits through the Baltimore County Government Appointment System online. There is a dress code. Visitors must wear professional attire with knee-length bottoms and no see-through clothing. A locker is available for personal items with a $0.25 refundable deposit. These rules are strict, and the facility can turn you away if you do not follow them. Call ahead if you have questions about what is allowed.
Mail and Phone for Baltimore County Inmates
Baltimore County uses the Pigeonly system for inmate mail. All non-legal mail must be sent to a processing center in Las Vegas, not to the jail itself. The address is the inmate's name, their booking number, then "Baltimore County Department of Corrections #1600, P.O. Box 96777, Las Vegas, Nevada 89193." Mail gets scanned and reviewed by staff at the detention center. The original is stored for 30 days and then destroyed. Legal mail goes directly to 720 Bosley Avenue in Towson.
Phone calls are through IC Solutions. Inmates can make outgoing collect calls from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. with a 30-minute limit per call. No incoming calls are allowed. To set up an account or block collect calls, contact IC Solutions at 1-888-506-8407 or call 1-866-228-4031 to block calls. The Baltimore County inmate services page has full details on phone and mail rules.
Electronic messaging is also available through Access Corrections. You create an account on their platform, buy message credits, and send messages that get delivered to inmates through facility kiosks or tablets.
Baltimore County Inmate Commissary
Commissary deposits at the Baltimore County Detention Center go through TouchPay. You can deposit funds three ways: at the kiosk inside the detention center using cash, Visa, or Mastercard; online at the TouchPay website; or by phone at 1-866-232-1899. The fees depend on how much you send.
- Under $20.00: $2.95 fee
- $20.01 to $100.00: $4.95 fee
- $100.01 to $200.00: $6.95 fee
Inmates have spending limits set by the facility. The weekly cap is $75.00 and the monthly cap is $300.00. These limits apply to all purchases from the commissary list. Funds that go over the limit stay in the account until the next period.
The TouchPay online portal lets you deposit funds into a Baltimore County inmate's commissary account from home.
TouchPay deposits made online or by phone typically post within a few hours, while kiosk deposits at the facility are available right away.
Baltimore County Detention Center Details
The Baltimore County Detention Center sits at 720 Bosley Avenue in Towson, MD 21204. The facility has room for over 1,500 inmates. As of July 2025, the population was 915 occupants, split roughly 90% male and 10% female. The weekly turnover rate is about 55%, which means the population shifts a lot from week to week. People come in on new bookings and leave through bail, release, or transfer to state facilities.
The Baltimore County Department of Corrections runs the facility. They handle pretrial detainees, people serving short sentences, and inmates waiting for transfer to state custody. Under Correctional Services Article Section 1-202, the Commissioner of Correction sets operational rules for correctional facilities. Baltimore County follows state guidelines while managing its own local procedures for booking, housing, and release.
The Baltimore County Police Department handles arrests that lead to bookings at the detention center. Once someone is booked, they become part of the Baltimore County inmate population until released or transferred.
Note: The 55% weekly turnover means the inmate roster changes fast, so check VINELink often for current status.
Cities in Baltimore County
Baltimore County is home to several communities. People arrested in these areas are booked into the Baltimore County Detention Center in Towson. The county does not have separate city jails. All inmates from within Baltimore County end up at the same facility on Bosley Avenue.
Dundalk and Towson are two of the larger communities in Baltimore County. Dundalk sits in the southeast part of the county, while Towson is the county seat. If you are looking for someone arrested in either place, search the Baltimore County inmate population through VINELink or call 410-512-3200.
Nearby Counties
Baltimore County borders several other Maryland counties that each run their own detention centers. If you are not sure where someone is being held, check these nearby county pages as well.