The Mason County Inmate Population
Mason County does not run a stand-alone county jail roster on the county website. The current local custody path runs through Western Regional Jail and Correctional Facility, a West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation regional jail in Barboursville that serves Mason, Cabell, Wayne, Lincoln, and Putnam counties. That means the Mason County inmate population for new arrests is counted inside a multi-county regional jail, not in a sheriff-only lockup in Point Pleasant.
The other major facility tied to Mason County is Lakin Correctional Center and Jail in West Columbia. Lakin is physically in Mason County, but it is not the county jail. It is the state all-female prison and holds sentenced WVDCR prisoners from across West Virginia. This split is the key local fact: a recent Mason County arrest is usually searched through WVDCR jail tools for Western Regional Jail, while a sentenced woman at Lakin is searched through the state prison locator.
Mason County Inmate Population Statistics
The most reliable capacity figures come from WVDCR facility pages and the FY2025 annual report. Western Regional Jail has a rated population of 576 in that report. Lakin lists a current capacity of 543 on its facility page, while the same annual report gives Lakin a rated population of 607. Vera county-level data gives useful historical Mason County jail estimates, but WVDCR controls current facility routing because Vera's regional-jail mapping conflicts with WVDCR's current Mason County service listing.
| Measure | Figure | Source / Year |
|---|---|---|
| Western Regional Jail rated population | 576 | WVDCR FY2025 Annual Report |
| Lakin facility capacity | 543 | WVDCR Lakin facility page, accessed July 2026 |
| Lakin rated population | 607 | WVDCR FY2025 Annual Report |
| Mason County prison offenders by county | 59 | WVDCR FY2025 Annual Report, around June 30, 2025 |
| Vera Mason County jail population estimate | 57.61 | Vera Incarceration Trends county CSV, 2024 |
| Mason County population estimate | 24,770 | U.S. Census QuickFacts, July 1, 2024 |
Mason County Inmate Population Trends
Vera's historical county CSV shows Mason County jail estimates moving up and down rather than following one straight line. The estimate was higher in 2019, lower in 2020, rose again in 2021, and then moved down through 2024. Because West Virginia uses regional jails and unified corrections systems, these figures should be read as county-level estimates rather than a live head count inside one Mason County building.
| Year | Total Jail Population Estimate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 57.61 | Vera marks the row in a regional-jail and unified context. |
| 2023 | 60.79 | Pretrial estimate 32.4; sentenced estimate 28.07. |
| 2022 | 64.83 | Pretrial estimate 31.97; sentenced estimate 32.86. |
| 2021 | 73.42 | Higher estimate, with sentenced custody above pretrial custody. |
| 2020 | 58.77 | Pretrial estimate 25.88; sentenced estimate 32.88. |
| 2019 | 76.54 | Vera row also lists a prison population value of 80. |
Current custody should still be checked through WVDCR. A trend table can describe broad Mason County inmate population movement, but it cannot confirm whether one person is held today.
Mason County Jail Population Makeup
The 2023 Vera row gives the clearest demographic snapshot in the research file. It estimates a total jail population of 60.79 for Mason County, with 52.43 male and 6.95 female. It also estimates 32.4 people in pretrial custody and 28.07 sentenced in jail custody. Race and ethnicity estimates in that row include 48.96 white, 9.91 Black, 0.41 Latinx, and 0.1 other race. These are estimates, not a live roster.
- Pretrial detainee
- A person held while charges are pending and before final sentencing.
- Sentenced jail inmate
- A person serving a jail sentence or short sentence in regional jail custody.
- State prisoner
- A sentenced person committed to WVDCR prison custody, such as Lakin.
- Regional jail
- A West Virginia state-operated jail that serves several counties.
Mason County Jail Capacity
Western Regional Jail capacity is reported at the facility level, not as a Mason-only bed count. WVDCR's FY2025 annual report lists Western Regional Jail at 576 rated population, and that facility serves five counties. Mason County users should not compare the county's Vera estimate to the full regional jail capacity as though all 576 beds belong to Mason County. The facility also holds people from Cabell, Wayne, Lincoln, and Putnam counties.
No official Mason County jail construction, closure, consent decree, or current facility-specific litigation page was located in the county and WVDCR sources reviewed. The safest official-source statement is narrow: Mason County custody is regional, the primary jail capacity is WVDCR-reported, and current inmate placement can change with admissions, releases, court orders, classification, and transfers.
Mason County Inmate Record Laws
West Virginia law explains why many inmate population records can be requested while also warning that not every record is public. Jail admissions, court cases, and facility records may involve privacy, law-enforcement, juvenile, sealed-record, or safety limits. The right route is to start with the public WVDCR and court portals, then request records from the custodian when a record is not posted online.
Key Statutes:
W. Va. Code §29B-1-1 states the public policy favoring full information about government affairs unless law provides otherwise.
W. Va. Code §29B-1-3 gives the right to inspect or copy public records by request to the custodian.
W. Va. Code §29B-1-4 lists exemptions that can limit release, including privacy and some law-enforcement records.
W. Va. Code §15A-3-12 ties WVDCR facility planning to physical plant, population size, inmate type, and classification.
W. Va. Code §15A-4-8A addresses family access to certain records after a death in division custody.
Mason County State Prison Population
WVDCR's FY2025 annual report lists 59 Mason County prison offenders in the county-by-county prison offender table around June 30, 2025, with a statewide total of 5,966 in that table. That count is separate from a current regional jail roster. It reflects sentenced prison custody tied to county of commitment or classification reporting, not the daily admissions table for new bookings.
