The Wood County Inmate Population
The Wood County inmate population is not counted from a county-owned jail in Parkersburg. Adult jail custody for Wood County is routed into the West Virginia regional jail system, with North Central Regional Jail and Correctional Facility serving Wood County arrests along with Doddridge, Harrison, Marion, Monongalia, Pleasants, Ritchie, and Wirt counties. The DCR facility page places North Central in Greenwood and identifies it as the regional jail for Wood County. That means Wood County jail population data is usually part of an eight-county regional count, not a Wood-only jail table.
Local custody still matters. The Wood County Sheriff's Office says it oversees the Holding Center and transports prisoners to the regional jail. The county directory lists the Holding Center phone line, while state records provide the public roster and daily incarceration tools after transfer. Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail and Lorrie Yeager Jr. Juvenile Center are also in Wood County, but they do not serve the same public adult pretrial roster function. Parkersburg is a minimum-security DCR work-release facility, and Lorrie Yeager is a secure juvenile center with far more restricted custody information.
Wood County Inmate Population Statistics
The strongest sourced Wood County inmate population figures come from North Central Regional Jail because that facility is the main adult jail for Wood County arrests. The WV DCR FY2025 Annual Report lists North Central's average daily count, admissions, releases, and custody-status mix. The Prison Policy Initiative Census 2020 correctional facility locator gives a separate local/capacity reference for North Central. For the county itself, the Census QuickFacts population estimate helps put the jail figures in local context, but it is not a jail count.
| Measure | Figure | Source / Year |
|---|---|---|
| North Central Regional Jail average daily count | 813 | WV DCR FY2025 Annual Report |
| North Central Regional Jail admissions | 4,675 | WV DCR FY2025 Annual Report |
| North Central Regional Jail releases | 4,900 | WV DCR FY2025 Annual Report |
| North Central local/capacity reference | 544 | Prison Policy Initiative Census 2020 locator |
| Parkersburg Correctional Center population statement | 130 male offenders | DCR facility page |
| Lorrie Yeager Jr. Juvenile Center capacity | 24 beds | DCR facility page |
| Wood County population estimate | 84,300 | U.S. Census QuickFacts, July 1, 2025 |
North Central Jail Trends
North Central admissions and releases show why a same-day Wood County jail roster can change fast. The DCR annual report tables show admissions fell in FY2024, then rose again in FY2025. Releases followed a similar path. Those figures cover the whole regional facility, not Wood County alone, so they should not be read as a Wood-only booking total. They still give the best official trend line for the facility that receives most Wood County adult jail detainees after local arrest and transport.
| Fiscal Year | Admissions | Releases | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2022 | 4,619 | 4,948 | Regional jail volume before the FY2023 rise. |
| FY2023 | 4,816 | 5,146 | Admissions and releases both increased. |
| FY2024 | 4,388 | 4,661 | Lower activity than the prior year. |
| FY2025 | 4,675 | 4,900 | Volume rebounded from FY2024. |
A recent news report cited by the research said lawmakers described North Central as over capacity in 2025. The official figures should carry the most weight for a records page, so the DCR average daily count and the PPI 2020 reference are the safer numbers to use when judging crowding. They also explain why a Wood County family may have to deal with a regional facility outside the county instead of a local jail lobby.
Who Is Counted in Wood County Custody
The North Central count includes several legal statuses. The DCR FY2025 status mix listed DCR inmates, federal pretrial and sentenced inmates, pretrial misdemeanants, convicted misdemeanants, pretrial felons, and convicted felons. Pretrial felons were the largest listed category at North Central, with 101 female and 341 male detainees. Convicted felons, convicted misdemeanants, federal holds, and DCR inmates also appeared in the table. This mix is one reason a Wood County inmate lookup should not stop at one search box when the first result is missing.
| Status at North Central | Female | Male | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pretrial felons | 101 | 341 | Charges are pending and court records should be checked. |
| Pretrial misdemeanants | 28 | 81 | Often tied to magistrate court and bond decisions. |
| Convicted felons | 22 | 106 | May be awaiting transfer or held in DCR status. |
| DCR inmates | 14 | 60 | Sentenced or corrections custody may move to DOC lookup. |
| Federal pretrial | 4 | 20 | BOP may not list every federal pretrial person. |
Statewide WV regional jail demographics for FY2025 also show the broader setting. DCR counted 36,461 regional jail admissions statewide, with 27,208 male admissions and 9,250 female admissions. Age totals were highest in the 30 to 39 and 40 to 49 groups. These are statewide regional jail figures, not Wood County-only demographics, but they help define the system that Wood County uses for adult jail custody.
Laws Governing Wood County Jail Data
West Virginia public-record law is the starting point for Wood County jail records. A roster entry is still only one kind of record. Sheriff arrest reports, DCR custody records, magistrate complaints, circuit court pleadings, and juvenile records may sit with different custodians. Public access is broad, but privacy, security, sealed records, expungement, and law-enforcement exemptions can limit what an agency releases.
Key statutes:
W. Va. Code § 29B-1-3 gives people the right to inspect or copy public records unless an exemption applies.
W. Va. Code § 29B-1-4 lists exemptions that can protect privacy, safety, investigations, and other interests.
W. Va. Code § 62-1C-1a governs pretrial release and bond decisions after first appearance.
W. Va. Code § 62-1-6a limits certain law-enforcement social-media uses of booking photos and provides removal rules after qualifying outcomes.
W. Va. Code § 61-12-8 requires certain deaths to be reported to medical examiners.
Search the Wood County Inmate Population
The official adult jail search path is the WV Regional Jail Offender Search, not a separate Wood County roster. The Daily Incarcerations search is useful for new admissions because it can be searched by county or institution. The DCR offender search hub links those jail tools with the prison/offender locator and escapee or absconder searches.
