Tri-County Justice & Detention Center Inmate Search
Union County Jail Inmate Lookup
No jail operates in Union County now; county bookings go to the Jackson County Jail, 1001 Mulberry Street, Murphysboro, IL 62966 (618-684-2177). Your first stop is VINELink. VINELink tracks custody and sends alerts when the Sheriff's Office books someone. Booking at the county jail can lag; an Alexander County jail may have the person. Call 618-833-5500. Below: the county jail, jails next door, release, prison and more.
1. How do I search for an inmate?
- Go to VINELink and type the full name.
- Use VINELink, or the VINELink app for iPhone or the VINELink app for Android.
- Still nothing? Call the Union County Sheriff's Office at 618-833-5500.
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 Union County (725 ILCS 5/110). Within 48 hours, a judge rules on release (725 ILCS 5/109-1). More: our bail and release page.
↑ Back to the question list3. Where do local prisoners go after sentencing?
Prison-bound inmates here go to Illinois Department of Corrections intake. Families can follow moves on the Illinois Department of Corrections inmate search, then see our Illinois state prisons guide.
↑ Back to the question list4. Money, mail and visits for county inmates
- Phone calls: Local inmate phone guide.
- Deposits: our money guide.
- Commissary: Local commissary guide.
- Visiting: our visitation guide.
- Letters: our mail guide.
- Messages: Local inmate email.
5. What other jails should I check besides Union County?
Search empty? Call each county jail next door:
- Tri-County Justice & Detention Center: 618-845-3512
- Jackson County Jail, Murphysboro: 618-684-2177
- Pulaski County Detention Center, Mound City: 618-845-3512
- Williamson County Jail, Marion: 618-997-6541
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 list6. Can I get a booking photo?
Illinois treats adult booking photos as public (5 ILCS 140/2.15). File an Illinois Freedom of Information Act request with the Union County Sheriff's Office at 618-833-5500. Youth photos and most U.S. Marshals Service photos are withheld (5 U.S.C. 552). ICE records for someone held by the Sheriff's Office go through the ICE FOIA request page for the booking.
↑ Back to the question list7. Will the county hold someone for ICE?
- ICE may send the Jackson County Jail a Form I-247A detainer.
- The Illinois TRUST Act (5 ILCS 805/15) stops Union 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.
8. What if someone from Union County faces federal charges?
The U.S. Marshals Service may hold federal defendants in county jails nearby. The case goes to the Southern District of Illinois: Melvin Price U.S. Courthouse, 750 Missouri Avenue, East St. Louis, IL 62201, 618-482-9371. Use VINELink before sentencing; the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator after.
↑ Back to the question list9. What about youth arrested in this county?
Youth stay off the roster (705 ILCS 405/1-7). A judge here picks the juvenile detention center for detained youth. Call 618-833-5500 to learn about a detained child's hearing.
↑ Back to the question list10. What is the population of this county?
This county has about 16,656 residents (U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 estimate, released 2026). Jonesboro, IL is the county seat.
↑ Back to the question list11. Is there a Union County warrant?
Union deputies serve warrants in Anna, Cobden and Dongola; try the Jonesboro sheriff at 618-833-5500, who confirms warrants by phone. The case on re:SearchIL (the statewide records portal) will show a warrant too, with the date it issued. Your attorney can see it, or you once the clerk links your email. County arrestees are held at the Jackson County Jail in Murphysboro and driven back for court, so an Anna attorney can work out a surrender with the Union sheriff. The Room 108 clerk explains new dates after a missed hearing at 309 W. Market Street, Room 108, Jonesboro, IL 62952, or by calling 618-833-5913.
↑ Back to the question list12. What are the police numbers for Anna and nearby towns?
No town police numbers for Union County are on file yet; the Sheriff's Office can help.
- Anna, Jonesboro, Cobden: no listed number here yet; the sheriff's office, 618-833-5500, can direct you
Tri-County Justice & Detention Center Inmate Services Information
Phone: 618-845-3512
Physical Address:
1026 Shawnee College Road
Ullin, IL 62906
Mailing Address (personal mail):
Inmate's first and last name
Tri-County Justice & Detention Center
1026 Shawnee College Road
Ullin, IL 62906
Every year Union County law enforcement agencies arrest and detain 9,321 offenders, and maintain an average of 466 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 Union County and state prisons throughout the country. This information is compiled from local police and the Union 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.
Union County Inmate Race & Ethnicity - 10/28/2026
| Race | Inmates | % Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 279 | 78.15% |
| Black | 13 | 3.64% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 41 | 11.48% |
| American Indian/Native Alaskan | 6 | 1.68% |
| Asian | 6 | 1.68% |
| Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian | 6 | 1.68% |
| Other | 6 | 1.68% |
| Total | 357 | 100.0% |
Union County Inmate Criminal Charges - 10/28/2026
(many inmates have multiple charges)
| Charge | Inmates | % Total |
|---|---|---|
| Felony (3rd Degree) | 103 | 28.85% |
| Felony (2rd Degree) | 68 | 19.05% |
| Felony (1st Degree) | 26 | 7.28% |
| State Jail Felony | 25 | 7.00% |
| Felony (Uncategorized) | 72 | 20.17% |
| Misdemeanor (Class A) | 63 | 17.65% |
| Misdemeanor (Class C) | 0 | 0.00% |
| Holds | 0 | 0.00% |
| Uncategorized | 0 | 0.00% |
Union County Inmate Sex - 10/28/2026
| Sex | Inmates | % Total |
|---|---|---|
| Male | 317 | 88.80% |
| Female | 40 | 11.20% |
| Total | 357 | 100.0% |
Union County Inmate Age - 10/28/2026
| Age | Inmates | % Total |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 4 | 1.12% |
| 18-20 | 17 | 4.76% |
| 21-24 | 39 | 10.92% |
| 25-30 | 78 | 21.85% |
| 31-35 | 61 | 17.09% |
| 36-40 | 51 | 14.29% |
| 41-45 | 37 | 10.36% |
| 46-50 | 23 | 6.44% |
| 51-55 | 19 | 5.32% |
| 56-60 | 16 | 4.48% |
| 61-65 | 6 | 1.68% |
| 66-75 | 4 | 1.12% |
| 76-85 | 2 | 0.56% |
| Total | 357 | 100.0% |
The Tri-County Justice & Detention Center serves the following cities and towns of Union County: Anna, Cobden and Jonesboro.