Richland County Inmate Records
Richland County is home to Columbia, the state capital of South Carolina. The Richland County inmate population spans both the local detention center and several state prison facilities located within the county. You can search for inmates held in Richland County through the Sheriff's Office, the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, and the SCDC online search tool. This page covers where to look and how to find someone in custody in Richland County, whether they are at the local level or in a state institution.
Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center
The Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center is the main local jail for Richland County. It holds people who have been arrested and are waiting for trial, as well as those serving short sentences. The Richland County Sheriff's Office runs this facility. It is one of the larger county detention centers in South Carolina.
Booking at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center follows a set process. Staff record the name, charges, bond amount, and personal details of each person brought in. A photo and fingerprints are taken. This data forms the Richland County inmate population records at the local level. You can call the detention center to ask if a specific person is in custody. Staff can confirm the charges and bond for anyone who is booked.
The Richland County government website has contact details for the Sheriff's Office and other departments. You can find hours, phone numbers, and links to public services on that site.
Columbia is the largest city in Richland County. The Columbia Police Department handles law enforcement within city limits. Arrests made by Columbia PD also go to the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center for booking. So all local inmates in Richland County appear in the same system.
Richland County SCDC Institutions
Richland County is unique in South Carolina because it hosts multiple state prison facilities. The South Carolina Department of Corrections operates several institutions in the Columbia area. These include Broad River Correctional Institution, Kirkland Correctional Institution, Manning Correctional Institution, Goodman Correctional Institution, and Palmer Pre-Release Center. Each of these adds to the total inmate population within Richland County borders.
Broad River CI is a close and medium security facility on Broad River Road in Columbia. It houses the state's Maximum Security Unit and Death Row. Kirkland CI, also on Broad River Road, is a close custody facility that serves as the reception and evaluation center for all male inmates entering the state system. Manning CI on Beckman Road operates as the centralized pre-release center for male offenders within 180 days of release.
These state facilities are separate from the Richland County Detention Center. If someone was sentenced to state prison, you will not find them at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. Instead, search for them at doc.sc.gov. The SCDC inmate search shows which facility holds each person, along with their photo, charges, and release date.
Note: Inmates at SCDC facilities in Richland County may have been convicted in any county across South Carolina.
Searching for Richland County Inmates
There are two main ways to search the Richland County inmate population. For local inmates at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, call the facility or visit in person. Staff can look up a name and share booking details. For state inmates at SCDC facilities, use the online search at doc.sc.gov.
You may need the following when you search:
- Full legal name of the person
- Date of birth
- Case number or booking number
- Approximate arrest date
The South Carolina Judicial Branch public index at sccourts.org lets you search court cases by name. This covers all criminal cases filed in Richland County. You can see filing dates, charges, hearing schedules, and case outcomes. This is helpful for tracking the court side of an inmate's case in Richland County.
The Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services at dppps.sc.gov tracks people on community supervision. If someone from Richland County is on probation or parole, you can search their database. The data reflects the prior business day.
Richland County Law Enforcement
The Richland County Sheriff's Office covers the unincorporated areas of the county. The Columbia Police Department handles law enforcement within the city of Columbia. Both agencies contribute to the Richland County inmate population through arrests made in their areas. Other smaller agencies in the county also bring people to the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.
The Sheriff's Office provides a full range of services. These include patrol, criminal investigations, warrant service, and civil process. The department also runs community programs aimed at public safety. Because Richland County is one of the most populated counties in South Carolina, the volume of arrests and bookings is higher than in rural areas. This means the inmate population at the detention center can change fast.
SLED at sled.sc.gov provides support to all law enforcement agencies in Richland County. Their services include criminal background checks, forensic lab analysis, and the state sex offender registry. SLED also helps with major investigations in the county when local agencies ask for support.
Richland County Inmate Sentence Credits
State inmates from Richland County can earn credits that reduce their time in prison. Under S.C. Code Section 24-13-210, good behavior earns up to 20 days per month off a sentence. For "no parole" offenses, the credit drops to 3 days per month. Work and education credits under Section 24-13-230 can add up to 180 days per year for regular offenses or 72 days per year for "no parole" cases.
These credits are tracked by SCDC and reflected in the projected release date shown on the inmate search tool. Title 24 of the South Carolina Code sets all the rules for sentence computation, good time, and work credits. Understanding these credits helps explain why a projected release date may be earlier than the original sentence end date for inmates from Richland County.
Note: Credit calculations apply only to state prison sentences, not time served at the local detention center.
Victim Services in Richland County
Victims of crimes in Richland County can access several support services. The SCDC Division of Victim Services at 1-800-835-0304 helps people affected by someone in state prison. They provide updates on inmate status, release dates, and parole hearings.
The SAVIN notification system sends automatic alerts when an inmate's custody status changes. You can register for free and receive calls or emails about a specific person in the Richland County inmate population. This works for both local and state inmates. South Carolina Legal Services at sclegal.org offers free legal help to qualifying residents across all 46 counties, including Richland County.
Cities in Richland County
Richland County includes the city of Columbia, South Carolina's state capital. All local inmates from the city are held at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.
Nearby Counties
Richland County borders several other South Carolina counties. Each county maintains its own detention center and inmate population records.