Bloomington Inmate Population Records
The Bloomington inmate population is held at the Monroe County Jail, which is the only county-run detention facility serving Bloomington and the rest of Monroe County. When Bloomington Police Department makes an arrest, the person is booked and transferred to the county jail on North College Avenue. Bloomington has no city jail of its own. This page covers the main tools and contacts for searching current inmate records, setting up custody alerts, and staying in touch with someone detained in Monroe County.
Bloomington Quick Facts
Bloomington Police Department
Bloomington Police Department serves the home of Indiana University, a city of around 80,000 that swells significantly during the academic year. When BPD officers make an arrest, that person is transported to the Monroe County Sheriff's facility. BPD does not maintain a detention center. Custody is a county function in Indiana, and Monroe County handles it through the Sheriff's Office.
For non-emergency situations in Bloomington, call the police at (812) 339-4477. For anything related to someone's arrest and custody status, contact the Monroe County Sheriff's Office at (812) 349-2780. That office holds all booking records, current housing assignments, and information on charges. The online search is also tied to the Sheriff's database.
| Address | 220 E Third St, Bloomington, IN 47401 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (812) 339-4477 |
| Website | bloomington.in.gov/police |
Monroe County Jail Inmate Population
The Monroe County Sheriff's Office and jail are at 301 N. College Ave, Bloomington, IN 47404. The main line is (812) 349-2780. The facility serves all of Monroe County, including the Indiana University campus area. Any arrest made within city limits or anywhere in the county results in custody at this same jail. The facility handles everything from initial booking to housing during trial to pre-transfer to state prison.
Monroe County participates in Indiana's statewide county jail public portal. This means you can search for a Monroe County inmate through the state's central system at public.indianajail.gov. Searches are free and do not require an account. The portal shows current custody status and related case information for people actively held in the jail.
The Monroe County jail also processes a notable volume of university-related arrests, particularly during large events and at the start of the academic year. If you are searching for someone who was arrested near campus, the same jail search applies regardless of whether Bloomington Police, Indiana University Police, or Monroe County Police made the arrest. All agencies in the county transfer detainees to the same facility.
Search Bloomington Inmate Population Online
Monroe County is connected to the Indiana County Jail Public Portal, making it easy to search from one place. VINE adds automatic notification on top of that if you want alerts rather than having to check manually.
- Indiana County Jail Public Portal - covers Monroe County, search by name
- VINE Indiana - free alerts for custody changes and releases
- Indiana SAVIN - official state notification program for cases and custody
- IDOC Offender Locator - use this if the person was moved to a state prison
VINE, which stands for Victim Information and Notification Everyday, is free and open to anyone. You register a contact method and a person's name, and you receive an alert any time that person's custody status changes. This is useful for family members, attorneys, and anyone else who needs to track an inmate's status without calling the jail repeatedly. Set it up at vinelink.vineapps.com.
If someone has been convicted and given a sentence of more than one year, they may be transferred to a state prison run by the Indiana Department of Correction. The IDOC operates facilities across Indiana. Once transferred, the county jail record will no longer show them as active. Use the IDOC Offender Locator to find their state prison assignment.
Inmate Visits and Communication in Bloomington
Visits for people held at Monroe County Jail take place at 301 N. College Ave, Bloomington, IN 47404. Call (812) 349-2780 before coming to confirm current visiting hours. Schedules depend on the inmate's housing assignment and may change without much advance notice. Bring a valid photo ID each time you visit. Some visits may be conducted via video rather than in-person depending on the facility's current setup and the inmate's classification.
Mail is accepted at the Monroe County Jail. Write the inmate's full legal name and booking ID on the envelope. The address is Monroe County Jail, 301 N. College Ave, Bloomington, IN 47404. The facility reviews all mail. Books and magazines must come directly from a publisher or approved retailer. Personal packages from family members may not be accepted, so call first if you plan to send anything beyond a basic letter.
To put money in an inmate's commissary account, ask the jail which deposit service they currently use. Commissary funds pay for phone access, food, hygiene items, and stamps. Rates and how to set up an account vary by vendor. The jail can provide current instructions when you call.
All regular phone calls from the Monroe County Jail are recorded. Attorney calls are handled differently and are not recorded. If you need to communicate with a detainee about legal matters, work through their attorney to coordinate a confidential call. That ensures the conversation is protected under Indiana rules governing legal communications.
If your question is about what public records are available from the jail, Indiana's Access to Public Records Act governs that process. You can learn more about APRA at in.gov. Booking records and basic inmate information are generally available to the public. More detailed case files may require a formal APRA request.
Nearby Cities
Bloomington is in south-central Indiana. Most nearby cities with qualifying populations are a drive away. The pages below cover those areas and their local jail systems.