Racine County Juvenile Detention Center Inmate Bail & Bonds
Racine County bail and bond: the 717 Wisconsin Avenue jail, court hours, and 4 to 6 a.m. releases
Adults arrested in Racine County are held at the Racine County Jail in the Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Avenue, Racine, which has room for 876 people and is run by the Sheriff's Office. Use Racine County Inmate Search to see whether the person is booked and what bail is set. New charges usually go before a judge the next business day, and releases usually happen between 4 and 6 a.m. The jail is at 262-636-3929. Wisconsin bans bail bondsmen, so every payment goes to the court system.
How do I check whether my relative is in the Racine County Jail?
Type the name into Racine County Inmate Search. A completed booking shows the charge and the bail. The county website shows court paperwork changes within about 15 minutes of processing, so look there before you call.
For questions the search cannot answer, call the jail at 262-636-3929. Sheriff's administration is at 262-636-3822.
Where is the jail and how big is it?
The Racine County Jail is in the Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Avenue, Racine, WI 53403. It can hold 876 people and is among the largest pretrial jails in Wisconsin.
The county courthouse is at 730 Wisconsin Avenue. Wisconsin counties run their own jails, and Racine does not send arrestees to a state facility.
When does a new arrest see a judge in Racine?
Inmates go to court Monday through Friday, except holidays. People arrested on new charges typically appear the next business day between 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. Traffic cases are handled separately. People arrested on warrants can wait one to two business days.
State law requires an appearance within a reasonable time, and a judge must find probable cause within 48 hours of an arrest made without a warrant. Weekend arrests wait for Monday.
Who sets bail in Racine County?
A court commissioner or judge decides at the first appearance. Before that hearing, county staff interview newly arrested people each day who remain in jail, check their record, and write a risk report for the commissioner, the district attorney, and the defense lawyer.
The report rates the chance of missing court and the chance of a new offense. The commissioner then weighs it with other information when setting bond.
What kinds of bond does Racine County use?
The Clerk of Circuit Court names three. A cash bond is money posted with the jail or the court. A signature bond is a written promise from the defendant to return. A co-signature bond is signed by the defendant and one other person.
The statute calls a signature bond an unsecured appearance bond: nothing is paid up front, and the amount is owed only if the terms are broken.
How do I post a cash bond?
Call the jail at 262-636-3929 and ask which window or desk takes the payment for that booking. Bring photo ID, the full name, and the booking number.
Racine County takes credit cards through a service called GPS, which charges a service fee that is not refunded. Under state law an officer may take bail only at a sheriff's office or police station, and a clerk may accept a card. Keep your receipt.
What time will the person actually come out?
Releases are usually between 4 and 6 a.m., with some exceptions. Court paperwork usually does not reach the jail before 6:00 p.m., so a bond paid in the morning may not finish the same day.
People held only on a probation hold are released shortly after the Department of Corrections tells the jail, as long as there are no other charges.
Can I use a bail bondsman in Racine?
No. Wisconsin bars anyone from being paid to act as a surety, and Wis. Stat. 969.12 requires a surety to be a person living in the state. Racine has no licensed bond companies.
Anyone who offers to post bond for a cut is acting outside what Wisconsin law allows. If you cannot pay, ask a lawyer to request a lower amount or a signature bond.
Can a friend co-sign a Racine County bond?
Yes, if the judge accepts the signer. A co-signature bond needs the defendant and a named person to sign. The signer must be an unpaid adult who lives in Wisconsin.
The judge can require a sworn statement that the signer can cover the amount. The statute has no deed or lien routine, so ask the Clerk at 262-636-3333 how the court handles property.
What if the person is also wanted in another county?
If the other place has set a bond amount, you can pay it. If it goes unpaid, that agency transports the person to its own facility.
The jail does not announce transport plans for security reasons. Ask 262-636-3929 whether a hold exists before you pay anything.
Which Racine courtroom hears the case?
