diff --git a/.github/workflows/cpp.yml b/.github/workflows/cpp.yml
index 4a01d2f8e3aab..f5c8b6a7201be 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cpp.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cpp.yml
@@ -155,8 +155,7 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           # GH-40558: reduce ASLR to avoid ASAN/LSAN crashes
           sudo sysctl -w vm.mmap_rnd_bits=28
-          sudo sysctl -w kernel.core_pattern="core.%e.%p"
-          ulimit -c unlimited
+          source ci/scripts/util_enable_core_dumps.sh
           archery docker run ${{ matrix.image }}
       - name: Docker Push
         if: >-
@@ -272,7 +271,7 @@ jobs:
         shell: bash
         run: |
           sudo sysctl -w kern.coredump=1
-          sudo sysctl -w kern.corefile=core.%N.%P
+          sudo sysctl -w kern.corefile=/tmp/core.%N.%P
           ulimit -c unlimited  # must enable within the same shell
           ci/scripts/cpp_test.sh $(pwd) $(pwd)/build
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/dev.yml b/.github/workflows/dev.yml
index 1cc8d993498b6..3879a045fd239 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/dev.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/dev.yml
@@ -67,8 +67,7 @@ jobs:
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_USER: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USER }}
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
-          sudo sysctl -w kernel.core_pattern="core.%e.%p"
-          ulimit -c unlimited
+          source ci/scripts/util_enable_core_dumps.sh
           archery docker run -e GITHUB_ACTIONS=true ubuntu-lint
       - name: Docker Push
         if: >-
diff --git a/.github/workflows/integration.yml b/.github/workflows/integration.yml
index ecf89bff8f600..2d19b1e59b27a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/integration.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/integration.yml
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ jobs:
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_USER: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USER }}
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: >
+          source ci/scripts/util_enable_core_dumps.sh
           archery docker run \
             -e ARCHERY_DEFAULT_BRANCH=${{ github.event.repository.default_branch }} \
             -e ARCHERY_INTEGRATION_WITH_NANOARROW=1 \
diff --git a/.github/workflows/java_jni.yml b/.github/workflows/java_jni.yml
index f2ecc801dc724..e730a5bf3e672 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/java_jni.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/java_jni.yml
@@ -81,7 +81,9 @@ jobs:
         env:
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_USER: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USER }}
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
-        run: archery docker run java-jni-manylinux-2014
+        run: |
+          source ci/scripts/util_enable_core_dumps.sh
+          archery docker run java-jni-manylinux-2014
       - name: Docker Push
         if: >-
           success() &&
diff --git a/.github/workflows/js.yml b/.github/workflows/js.yml
index 17b57c42b62f6..9ab4edf0851cd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/js.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/js.yml
@@ -66,8 +66,7 @@ jobs:
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_USER: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USER }}
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
-          sudo sysctl -w kernel.core_pattern="core.%e.%p"
-          ulimit -c unlimited
+          source ci/scripts/util_enable_core_dumps.sh
           archery docker run debian-js
       - name: Docker Push
         if: >-
diff --git a/.github/workflows/python.yml b/.github/workflows/python.yml
index 6e83b727593b4..45efd305aa8f6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/python.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python.yml
@@ -119,8 +119,7 @@ jobs:
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_USER: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USER }}
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
-          sudo sysctl -w kernel.core_pattern="core.%e.%p"
-          ulimit -c unlimited
+          source ci/scripts/util_enable_core_dumps.sh
           archery docker run ${{ matrix.image }}
       - name: Docker Push
         if: >-
diff --git a/.github/workflows/r.yml b/.github/workflows/r.yml
index bd1631db4f617..92e0e63fb7ea5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/r.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/r.yml
@@ -158,8 +158,7 @@ jobs:
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_USER: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USER }}
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
-          sudo sysctl -w kernel.core_pattern="core.%e.%p"
-          ulimit -c unlimited
+          source ci/scripts/util_enable_core_dumps.sh
           # Setting a non-default and non-probable Marquesas French Polynesia time
           # it has both with a .45 offset and very very few people who live there.
           archery docker run -e TZ=MART -e ARROW_R_FORCE_TESTS=${{ matrix.force-tests }} ubuntu-r
@@ -218,8 +217,7 @@ jobs:
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_USER: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USER }}
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
-          sudo sysctl -w kernel.core_pattern="core.%e.%p"
