Shelby County Criminal Justice Center

The Shelby County Criminal Justice Center, commonly known by its address at 201 Poplar Avenue, is the main pretrial detention facility operated by the Shelby County Sheriff's Office in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. The building houses both the jail and multiple courtrooms, functioning as a combined criminal court and detention complex. Memphis is the largest city in Tennessee and the seat of Shelby County, and the CJC processes a substantial volume of bookings from across the county. The majority of people held at 201 Poplar are awaiting court dates on charges filed in Shelby County courts.

Communication at the Shelby County Criminal Justice Center is managed through GTL, which provides phone calls, video visitation, and electronic messaging under the county contract. Families create a GTL account to access all available services. For phone calls, a GTL prepaid account funded with your phone number allows you to receive inmate-initiated calls. Video visits are available remotely through GTL. Electronic messaging through GTL delivers messages digitally within the facility. Commissary deposits can be processed through GTL or AccessCorrections.

Shelby County uses GTL for the county jail, while Tennessee state prisons use JPay and GTL under TDOC contracts — so if someone is convicted and transferred to a Tennessee Department of Correction facility, some account changes may be needed. It is also worth noting that FCI Memphis, the federal prison in Shelby County, uses an entirely different system (CorrLinks and ConnectNetwork). Confirming the specific facility and jurisdiction before setting up accounts prevents funding the wrong platform. The Shelby County inmate search at shelby.tn.gov can help verify current custody status.