The Chesterfield County Inmate Population
The Chesterfield County inmate population is not one single roster. The local count begins at Chesterfield County Jail, the sheriff-operated facility at 6900 Mimms Drive for adults committed to local custody. The Sheriff's Office is led by Sheriff Karl S. Leonard, and the official sheriff page describes jail, court, civil, warrant, records, and public-safety functions. The jail count includes pretrial detainees, people waiting for bond or court, short-sentence inmates, work release candidates, weekend jail participants, and people screened for home incarceration. The official county jail page describes the jail as a safe and humane custody setting with reentry programming, direct supervision, PREA screening, mail, canteen, and release procedures.
The county map also includes the Jail Annex, Riverside Regional Jail, Central Virginia Correctional Unit #13, and Chesterfield Women's Community Corrections Alternative Program. Those names matter because each custody type points to a different lookup route. The sheriff's jail phone and FOIA process handle local booking records. VADOC handles sentenced state custody, CCAP, probation or parole supervision, and some people housed in local or regional jails under state authority. Federal and immigration custody sit outside the Chesterfield County jail system.
Note: Define the custody system before using any headcount, because jail, regional, state, federal, and ICE counts are not interchangeable.
Chesterfield County Inmate Population Statistics
The strongest current source for the Chesterfield County inmate population is the county's official Jail Demographics page and linked Power BI dashboard. The research found dashboard search-index text showing 346 total inmate headcount and 703 total inmates committed to jail, last refreshed April 21, 2026. The same research found a 2019 PREA audit snippet reporting about 477 beds available daily and a daily population of about 285 inmates, including work-release inmates. These figures come from different source dates, so the dashboard is the current headcount source while the audit gives older capacity context.
| Measure | Figure | Source / Date |
|---|---|---|
| Current jail headcount | 346 | Power BI jail demographics search-index text, refreshed April 21, 2026 |
| Total inmates committed to jail | 703 | Power BI jail demographics search-index text, refreshed April 21, 2026 |
| Available daily beds | Approximately 477 | 2019 PREA Final Audit snippet |
| Daily population | Approximately 285 | 2019 PREA Final Audit snippet |
| Jail Annex capacity | 115 inmates | Sheriff history page, Annex completed spring 1994 |
The county's Jail Demographics page is the public entry point for the dashboard.
The demographics page is useful for aggregate jail population awareness, but it is not an individual inmate profile or booking search.
Chesterfield County Inmate Population Trends
The available trend line is limited but still useful. In 2019, the PREA audit snapshot described about 285 daily inmates and about 477 available daily beds. By the April 21, 2026 dashboard refresh text, current headcount was 346. That comparison suggests a higher physical jail headcount than the older audit snapshot, but it should not be treated as an official trend study because the figures come from different systems and dates. The 703 committed-to-jail figure appears to be a dashboard measure rather than the number physically housed at one moment.
| Year or Date | Population or Capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 audit | About 285 daily population | Included work-release inmates in the PREA audit snippet |
| 2019 audit | About 477 available beds | Older capacity context, not a current dashboard value |
| April 21, 2026 | 346 current headcount | Power BI jail demographics search-index text |
| April 21, 2026 | 703 committed to jail | Dashboard measure, not the physical headcount |
Using 346 against the older 477-bed figure produces an illustrative occupancy comparison of about 73 percent. Using 285 against 477 produces about 60 percent. Those calculations help show scale, but they mix current and older sources. The official dashboard and any current Board of Local and Regional Jails reporting should control when a precise capacity figure is needed.
Chesterfield County Inmate Demographics
The official dashboard is described by Chesterfield County as public awareness and general reference data about individuals currently housed in Chesterfield County Jail. The research notes race, sex, age, and commitment-style aggregate tabs, but the static research text did not expose reliable percentages for each demographic group. For that reason, the Chesterfield County inmate population should be described with the confirmed categories, not invented percentages.
The local mix includes people waiting for court, people serving local sentences, work release participants, weekend jail participants, and home-incarceration candidates screened from the jail population. It can also include people affected by warrants, bond decisions, court releases, detainers, and transfers. VADOC state inmates at Central Virginia Correctional Unit #13 and Chesterfield Women's CCAP are not the same as the county jail headcount, even though both facilities are in Chesterfield.
- Pretrial detainee
- A person held after arrest while charges, bond, or court dates are pending.
- Commitment
- The legal authority placing a person in the custody of the jail.
- Detainer
- A hold or notice from another agency that can affect release.