-          ulimit -c unlimited
+          source ci/scripts/util_enable_core_dumps.sh
           # Don't set a TZ here to test that case. These builds will have the following warning in them:
           #   System has not been booted with systemd as init system (PID 1). Can't operate.
           #   Failed to connect to bus: Host is down
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ruby.yml b/.github/workflows/ruby.yml
index c4a7f31f4a94c..05b7b317ffd96 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ruby.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ruby.yml
@@ -95,8 +95,7 @@ jobs:
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_USER: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USER }}
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
-          sudo sysctl -w kernel.core_pattern="core.%e.%p"
-          ulimit -c unlimited
+          source ci/scripts/util_enable_core_dumps.sh
           archery docker run \
             -e ARROW_FLIGHT=ON \
             -e ARROW_FLIGHT_SQL=ON \
diff --git a/.github/workflows/swift.yml b/.github/workflows/swift.yml
index 86eb113dfc833..87aa5cb83f714 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/swift.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/swift.yml
@@ -65,8 +65,7 @@ jobs:
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_USER: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USER }}
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
-          sudo sysctl -w kernel.core_pattern="core.%e.%p"
-          ulimit -c unlimited
+          source ci/scripts/util_enable_core_dumps.sh
           archery docker run ubuntu-swift
       - name: Docker Push
         if: >-
diff --git a/ci/docker/fedora-39-cpp.dockerfile b/ci/docker/fedora-39-cpp.dockerfile
index 33d11823094ce..2ac5afe7b91f6 100644
--- a/ci/docker/fedora-39-cpp.dockerfile
+++ b/ci/docker/fedora-39-cpp.dockerfile
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ RUN dnf update -y && \
         curl-devel \
         gcc \
         gcc-c++ \
+        gdb \
         gflags-devel \
         git \
         glog-devel \
diff --git a/ci/docker/ubuntu-20.04-cpp-minimal.dockerfile b/ci/docker/ubuntu-20.04-cpp-minimal.dockerfile
index 4d867a448c994..1b342df596c9d 100644
--- a/ci/docker/ubuntu-20.04-cpp-minimal.dockerfile
+++ b/ci/docker/ubuntu-20.04-cpp-minimal.dockerfile
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ RUN apt-get update -y -q && \
         ccache \
         cmake \
         curl \
+        gdb \
         git \
         libssl-dev \
         libcurl4-openssl-dev \
diff --git a/ci/docker/ubuntu-22.04-cpp-minimal.dockerfile b/ci/docker/ubuntu-22.04-cpp-minimal.dockerfile
index f26cad51f0983..ce31c457e909e 100644
--- a/ci/docker/ubuntu-22.04-cpp-minimal.dockerfile
+++ b/ci/docker/ubuntu-22.04-cpp-minimal.dockerfile
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ RUN apt-get update -y -q && \
         ccache \
         cmake \
         curl \
+        gdb \
         git \
         libssl-dev \
         libcurl4-openssl-dev \
diff --git a/ci/docker/ubuntu-24.04-cpp-minimal.dockerfile b/ci/docker/ubuntu-24.04-cpp-minimal.dockerfile
index 125bc7ba46a81..a1fd178a2c754 100644
--- a/ci/docker/ubuntu-24.04-cpp-minimal.dockerfile
+++ b/ci/docker/ubuntu-24.04-cpp-minimal.dockerfile
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ RUN apt-get update -y -q && \
         ccache \
         cmake \
         curl \
+        gdb \
         git \
         libssl-dev \
         libcurl4-openssl-dev \
diff --git a/ci/scripts/util_enable_core_dumps.sh b/ci/scripts/util_enable_core_dumps.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..09f8d2d727099
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/scripts/util_enable_core_dumps.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+# Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
+# or more contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file
+# distributed with this work for additional information
+# regarding copyright ownership.  The ASF licenses this file
+# to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+# "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+# with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+# software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+# "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+# KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+# specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+
+# NOTE: this script is not marked executable as it should be source'd
+# for `ulimit` to take effect.
+
+set -e
+
+platform=$(uname)
+
+if [ "${platform}" = "Linux" ]; then
+  # We need to override `core_pattern` because
+  # 1. the original setting may reference apport, which is not available under
+  #    most Docker containers;
+  # 2. we want to write the core file in a well-known directory.
+  sudo sysctl -w kernel.core_pattern="/tmp/core.%e.%p"
+fi
+
+ulimit -c unlimited
diff --git a/cpp/build-support/run-test.sh b/cpp/build-support/run-test.sh
index 8e42438a23c1c..55e3fe0980749 100755
--- a/cpp/build-support/run-test.sh
+++ b/cpp/build-support/run-test.sh
@@ -121,12 +121,15 @@ function print_coredumps() {
   # patterns must be set with prefix `core.{test-executable}*`:
   #
   # In case of macOS:
-  #   sudo sysctl -w kern.corefile=core.%N.%P
+  #   sudo sysctl -w kern.corefile=/tmp/core.%N.%P
   # On Linux:
-  #   sudo sysctl -w kernel.core_pattern=core.%e.%p
+  #   sudo sysctl -w kernel.core_pattern=/tmp/core.%e.%p
   #
   # and the ulimit must be increased:
   #   ulimit -c unlimited
+  #
+  # If the tests are run in a Docker container, the instructions are slightly
+  # different: see the 'Coredumps' comment section in `docker-compose.yml`.
