Pickens County, South Carolina Inmate Search
An inmate search is a request for open inmate records preserved by a correctional or detention center. In Pickens County, this search allows members of the public to obtain charge, booking, and other crucial information about an arrestee who has been booked or processed into the Pickens County Detention Center (PCDC). The search can also be used to find persons serving a stint in the county jail.
Pickens County inmate searches are conducted through the local Sheriff’s Office, which runs the county’s only jail facility. While the county has several cities that operate their own police forces (for example, the Easley and Clemson Police Departments, which oversee the county’s largest cities), almost all persons arrested in Pickens County and awaiting a court appearance are placed in the county jail for secure detention.
Arrestees generally exempt from detention at the PCDC include
- Juveniles: Typically referred to the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice (SCDJJ) for placement in a specialized juvenile facility
- Federal Arrestees: May be detained at the Pickens County Detention Center, depending on available bed space and inter-governmental contracts
- State-Sentenced Inmates: Transferred to a facility operated by the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC)
Inmate locators provided by the SCDC and the Federal Bureau of Prisons can be used to find state and federal inmates, respectively.
How to Find an Inmate in Pickens County Jail
Inmate searches in Pickens County are centralized through the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office. Hence, to locate an inmate at the Pickens County Detention Center (Jail), one can
- Search Online: Access the PCDC Inmate Search tool on the Sheriff’s website.
- Contact the Facility Directly: Dial the PCDC’s designated telephone line, (864) 898-2940, to make inquiries.
The Pickens County jail is located at
701 South Catherine Street
Pickens, South Carolina
The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office is situated at
216 C David Stone Road
Pickens, South Carolina
How to Use the Pickens County Jail Roster
The following steps are useful for persons seeking access to the PCDC Inmate Search tool (also known as the Pickens County jail/inmate roster).
- On a browser with an internet connection, go to www.pickenssheriff.com and select "Inmate Search" (located at the top under Quick Links) on the website homepage.
- Once the portal page loads, select "Inmates" from the listed tabs to open the search interface.
- Input a name (first or last) and click "Search." The inmate’s in-custody date, arrest date, release date, or sex can also be specified to filter the search results.
A browseable list of all current PCDC inmates is also available upon accessing the Inmate Search tool.
- View the relevant inmate’s jail profile.
What Information is Included in the Pickens County Inmate Roster
The Pickens County inmate roster lists the following details about a local inmate:
- Mugshot
- Full Name
- Race
- Sex
- Held For Agency (the particular law enforcement agency the inmate is being held for)
- Charges, including the SC Code, charge description, and date of arrest
- Bond info, including bond type, bond amount, and the court official who established the bond
- Release date (if applicable)
All information in the Pickens County inmate roster is considered "open" or public records under the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Confidential records, such as mental health and financial data, are not accessible on the roster or to persons unauthorized.
Contact Details for Pickens County Jail or Sheriff’s Office
The Pickens County jail or Sheriff’s Office can be reached using these details:
Agency | Physical Address | Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
701 South Catherine Street Pickens, SC 29671 | (864) 898-2940 | |
216 C David Stone Road Pickens, SC 29671 | Patrol Division: (864) 898-5500 Administrative Secretary: (864) 898-5534 (Other contacts) |
Jail Facility Overview in Pickens County
The Pickens County Detention Center serves as the county’s sole jail, where most detainees or arrestees are held pending a court appearance. This secure facility is operated by the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office and is located in the City of Pickens, South Carolina.
Besides pre-trial detainees, the PCDC’s inmate population consists of individuals who have been convicted and are serving a short-term sentence. The jail, opened in 2019, has a design capacity of 363 inmates.
Note: Juveniles (11-17) requiring secure custody are generally transferred to the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice’s Juvenile Detention Complex or the Greenville County Juvenile Detention Facility, which primarily serves youth from the 13th Judicial Circuit (Greenville and Pickens) and may accommodate youth from other Upstate jurisdictions when space is available.
The SCDJJ Pickens County Office is the best source to confirm the status or location of a juvenile detained by Pickens County law enforcement.
Agency/Facility | Office and Mail Address | Phone Number | Office Hours | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Pickens County Detention Center | 701 South Catherine Street Pickens, SC 29671 | (864) 898-2940 | Office: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays Facility: 24/7 | |
SCDJJ Juvenile Detention Complex | SCDJJ Pickens County Office: Pickens County Judicial Annex 208 Garvin Street Suite A Pickens SC 29671 | (864) 878-7560 | Office: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Mondays through Fridays Facility: 24/7 | View email addresses for inquiries or complaints |
Greenville County Juvenile Detention Facility (often referred to as Greenville Youth Services) | 108 McGee Street Greenville, SC 29601 | Control Room: (864) 467-2436 (Other important contacts) | Office: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Mondays through Fridays Facility: 24/7 | No dedicated email address; contact facility by phone with inquiries |
How to Send Money to an Inmate in Pickens County Detention Center
There are three primary ways to fund a Pickens County inmate’s commissary account: via the internet, by mail, or in person.
Internet: Online deposits are made through the Pickens County Detention Center’s commissary vendor by following the on-screen prompts (new users will need to create an account). For all deposits, it is necessary to provide the inmate’s name and ID number to ensure funds reach the correct account. The depositor will also need the PCDC’s 4-digit code: 5500.