The search form requires at least the first three letters of the last name and a CAPTCHA. First name is optional and helps narrow common names. If the arrest happened the same day, Daily Incarcerations may show the admission before a normal name search feels complete. If neither tool shows the person, call the Wood County Holding Center or the Sheriff's Office for a very recent arrest, then check North Central Regional Jail if transport has occurred.
- Open the WV Regional Jail Offender Search for a current adult jail detainee.
- Enter at least three letters of the last name, then add the first name if needed.
- Complete the CAPTCHA and review any matching public custody records.
- Use Daily Incarcerations by Wood County or North Central for new bookings.
- Move to the DOC, BOP, ICE, or VINE tools if the person is not in regional jail custody.
Wood County Roster Search Fields
The Regional Jail form is short, but the required CAPTCHA means automated review of profiles was limited during research. The captured form fields are still enough to set a reliable search process. Daily Incarcerations adds a county dropdown that includes Wood County and every other West Virginia county, plus an institution admissions path that showed a North Central admissions summary during the research pass.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last Name (Partial or Full) | Text | Yes | Minimum 3 characters and maximum 100. |
| First Name (Optional) | Text | No | Maximum 100 characters and useful for common surnames. |
| reCAPTCHA | CAPTCHA | Yes | Required before submitting a search. |
| County | Dropdown | Yes for Daily Incarcerations | Select Wood for county admissions or use North Central institution results. |
The Regional Jail search form is the main roster screen used for Wood County adult jail custody.
The captured search form shows why a last-name spelling, optional first name, and CAPTCHA completion are the key parts of a Wood County jail roster search.
What Wood County Inmate Records Show
The accessible North Central Daily Incarcerations admissions summary showed same-day admission rows with time, name fields, birth date, gender, and a View Details link. The captured admissions list did not show mugshots, charges, bond, housing, or arresting agency. DCR warns that public information changes quickly and that sentencing information should be checked with the court of jurisdiction. Treat the roster as a custody lead, then confirm formal charges in court records.
- Booking
- Administrative entry after arrest or jail admission.
- Initial appearance
- The first magistrate or court appearance after arrest.
- Detainer
- A hold from another agency or case that can delay release.
- OID
- The offender ID used in the West Virginia DOC prison locator.
County Jail vs State Prison Lookup
A Wood County arrest can move between systems. Local officers may use the Holding Center for short-term processing, North Central for adult jail detention, magistrate court for initial charges and bond, and DCR prison records after state sentencing. Federal and immigration custody add separate locators. A person can also have a Wood County case while held for another county, a DCR status, a federal matter, or a detainer.
| Custody Type | Where to Search | What It Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Wood County adult jail custody | WV Regional Jail Offender Search | Current regional jail custody after arrest or transport. |
| New admissions | Daily Incarcerations | County and institution admissions by date. |
| Sentenced DCR custody | WV DOC Offender Search | Active supervision, prison, or parole status. |
| Federal custody | BOP Inmate Locator | Federal inmates from 1982 to present, mainly sentenced BOP custody. |
| Immigration detention | ICE Online Detainee Locator | ICE detainee records, separate from DCR and BOP. |
| Custody notification | West Virginia VINE | Status lookup and notification registration. |
Wood County Detention Facilities
The Wood County facility map has one primary regional jail, one local short-term holding channel, and two state DCR facilities in Parkersburg. Each page should be read by facility type. The adult jail roster is right for North Central and transferred Wood County jail detainees. It is not the right public path for juvenile custody, and it is not the best path for a person already in state work-release custody.
- North Central Regional Jail and Correctional Facility holds Wood County adult jail detainees in the regional jail system.
- Wood County Holding Center is the local short-term processing and holding channel before transport.
- Parkersburg Correctional Center and Jail is a minimum-security DCR work-release facility for screened male offenders.
- Lorrie Yeager Jr. Juvenile Center is a secure juvenile facility with restricted public custody information.
Wood County Records Requests
When online lookup fails, the fallback path depends on who created the record. The Wood County Sheriff's Office is the local custodian for sheriff-created arrest and incident records, and the research found a FOIA email at foiasheriff@woodcountywv.com. DCR is the custodian for regional-jail custody records. Magistrate and circuit courts hold official charging documents, case events, orders, and dispositions. A useful request gives the person's full name, approximate arrest date, arresting agency if known, requested record type, and preferred delivery method.
Wood County Sheriff
1 Court Square
Parkersburg, WV 26101
(304) 424-1834
FOIA: foiasheriff@woodcountywv.com
Wood County Holding Center
Wood County Justice Center area
401 2nd Street, Parkersburg, WV 26101
(304) 424-1945
Short-term custody and recent-arrest fallback.
Wood County Inmate Population FAQ
Is there a Wood County jail roster? Adult jail custody is searched through the WV Regional Jail system. Wood County does not publish a separate Wood-only roster in the research materials.
Why is the main jail outside Wood County? West Virginia uses regional jails. North Central Regional Jail in Greenwood serves Wood County and seven other counties.
Where are same-day bookings found? Daily Incarcerations can be searched by Wood County or by institution. It may help when a person is too new for a normal name search result.
Do Wood County inmate records show charges? The roster is a custody source. Formal charges, amendments, dispositions, and court dates are checked through Magistrate Case Record Search, WVPASS, or the clerk.
Can a sentenced person disappear from the jail search? Yes. After DCR commitment, the DOC prison/offender locator is often the better tool, even if a person is still physically in a regional facility for a time.
Is there a sheriff inmate app? The research did not find an official Wood County Sheriff inmate roster, warrant, or most-wanted app. Parkersburg and Vienna apps were not inmate-search tools.
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