Felony cases are in the Law Enforcement Center, lower level, with the felony desk at 262-636-3242. Misdemeanor and traffic courts are on the main level, at 262-636-3508 and 262-636-3148. The Clerk of Circuit Court main line is 262-636-3333.
Clerk hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and you should be ready to finish business by 4:10 p.m.
Is there pretrial supervision in Racine County?
Yes. The Racine County Alternatives Program supervises defendants the courts refer, monitors release conditions such as alcohol and drug testing and electronic monitoring, and links people to treatment.
A second program supervises people with two or more drunk-driving cases as a bond condition from the first hearing through the end of the case.
Why would the court keep someone with no bail?
A prosecutor can ask the court to detain a person charged with listed serious offenses, or with a violent crime after a past violent conviction. A detention request gets a hearing in 10 days or less.
The proof must be clear and convincing, and detention runs no more than 60 days after the hearing. A person held 72 hours after the first appearance may ask the judge for a review of terms.
How does a domestic abuse arrest differ?
Officers must arrest in many such cases and cannot release the person until bail is posted or a judge appears. The person signs the release rules.
Contact with the victim is banned for 72 hours, and so is going to the victim's home. A knowing violation can bring a fine up to $10,000, nine months in jail, or both.
Does the judge have to follow a set number?
For misdemeanors, the Wisconsin Judicial Conference publishes a Uniform Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, and the bail cannot be higher than the highest fine for the offense. Officers release most misdemeanor arrests without cash unless the person has no ID, is a danger, lacks community ties, skipped court before, or the case needs more investigation.
Felonies have no statewide bail schedule. The commissioner or judge sets it for each person.
How do I get the money back?
The Clerk of Circuit Court refunds the person who posted, after the case is completed or as the court orders, by mail to the name and address on the receipt. Refunds come within four to six weeks.
Cash bond can be applied to restitution, fines, fees, or court costs without further notice. A broken bond term can lead to forfeiture and judgment after 30 days.
What happens after a missed Racine County hearing?
A missed date can mean a warrant, a forfeited bond, and a bail jumping charge, which is a Class A misdemeanor after a misdemeanor release and a Class H felony after a felony release.
Report any new address to the clerk within 48 hours, in writing, and call a lawyer the same day.
Does the jail charge fees on top of bail?
Yes, in some cases. Anyone serving time at the jail pays a $30.00 booking fee, and a person arrested on a warrant that the Sheriff's Office entered pays a $35.00 warrant fee.
These charges are separate from the bail amount.
Who is the public defender in Racine?
Ask the judge at the first hearing. The State Public Defender office is at 212 4th Street, Suite 200, Racine, 262-638-7530.
A lawyer can ask for a lower bail or different conditions.
Where are young people held after an arrest in Racine County?
Juvenile cases are heard in juvenile court, reached through the misdemeanor and juvenile line at 262-636-3508. Racine County runs youth detention at the Dennis Kornwolf Service Center, 1717 Taylor Avenue, which also takes youth from Kenosha and other southeastern counties.
The county's Youth Development and Care Center, 2300 Three Mile Road, Caledonia, opened May 1, 2025, and houses both secure detention and correctional placement. Children do not appear in the adult search.
Racine County bail contacts
- County jail
- Racine County Jail, Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Avenue, Racine, WI 53403; 262-636-3929
- Bond help
- Racine County jail and bail guide
- Custody lookup
- Racine County Inmate Search
- Sheriff's Office
- 717 Wisconsin Avenue, Racine; administration 262-636-3822
- Clerk of Circuit Court
- 730 Wisconsin Avenue, Racine, WI 53403; main 262-636-3333; felony 262-636-3242; misdemeanor and juvenile 262-636-3508; traffic 262-636-3148
- Court hours
- Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Public defender
- 212 4th Street, Suite 200, Racine, WI 53403; 262-638-7530
- Youth detention
- Dennis Kornwolf Service Center, 1717 Taylor Avenue, Racine; Youth Development and Care Center, 2300 Three Mile Road, Caledonia
Hours, fees, and phone numbers are updated from time to time, and a commissioner or judge may choose a different bail than you expect. Call the jail or the Clerk before paying. Read this as a guide, not as legal advice.
