County Jail medium ✓ Verified August 2026

Forrest County MS Detention Center

55 Arena Dr, Hattiesburg, MS 39401 ·Forrest County ·Capacity: 160 ·601-545 6148
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📍 Forrest County MS Detention Center · Hattiesburg, MS

Forrest Co Jail in Hattiesburg, MS is a county detention facility operated by the Forrest County Sheriff's Office. Most people here are awaiting trial or sentencing - this is not a prison, and most stays are measured in days or months, not years. If someone you care about was just booked here, you have questions. Start with the one that matters most right now.

Is my family member at Forrest Co Jail?

If you are not certain they are there, the fastest way to confirm is the Forrest County inmate search or InmateAid's inmate locator, which searches across Mississippi facilities by name.

Booking takes time - sometimes several hours after arrest. If the search comes back empty, wait a few hours and try again before assuming they have been transferred somewhere else. You can also pull their arrest record and booking details to confirm the charges and facility assignment. For the most direct answer, call Forrest Co Jail at 601-545 6148.

Official Inmate Search ↗ Current location, custody status and identifying number VINE — Victim Notification ↗ Automatic alerts on custody status changes
How do I get them out on bail?

Most people booked at Forrest Co Jail appear before a judge within 24 to 48 hours. At that first appearance the judge sets the bail amount - or denies bail - based on the charges, the person's history, and whether they are considered a flight risk.

If bail is set, your family member can be released by paying the full amount or by using a bail bondsman, who typically charges 10 percent of the total as a non-refundable fee. If bail is denied or the amount is unaffordable, they remain at Forrest Co Jail until the case resolves. InmateAid's bail and bond guide walks through every option including what to do if you cannot afford a bondsman.

What is happening to them right now?

Right after arrest, your family member goes through intake at Forrest Co Jail - identity verification, medical screening, property inventory, and classification. Classification places them in a housing unit based on the charges, prior record, and intake behavior. It is not a punishment. It is how the facility manages a population that ranges from people picked up on minor warrants to individuals facing serious charges.

For the first 24 to 48 hours, phone access and visitation are typically unavailable while booking completes. Once they are assigned to a housing unit, those channels open up. InmateAid's what happens in jail guide covers the full intake process step by step so you know what to expect.

How do I talk to them by phone?

Your family member calls you - you cannot call them. Calls from Forrest Co Jail go through CityTeleCoin and all calls are recorded except attorney calls. Set up a CityTeleCoin account before the first call so the connection goes through without delay.

Phone contact is more important than most people realize going into this. A regular call - even a short one - makes a measurable difference in how someone holds up inside. Do not let the setup friction stop you. Visit InmateAid's jail calls page for step-by-step account setup, current rate information, and tips for keeping funds available.

CityTeleCoin ↗ Contracted phone carrier — account setup and rates
When can I visit and what are the rules?

Visitation hours at Forrest Co Jail are set by the facility and can change without much notice. Before making the trip, call 601-545 6148 to confirm current hours, any advance registration requirements, and what you are allowed to bring.

The most common mistake families make is showing up without confirming first - and that results in a wasted trip and a missed visit for your family member. General rules across most Mississippi county jails: dress conservatively, avoid colors that resemble inmate uniforms, leave your phone in your car, and bring valid government-issued ID. Children may be permitted with specific requirements depending on the facility. InmateAid's visitation guide has a full checklist you can run through before you go.

At the Forrest County Adult Detention Center, all visitors must undergo a contraband search upon entry. Visitors are required to be at least 18 years old and present valid photo identification, with a maximum of two visitors allowed per inmate, all present simultaneously. Individuals on parole or probation are prohibited from visiting. Visitors should dress appropriately, avoiding offensive or revealing attire, and must leave cell phones, purses, and tobacco products outside the facility. Prior sign-up for visitation is mandatory by 11:00 A.M. on the inmate’s designated visitation day, with each visit limited to 20 minutes. Respectful and quiet behavior is expected; disruptions may result in the removal or suspension of visitation privileges.

The facility does not permit contact visits unless explicitly approved by the Sheriff. All visitors must complete an application before visiting, and video visitation is available through an account at CityTelecoin.com.

State and Sheriff Trustees have designated contact visitation on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month. Visitors may call between 8:00 A.M. and 11:00 A.M. to schedule, with visits lasting from 1:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M.

VISITATION SCHEDULE-You must call before setting up a visit. 601-545-6148

  • Visitation is on Tuesday only- you must call between 8:15 am and 11:00 am to sign up. No one will be placed on the list after 11:00 am.
  • Females, T-pod and 102 Pod (F, G, H, J & K) 1st and 3rd week.
  • Females: 10:00 AM -10:30 AM (Call between 8:15 AM & 9 AM)
  • T-Pod: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM (Call between 8:15 AM & 9 AM)

ISO, OBS, and 103 Pod (L, M, N, P & Q)- 2nd and 4th week.

ISO & OBS: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM (Call between 8:15 & 9:00 AM)

No visitation on the 5th Tuesday of the month.

If Tuesday is a holiday there will be no visitation, visitation will resume the following Thursday.

Times are subject to change.

⚑ Full visitation information, times & rules
How do I put money on their books?

Money on the books - also called the commissary or trust account - gives your family member access to hygiene items, snacks, phone time, and postage. It is one of the most practical things you can do and it has a direct effect on their daily comfort.

Forrest Co Jail accepts deposits through approved channels that typically include online deposit, phone deposit, or a kiosk at the facility. Use your family member's full legal name and booking number exactly as they appear in the jail's system - any error in the name or number will delay or reject the deposit. InmateAid's send money page lists the specific deposit methods accepted at Forrest Co Jail and walks through the process.

TigerCommissary ↗ Commissary and trust-account deposits
How do I send letters or photos?

A letter or a printed photo costs almost nothing to send and means far more than most people outside appreciate. Forrest Co Jail accepts incoming mail addressed to your family member at 55 Arena Dr. Put their full legal name and booking number on every piece of mail.

Standard rules at most Mississippi county jails: plain white paper only, no staples, no glitter, no stickers, no colored ink. Photos should be standard print size with nothing written on the back. Mail that does not meet the facility's standards will be rejected - and the facility may not notify you that it was. Keep it simple.

InmateAid's send mail service lets you write and send directly from your phone or computer. We print on approved stock and mail it for you, so rejection for formatting is not a risk.

Books and magazines must come new, ordered directly from the publisher or through an online retailer - not shipped from your home address. Facilities require this to prevent contraband. Order through Amazon or directly from the publisher. Anything shipped from a personal address will be turned away.

Inmate Mailing Address
[Inmate Full Legal Name]
ID #: [Inmate Number]
Forrest County MS Detention Center
55 Arena Dr
Hattiesburg, MS 39401
What else should I know about Mississippi jails?

County jail procedures, visitation rules, phone rates, inmate search tools, bail processes, and what happens at release all vary by state. Mississippi has its own rules and its own agencies, and what applies in one state does not always apply here.

InmateAid's Mississippi prison resources hub covers all of it - written specifically for families navigating the Mississippi system. Start there when you need answers that go beyond what this facility page covers.

Official Resources

County jail time is hard in a way that is different from anything else. The uncertainty - not knowing how long, not knowing what comes next - wears on everyone. What you can control is the connection. Calls, letters, visits, money on the books. Every one of those things tells your family member that someone out here is paying attention and is not going anywhere.

InmateAid was built for exactly this. Use us.

About this page — Information is compiled from official facility sources, state DOC guidelines, and verified family reports. Last updated August 2026.