- Classification
- The jail's screening process for housing, safety, and program placement.
Chesterfield County Jail Capacity
Chesterfield's modern jail history explains why capacity must be read over time. The first jail had room for three people. The 1892 jail was in poor condition by the 1930s, and the sheriff eventually housed Chesterfield inmates in Henrico and Petersburg before that jail closed in 1943. The modern jail opened in 1962, gained a two-story wing in the 1970s, and added the separate Annex in spring 1994. The Annex was built for 115 inmates.
No official Chesterfield jail consent decree, Department of Justice investigation, or recent capacity litigation was located in the research. The official records instead point to ongoing operations, PREA audits, jail standards, and public demographic reporting. The 2019 audit bed count and 2026 dashboard headcount provide the best sourced capacity frame for the Chesterfield County inmate population.
Chesterfield County Inmate Data Laws
Virginia law controls how jail and law-enforcement records are requested, withheld, or released. The county's FOIA page says requests can be made through the Public Records Request Portal or by mail, fax, email, phone, or in person. A request must identify existing records with reasonable specificity. The county must respond within five working days unless a statutory extension applies, may charge actual costs, and may apply exemptions.
Key Statutes:
Virginia FOIA, Va. Code section 2.2-3704 sets the public-record request process, timing, costs, and agency response duties.
Va. Code section 2.2-3706 covers law-enforcement records, adult arrestee identity, charge status, and adult booking photographs, with limits.
Va. Code section 53.1-68 requires minimum standards and unannounced inspections for local correctional facilities and lockups.
6VAC15-40 supplies Virginia administrative standards for local and regional jails and lockups.
Those rules explain why Chesterfield can publish aggregate jail demographics while individual booking details may require a focused records request. They also explain why mugshots, incident files, and investigative details can be treated differently.
Chesterfield County Jail Programs
Programs shape the Chesterfield County inmate population because not every eligible person serves custody in the same way. The jail page lists workforce programs, weekend jail, work release, home incarceration, HARP recovery programming, GED, substance-abuse classes, Bible study, forklift certification, ServSafe certification, DMV Connect, Revive training, and other classes. The workforce program can reduce jail time through work on county or state property, after screening and medical review.
HARP began March 8, 2016, after Chesterfield's tenth heroin-related death that year. In 2018 it expanded into Helping Addicts Recover Progressively for all substance addictions. County news in 2026 marked ten years of the jail's addiction recovery program. PREA rules also affect intake: staff explain rights against sexual abuse and harassment, complete an objective risk assessment, and use the result for housing and program placement.
Search Chesterfield County Inmate Custody
No official Chesterfield County, Virginia public name-search jail roster was located in the research. That is the central access point for any Chesterfield County inmate search. The official jail page gives jail operations, bond, release, mail, canteen, and visitation information. The official Jail Demographics dashboard gives aggregate headcount. It does not provide a name-search roster or public mugshot gallery.
The practical search path starts with the custody type and timing. A person arrested very recently may not have a public online record at all. A person sentenced to state prison may be in VADOC. A federal defendant may be with the U.S. Marshals before later appearing in BOP. An immigration detainee belongs in ICE's locator only if ICE or CBP custody applies.
- For current local custody or bond status, call Chesterfield County Jail at 804-748-1476.
- For bond-setting or posting questions, call the adjoining Magistrate's Office at 804-748-1410.
- For release or family emergency messages, call 804-318-8026.
- For older booking, commitment, release, bond, or adult arrestee photo records, file a FOIA request through Chesterfield's public records process.
- For sentenced state custody or CCAP, use the VADOC Inmate and Supervisee Locator.
- For victim notice, use Virginia VINE after identifying the custody record or case.