Racine County Juvenile Detention Center
Address:
1717 Taylor Avenue
Racine, WI 53403-2405
Phone:
262-638-6729
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Racine County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Racine County?
Who can set bail in Racine County?
When is bail set in Racine County Wisconsin?
Does Racine County have bail?
Yes, Racine County imposes bail and conditions however Wisconsin is one of a few states that does not allow posting bail for profit, meaning that a court or bondsman cannot charge a percentage of the bond as in other states. There are no licensed bond agencies in Wisconsin.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Racine County?
The Racine County courts recognize cash bail or10% cash percentage bonds. In some cases, a property bond will be considered.
Who can set bail in Racine County?
Bail is set by a judge in Racine County however if the crime is a misdemeanor and a judge not available for an immediate bail hearing, a law enforcement officer can set bail using a bail schedule.
When is bail set in Racine County Wisconsin?
Bail is set at the first appearance, within 1-2 days following arrest; however, misdemeanor bail is generally processed and released immediately in most cases.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Racine County must pay or do to stay out of jail until the first court appearance.
The agreement to bail acts as a promise that the arrested will return to court for court dates and trial. Bail usually refers to a dollar amount, but bail can also mean something that has to be done, or a condition such as reporting to an officer of the court, a curfew, restraining orders or attending a treatment program.
Bail is usually a significant enough amount of money and/or condition that the person will be negatively impacted and has incentive to return to court and not flee. A flight risk usually means that the person would flee the area, and not necessary that they are going to take an airplane.
If a judge in Racine County feels that the arrested will return to court for further proceedings, the arrested could be released under a conditional release without needing to pay bail money. This is called Released on Own Recognizance, or ROR.
Conditions for ROR might be to obey all court orders and laws, maintain contact with the lawyer, report changes in residence or have no contact with the victim. Family support will show the court that there are people who will make sure that the defendant makes it to court.
If the judge or bail schedule determines that the defendant would be a danger to the public if they were released, bail can be denied, and the person will be detained in the Racine County Juvenile Detention Center until the case is resolved or goes to trial.
Bail can be denied if the defendant did not comply with bail conditions from a previous arrest. Bail is usually denied in cases of violent offenses. In April of 2023, Wisconsin legislators voted on a bill that makes release on bail for certain offenses more difficult.
What is the difference between Bail and Bond?
Bail and bond are used interchangeably to mean the same thing but technically, they are different. The bail is the amount to be paid and a bond is a signed document promising payment of the bail amount with certain conditions. Think of a bond as a loan to pay for the bail.
The thought of being in jail can cause the arrested to panic and try to secure a bond immediately.
DO NOT panic and take the time to understand all the options.
Wisconsin courts are trying to work with defendants to make bail work and might provide non-monetary options or even reduce the bail.
On the other hand, as anyone who has ever been involved in their criminal defense understands, fighting your case while ‘out on the streets’ gives you a much better chance of either winning, or getting a more favorable sentence.
What are the different types of bonds in Racine County?
Based on a review of information from the arrest, the judge will determine and notify the accused of which types of bonds are available to them.
To describe the types of bonds, let’s use an example of buying your neighbor’s car. Your neighbor decides the price of the car and how they would be paid.
Similarly, the court (meaning a police, clerk of court, bail judge) determines the bail amount and how it would be paid.
Here are different options that the seller of the car or the court might consider:
You could pay full asking price for the car in cash. This is similar to paying cash bail. The full amount of bail would be paid to the town or county clerk or at the jail. Cash, cashier’s checks and credit cards are usually accepted.
You could sign an agreement on your own or with another person to pay for the car at a future date knowing that your neighbor would know where to find you if you stopped payment. This would be similar to a cash bond or a personal recognizance (PR) bond which are bonds to where someone representing the defendant signs paperwork promising to pay the bail amount if the defendant does not show up to court. There is no money due up front.
