Brown County Inmate Population
Brown County is a small, rural county in south-central Indiana with its jail and sheriff's office in Nashville. The Brown County inmate population can be accessed through the Indiana VINE system and the Indiana County Jail Public Portal, both of which are free and available online. This page walks through how to search, who to contact for official records, and what data Indiana law makes public for county jail populations.
Brown County Quick Facts
Brown County Sheriff's Office
The Brown County Sheriff's Office is on State Road 46 East in Nashville. Sheriff Scott Southerland oversees the jail, which is a smaller facility consistent with the county's rural population. For inmate status questions, calling the sheriff directly is the fastest route since Brown County does not have a standalone public inmate search portal on its website.
| Address | 55 State Road 46 East, Nashville, IN 47448 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (812) 988-6655 |
| Fax | (812) 988-2805 |
| Website | browncounty.in.gov/sheriffs-office |
When you call, be ready with the person's full legal name. Jail staff can typically confirm within a few minutes whether someone is in custody, when they were booked, and what charges are on file. For written record requests, submit them in writing to the address above and reference the Indiana Access to Public Records Act to make clear the basis for your request.
Search Brown County Inmate Population Online
Brown County participates in the Indiana County Jail Public Portal, a statewide system that aggregates inmate population data from participating county jails. This is one of the first places to check online before calling the sheriff. Enter a name in the search field and the portal will display any current bookings it has on file from Brown County.
The Indiana VINE system at Indiana SAVIN is the other free online option. VINE receives data directly from the jail and reflects the current population. Results include custody status, facility location, and in many cases the charges. You do not need to register to run a search.
If neither portal returns results, call the sheriff at (812) 988-6655. There are several reasons someone might not appear online: a very recent release, a name entered differently at booking, or a transfer to another facility. Staff at the jail can clarify quickly. For people who have left the county jail and entered state prison, use the IDOC Offender Locator as a follow-up.
Indiana SAVIN and Statewide Inmate Search
Indiana SAVIN covers every county in the state and connects to the national VINE notification platform. Beyond just searching, VINE lets anyone register to receive custody alerts for a specific person in the system. If that person is released, moved, or has a status change, an alert goes out automatically. This feature is free and available to the general public, not just crime victims.
To register for alerts, complete the sign-up form on the VINE portal after finding the person in search results. Choose your preferred contact method: phone call, text message, or email. The VINELink Indiana portal is a national version of the same system and will also work for Indiana custody searches. Both tools are available around the clock.
Inmate Records in Brown County
Indiana's Access to Public Records Act makes jail booking data public. This includes the name of the person booked, the date and time, charges filed, bond status, and housing location within the jail. The 210 IAC 3-1-6 administrative rule sets the minimum standards county jails in Indiana must meet when maintaining and providing access to records.
Protected information includes a person's medical records, victim contact data, and materials from ongoing investigations. The jail does not release that information through standard public records requests. For case outcomes after booking, such as plea agreements, convictions, or acquittals, contact the Brown County Circuit Court clerk. Jail records and court records are separate systems.
Requests to the Brown County Sheriff can be made by phone for general status questions or in writing for formal record copies. Written requests should be mailed to 55 State Road 46 East, Nashville, IN 47448. Under APRA, the agency has seven business days to respond, though in practice simple queries are often answered faster by phone.
Cities in Brown County
Brown County has no cities that meet the population threshold for a page on this site. Nashville is the county seat and the main population center. Bean Blossom and Gnaw Bone are other small communities in the county. For all inmate population inquiries in Brown County, the Sheriff's Office is the correct point of contact.
Nearby Counties
Brown County borders several other south-central Indiana counties. If a search of Brown County records comes up empty, consider checking these neighboring county jails.