Macon County Jail Inmate Search
Find an Inmate in Macon County
Most local arrests end up at the Macon County Jail, 333 South Franklin Street, Decatur, IL 62523 (217-424-1341).
Search the Macon County current inmate information first. For alerts, register with VINELink, which covers this county. Booking at the county jail can lag; a Christian County jail may have the person.
Call 217-424-1332. The sections below run from the county jail to state and federal custody.
1. How do I search for an inmate?
- Start at the Macon County current inmate information and enter the last name.
- Search VINELink online, or with the VINELink app for iPhone and the VINELink app for Android.
- No result: phone the sheriff's office, 217-424-1332.
2. How does release work after an arrest?
Illinois ended cash bail in 2023 under the Pretrial Fairness Act, so there's no money to post in Macon County (725 ILCS 5/110). Within 48 hours, release or detention is decided (725 ILCS 5/110-6.1). More on our pretrial release guide.
↑ Back to the question list3. What about youth arrested locally?
Youth stay off the roster (705 ILCS 405/1-7). A judge here picks the juvenile detention center for detained youth. Call 217-424-1332 to learn about a detained child's hearing.
↑ Back to the question list4. What other jails should I check besides Macon County?
Search empty? Call each county jail next door:
- Christian County Correctional Center, Taylorville: 217-824-4961
- DeWitt County Jail, Clinton: 217-935-2913
- Logan County Jail, Lincoln: 217-732-2610
- Moultrie County Jail, Sullivan: 217-728-4386
- Piatt County Jail, Monticello: 217-762-3766
- Sangamon County Detention Facility, Springfield: 217-753-6886
State prisoners show on the Illinois Department of Corrections inmate search; federal ones on the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.
↑ Back to the question list5. Where do county prisoners go after sentencing?
Prison-bound inmates here go to Illinois Department of Corrections intake. For moves, use the Illinois Department of Corrections inmate search; see our Illinois state prisons guide.
↑ Back to the question list6. Staying in touch with an inmate
- Phone calls: County inmate phone guide.
- Deposits: our money guide.
- Snacks and supplies: Local commissary page.
- Visiting: our visitation guide.
- Letters: our mail guide.
- Messages: County inmate email.
7. How do I request a mugshot?
Illinois treats adult booking photos as public (5 ILCS 140/2.15). File an Illinois Freedom of Information Act request with the Macon County Sheriff's Office at 217-424-1332. Juvenile photos are not released. Most U.S. Marshals Service photos stay private too, under 5 U.S.C. 552. ICE records for someone held by the Sheriff's Office go through the ICE FOIA request page and mention this county.
↑ Back to the question list8. What if someone from Macon County faces federal charges?
The U.S. Marshals Service may hold federal defendants in county jails in this county. The Central District of Illinois hears it at U.S. Courthouse, 600 E. Monroe Street, Springfield, IL 62701 (217-492-4020). Check VINELink while the case is open, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator after sentencing.
↑ Back to the question list9. Will this county hold someone for ICE?
- A Form I-247A is ICE's request to the jail.
- The Illinois TRUST Act (5 ILCS 805/15) stops this county from honoring the 48-hour hold.
- Agents may wait outside the County Jail.
- After an ICE arrest, use the ICE Online Detainee Locator System with the A-number of the detainee.
10. How many people live locally?
This county has about 99,300 residents (U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 estimate, released 2026). The county seat is Decatur, IL.
↑ Back to the question list11. Is there a Macon County warrant on me?
Try the Macon County Sheriff's Office at 217-424-1332; deputies serve warrants from Mount Zion to Maroa and Blue Mound and can confirm one by phone. Decatur officers also pick people up on Macon warrants. For a second look, check your case on the statewide re:SearchIL case portal, where a bench warrant appears as a docket event. Your attorney can do that, or you after an accepted e-filing. Having counsel walk you into the county jail is smoother than waiting for a knock. The Wood Street clerk can tell you about a new date after a missed hearing, in Room 129 at 253 E. Wood Street, Decatur, IL 62523, or at 217-624-4442.
