Facility Overview
Bedford County has jails in Tennessee and Pennsylvania that folks mix up all the time. We’ll break down both since searches hit on them equally. Starting with Bedford County Jail in Shelbyville, Tennessee. It’s a county lockup run by the Sheriff’s Office. Holds about 200 inmates max, mostly pretrial detainees and short-term sentences under a year. Mix of men and women, no huge security levels like state prisons—just general population with some isolation for troublemakers.
Over in Bedford, Pennsylvania, the Bedford County Correctional Facility is similar. Capacity around 250. Houses adults from the county, some state boarders. Both spots deal with everyday county arrests: DUIs, domestics, thefts, drugs. Not supermax hellholes, but don’t expect a spa. Overcrowding happens, especially weekends after bar close.
We get calls from families weekly who don’t know which Bedford their person’s in. Check the arrest report first—state matters.
Location and Contact Information
For Tennessee: Bedford County Justice Complex, 110 Northcreek Drive, Shelbyville, TN 37160. Main phone (931) 684-3232 for non-emergencies. Jail direct: (931) 684-4566. Administration: (931) 684-0893. Fax (931) 684-7221. Website’s bedfordcountytn.gov/sheriff—basic info, no live chat.
| Department | Phone |
|---|---|
| Sheriff’s Office | (931) 684-3232 |
| Jail | (931) 684-4566 |
| Detectives | (931) 685-1334 |
| Tip Line | (931) 685-1335 |
Pennsylvania: Bedford County Correctional Facility at bedfordcountypa.org. Address not always listed clean online, but it’s 1481 Upper Snake Spring Road, Everett, PA 15537. Phone (814) 623-5657. They got an inmate locator through Pennsylvania’s state system at inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov.
Emails? Rare for jails. Call. Officers answer quick but busy—have your inmate’s full name and DOB ready.
Bedford County Jail Roster
Tennessee doesn’t have a public online roster. That’s the bad news. Sheriff’s site says no online inmate search. You gotta call the jail at (931) 684-4566 or hit up third-party sites like bedfordcountyarrests.org, but verify—they lag or charge. We tell families: dial during 8am-4pm weekdays. Give name, they’ll check bookings. Recent arrests show on local news sometimes, like herald-citizen for nearby counties.
Pennsylvania’s better. Use the state inmate locator I linked. Search by name or ID. Updates daily-ish. Bedford PA site mentions it too. Pro tip: if no hits, they’re released or transferred. Call to confirm.
Both spots book new intakes fast. Roster shows name, booking date, charges, bond. No mugshots public usually. Families freak when names vanish—means out on bond or court.
Visiting Information
Tennessee: Non-contact mostly now, post-COVID rules stuck. Hours? Weekends typically 9am-3pm, but call ahead—changes. No kids under 16 without mom/dad. Dress code strict: no shorts, tanks, hoodies. Clear plastic lockers for stuff. Schedule by phone, first-come. One hour max per week.
Expect metal detectors, pat-downs. Visiting room’s small—plastic seats, glass partition, phone to talk. Kids draw on paper sometimes. Officers watch close; curse and you’re out.
PA similar: Check locator for status first. Visits Saturdays/Sundays, 1-3pm slots. Video options via Securus maybe. Rules: ID required, no cell phones. Been there—room smells like bleach, vending machines overpriced.
Inmate Communication
Phone calls through Securus or ICSolutions—both TN and PA use ’em. Inmates call out collect, $10-15 for 15 minutes. Set up account at securustech.net. Blocks if you don’t. Video visits online, $5-10 per go.
Mail: Stamped envelopes only, no glitter/stickers. TN address: Inmate name, booking #, Bedford County Jail, 110 Northcreek Dr, Shelbyville TN 37160. PA same deal. They scan mail now, read it. Emails? JPay or similar, buy credits.
Real talk: first week, no calls—orientation. Tell your person rates upfront; families run out of money fast.
Sending Money to Inmates
Commissary king for extras: ramen, hygiene, stamps. TN: Use AccessCorrections or jail kiosk. Online at accesscorrections.com, fees 5-10%. Minimum $5. PA: SmartJailMail or TouchPay.
Don’t Western Union—wrong codes. Track deposits; inmates see same day. Max $200/week usually. We see overdrafts when families send too much—wasted.
| State | Method | Website |
|---|---|---|
| TN | Access Corrections | accesscorrections.com |
| PA | TouchPay | touchpayonline.com |
Daily Life at This Facility
Lockdown 23 hours some days. Meals: trays with mystery meat, bread, veggies if lucky. Breakfast early, dinner by 5pm. Rec yard 1 hour—basketball, walk if weather good. Showers 3x/week, 5 minutes each.
Programs? AA meetings, GED classes if eligible. Church Sundays. Jobs: kitchen, laundry, $1/day. Fights happen over cards or food. Pods got 40 guys, bunks stacked. COVID pods isolated everyone more.
Women separate, smaller dorms. Medical: nurse calls, no ER trips easy. Mental health spotty—wait weeks. Holidays tougher; no turkey like TV shows.
History and Background
TN jail’s newish—Justice Complex built 2000s, replaced old Shelbyville spot. Sheriff’s Austin Swing runs it steady. PA facility expanded 2010s for overcrowding. Both saw COVID hell—lockdowns, suicides up.
Notable? TN had escapes rare, but bonds mixups like recent Shelby County news nearby. PA commissioners fought DA over staffing lately—hiring freezes. Check bedfordgazette.com for updates.
How to Get There
TN: I-24 to Shelbyville exit 97B, north on Hwy 41A, right on Northcreek. 45 min from Nashville. Hotels: Quality Inn Shelbyville, cheap $80/night. Bus: Greyhound to Murfreesboro, then Uber.
PA: I-99 to Everett, follow signs to Snake Spring Rd. 2 hours Pittsburgh. Hotels: Holiday Inn Express Everett. No direct transit—drive or cab.
Park free, but early for visits. Gas up; rural spots.
And yeah, we’ve walked families through this. Call ahead always—rosters down, hours shift. Lawyers best for bonds. Stay strong; system’s tough but navigable.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find the current Bedford County Jail roster?
For Tennessee, call (931) 684-4566—no online list. Pennsylvania uses the state locator at inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov. Names drop off when released, so check daily if worried.
Can I visit an inmate at Bedford County Jail right away?
No, processing takes 48-72 hours. Call for schedule, usually weekends. Bring ID, follow dress code—no visits without approval.
How much does it cost to put money on an inmate’s books?
About $5 minimum plus 5-10% fee via AccessCorrections for TN or TouchPay for PA. Funds post quick for commissary buys.
What if my loved one’s name isn’t on the roster?
They might be released, transferred, or still processing. Call the jail directly—officers check bookings verbally.
Does Bedford County Jail have video visitation?
Yes, both TN and PA offer Securus video calls from home. Set up account online, costs $5-10 per 15-30 minutes. Better than driving sometimes.