Lehigh County Booking Releases and Jail Inmate Records

Lehigh County booking releases are public records generated through the Lehigh County Department of Corrections in Allentown, Pennsylvania. One of the Lehigh Valley's most active counties, Lehigh County processes approximately 35,040 offenders annually with an average daily jail population of around 1,752 inmates. Each Lehigh County booking release captures the person's name, date of birth, photograph, charges, bail information, and court date. Residents and researchers can search Lehigh County booking releases and inmate records through the county website, the county's inmate search portal, and Pennsylvania's statewide court and records systems available under the Right-to-Know Law.

Lehigh County Department of Corrections Facilities

The Lehigh County Department of Corrections is headquartered at 38 North Fourth Street in Allentown, Pennsylvania 18102, with a main line of 610-782-3270. The department operates multiple facilities across the Lehigh Valley. The primary facility, Lehigh County Jail at 38 North Fourth Street, is a maximum security facility with a capacity of approximately 1,100 inmates. The Community Corrections Center at 1600 Riverside Drive in Bethlehem handles minimum security housing and work release programming. The Treatment Center at 1501 Lehigh Street in Allentown focuses on substance abuse and mental health treatment for qualifying individuals in the corrections system. A Juvenile Detention Center operates at 201 North 7th Street in Allentown for youth in custody.

The Right-to-Know officer for Lehigh County corrections matters is located at 17 South Seventh Street, Allentown, PA 18101, and can be reached at 610-782-3009. This office processes Right-to-Know requests for Lehigh County booking release records and other correctional documents under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law. The department's multi-facility structure reflects the scale of Lehigh County's corrections operation, which serves one of Pennsylvania's most populous and densely populated counties.

The Lehigh Valley is one of Pennsylvania's fastest-growing regions. Allentown, as the county seat and the state's third-largest city, generates significant law enforcement activity. The weekly turnover rate of approximately 55 percent at Lehigh County facilities means that the roster changes rapidly, and individuals searching for current custody information should use the most up-to-date source available.

Searching Lehigh County Booking Releases Online

The Lehigh County official website is the central portal for accessing county records, department contacts, and public records procedures from Allentown. The site connects residents to the Department of Corrections, court offices, and the Right-to-Know officer on South Seventh Street.

The Lehigh County website provides comprehensive access to corrections department information, facility contacts, and the public records request process for Lehigh County booking releases.

The county portal is the authoritative starting point for confirming current jail contacts, visiting schedules, mail procedures, and Right-to-Know submission details for Lehigh County records.

A dedicated inmate search for Lehigh County is also available through Lehigh Records Inmate Search, which provides a searchable database of current and recent Lehigh County booking release records and custody status information.

The Lehigh Records inmate search offers direct access to the Lehigh County booking release database, making it a useful tool for locating current custody status and recent booking information.

Lehigh County Inmate Mail, Phone, and Visitation

Visitation at Lehigh County Jail is available on weekdays from 1-4 PM and 6-9 PM and on weekends from 9-11 AM, 1-4 PM, and 6-9 PM. All visitors must present valid government-issued photo identification and must appear on the inmate's approved visitor list. Visitors should call the facility at 610-782-3270 before arriving to confirm current schedules and any changes to visiting procedures.

Personal mail for Lehigh County inmates should be sent to PO Box 247, Phoenix, MD 21131. Legal mail must be sent directly to the facility at 38 N. Fourth Street, Allentown, PA 18102 and must be clearly marked as legal correspondence. The postal address distinction is important: personal mail sent to the Allentown address may be delayed or returned. All incoming personal mail is subject to inspection according to facility policy.

Inmate phone calls at Lehigh County operate through a prepaid account system. Calls are typically limited to 10 to 15 minutes per session. Families can set up prepaid accounts through the facility's contracted phone service provider. The cost per minute varies based on the account type and call destination. Inmates at the Community Corrections Center on Riverside Drive may have different phone access rules than those housed at the main jail on Fourth Street.

VINE Notifications for Lehigh County Inmates

The VINE system provides 24/7 free custody status notifications for victims and family members monitoring any individual held in Lehigh County corrections facilities. With an average daily population of approximately 1,752 inmates and a weekly turnover rate of around 55 percent, Lehigh County sees a very high volume of custody changes. VINE delivers real-time notifications as soon as those changes are recorded, eliminating the need to monitor the roster manually.

Registration for VINE is available online or by phone and takes only a few minutes using the inmate's name or booking number. Subscribers receive alerts by phone, text, or email when an individual is released, transferred, or when any custody change is recorded. VINE covers all Lehigh County facilities operated by the Department of Corrections, including the main jail, the Community Corrections Center, and the Treatment Center.

Note: VINE registration is free and does not expire. Subscribers continue receiving Lehigh County notifications until they choose to cancel or update their registration preferences.

Lehigh County Courts and Booking Release Records

Lehigh County is served by the Court of Common Pleas and its associated magisterial district courts covering Allentown, Bethlehem, and the surrounding county municipalities. At preliminary arraignment, a magisterial district judge sets bail and schedules the preliminary hearing. The bail amount and conditions of release become part of the Lehigh County booking release record and are publicly accessible through the jail roster and the UJS Court Portal.

Cases that are not resolved at the magisterial level advance to the Court of Common Pleas for pre-trial proceedings and trial. Lehigh County courts offer a range of alternative disposition options for qualifying defendants, including drug court, mental health court, and diversionary programs that allow some individuals to resolve charges through treatment and compliance. These programs reflect Lehigh County's investment in addressing the underlying causes of criminal behavior rather than relying solely on incarceration. Program participation and outcomes appear in court records accessible through the UJS portal.

Searching the UJS portal by docket number or defendant name returns every filing, hearing, and disposition in a Lehigh County case. With approximately 35,040 annual bookings, the Lehigh County court system handles a substantial caseload, and the portal provides the most efficient way to track case progress after a booking release is generated.

Right-to-Know Requests for Lehigh County Booking Records

Pennsylvania's 65 P.S. § 67.101 et seq. entitles every person to request public records from Lehigh County agencies. Written requests for booking releases and correctional records should be submitted to the Lehigh County Right-to-Know officer at 17 South Seventh Street, Allentown, PA 18101, or by calling 610-782-3009. The county has five business days to respond to a complete request. Standard copy costs are $0.25 per page. If a request is denied, the requester has 15 business days to appeal to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records.

Inmate records maintained at Lehigh County facilities are governed by the standards set under 61 Pa.C.S. § 4103. For certified statewide criminal history reports based on final convictions, the PATCH system provides official records. PATCH reports are distinct from booking releases and reflect court-adjudicated outcomes rather than initial arrest data. Including the subject's name, approximate booking date, and any known booking or case number in a Right-to-Know request helps staff locate the specific Lehigh County record more efficiently.

PA DOC and State Inmates from Lehigh County

Individuals convicted in Lehigh County and sentenced to two or more years are transferred from county custody to a Pennsylvania Department of Corrections facility. The PA DOC operates 23 State Correctional Institutions across the commonwealth. Once transferred, those individuals will no longer appear in Lehigh County records. The PA DOC Inmate Locator allows searches by name or inmate ID and returns current facility, projected release, and parole information for anyone in PA DOC custody. Given Lehigh County's high annual booking volume, a significant number of individuals sentenced there are transferred to state facilities each year, making the PA DOC locator an important complement to county-level searches.

Nearby Pennsylvania Counties

These neighboring counties also maintain public booking release records under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law.

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