Perry County Booking Releases
Perry County booking releases are processed through the Sheriff's Office at 12 E. Water Street in Pinckneyville. The county sits in southern Illinois with a population of about 20,639. Every arrest in Perry County goes through the county jail, where staff create a booking record with the charge, bond, and personal details of the person arrested. The Sheriff's Office maintains an online resource where you can look up current jail data. You can also reach the office by phone at 618-357-5212 for booking release questions.
Perry County Quick Facts
Perry County Sheriff and Booking Records
The Perry County Sheriff's Office runs the county jail and keeps all booking release records. The office is at 12 E. Water Street in Pinckneyville, IL 62274. You can call 618-357-5212 to reach the jail or ask about a specific booking. Staff process arrests from local police, state troopers, and other law enforcement agencies that operate within Perry County. Each arrest creates a new booking entry in their system.
When someone arrives at the jail, intake staff record the name, date of birth, charges, arresting officer, and bond amount. The release portion of the record gets filled in when the person leaves. That might happen through bond payment, a court order, or completion of a sentence. Perry County is not a large county in terms of population, but the jail sees regular activity. The area includes several small towns and a stretch of rural territory that the Sheriff patrols directly.
The Perry County Sheriff's website has contact info, office details, and links to jail services.
| Address |
Perry County Sheriff's Office 12 E. Water Street Pinckneyville, IL 62274 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 618-357-5212 |
| County Seat | Pinckneyville |
| Website | perrycountyil.gov/sheriffs-office |
Search Perry County Booking Releases Online
Perry County maintains an online resource through the Sheriff's website that provides jail-related information. The Perry County Sheriff jail page allows you to check on current inmates and booking activity.
This page shows current inmate data along with booking and release details for the Perry County jail.
The online tool is best for current inmates. If someone has already been released, their info may no longer appear on the site. For past booking releases from Perry County, you will need to contact the Sheriff's Office by phone or file a FOIA request. The jail tracker shows basic details like name, charge, and bond amount. It does not always include full case histories or court outcomes. Think of it as a quick way to check custody status, not a deep research tool.
The Illinois Department of Corrections also runs a statewide search. If someone was booked in Perry County and later moved to a state facility, you can find them through the IDOC offender search. It covers all inmates in state custody and shows their projected release date. The search is free and does not require an account.
FOIA Requests for Perry County Booking Releases
The Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140) gives you the right to request booking release records from the Perry County Sheriff. The office must respond within five business days. You do not need to explain why you want the records. Anyone can file a request regardless of where they live.
Send your FOIA request to the Sheriff's Office at 12 E. Water Street in Pinckneyville. Include the full name of the person and any other details you have. A date of birth helps a lot. An approximate booking date narrows the search even more. Under 5 ILCS 140/2.15, arrest information must be made available within 72 hours of the arrest. This is a faster timeline than the general five-day rule. It covers the person's name, age, address, and charges. If you need very recent booking data from Perry County, this section of the law supports quick access.
Copies are free for the first 50 pages. After that, the office can charge 15 cents per page. Electronic copies may be free if they do not require extra staff work. Certified copies usually cost more. Ask the office about their certified copy fees when you send your request. Most simple booking release requests from Perry County are short and stay within the free page limit.
What Perry County Booking Releases Show
A booking release record from Perry County includes several data points. The contents can vary, but most files share a common structure. Here is what you can expect:
- Full name and date of birth of the person booked
- Charges listed at the time of arrest
- Bond amount and type
- Arresting officer and agency
- Booking date and time
- Release date, method, and any conditions
Court dates assigned at booking may also appear on the record. If the person bonded out, the file notes who posted bond and the amount paid. These records are factual. They come from the intake process at the Perry County jail and do not include opinions. The data stays on file even after the person has left custody. A booking record only disappears from public view if a court orders it sealed or expunged. Otherwise, it remains accessible under Illinois public records law.
Illinois Laws on Booking Releases
Two main state laws govern booking release access in Perry County. The Illinois FOIA (5 ILCS 140) gives the public broad access to government records. It covers everything from arrest logs to budget documents. The law sets response deadlines, limits copy fees, and provides a process for appealing denials. If the Perry County Sheriff denies your request, you can file a complaint with the Attorney General's Public Access Counselor.
The Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630) deals specifically with criminal history records. This law controls how arrest and booking data is stored, shared, and restricted. The Illinois State Police maintain a central database, and local agencies like the Perry County Sheriff report arrest data into that system. Under this act, certain records can be sealed or expunged by court order. Juvenile arrest records are automatically restricted. But for most adult bookings in Perry County, the records stay open to the public indefinitely.
These two laws work together. FOIA tells you how to request the records, and the Criminal Identification Act tells you what can and cannot be released. Together, they set the rules for every booking release request made to the Perry County Sheriff's Office.
How to Get Perry County Booking Releases
The online resource is the fastest option for current inmates. Check the Perry County Sheriff's website first. If the person is no longer in custody, call 618-357-5212. Staff can check the system and confirm whether someone was booked and when they were released. For basic info, a phone call usually gets the job done quickly.
For written records or copies, submit a FOIA request to the Sheriff's Office at 12 E. Water Street in Pinckneyville. You can also go in person during business hours. Walk into the office and tell the staff what you need. Bring the full name and any other details you have. If you need certified copies, ask for them at the time of your visit. Some requests can be filled while you wait. Larger or more complex requests may take a few days.
The VINE system is available for people who want automatic updates on an inmate's status. Register with the person's name or booking ID, and VINE will alert you when their status changes. Alerts come by phone, text, or email. This service is free and covers all counties in Illinois, including Perry County. You can also call 1-866-277-7477 to set up alerts by phone.
Related Records in Perry County
The Perry County Circuit Clerk handles court records for criminal cases in the 2nd Judicial Circuit. If someone was booked and then charged with a crime, the court file holds the complaint, hearing dates, and any ruling. These records are separate from the booking release file at the Sheriff's Office, but they connect through case numbers. Checking both gives you a fuller picture of what happened after the arrest.
The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification keeps statewide criminal history data. They collect arrest reports from every county, including Perry County. A full background check through the State Police requires fingerprints and a fee. But basic arrest information may be available through a FOIA request. For people looking up a single booking in Perry County, the Sheriff's Office remains the best first stop.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Perry County. If you need a booking release record, check where the arrest took place. The record is on file in the county where the person was booked, not where they live.