Lakin Correctional Center and Jail gives Mason County a second search problem. It is in West Columbia, inside Mason County, yet it serves the statewide women's prison population. A person at Lakin should be searched in the WVDCR prison offender search by OID or by first and last name. A recent Mason County arrestee should be searched through the regional jail search first.
Search Mason County Inmate Population
Mason County inmate search starts with the WVDCR offender search gateway. That gateway separates jail, prison, daily incarceration, and escapee or absconder searches. For a new arrest, use Offender Search for regional jails and the Daily Incarcerations page. For sentenced prison custody, use the prison search instead.
- Open the WVDCR offender search gateway and choose the jail search for current regional jail custody.
- Enter at least the first three letters of the last name. Add a first name when it helps narrow common names.
- Check Daily Incarcerations by county or institution if the arrest happened the same day.
- Switch to the WVDCR prison search if the person has been sentenced, transferred, or paroled.
- Call Western Regional Jail or the Mason County Sheriff if the record is not visible and custody is urgent.
Mason County Jail Search Fields
The regional jail name search is narrow but useful. WVDCR requires a last name and captcha before it returns results. Daily Incarcerations uses a county dropdown and captcha, and it can show same-day admissions by county or institution. WVDCR warns that public information can change quickly and may not show the true current location, release date, status, or complete sentencing record.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last Name (Partial or Full) | Text | Yes | Minimum 3 characters; maximum 100. |
| First Name (Optional) | Text | No | Maximum 100 characters; useful for common names. |
| Captcha | reCAPTCHA | Yes | Required before search submission. |
| County | Dropdown | Yes for Daily Incarcerations | Mason County is one selectable county. |
Mason County Inmate Record Fields
Public WVDCR data captured during research showed daily admission rows for Western Regional Jail. The table displayed admission time, first, middle, and last name, birth date, gender, institution heading, a date heading, and a "View Details" link. The daily table did not show mugshots, charges, bond, or housing in the inspected summary. WVDCR itself says court records should be used for the criminal action behind the custody record.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Institution | The regional jail grouping, such as Western Regional Jail. |
| Admission Time | The time shown for the admission row. |
| Name Fields | First, middle, and last name as displayed in the public table. |
| Birth Date | Date of birth in the public admissions summary. |
| Gender | Male or female field from the admissions table. |
| View Details | A link that may lead to a captcha-protected name search flow. |
Mason County Jail vs Prison
A single search will not cover every custody type. Western Regional Jail covers Mason County pretrial detainees and sentenced jail inmates. Lakin and other state prisons use the WVDCR prison search. Federal sentenced prisoners use the BOP locator, and immigration detainees use ICE ODLS. A detainer or outside warrant can also keep a person in custody after local bond is addressed.
| Custody Type | Where to Look | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| Pretrial or short jail sentence | WVDCR regional jail search and Daily Incarcerations | Recent Mason County arrest or jail custody |
| Sentenced state prisoner | WVDCR prison offender search | Lakin or another state prison placement |
| Federal inmate | BOP inmate locator | Federal custody from 1982 to present |
| Immigration detainee | ICE Online Detainee Locator System | ICE custody or immigration detention |
Mason County Detention Facilities
The Mason County inmate population is best understood as a facility map. One facility serves Mason County arrests through a regional jail system. The other sits inside Mason County but serves the statewide prison system. Both are operated by WVDCR, yet they answer different search questions.
- Western Regional Jail and Correctional Facility holds pretrial and sentenced jail inmates for Mason, Cabell, Wayne, Lincoln, and Putnam counties.
- Lakin Correctional Center and Jail is the all-female state prison in West Columbia for sentenced WVDCR prisoners.
Mason County Court Records
Custody records and court records answer different questions. WVDCR can show whether a person is in jail or prison custody. The West Virginia Judiciary court-record access page and Magistrate Case Record Search are the better route for charges, case status, and copies. Mason County Magistrates are at 200 Sixth Street in Point Pleasant, and the court clerk is the source for documents that are not posted online.
The Mason County court records after jail arrest page explains the arrest-to-case path, including complaints, warrants, bond, charging decisions, and expungement basics.
Mason County Inmate Population FAQ
How big is the Mason County inmate population?
Vera estimated Mason County's jail population at 57.61 in 2024, while WVDCR reported Western Regional Jail rated population at 576 for the whole regional facility in FY2025. Those numbers measure different things. Use Vera for county trend context and WVDCR for current facility routing and capacity.
Where is the Mason County jail roster?
No Mason County sheriff-run online roster was located. Current jail custody is searched through WVDCR regional jail search and Daily Incarcerations. For a recent arrest, Western Regional Jail is the key institution to check.
Does Lakin hold Mason County arrestees?
Lakin is not the Mason County jail. It is WVDCR's all-female state prison in West Columbia. Search Lakin prisoners in the WVDCR prison locator, not the regional jail roster.
What if the person is not listed?
Check spelling, search Daily Incarcerations, try the prison locator, and call Western Regional Jail at (304) 733-6867. Federal or immigration custody requires BOP or ICE searches. VINE can also send custody and case notifications.
Public Record Search
Sponsored Results