Madison County Released Inmates Lookup

Madison County released inmates records are managed by the sheriff's office in Edwardsville. The county sits on the eastern side of the St. Louis metro area and has a population near 264,000. You can look up released inmates through the Madison County Sheriff's jail division or through the state IDOC search tool. The sheriff handles local jail data while IDOC covers state prison records. This page explains how to search for released inmates from Madison County, what records are available, and how to request them under Illinois law.

Madison County Sheriff Jail Records

The Madison County Sheriff runs the county jail and all corrections operations from the office on Randle St. in Edwardsville. The jail division handles bookings, inmate housing, and releases. Every person arrested and held in Madison County goes through this facility, so the records here cover a wide range of cases. The jail division phone is 618-692-1064 if you need to call and ask about a specific inmate or released person.

The Madison County Sheriff's page on the county government site has details on the department, its divisions, and how to reach them. The sheriff provides law enforcement to unincorporated parts of Madison County and runs the jail for the whole county. Cities like Alton, Granite City, and Collinsville have their own police, but all arrests that lead to jail time end up at the county facility. That means the sheriff's released inmates records cover people from all across Madison County.

You can also check the alternative sheriff website for additional information. This site sometimes has updates and resources that the county government page does not. Between the two, you should be able to find what you need on released inmates from Madison County or get the right phone number to call.

How to Find Released Inmates in Madison County

There are several ways to search for released inmates in Madison County. The method you use depends on whether the person was held at the county jail or sent to state prison. Local jail records come from the sheriff. State prison records come from IDOC. Both are free to access.

The Madison County jail division page has information on current inmates and how the jail works. For a name-based search of the jail roster, call the jail division at 618-692-1064. Staff can tell you if someone is currently in custody or if they have been released. Some counties in Illinois post their full jail roster online, but Madison County's online options are more limited. Calling is often the fastest way to check on a specific person.

For state prison records, the IDOC offender search is free and covers all of Illinois. You can look up released inmates by name, IDOC number, or date of birth. This covers anyone from Madison County who was sentenced to a state facility. IDOC records show the sentence, facility, credit earned, and release date. The database goes back many years, so older released inmates from Madison County will show up there even if the county jail no longer has their data.

Note: People serving sentences under one year typically stay at the Madison County jail, while longer sentences go to IDOC state prisons.

Madison County Released Inmates Resources

The Madison County Sheriff has two websites with information on corrections and inmate records. The county government site has the official department page where you can find the jail division and other law enforcement details. Here is the county sheriff's department page shown below.

The jail division page gives more details on how the corrections side of the sheriff's office works. You can find it at the jail division section of the county site. This page covers the facility in Edwardsville and how inmates are processed through the Madison County system.

The alternative sheriff website at sheriffofmadisoncounty.com is another place to check for updates. Some people find it easier to navigate for basic inmate questions. The image below shows the homepage.

Between these three sources, you can access the key contact information and resources for Madison County released inmates data without needing to visit the office in person.

Records Requests for Madison County Inmates

Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140), you can request released inmates records from the Madison County Sheriff. The law says public records are presumed open. Jail booking logs, release records, and inmate files all count as public records. Write your request and send it to the sheriff at 405 Randle St. in Edwardsville, or submit it by email if the office accepts electronic requests.

The sheriff has five business days to respond once they get your request. They must give you the records or explain in writing why they can't. The first 50 pages are free under the FOIA fee rules. If you need more, the cost is the actual price of making copies. Most released inmates records in Madison County are not exempt from disclosure, so denials are uncommon for basic booking and release data.

IDOC handles state-level records for Madison County inmates who went to prison. Email DOC.FOIARequest@illinois.gov or call 217-558-2200 ext. 4166. The Unified Code of Corrections (730 ILCS 5) sets the rules for how IDOC manages inmate records, including sentence credit and release calculations. These records can fill gaps that the Madison County jail data might not cover.

Tracking Released Inmates from Madison County

VINELink lets you monitor the custody status of offenders in Madison County. Search for someone by name and sign up for alerts. You get a text, call, or email when their status changes. This covers jail inmates and state prison inmates alike. The service is free and runs around the clock. Call 1-866-277-7477 for help using the VINELink system for Madison County searches.

The Illinois Prisoner Review Board is another resource for tracking released inmates from Madison County. The PRB handles parole hearings, mandatory supervised release reviews, and clemency cases. Victims can register with the PRB's Victim Notification Unit to get updates on hearings and releases. The toll-free victim line is 1-800-801-9110. The board is at 1001 N. Walnut Street in Springfield.

For criminal history beyond what jail records show, the Illinois State Police CHIRP system runs name-based background checks. This pulls arrest and conviction data from across the state, including Madison County. The ISP office is at 260 N. Chicago St. in Joliet, open weekdays from 8 AM to 4 PM.

Note: VINELink data comes from the reporting agencies, so there may be a short delay between a release and when it shows up in the system for Madison County.

Nearby Counties

These counties are next to Madison County in the Metro East region of Illinois. Each has its own sheriff's office and jail with separate released inmates records. Make sure you search the right county based on where the arrest happened.