Certain fees apply for online deposits, based on the transaction amount:
- $10 - $25: $3.95
- $25.01 - $100: $6.95
- $100.01 - $200: $8.95
- $200.01 - $300: $10.95
Mail: U.S. Postal Money Orders are accepted by mail to fund an inmate’s account. The proper address is as follows:
[Inmate Full Name], [ID Number]
Housing Unit (e.g., Unit A, B)
701 South Catherine Street
Pickens County Detention
Pickens, SC 29671
In Person: Individuals can stop by the PDCD lobby, where a banking kiosk is available for deposits. The kiosk accepts cash or credit cards, but depositors will need the receiving inmate’s MNI (Master Name Index) number, which can be retrieved from a notebook near the kiosk.
Inmate Search by Jail Facility
To find an inmate at the Pickens County Detention Center, one can access either the PCDC Inmate Search tool (jail roster) or contact the Detention Center at (864) 898-2940.
For juveniles detained at the SCDJJ, Greenville County Juvenile Detention Facility, or another specialized facility, such inquiries are restricted. S.C. Code Ann. Title 63, Chapter 19 (in §§ 63-19-2030 and 63-19-2010) closes all juvenile records to the general public. Therefore, there is no public inmate search tool that anyone may simply access, nor can an unauthorized person demand such information by right of law.
This means if the requester is not a person recognized as having access under the law, the request will be unfulfilled or rejected. Parents, legal guardians, the attorney(s) representing a child, and approved court officials (e.g., the presiding judge) are some entities who can view a juvenile record in South Carolina.
Facility | Availability of Inmate Search/Roster | How to Access Information | Limitations/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Pickens County Detention Center | Yes | Use the PCDC Inmate Search tool provided on the Pickens County Sheriff’s website. | Users can only access publicly available records. |
SCDJJ Juvenile Detention Complex or Greenville County Juvenile Detention Facility | No | Contact the SCDJJ Pickens Office at (864) 878-7560 or Greenville Youth Services at (864) 467-2436. | Valid ID required to prove eligibility; juvenile records are confidential. |
Pickens County Visitation Rules and Schedules
Friends and family interested in social visits at the Pickens County Detention Center can utilize both on-site and at-home video visitation. (See process/schedule for professional visits.)
Both types of social visitation are conducted by video, and both new and returning visitors will need to register/sign in and schedule visits through the jail’s visitation vendor (mobile and web app available). Guidelines for setting up a visitation account, especially for at-home/remote visits, are available on the Sheriff’s website. Individuals can also stop by the PCDC to set up their account.
Below are the rules/regulations regarding social visits at the PCDC.
Scheduling Requirement: Visits must be scheduled 24 hours in advance. Before scheduling, it is crucial to confirm the available days and times with the relevant inmate. While the jail has a general visitation window, an inmate may be unavailable due to disciplinary segregation or administrative processes (such as "lockdowns").
Once a visit is scheduled, the visitor will receive a PIN number, which is required to start the session.
General Visitation Schedule: On-site visits are available Monday to Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. No visits can be scheduled after 3:40 p.m.
At-home visits, on the other hand, are available 7 days a week, including evenings (typically until 8:00 p.m. or 9:00 p.m.)
Dress Code & Conduct: Strict dress code and behavior policies apply, which include avoiding disruptive conduct, being sober, and wearing conservative (non-revealing) clothing. Failure to obey facility rules can result in the termination of the visit or a continued ban from visitation.
On-Site Visitation (Special Rules):
- Visitors entering the PCDC are subject to a pat-down search. Each visitor has the right to refuse this search, but it will result in the termination of visitation privileges for that day.
- On-site visits are limited to two public visits per day, per inmate.
Minor Visitors: Children are permitted to visit inmates in the company of a supervising adult (i.e., the adult who scheduled the visit).
Fees: On-site visitation is free, but internet visits incur a fee set and collected by the vendor. The vendor’s current video call rates are
- Per Minute: $0.21.
- Total Cost (per 15-minute session): $3.15.
Mailing and Commissary Information
As of 7/22/2024, the Pickens County Detention Center migrated to digital mail processing for personal mail, and all such correspondence must now be addressed to the facility’s electronic scanning vendor. The vendor scans all accepted mail and uploads it to the inmate’s tablet or to jail lobby kiosks. Senders must include their full name and return address, as well as the inmate’s full name and ID number on the envelope, in the format specified on the Sheriff’s website.
Personal mail sent for digital scanning can include
- Pictures
- Drawings
- Letters
However, such items must not exceed 8.5 x 11 inches, or they will be rejected. Mail that cannot be scanned will be returned to the sender.
Senders can also opt to have physical mail returned to them, but only if they include a self-addressed stamped envelope with sufficient postage. All physical mail that has been scanned and uploaded is discarded after 90 days.
Notwithstanding, the following items can be delivered directly to the PCDC:
- Legal Mail
- Money Orders (for funding an inmate’s commissary account)
- Publications directly sent from a publisher, distributor, or authorized retailer
The mailing address for these permitted materials is
[Inmate Full Name], [ID Number]
Housing Unit (e.g., Unit A, B)
701 South Catherine Street
Pickens County Detention
Pickens, SC 29671