Find Released Inmates in Shelby County

Shelby County released inmates records are kept by the Shelby County Sheriff's Office in Shelbyville. The jail sits at 151 North Morgan Street and handles all bookings for this central Illinois county. If you need to look up someone who was held at the Shelby County Jail, you can contact the sheriff's office by phone or through a written records request. The county does not run a public online inmate search of its own, but state-level tools from the Illinois Department of Corrections can help you find people who moved from the county jail to state prison. Video visitation and on-site visits are both available for current inmates at the Shelby County facility.

Shelby County Sheriff's Office

Sheriff Don Koonce heads the Shelby County Sheriff's Office. The office runs the county jail and keeps all inmate records. Call 217-774-3941 to reach the jail at 151 N. Morgan St. in Shelbyville, IL 62565. The fax number is 217-774-2851. Undersheriff Robert McCall also serves as the jail administrator. You can email the sheriff at sc515@scso87.org or the undersheriff at sc517@scso87.org with questions about released inmates in Shelby County.

The Shelby County Sheriff's website has basic info about the office and jail. Shelby County does not run its own public online inmate roster. To check if someone is in custody or has been released, call the jail directly. Staff can look up past bookings by name. For people who went to state prison after a Shelby County case, use the IDOC Inmate Locator to search by name or IDOC number. That tool is free and open to anyone.

The screenshot below shows the Shelby County Sheriff's Office website homepage.

This is the main page for Shelby County law enforcement info and jail contact details.

Shelby County Jail Visitation and Access

The Shelby County Jail allows both on-site and video visits. On-site visits are free and run Tuesday through Saturday from 8am to 3:30pm. Each visit lasts 25 minutes, and inmates get one per week. The schedule splits by last name. People with last names A through M visit on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Those with last names N through Z visit on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Only people on the inmate's approved visitation list can visit.

Video visitation is also available seven days a week from 8am to 8pm through InmateSales.com. Remote video visits do have a fee. On-site video visits at the jail are free. You must schedule all visits at least 24 hours ahead of time. These visitation details can matter for people trying to check on someone's status at the Shelby County Jail before or after release.

The screenshot below shows the Shelby County Jail page with visitation info.

Note: Visit schedules can change, so call the jail to confirm before going.

Shelby County Released Inmates Records

Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act at 5 ILCS 140, you can request released inmates records from the Shelby County Sheriff's Office. Put your request in writing and send it to the office at 151 N. Morgan St., Shelbyville, IL 62565. Include the full name of the person you are asking about and any dates you know. The office must respond within five business days. The first 50 pages are free. Most basic requests for Shelby County released inmates data cost nothing.

The Illinois Sheriffs' Association page for Shelby County also links to contact info and resources for the sheriff's office. This is helpful if the main website is down or you need an alternate way to reach the office about Shelby County released inmates.

The Sheriffs' Association page confirms the office address, phone, and key staff for Shelby County.

State Tools for Shelby County Inmates

The IDOC Offender Search covers anyone who went from the Shelby County Jail to an Illinois state prison. Search by last name or IDOC number. Results show conviction details, sentence length, and whether the person is still in custody or has been released. This tool is free. The Illinois Unified Code of Corrections at 730 ILCS 5 sets the rules for sentence credit and release from state facilities.

The Illinois VINELink system lets you track custody status for people in Shelby County. Register for free alerts. When the person's status changes, you get a call, text, or email. The toll-free number is 1-866-277-7477. For criminal background searches that cover all of Illinois, the ISP background check is a paid tool that pulls records from every county.

How to Look Up Shelby County Inmates

The quickest way is to call the jail at 217-774-3941. Give the staff a name and they can tell you if that person is in custody or was released. For formal records, file a FOIA request in writing. For state prison records tied to Shelby County, use the IDOC search online.

• Call 217-774-3941 for direct jail inquiries in Shelby County
• Email sc515@scso87.org for sheriff's office questions
• File a FOIA request for detailed released inmates records
• Search IDOC for state prison records from Shelby County cases
• Register with VINELink for free custody change alerts

Note: Shelby County does not have a public online inmate roster, so phone and written requests are your best bet.

Nearby Counties

These counties sit near Shelby County. Each one has its own jail and keeps separate released inmates records. If the person you need was arrested outside Shelby County, you will need to check that county's system.