Search Cowlitz County Jail Inmates

Cowlitz County inmate population records are managed by the Cowlitz County Corrections Department, which operates facilities in both Longview and Kelso. The online jail roster is publicly available and shows current booking information for all individuals in custody. This page covers how to search the Cowlitz County inmate roster, how to schedule a visit, how to deposit money for an inmate, and how to access state-level tools when someone has been transferred out of county custody. Whether you're looking for a recent booking or tracking a case over time, this guide walks through each step.

Cowlitz County Corrections Department

The Cowlitz County Corrections Department runs two locations. The main jail is at 1935 First Avenue in Longview, WA 98633. The Sheriff's Office, which shares administrative duties, is at 312 SW 1st Ave., Kelso, WA 98626. The corrections phone number for both is 360-577-3094. The department averages about 325 inmates on any given day, which makes it one of the larger rural county jail operations in southwest Washington.

Cowlitz County Corrections also holds Washington State Department of Corrections inmates who have violated community custody terms. This means the population includes both pretrial detainees, sentenced county inmates, and DOC-supervised individuals returned to custody. The mix of custody types can affect what information is visible in the public roster and how long a person remains at the facility.

The Corrections Department page is at co.cowlitz.wa.us/1105/Jail-Division. That page describes jail policies, the booking process, and services available to inmates and their families. It is the best starting point for understanding what is and isn't allowed at the facility.

How to Search the Cowlitz County Inmate Roster

The Cowlitz County Corrections Department publishes a live roster at apps.co.cowlitz.wa.us/CCCD/Custody/default/Index.html. This is the primary source for current Cowlitz County inmate population data. The system shows each person's name, booking number, the date and time they were booked, their current location in the facility, a link to sign up for VINE victim notification, the bond total, the arresting agency, and a full list of charges.

The screenshot below shows the Cowlitz County Corrections jail roster page as it appears publicly. You can use it to verify that a person is currently in custody and to see the charges they were booked under.

The roster reflects live custody data, not a daily snapshot. That means it updates as bookings and releases happen rather than on a set schedule. If someone was booked in the past few hours, they should appear in the system soon after the booking is processed. Releases happen throughout the day as well.

If the person you are looking for is not listed, they may have been released, transferred to the Washington State DOC, or never booked at this facility. The state DOC search at doc.wa.gov covers individuals who moved to state custody after county sentencing.

Cowlitz County Jail Division Services

The Jail Division page at co.cowlitz.wa.us/1105/Jail-Division is where you can find policies for visitation, inmate deposits, and other services. The screenshot below shows the Jail Division page as it appears on the Cowlitz County website.

Video visits are available from home or an office location at a cost of $8.99 per session through the virtual visit system. You must schedule at least 12 hours in advance through icsolutions.com. To set up a deposit account or get help with the video visit system, call the deposit line at 1-866-394-0490.

Public Records in Cowlitz County

Under RCW 42.56, Washington's Public Records Act, the Cowlitz County Corrections Department and Sheriff's Office must respond to public records requests within five business days. That response can fulfill the request, provide a production timeline, or ask for clarification. Booking logs, incident reports, and inmate rosters generally fall within the scope of public disclosure.

The county has a dedicated public records page at co.cowlitz.wa.us/148/Public-Records-Request. You can submit your request online through that portal or contact the agency directly. Some records require a written request even if basic booking information is already visible in the public roster.

Under RCW 70.48.100, local jails must maintain records of all confined persons and make them publicly available. The online roster satisfies this requirement for current inmates. For past bookings, you would need to submit a formal public records request to the Corrections Department or Sheriff's Office.

For court records tied to a Cowlitz County arrest, contact the County Clerk at 312 SW 1st Ave, Kelso, WA 98626, or call 360-577-3016 ext. 8302. The clerk handles case filings, sentencing documents, and court orders. Booking records and court records are separate systems and you may need both to fully understand someone's legal and custody status.

VINE Victim Notification in Cowlitz County

VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) is available for Cowlitz County inmates. The jail roster itself links directly to VINE for each booking, making it easy to sign up for notifications right from the roster page. VINE sends automatic alerts by phone, text, or email when an inmate is released, transferred, escapes, or has a court event. Registration is free and anonymous.

You can also register independently at VINELink.com. The service covers Cowlitz County Corrections and all Washington State DOC facilities. If you are tracking someone who may move from local custody to state prison, VINE will follow them across facilities so you do not need to keep checking different systems manually.

Court Records for Cowlitz County Cases

Criminal cases from Cowlitz County arrests are handled by Cowlitz County Superior Court and District Court. Booking records reflect only what was charged at the time of arrest. The actual outcome of a case, including plea deals, conviction or acquittal, sentencing, and any appeals, is in the court records, not the jail roster. The two systems are separate and you need to check both for a complete picture.

The Washington Courts public access portal at courts.wa.gov lets you search statewide case records by name or case number. Cowlitz County Superior and District Court cases are included. The search is free. For certified copies or documents not in the online system, contact the County Clerk at 360-577-3016 ext. 8302.

The WATCH system at watch.wsp.wa.gov provides criminal history records for Washington State. Unlike a current custody search, WATCH shows the full record of prior arrests and convictions. There is a fee for WATCH searches.

State-Level Resources for Cowlitz County Inmates

When someone held at Cowlitz County is sentenced to state prison, they leave the county system. The Washington State DOC incarcerated person search at doc.wa.gov covers all state prison facilities. You can search by name or DOC number. The search is free and shows current facility, sentence dates, and projected release information for people in state custody.

Cowlitz County also contracts with WA DOC to house community custody violators, so some individuals in the county roster are technically state DOC inmates rather than county defendants. If you are trying to sort out which system applies to a specific person, start with the county roster. If they are not there, check the state DOC search. Between the two, you can account for nearly all individuals in the Washington corrections system.

Cities in Cowlitz County

Cowlitz County includes several communities in southwest Washington. Kelso is the county seat, and Longview is the largest city. Longview meets the population threshold for its own page on this site. Other communities include Castle Rock, Kalama, and Woodland. Arrests from any of these areas are booked and processed through the Cowlitz County Corrections Department.

Nearby Counties

Cowlitz County is in southwest Washington near the Oregon border. If you are not sure which jurisdiction is involved in a specific case, these neighboring counties may be relevant to your search.