Find Criminal History Records in Tensas Parish

Tensas Parish criminal history records are held by the Sheriff's Office and the Clerk of Court in St. Joseph, Louisiana. Anyone who needs to search arrest records, court case data, or inmate information in this parish can access those records through local offices and state sources. The 6th Judicial District Court handles criminal cases for East Carroll, Madison, and Tensas Parishes. State-level background checks are available through the Louisiana State Police Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information in Baton Rouge.

Tensas Parish Sheriff's Office

Sheriff Rickey A. Jones leads the Tensas Parish Sheriff's Office. Tensas is one of the smaller, more rural parishes in Louisiana, and the sheriff's office is the main law enforcement agency for the area. The office is at 212 Hancock Street, Suite B, St. Joseph, LA 71366. Mailing goes to P.O. Box 138, St. Joseph, LA 71366. Phone is (318) 766-3499. Fax is (318) 766-3498. No official website has been identified for the Tensas Parish Sheriff's Office at this time, so direct contact by phone is the best way to reach them.

The Tensas Parish Detention Center is at 8606 Highway 65, Waterproof, LA 71375. The detention center phone is (318) 749-5810. This facility is where people are held after arrest in the parish. Booking records created here become part of the local criminal history system and can flow into the Louisiana Computerized Criminal History (LACCH) database managed by the state under LA R.S. 15:587. For information on a specific inmate at the Tensas Parish Detention Center, call the facility directly at (318) 749-5810.

Given the limited online presence of the Tensas Parish Sheriff's Office, residents should expect to handle most records requests by phone or in person. The clerk's office in St. Joseph is often a more accessible option for criminal court record requests, as they have both a website and direct contact information.

Tensas Parish Clerk of Court - Criminal Records

The Tensas Parish Clerk of Court website, shown here from tensasclerk.org, provides contact information and access to criminal case records held in the 6th Judicial District for Tensas Parish.

The clerk's office is the main access point for criminal court records in Tensas Parish, maintaining case files from the 6th Judicial District going back many years.

The Tensas Parish Clerk of Court is Christina "Christy" Lee. The office is at 201 Hancock Street, St. Joseph, LA 71366. Mailing goes to P.O. Box 78, St. Joseph, LA 71366. Phone is (318) 766-3921. Fax is (318) 766-3926. Email is christy@tensasclerk.org. Website is tensasclerk.org. The clerk keeps all criminal case records filed in the 6th Judicial District for Tensas Parish. Records include charging documents, pleas, verdicts, and final dispositions. Staff can look up cases by name or case number.

Criminal court records in Tensas Parish are public under La. R.S. 44:1 and La. R.S. 44:32, unless a specific legal exemption applies. Most documents tied to criminal cases, including charges filed and sentences given, are open for public inspection. Call (318) 766-3921 to ask about current search procedures and fees before making the trip to St. Joseph.

Tensas Parish Criminal History Record Search

Tensas Parish is a small, rural area in northeast Louisiana. Records access here is less automated than in larger parishes, so phone calls and in-person visits matter more. The Clerk of Court in St. Joseph is the primary source for criminal case records. Staff can look up cases by name or case number and can tell you what copies are available and what they cost. Call (318) 766-3921 first to confirm hours and procedures.

The LAVNS inmate roster for Tensas Parish is available at tensas.lavns.org. This shows current inmates held in the parish and is useful for confirming a recent arrest. You can also sign up for victim notification alerts through the main LAVNS portal at lavns.org or by calling 866-528-6748. These alerts notify you when an offender is released or transferred from a facility.

For people who have been sentenced and moved to a state facility, use the Louisiana DOC offender locator at doc.la.gov. DOC also has location-specific information for Tensas Parish at doc.la.gov/location/tensas-parish.

Note: Local clerk records only reflect charges filed in Tensas Parish. Any records from neighboring parishes like Madison or Concordia will not show up in a local Tensas search.

Louisiana State Criminal History for Tensas Parish

The Louisiana State Police background check portal, shown here from lsp.org/services/background-checks, gives Tensas Parish residents access to statewide criminal history records held in the LACCH database.

The statewide BCII system is the most thorough way to get a complete criminal history, pulling records from all 64 Louisiana parishes including Tensas.

The Louisiana State Police Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information (BCII) manages the statewide criminal history database. This covers arrests and dispositions from all 64 parishes, including Tensas. BCII is at 7919 Independence Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70806. Phone is (225) 925-6096. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM. Tensas Parish residents can request their own criminal history under the Right to Review provision in LA R.S. 15:588. Mail fee is $26 (money order or cashier's check only). Send to P.O. Box 66614 Mail Slip A-6, Baton Rouge, LA 70896. In-person total is $41, including a $31 state fee plus a $10 fingerprinting charge. A $5 technology fee was added in December 2024 under LA R.S. 15:587 D(1). Mail processing takes 15-21 business days. For fingerprinting appointments, use LAPS at uenroll.identogo.com. Full details are at lsp.org/services/background-checks. Employers use the IBC portal at ibc.dps.louisiana.gov.

Tensas Parish Sex Offender Registry

The Louisiana State Police maintains the sex offender registry for the entire state, including Tensas Parish. You can search by name, address, or ZIP code to find registered offenders in the St. Joseph area. The registry is at lsp.org/community-outreach/sex-offender-registry. For questions about a specific offender's status, call 1-800-872-8111. Local registration in Tensas Parish goes through the Sheriff's Office in St. Joseph.

The registry shows current address information and is updated as offenders move, register, or have their status changed. If you believe someone in Tensas Parish is not registering as required, contact the Sheriff's Office at (318) 766-3499 or use the state hotline.

Nearby Parishes

Tensas Parish is in the northeast corner of Louisiana along the Mississippi River. If you need criminal records from a neighboring area, check these nearby parishes.