Byrd Unit Inmate Records
TDCJ's Byrd Unit page identifies James "Jay" H. Byrd Unit as a Correctional Institutions Division prison and diagnostic intake facility in Walker County. The unit is one mile north of downtown Huntsville on FM 247. It is not a Walker County Jail annex, and it is not searched through the Odyssey jail-record channel used for local arrests. Byrd holds male TDCJ inmates, including people being received, classified, or housed at several custody levels after state-prison transfer.
The unit came online in May 1964 and has been ACA accredited since May 2008. TDCJ lists Byrd with G1, G2, G3, G4, G5, NR Transient, mental-health, state jail, safekeeping, intake, diagnostic, parole, intermediate treatment, outside trusty, faith-based, and security detention custody categories. Those labels matter because a Walker County inmate search can change systems after sentencing. A person booked at the county jail may appear first in local jail records, then later appear in TDCJ once accepted into state custody.
The official TDCJ unit page shown in the manifest is the source for Byrd's address, capacity, custody levels, diagnostic intake role, and program summary.
The screenshot supports the state-prison details used here, while inmate status still has to be checked in the TDCJ locator or IVSS search.
Byrd Unit Capacity
Section 15 of the Walker County research lists Byrd Unit capacity from the official TDCJ unit page. The state-prison figure is separate from Walker County Jail's rated capacity and from monthly county jail population reports. For Byrd, capacity is a unit-level TDCJ number, not a daily headcount. It helps show why Walker County inmate population questions often need two answers: the local county jail population is one system, while Huntsville-area TDCJ units hold a much larger state-prison population.
Byrd's capacity belongs in state-prison context. Walker County Jail reported 268 beds in the TCJS June 1, 2026 workbook, while the seven TDCJ units in Walker County total 14,435 listed beds in the research table. Byrd is one of those seven state facilities. It may receive people from many counties, so a Byrd inmate record does not mean the person's case began in Walker County.
Search Byrd Unit Inmates
Use the TDCJ Inmate Search for a sentenced prisoner or state-prison transfer at Byrd. The TDCJ inmate information hub also describes online, email, and telephone access to location, offense, and projected release information. For notifications, use TDCJ IVSS offender search, which supports name, SID number, and current TDCJ number searches.
- Open the TDCJ Inmate Search when the person is believed to be in state-prison custody.
- Search by last name and first name, or use a TDCJ number or SID number when known.
- Confirm that the location field identifies Byrd Unit before relying on unit contact or visit information.
- Use IVSS when victim notification, status tracking, or a notification subscription is needed.
| Field | Use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Last and first name | Name search | Best when no state number is known. |
| TDCJ number | Exact state-prison search | TDCJ email instructions describe this as a seven-digit number. |
| SID number | Texas identifier search | IVSS also supports SID number searching. |
| Date of birth or age | Email fallback | Use if writing TDCJ and no TDCJ number is known. |
If the person was arrested recently in Walker County and has not been sentenced to prison, start with Walker County jail inmate records. Byrd inmate lookup is for TDCJ custody, not for a new booking awaiting first appearance or bond.
Byrd Unit Contact
Use the unit contact information for facility questions after the TDCJ locator confirms that the person is at Byrd. TDCJ's general inmate-information channels should be used for statewide location and release-date questions, especially if a person may have moved to another unit after intake or classification.
James "Jay" H. Byrd Unit
21 FM 247
Huntsville, TX 77320
(936) 295-5768
TDCJ state-prison unit; confirm current location through TDCJ before travel.
Byrd Unit Visitation
Byrd follows TDCJ state-prison visitation rules. The Walker County Jail NCIC schedule does not apply. The research file does not provide Byrd-specific visiting days, visit length, dress code text, or fee details, so those details should be confirmed through TDCJ before making plans. State-prison visits generally require the visitor to be approved and the visit to be scheduled through the correctional system, while eligibility can depend on the inmate's custody status, housing status, and unit restrictions.
| Topic | State-Prison Guidance |
|---|---|
| Locator first | Confirm the inmate is still assigned to Byrd before planning a visit. |
| Approval | Use TDCJ visitor approval and scheduling rules, not county jail video-visit rules. |
| Schedule | Check TDCJ or the unit for current visiting availability before travel. |
| Identification | Confirm required ID and entry rules directly with TDCJ. |
Note: A TDCJ location can change after intake or classification, so verify Byrd assignment shortly before visiting.
Byrd Unit Mail and Money
Mail, phone access, and money deposits for Byrd are handled under TDCJ rules. Do not use Walker County Jail's Longview mail address or county jail money-order instructions for a Byrd inmate. Those county rules are for local jail custody. TDCJ inmates are part of the state system, and the correct format or vendor can depend on current TDCJ policy and the inmate's identifying number.
| Service | Use for Byrd Unit |
|---|---|
| Follow TDCJ inmate-mail rules and include the inmate's TDCJ identifying information. | |
| Phone | Use TDCJ state-prison phone procedures, not the Walker County Jail NCIC setup. |
| Money | Use TDCJ-approved deposit channels; no researched Byrd-specific fee was located. |
| Email information request | TDCJ research lists pia@tdcj.texas.gov for inmate-information requests. |
Byrd Unit Programs
Byrd's page-specific operations are tied to intake, diagnostic work, medical support, and reentry preparation. TDCJ lists ambulatory medical, dental, and mental-health services, medical care around the clock, DMS and electronic specialty clinics, CPAP housing, and UTMB management. Those medical capabilities are significant because Byrd receives and processes inmates who may need classification and health review before longer-term placement.
Programs in the research include Adult Education Program upon availability, Chaplaincy Services, a Faith-Based Dormitory, GO KIDS Initiative, and Reentry Planning. Volunteer programming also includes substance-abuse education, support groups, and faith-based studies. The availability of any program can depend on custody level, staffing, unit status, and the inmate's own eligibility. Byrd's diagnostic intake function means some inmates may not remain there long enough to complete the same programs available at a long-term assigned unit.
A person moved from county jail into Byrd may later transfer to Ellis, Estelle, Goree, Holliday, Huntsville, Wynne, or another TDCJ unit. The Walker County inmate population includes this state-prison footprint, but lookup still has to follow the correct custody system.