Tazewell County Released Inmates Search
Tazewell County released inmates records are kept by the sheriff's office at the Justice Center in Pekin. The county has about 130,000 residents and sits in central Illinois just south of Peoria. The sheriff runs online lookup tools for both current custody and warrants. You can search for inmates by name, file a FOIA request, or call the jail at 309-478-5600. The state IDOC database covers anyone from Tazewell County who went to prison. This page explains every method for finding released inmates in Tazewell County.
Tazewell County Quick Facts
Tazewell County Sheriff and Jail
The Tazewell County Sheriff runs the jail at the Justice Center, located at 101 S. Capitol Street in Pekin, IL 61554. The jail phone is 309-478-5600. The facility handles bookings, housing, and releases for every person arrested in Tazewell County. Local police in Pekin, East Peoria, Morton, and Washington bring arrests here. All of this creates the released inmates records that the sheriff keeps on file.
The Tazewell County Sheriff's website is the hub for all corrections and law enforcement info. The site has links to the inmate lookup tool, warrant search, FOIA request form, and jail information page. It is well organized and easy to use. The sheriff provides patrol services to the rural parts of Tazewell County and runs the jail for the whole county. Whether someone was arrested by a city police officer or a county deputy, the booking goes through the same jail.
The jail information page on the sheriff's site covers visiting rules, phone call policies, and the new mail system. As of June 2025, Tazewell County switched to digitally delivered mail. All letters and cards must be sent to a processing center at P.O. Box 247, Phoenix, MD 21131. The facility scans them and delivers them electronically. This change does not affect released inmates records, but it is worth knowing if you plan to contact someone at the Tazewell County jail.
| Office | Tazewell County Sheriff's Office |
|---|---|
| Address | 101 S. Capitol Street, Pekin, IL 61554 |
| Phone | 309-478-5600 |
| Website | sheriff.tazewell-il.gov |
Search Tazewell County Released Inmates Online
Tazewell County has two online inmate lookup tools. The custody lookup shows people currently in the jail. Search by name to see if someone is in custody. If they are not listed, they may have been released or transferred. The tool is free and does not require an account.
The second tool is the warrant lookup, which shows active warrants in Tazewell County. This is a different type of search. It shows people who have an outstanding warrant, not people who are in the jail right now. If you are looking for released inmates, start with the custody lookup. The warrant search is better for checking if someone has a pending warrant that could lead to a new arrest in Tazewell County.
The IDOC offender search is the tool for state prison records. If someone from Tazewell County was convicted and sent to an Illinois state prison, their records are in this database. Search by name or IDOC number. Results show the sentence, facility, credit earned, and release date. Under 730 ILCS 5, the state tracks detailed data on every inmate, including good-time credit calculations and mandatory supervised release terms.
Note: The custody lookup shows current jail status and may not display people who were released from the Tazewell County jail more than a few days ago.
Tazewell County Inmate Records Portal
The Tazewell County Sheriff's website is the starting point for all inmate searches. Visit the sheriff's homepage to find links to the lookup tools. The screenshot below shows the main page.
The FOIA request page walks you through how to submit a formal records request. Check the FOIA page for the form and contact details.
The inmate lookup tool lets you search for people in custody at the Tazewell County jail. The custody lookup page is shown below.
The jail information page covers facility policies, mail rules, and deposit options. See the jail info page below for those details.
All four pages are free to use and give you the tools and contact info you need for Tazewell County released inmates searches.
FOIA Requests for Tazewell County Inmates
The Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140) gives you the right to request released inmates records from the Tazewell County Sheriff. All public records are presumed open under this law. Jail booking logs, release dates, and charge data are public. You do not need to be a Tazewell County resident. You do not need to give a reason for the request.
The sheriff accepts FOIA requests through the online FOIA form or by email at foiasheriff@tazewell-il.gov. Include the person's full name, any dates you know, and the type of record you want. The office has five business days to respond. The first 50 pages of copies are free. If your request needs more pages, they charge the actual cost of making them.
The county also has a general FOIA page for records held by other Tazewell County offices. This covers the clerk, recorder, and other departments. For jail and released inmates data, the sheriff's FOIA process is the one to use. For state records, contact IDOC at DOC.FOIARequest@illinois.gov. State prison records for Tazewell County offenders include sentence credit under the formulas in 730 ILCS 5, facility transfers, and release conditions.
Tracking Tazewell County Released Inmates
VINELink lets you monitor offender status in Tazewell County for free. Search by name and sign up for alerts. You get a phone call, text, or email when the person's status changes. This works for county jail inmates and state prison inmates. Call 1-866-277-7477 for help with VINELink. The system runs at all hours and covers every county in Illinois.
Inmates at the Tazewell County jail can receive money through KIOSK or Smart Deposit. The deposit line is 1-866-394-0490. This is useful if you know someone in the jail and want to put money on their account. It does not apply to released inmates, but knowing the deposit system can help if someone is booked again in Tazewell County.
The Illinois State Police CHIRP system provides name-based background checks that cover all of Illinois, including Tazewell County. The ISP Bureau of Identification at 260 N. Chicago St. in Joliet handles requests. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM. Phone is (815) 740-5160. A background check pulls arrest records, convictions, and court outcomes that go beyond what the Tazewell County jail roster shows.
Note: Smart Deposit and KIOSK are for funding inmate accounts at the Tazewell County jail and are not related to records requests.
Nearby Counties
These counties sit next to Tazewell County in central Illinois. Each has its own sheriff and jail with separate released inmates records. Check the correct county based on where the arrest happened.