Search Carroll County Booking Releases
Carroll County booking releases are maintained by the Sheriff's Office at 301 North Main Street in Mt Carroll. This rural county in northwestern Illinois has a population of about 15,576 and sits along the Mississippi River. The Sheriff operates the county jail and handles all booking records for arrests that occur within Carroll County. You can contact the office by phone at (815) 244-0265 or by email at carrollcountyjail@gmail.com. The 15th Judicial Circuit handles criminal cases from Carroll County.
Carroll County Quick Facts
Carroll County Sheriff Booking Records
The Carroll County Sheriff's Office is the primary source for booking releases in the county. The Sheriff runs the jail in Mt Carroll and processes every arrest within the county's borders. Local police agencies, including those in Savanna and Chadwick, bring arrestees to the county jail for booking. At that point, staff record the person's name, date of birth, charges, bond amount, and the date and time of the booking.
The Sheriff's Office page on the county website provides contact information for anyone needing to reach the office about jail or booking matters.
Use this page to find current contact details before making your request.
Call (815) 244-0265 to ask about current inmates or recent bookings. Staff can confirm custody status and share basic information about charges and bond. For written copies, you will want to visit in person or submit a FOIA request. You can also email carrollcountyjail@gmail.com, though formal records requests should follow FOIA procedures for the best results. Carroll County does not have an online inmate search tool at this time.
| Address |
Carroll County Sheriff's Office 301 N Main Street Mt Carroll, IL 61053 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (815) 244-0265 |
| carrollcountyjail@gmail.com | |
| County Seat | Mt Carroll |
| Website | carrollcountyil.gov - Sheriff |
How to Search for Records
Carroll County is a small jurisdiction with no online jail roster. That means all booking release searches go through the Sheriff's Office directly. The phone is the fastest method. Call (815) 244-0265, give the person's full name, and staff can check the system. They will tell you if the person is in custody and what the charges are. Phone inquiries work best during regular business hours.
If you need a physical copy, drive to 301 N Main Street in Mt Carroll. Staff can search booking records while you wait and print what you need. Bring the person's full legal name and any other details you have. A date of birth helps narrow the search, especially for common names. Copy fees are typically low. The office is in a small building near the courthouse, so it is easy to find.
Email is another option. Send your inquiry to carrollcountyjail@gmail.com. Keep in mind that email responses may take longer than a phone call. For formal records requests with legal weight, a written FOIA request is the better route. This ensures you get a response within the five-day window set by state law and creates a documented record of your request.
FOIA Requests for Booking Releases
Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140), anyone can request booking release records from Carroll County. You do not need to be a resident or give a reason. The Sheriff must respond within five business days. This is a hard deadline under state law, and most agencies take it seriously.
Write a specific request. Name the person and include a date range. Something like "booking records for Jane Smith from February 2025 to May 2025" is clear and easy for staff to handle. Broad requests that cover long periods or multiple people take more time to process. Under 5 ILCS 140/2.15, basic arrest data must be released within 72 hours of an arrest. This includes the person's name, age, address, and the charges filed. If you are tracking a very recent Carroll County arrest, this shorter timeline applies.
The first 50 pages of copies are free. After that, it costs 15 cents per page. Electronic records may be available at no additional charge. Since January 2026, all email-based FOIA requests in Illinois must include the full request text in the email body. Putting your request only in an attachment is no longer enough under Public Act 104-0438. Mail your request to Carroll County Sheriff's Office, 301 N Main Street, Mt Carroll, IL 61053.
Booking Release Record Contents
Carroll County booking records follow the same general format as other Illinois counties. Each record lists the person's full legal name, date of birth, and physical description. The charges at the time of booking appear along with the bond amount. Date and time of the booking are logged, as is the name of the arresting agency. Most records in Carroll County come from the Sheriff's deputies or Savanna police, since those are the primary law enforcement agencies in the area.
The release section of the record shows when and how the person left custody. Release methods include posting bond, being released on recognizance, completing a sentence, or being transferred to another facility. If someone was sent to the Illinois Department of Corrections, that transfer is noted. The arresting officer's name may also appear on the record, along with a case number that links the booking to any court filings in the 15th Judicial Circuit.
Some records are not public. Juvenile bookings are automatically sealed. The Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630) allows courts to seal or expunge certain adult records as well. Once sealed, the Sheriff cannot confirm the record exists. Medical and mental health data from a jail stay is also exempt from disclosure under both state and federal privacy laws.
Carroll County Court System
The 15th Judicial Circuit serves Carroll County along with several neighboring counties. Criminal cases that start with a booking at the county jail are prosecuted in circuit court. The Circuit Clerk's office in Mt Carroll keeps the official court files. These include formal charges, hearing dates, motions, plea agreements, and sentencing orders. Court records and booking records tell different parts of the same story.
A booking record shows the arrest side. It tells you when someone came into custody and what they were charged with at that moment. The court record shows what came next. Charges may be changed, added, or dropped. The outcome could be a plea deal, a trial, or a dismissal. Using both record sets together gives you the complete picture from arrest through resolution. If you have a case number from the booking record, you can use it to look up the court file directly with the Circuit Clerk.
State Tools for Booking Records
Illinois has several statewide databases that can supplement Carroll County records. The IDOC offender search lets you look up anyone who is currently or was previously in state prison custody. If someone was booked in Carroll County and later sentenced to state time, IDOC picks up where the county record leaves off. The search is free and open to the public.
The Illinois Department of Corrections main page provides general information about state prison operations and policies.
While IDOC handles state-level incarceration, Carroll County booking releases remain with the local Sheriff's Office.
The VINE system lets you sign up for custody alerts. You will get a notification when someone's status changes in the Carroll County jail or any participating facility in Illinois. The service works by phone, email, or text and does not cost anything. The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification handles statewide criminal history checks for those who need a comprehensive background report, though these require fingerprints and a fee.
Search Tips for Carroll County
Call (815) 244-0265 first. It is the quickest way to check on a Carroll County booking. Give the full name and, if you have it, a date of birth. Staff can usually answer basic questions within minutes.
For FOIA requests, be specific and follow the rules. Put the full text in the body of your email if submitting electronically. Name the person and give a date range. Allow five business days. If the arrest happened within the last 72 hours, cite 5 ILCS 140/2.15 to request faster disclosure. For in-person visits, the Sheriff's Office in Mt Carroll is open during normal hours. Bring identification and a small amount of cash or a check for copy fees if you need printed records.
Nearby Counties
Carroll County shares borders with several other northwestern Illinois counties. If you are unsure which jurisdiction handled a booking, check where the arrest took place. Each county maintains its own jail and booking records.