Indiana Inmate Population by County

Indiana has 92 counties, and each one maintains its own jail operated by the county sheriff. The county jail is where most of the local inmate population is held, from initial booking through sentencing or transfer to a state prison. Use the list below to browse each Indiana county and find its inmate population search tools, sheriff contact information, and jail details.

How Indiana County Jails Work

Each Indiana county sheriff is responsible for operating the county jail and managing the local inmate population. When a person is arrested anywhere in a county, they are booked at the county jail. The booking process records the person's name, aliases, date of birth, sex, race, address, charges, and bond amount as required under 210 IAC 3-1-6. This data becomes the official inmate record for that person at that jail. The county sheriff's office can tell you who is currently held, what charges apply, and what bond amount has been set.

Indiana's county jails serve multiple roles. They hold people who are awaiting trial and cannot make bond. They house those serving short sentences of one year or less. They also hold inmates waiting for transfer to an Indiana Department of Correction facility after being sentenced on longer terms. The daily inmate population in a county jail can change quickly as people are booked, released, transferred, or sentenced. Checking the jail's current roster or using the VINE notification system gives you the most up-to-date information on who is currently in custody.

Not every county operates its own online inmate search. Many smaller counties ask that you call the jail directly for inmate information. Others use the Indiana VINE system, which covers most county jails and all IDOC state prisons. Search VINE at indianasavin.in.gov or call 1-866-959-VINE (8463) at any time.

Indiana County Jail Public Portal

Thirteen Indiana counties share a public inmate search portal at public.indianajail.gov. The portal lets you search by last name, first name, birth date, and county. The participating counties are Brown, Carroll, Elkhart, Fountain, Grant, Hendricks, Jay, Marshall, Monroe, Owen, Pulaski, St. Joseph, and Tippecanoe. If you need to find an inmate in one of these counties, the shared portal is the fastest way to check custody status without calling the jail.

For counties not on that list, check each county's individual page on this site. Several Indiana counties have their own dedicated inmate search tools. Allen County uses an online search at allencountysheriff.org/jail. Vanderburgh County posts current inmates at vanderburghsheriff.org. Hamilton County uses hamiltoncounty.in.gov. Johnson County posts its roster at johnsoncountysheriff.com. Noble County has a search at noblecosook.gov. Boone County uses a JailTracker system at boonecountyindianasheriff.com.

Note: The Indiana Sheriffs' Association directory lists contact information for all 92 county sheriff offices in the state.

Indiana Inmate Population Records and Access

Indiana's Access to Public Records Act at Indiana Code 5-14-3 gives every person the right to request government records including inmate data. State and county agencies must respond within 10 business days. Most inmate population records, including name, charges, facility assignment, and booking date, are public information. Some records may be withheld if releasing them would interfere with an active investigation or deny someone a fair trial. When an inmate is transferred to an IDOC state prison after sentencing, their record also appears in the IDOC Offender Locator, which is separate from the county jail system.

County jails are governed by Indiana Administrative Code standards. Under 210 IAC 3-1-19, new inmate admissions must follow specific intake procedures. These rules ensure that inmate records are consistent across all 92 counties, which makes searching more reliable across the state. When local records are incomplete or not available online, the statewide VINE and SAVIN systems can often provide current custody status information for that person.

All 92 Indiana Counties

Select any county below to view its inmate population records, sheriff contact details, and available search tools.