 
   # filename is truncated to the first 15 characters in case of linux, so limit
   # the pattern for the first 15 characters
@@ -134,19 +137,21 @@ function print_coredumps() {
   FILENAME=$(echo ${FILENAME} | cut -c-15)
   PATTERN="^core\.${FILENAME}"
 
-  COREFILES=$(ls | grep $PATTERN)
+  COREFILES=$(ls /tmp | grep $PATTERN)
   if [ -n "$COREFILES" ]; then
-    echo "Found core dump, printing backtrace:"
-
     for COREFILE in $COREFILES; do
+      COREPATH="/tmp/${COREFILE}"
+      echo "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
+      echo "Running '${TEST_EXECUTABLE}' produced core dump at '${COREPATH}', printing backtrace:"
       # Print backtrace
       if [ "$(uname)" == "Darwin" ]; then
-        lldb -c "${COREFILE}" --batch --one-line "thread backtrace all -e true"
+        lldb -c "${COREPATH}" --batch --one-line "thread backtrace all -e true"
       else
-        gdb -c "${COREFILE}" $TEST_EXECUTABLE -ex "thread apply all bt" -ex "set pagination 0" -batch
+        gdb -c "${COREPATH}" $TEST_EXECUTABLE -ex "thread apply all bt" -ex "set pagination 0" -batch
       fi
-      # Remove the coredump, regenerate it via running the test case directly
-      rm "${COREFILE}"
+      echo "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
+      # Remove the coredump, it can be regenerated via running the test case directly
+      rm "${COREPATH}"
     done
   fi
 }
diff --git a/dev/tasks/docker-tests/github.cuda.yml b/dev/tasks/docker-tests/github.cuda.yml
index 8c04da8a91a4f..d03b3657afc53 100644
--- a/dev/tasks/docker-tests/github.cuda.yml
+++ b/dev/tasks/docker-tests/github.cuda.yml
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ jobs:
         env:
         {{ macros.github_set_sccache_envvars()|indent(8) }}
         run: |
+          source arrow/ci/scripts/util_enable_core_dumps.sh
           archery docker run \
             -e SETUPTOOLS_SCM_PRETEND_VERSION="{{ arrow.no_rc_version }}" \
             {{ flags|default("") }} \
diff --git a/dev/tasks/docker-tests/github.linux.yml b/dev/tasks/docker-tests/github.linux.yml
index 28d3203c1ed48..cd2923a50d6df 100644
--- a/dev/tasks/docker-tests/github.linux.yml
+++ b/dev/tasks/docker-tests/github.linux.yml
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           # GH-40558: reduce ASLR to avoid TSAN crashing
           sudo sysctl -w vm.mmap_rnd_bits=28
+          source arrow/ci/scripts/util_enable_core_dumps.sh
           archery docker run \
             -e SETUPTOOLS_SCM_PRETEND_VERSION="{{ arrow.no_rc_version }}" \
             {{ flags|default("") }} \
diff --git a/dev/tasks/python-wheels/github.linux.yml b/dev/tasks/python-wheels/github.linux.yml
index f9df27ba3175b..d9dbef82a948e 100644
--- a/dev/tasks/python-wheels/github.linux.yml
+++ b/dev/tasks/python-wheels/github.linux.yml
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Test wheel
         shell: bash
         run: |
+          source arrow/ci/scripts/util_enable_core_dumps.sh
           archery docker run python-wheel-manylinux-test-imports
           archery docker run python-wheel-manylinux-test-unittests
 
diff --git a/dev/tasks/r/github.packages.yml b/dev/tasks/r/github.packages.yml
index 0539eae6cc9d9..db6955b92d1e0 100644
--- a/dev/tasks/r/github.packages.yml
+++ b/dev/tasks/r/github.packages.yml
@@ -140,8 +140,7 @@ jobs:
           UBUNTU: {{ '"${{ matrix.ubuntu }}"' }}
         {{ macros.github_set_sccache_envvars()|indent(8) }}
         run: |
-          sudo sysctl -w kernel.core_pattern="core.%e.%p"
-          ulimit -c unlimited
+          source ci/scripts/util_enable_core_dumps.sh
           archery docker run \
             -e EXTRA_CMAKE_FLAGS="{{ '${{ matrix.extra-cmake-flags }}' }}" \
             {{ '${{ matrix.os }}' }}-cpp-static
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 8721eef524a19..6d9b738d8da35 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -38,11 +38,11 @@
 # WARNING: setting this will affect the host machine.
 #
 # Linux host:
-#   $ sudo sysctl -w kernel.core_pattern=core.%e.%p
+#   $ sudo sysctl -w kernel.core_pattern=/tmp/core.%e.%p
 #
 # macOS host running Docker for Mac (won't persist between restarts):
 #   $ screen ~/Library/Containers/com.docker.docker/Data/vms/0/tty
-#   # echo "core.%e.%p" > /proc/sys/kernel/core_pattern
+#   # echo "/tmp/core.%e.%p" > /proc/sys/kernel/core_pattern
 #
 # The setup attempts to generate coredumps by default, but the correct paths
 # above must be set. In order to disable the coredump generation set