Find Released Inmates in St. Joseph County

St. Joseph County released inmates records are managed by the St. Joseph County Police Department, which operates the county jail and handles custody for the county's roughly 270,000 residents. If you want to search for someone who has been released or is currently held in St. Joseph County, the SJCPD is the primary local source, and Indiana also offers several free statewide tools that cover this county. This page explains how to use both local and state resources to look up St. Joseph County released inmates, including online portals, notification alerts, and court record systems.

St. Joseph County Police Department and Jail

Unlike most Indiana counties where the elected sheriff runs the jail, St. Joseph County uses a consolidated police department model. The St. Joseph County Police Department handles county law enforcement and operates the county jail. Their website at sjcpd.org is the starting point for local inmate information. The general phone number is 574-245-6500.

The SJCPD offers an online inmate search directly on their site. You can access it at sjcpd.org/inmate-search. The tool lets you look up people currently in custody at the St. Joseph County Jail. It is free to use and does not require you to log in or provide a reason for your search. For those recently released rather than currently in custody, the statewide tools below are more useful since local lookups tend to show only active bookings.

The screenshot below shows the Indiana County Jail Public Portal, a statewide resource that covers St. Joseph County and pulls from participating county jails across Indiana, including St. Joseph's facility.

This statewide portal is a good complement to the SJCPD's own search tool. You can use it to check on someone without knowing in advance which specific facility they are at.

Indiana Code IC 36-2-13 sets out the legal framework for county jails in Indiana and places responsibility for jail operations with the appropriate county authority. In St. Joseph County, that role falls to the SJCPD rather than a traditional elected sheriff.

South Bend Police Department Records

South Bend is the county seat and the largest city in St. Joseph County. The South Bend Police Department handles city arrests, which may or may not result in someone being held at the county jail depending on the charges and circumstances. You can reach the SBPD at their non-emergency line, (574) 235-9201, or contact their records division at (574) 235-9212.

The SBPD's main office is at 701 W. Sample Street, South Bend, IN 46601. Their website at police.southbendin.gov has contact information and resources for requesting police reports and other public records. City police records and county jail records are separate systems, so if someone was arrested by the SBPD and then transferred to the county jail, you may need to check with both agencies to get a complete picture.

Mishawaka, the other large city in St. Joseph County, has its own police department as well. People arrested by Mishawaka police who are held at the county level would show up in the county jail records through the SJCPD system.

Indiana SAVIN and VINELink Notifications

Indiana SAVIN at indianasavin.in.gov is the state's automated victim notification system. It covers St. Joseph County and lets you search for a specific person by name. You can also register for alerts so you are notified automatically when a person's custody status changes, including when they are released from the St. Joseph County Jail or transferred to another facility. Registration is free and does not require you to be a crime victim.

VINELink at vinelink.vineapps.com offers the same kind of service with a phone option as well. Call 866-959-8463 any time, day or night, to check custody status. The phone system asks for the offender's ID number or name and returns current status information. Both VINE and SAVIN cover both county jails and IDOC state facilities, so if someone has been moved from the St. Joseph County Jail to a state prison, the system will still track them.

The screenshot below comes from the VINELink notification system, showing the Indiana interface used by people searching for St. Joseph County released inmates and others throughout the state.

Setting up a VINE alert takes only a few minutes and gives you ongoing updates without having to check manually each day. This is especially useful for longer cases where someone's release date is uncertain.

IDOC State Prison Releases

Some people sentenced through St. Joseph County courts serve their time at Indiana Department of Correction facilities rather than the county jail. The IDOC Offender Locator at offenderlocator.idoc.in.gov is the tool to use in those cases.

The Offender Locator is a free public database. You can search by name and see current facility assignment, expected release date, and other basic information about someone in state custody. The tool covers all IDOC prisons in Indiana, not just those near St. Joseph County. If someone was convicted in South Bend and sent to a state prison elsewhere in Indiana, they will still appear in the Offender Locator under their name.

IDOC also handles formal records requests for state prison inmates. You can find the request process and forms at in.gov/idoc. These requests are typically used when you need official documentation rather than just a status check.

Court Records and Criminal History

St. Joseph County court cases are accessible through the Indiana Courts MyCase system at public.courts.in.gov/mycase. MyCase is free to search and lets you look up cases by name or case number. You can see charges, hearing dates, and outcomes for cases filed in the St. Joseph County Circuit and Superior Courts. This is the most direct way to find the court record behind an arrest or release in the county.

For a broader criminal history report that includes cases across all Indiana counties, the Indiana State Police provides a limited criminal history service. The fee is $16.32 for an online search or $15.00 if you submit by mail. Details are at in.gov/isp/criminal-history-services. These reports are based on court records and law enforcement data and reflect the official Indiana criminal history system.

Indiana's Access to Public Records Act under IC 5-14-3-3 gives the public the right to request government records, including inmate and custody information. The SJCPD must respond to written records requests and can only withhold information under specific statutory exemptions. For most basic inmate inquiries, the information is public and should be made available without issue.

Sex Offender Registry in St. Joseph County

Indiana requires people convicted of sex offenses to register with the sheriff or equivalent authority in their county of residence after release. In St. Joseph County, released sex offenders register through the appropriate local authority and their information appears on the state registry.

You can search the Indiana Sex Offender Registry at icrimewatch.net/indiana.php. The search is free and lets you look up by name, city, or ZIP code. South Bend and Mishawaka both have registered offenders listed through this system. The registry shows current address, offense details, and registration status for each listed person. It is maintained by IDOC and updated on a regular basis.

Cities in St. Joseph County

St. Joseph County includes two cities with populations above the qualifying threshold. Each has its own page with more specific information.

Nearby Counties

St. Joseph County borders several counties in northern Indiana. If you need to check records in a neighboring county, these pages have the relevant contact and search information.