Find Washington County Booking Releases
Washington County booking releases are handled by the Sheriff's Office in Nashville, the county seat. The county has a population of about 13,627 and is located in the southern part of Illinois. The Sheriff's Office runs the county jail and files all booking and release records. Washington County does not have a public online inmate search tool, so you will need to contact the office by phone or file a FOIA request. The staff can help you check on current inmates or pull older booking release files when needed.
Washington County Quick Facts
Washington County Sheriff and Booking Records
The Washington County Sheriff's Office is the main keeper of booking release data in the county. The office is at 245 N. Kaskaskia St. in Nashville. Staff handle all jail operations and log every booking that comes through. When a person is arrested, the jail creates a record that covers their name, charge, bond amount, arrest date, and other key details. When the person leaves custody, the release date and terms are added to the same file.
You can reach the Sheriff's Office at (618) 327-8274. Call that number to ask if someone is in custody. Staff can check the jail roster and give you basic booking info. If you need copies of past records, you may have to put your request in writing. The office keeps booking release files on hand for an extended period, and these are public records under state law.
Washington County does not see the booking volume that larger counties do. But the process is the same everywhere in Illinois. Every arrest gets documented. Every release gets logged. The size of the county does not change what the law requires of the Sheriff's Office.
| Address |
Washington County Sheriff's Office 245 N. Kaskaskia St. Nashville, IL 62263 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (618) 327-8274 |
| Website | wcso-il.com |
How to Search Booking Releases in Washington County
Washington County does not offer a public online inmate lookup tool. The Sheriff's website has general information about the office but does not include a searchable jail database. This is common for smaller Illinois counties that lack the budget or staff to maintain an online system. You still have several ways to find booking release data.
The fastest method is a phone call. Dial (618) 327-8274 and ask the staff about a specific person. They can tell you if someone is in custody, what the charge is, and what bond has been set. For older booking release records in Washington County, the staff may ask you to file a written request so they can pull the file from storage.
The Illinois Department of Corrections Offender Search is a free statewide tool that can help in some cases.
This tool covers state prison inmates and can track someone who was booked in Washington County and later moved to state custody.
The IDOC search does not cover county jail holds. But if you are looking for someone who passed through Washington County and then went to prison, the state tool picks up where the county records leave off. It is free, and you can search by name without any login.
FOIA Requests for Washington County Booking Releases
Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, you can ask for booking release records from the Washington County Sheriff. 5 ILCS 140 gives any person the right to request records from a public body. Booking sheets, jail logs, and release data all fall under this law. You do not have to give a reason for asking. The office must respond within five business days of getting your request.
Mail your FOIA letter to the Washington County Sheriff's Office at 245 N. Kaskaskia St., Nashville, IL 62263. In the letter, include the full name of the person whose records you want. A date of birth, booking date, or case number will speed things up. The more details you provide, the easier it is for the staff to find the right Washington County booking release file without delay.
The first 50 pages of any FOIA response are free. Pages after that cost up to $0.15 each. Certified copies run up to $1.00 per record. Under 5 ILCS 140/2.15, arrest reports must be made available within 72 hours of the arrest. This rule applies to Washington County the same as every other county. It means you can get basic arrest data quickly, even before a full FOIA response is ready.
State Resources for Washington County Booking Releases
Illinois runs a few statewide systems that can supplement what you find at the county level. The IDOC Offender Search is the biggest one. It covers anyone in state prison. If a person was booked in Washington County and later sentenced to state time, their record will appear in the IDOC system. County jail bookings do not show up there, but the tool fills in what happens after a case leaves the county.
VINE lets you track offender custody status across all of Illinois. You can register for alerts and get notified when someone is released, transferred, or has a status change. It works for cases that start in Washington County and move through the system. The service is free and available at all hours. It is a good option when you want to keep tabs on a case without calling the jail every day.
The Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630) sets the rules for access to criminal history records in Illinois. Most Washington County booking release records remain public. The law does allow records to be sealed or expunged if a court orders it. When that happens, the file is removed from public access. But outside of those court-ordered exceptions, the records stay open for anyone to request.
The Booking Process in Washington County
After an arrest in Washington County, the person goes to the county jail in Nashville. Staff work through the standard booking steps that create the official record. Here is what the process looks like:
- Staff take down the person's name, date of birth, and physical traits
- The charge and arresting officer are logged
- A booking photo and fingerprints are collected
- Bond is set based on the charge
- A housing assignment is given within the jail
All of this goes into the booking file. The record stays in the system regardless of what comes next. If the person bonds out the same day, the release gets noted. If they stay until trial, the file tracks their time in the jail. The Washington County booking release record is a full timeline of someone's stay in custody, from the moment of intake through their departure.
Quick bond releases happen often for minor charges. For more serious offenses, the person may remain at the Washington County jail until their court case wraps up or they get moved to another facility.
Contacting the Washington County Sheriff
Call (618) 327-8274 to check on a booking release in Washington County. The staff can look up current inmates and share basic booking details over the phone. For formal requests, send a letter to 245 N. Kaskaskia St., Nashville, IL 62263. The Sheriff's website at wcso-il.com has additional contact information if you need it.
Legal matters tied to a Washington County booking may require help from an attorney in the area. The Washington County Circuit Court processes all criminal cases after the booking stage. The Clerk of Court can provide access to court files that build on what is in the booking release record. These are separate records, but people often need both to get the full picture of a case that started with an arrest in Washington County.
Nearby Counties
Washington County borders several counties in southern Illinois. If you are unsure which county handled a booking, check the arrest location. Booking release records are filed in the county where the arrest occurred.