↑ Back to the question list12. What are the police numbers for Decatur and nearby towns?
Here are 1 police lines we have checked, starting with Decatur:
- Decatur Police: 217-424-2711
- Mount Zion, Forsyth, Maroa: no listed number here yet; the sheriff's office, 217-424-1332, can direct you
Macon County Jail Inmate Services Information
Phone: 217-424-1341
Physical Address:
333 South Franklin Street
Decatur, IL 62523
Mailing Address (personal mail):
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID#
Macon County Jail - IL
P.O. Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131
Mailing Address (legal mail or subscriptions):
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID#
Macon County Jail
333 South Franklin Street
Decatur, IL 62523
Every year Macon County law enforcement agencies arrest and detain 8,500 offenders, and maintain an average of 425 inmates (county-wide) in their custody on any given day.
The weekly turnover rate of inmates is approximately 55%, meaning that every week more than half of these inmates are released and then replaced with new offenders being booked into jail.
The charts below break down the men, women, races, ethnicities and the types of crimes that people are arrested and incarcerated for in both Macon County and state prisons throughout the country. This information is compiled from local police and the Macon County Sheriff's Department, as well as the state of Illinois and the United States Department of Justice and Census Bureau.
If you are looking for a prisoner in Illinois or Federal custody, click on the appropriate institution below.
If you are searching for an inmate being held in another county in Illinois, click below.
STATE OF Illinois COUNTY JAILS
If you are searching for a prisoner in a Illinois State Prison click below.
If you are searching for a United States Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate click below.
Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Search
For ICE Detainees (Immigration) being held at a detention facility in the United States, click below.
Macon County Inmate Race & Ethnicity - 11/12/2026
| Race | Inmates | % Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 169 | 53.65% |
| Black | 109 | 34.60% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18 | 5.71% |
| American Indian/Native Alaskan | 4 | 1.27% |
| Asian | 7 | 2.22% |
| Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian | 4 | 1.27% |
| Other | 4 | 1.27% |
| Total | 315 | 100.0% |
Macon County Inmate Criminal Charges - 11/12/2026
(many inmates have multiple charges)
| Charge | Inmates | % Total |
|---|---|---|
| Felony (3rd Degree) | 94 | 29.84% |
| Felony (2rd Degree) | 70 | 22.22% |
| Felony (1st Degree) | 13 | 4.13% |
| State Jail Felony | 16 | 5.08% |
| Felony (Uncategorized) | 67 | 21.27% |
| Misdemeanor (Class A) | 55 | 17.46% |
| Misdemeanor (Class C) | 0 | 0.00% |
| Holds | 0 | 0.00% |
| Uncategorized | 0 | 0.00% |
Macon County Inmate Sex - 11/12/2026
| Sex | Inmates | % Total |
|---|---|---|
| Male | 264 | 83.81% |
| Female | 51 | 16.19% |
| Total | 315 | 100.0% |
Macon County Inmate Age - 11/12/2026
| Age | Inmates | % Total |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 2 | 0.63% |
| 18-20 | 16 | 5.08% |
| 21-24 | 34 | 10.79% |
| 25-30 | 64 | 20.32% |
| 31-35 | 58 | 18.41% |
| 36-40 | 52 | 16.51% |
| 41-45 | 36 | 11.43% |
| 46-50 | 20 | 6.35% |
| 51-55 | 14 | 4.44% |
| 56-60 | 13 | 4.13% |
| 61-65 | 4 | 1.27% |
| 66-75 | 2 | 0.63% |
| 76-85 | 0 | 0.00% |
| Total | 315 | 100.0% |
- Jail (Main): 217-424-1341
The Macon County Jail serves the following cities and towns of Macon County: Decatur, Forsyth, Long Creek, Maroa and Mt. Zion.