Chesterfield County Inmate Lookup Fields
Because no official public name-search roster was located, the Chesterfield County inmate lookup table is a channel table rather than a roster form. It shows what can be used for each official route.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| No official public roster located | n/a | n/a | Official county pages publish demographics and contact routes, not a public individual search form. |
| Current inmate lookup by phone | Phone inquiry | Identifying detail needed | Use full name, date of birth if known, and approximate arrest date. |
| FOIA/Public Records request | Portal, mail, fax, email, phone, or in person | Reasonable specificity | Ask for booking, commitment, release, bond, or adult arrestee photograph records. |
| VADOC locator | Name or DOC ID search | Name or DOC ID | Use for state custody, CCAP, supervision, institutional hospitals, or VADOC authority. |
Chesterfield County Inmate Record Fields
A Chesterfield County inmate record requested through FOIA or verified by phone may include different details than a web roster profile from another county. The research did not locate a public Chesterfield web profile showing booking photo, charges, bond, and housing. Do not assume those fields are online.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Name | Needed for jail phone lookup or a public-records request. |
| Inmate number | Required for mail sent to Chesterfield County Jail. |
| Booking or commitment date | Request through FOIA or verify with the jail when not public online. |
| Charges | Check formal filed charges through Virginia court portals because jail charges may differ. |
| Bond | Jail bond status questions go to 804-748-1476, while bonding activities run through the magistrate. |
| Release | Released inmates exit at the side gate near the Magistrate's Office, and paperwork can take up to two hours. |
Chesterfield County Jail vs Prison
County jail and state prison records answer different questions. Chesterfield County Jail is the local booking and custody point for people arrested locally, people held for court, and people serving local time. VADOC is the search route after a state sentence, for CCAP, and for state supervision. Federal and immigration systems must be checked only when those authorities are involved.
| Custody Type | Where to Look | What It Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Local jail | Chesterfield County Jail phone and FOIA routes | Current local custody, bond, release, booking, and jail records |
| State custody | VADOC Inmate and Supervisee Locator | Prisons, CCAP, probation/parole, institutional hospitals, and VADOC authority |
| Federal custody | BOP Inmate Locator or U.S. Marshals | Sentenced federal inmates from 1982 forward and federal pretrial questions |
| Immigration custody | ICE Online Detainee Locator | ICE custody and some CBP custody over 48 hours |
State and Federal Inmate Search
VADOC's locator is updated daily and supports search by first and last name or DOC ID. Advanced filters include location, race, gender, and age range. VADOC warns that data may be inaccurate or outdated and directs sentence-computation questions elsewhere. The locator includes Central Virginia Correctional Unit #13, Chesterfield Women's CCAP, and people supervised in the community when VADOC authority applies.
The federal track is separate. BOP's locator covers federal inmates incarcerated from 1982 to the present and can search by name or by Register Number, DCDC Number, FBI Number, or INS Number. Federal pretrial custody is handled by the U.S. Marshals Service Eastern District of Virginia; the Richmond office phone is 804-545-8501. ICE searches by A-number or biographical information and does not list county jail-only arrestees.
The Virginia VINE portal is the notification route for custody-status updates. VINE is for notification and status monitoring, not for replacing the jail, court, VADOC, BOP, or ICE source that created the record.
Chesterfield County Detention Facilities
The Chesterfield County inmate population map has five adult custody or custody-adjacent facilities. They should be read by operator and custody type.
- Chesterfield County Jail - local adult jail custody at 6900 Mimms Drive for pretrial, sentenced local, work release, weekend jail, and home-incarceration screening.
- Chesterfield County Jail Annex - county jail housing within the main complex, completed in spring 1994 with capacity for 115 inmates.
- Riverside Regional Jail - regional jail in Prince George serving Chesterfield and partner localities through the Riverside Regional Jail Authority.
- Central Virginia Correctional Unit #13 - VADOC state facility in Chesterfield, not a county jail roster.
- Chesterfield Women's Community Corrections Alternative Program - VADOC CCAP facility for state-supervised participants, not local booking custody.
The county's official facility listing for Chesterfield County Jail confirms the jail location and public map route.
The facility listing supports location and contact planning, while individual custody verification still runs through the jail, court, FOIA, VADOC, VINE, federal, or ICE channel that fits the case.
Chesterfield County Inmate FAQ
How big is the Chesterfield County inmate population?
The best current figure in the research is 346 total inmate headcount from the official Power BI jail-demographics search-index text, refreshed April 21, 2026. The same dashboard text showed 703 total inmates committed to jail. Older 2019 PREA material reported about 285 daily inmates and about 477 available beds.
Is there a Chesterfield County jail roster?
No official Chesterfield County, Virginia public name-search jail roster was located. The county publishes jail operations and jail demographics, but current custody, bond, and release questions should be directed to Chesterfield County Jail at 804-748-1476.
How are released inmate records found?
Released or older booking records should be requested through Chesterfield's FOIA process with the person's full name, date of birth if known, arrest date, and the record type needed. Court charges should be checked in Virginia Judiciary portals.
Where do sentenced state inmates appear?
Sentenced state custody, CCAP, supervision, and some local or regional jail placements under state authority appear in VADOC's Inmate and Supervisee Locator. State custody is not the same as the local Chesterfield County Jail population.