If the defendant does not show up, the full amount of the bail will be due to the court and the people who signed the paperwork will be responsible for paying the court and the court could send the sheriff’s department to arrest you.
Cash bonds and PR bonds are types of unsecured bonds because you are not securing it with any money down. In bond terms, a surety is a person who will be responsible for making sure that you will show to court and will be responsible to pay the bond if the arrested person does not show up. Surety can be a family member or friend. Your attorney cannot act as a surety.
You can put a deposit down for your neighbor’s car and sign an agreement that the car will be paid off at a later date. Cash percentage in lieu of bonds is when the defendant pays a percentage of the bail amount, usually 10%, to the court which then holds the money until the case is over.
The amount is returned to the person who paid the 10% after the case is over. In most cases, the full amount is not returned if there are court fees or fines due. This is a type of surety bond if another person signs the bond paperwork.
You could sign an agreement that if the car were not paid off, that your neighbor would get your house or something of value. A property bond is a bond that the courts might consider in which the bond is pledged in land or home real estate (mobile homes are not accepted).
Usually, the property must be in the same state as the courts, and it must be worth at least 1 ½ - 2 times the amount of the bond.
(There have been phone scams where a bond company calls and informs a person that their family member has been arrested and they ask for financial information. A bondsperson will not call asking for money without involvement of the arrested.)
Does Racine County have bail?
Yes, Racine County imposes bail and conditions however Wisconsin is one of a few states that does not allow posting bail for profit, meaning that a court or bondsman cannot charge a percentage of the bond as in other states. There are no licensed bond agencies in Wisconsin.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Racine County?
The Racine County courts recognize cash bail or10% cash percentage bonds. In some cases, a property bond will be considered.
Who can set bail in Racine County?
Bail is set by a judge in Racine County however if the crime is a misdemeanor and a judge not available for an immediate bail hearing, a law enforcement officer can set bail using a bail schedule.
When is bail set in Wisconsin?
Bail is set at the first appearance, within 1-2 days following arrest; however, misdemeanor bail is generally processed and released immediately in most cases.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Racine County Wisconsin?
Yes, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Racine County Wisconsin, who can pay bail for me?
The person posting bail could be the defendant, a relative or close friend, called a surety, because they are promising and taking responsibility that you will return to court to get their money back.
A surety is not responsible for court fees or paying off personal debts for the defendant. A professional bondsperson who is approved by the State of Wisconsin could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Racine County Wisconsin?
Yes, Wisconsin does offer online bail payment. For misdemeanor cases, a law enforcement officer can accept bail and the clerk of court can process all bail/bonds. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail: Go to the Racine County Juvenile Detention Center for more information about the jails in Racine County.
What options are there to pay bail in Racine County Wisconsin?
Most all jail and courts accept cash, a cashier or bankers’ check. Wisconsin accepts credit card payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted. Go to the Racine County Juvenile Detention Center for more information about posting bail in Racine County.
Will I get all my bond money back in Wisconsin?
Bail money is returned to the person who paid the bail; in whole or in part once the case is finished. There may be fees, restitution (money to pay for damage caused by the crime) or fines that come out of that amount.
Can I get bail or a bond with no money down in Racine County?
The judge or officer who sets bail determines which kind of bail will be an option for you, but a cash bond and PR bonds usually do not require cash down, though you might have to pay court fees.
A cash bond or a personal recognizance (PR) bond are bonds where someone representing the defendant signs paperwork promising to pay the bail amount if the defendant does not show up to court. There is no money due up front.
If the defendant does not show up, the full amount of the bail will be due to the court and the people who signed the paperwork will be responsible for paying the court and the court will send the sheriff’s department to arrest you.
Cash bonds and PR bonds are types of unsecured bonds because you are not securing it with any money down. In bond terms, a surety is a person who will be responsible to make sure that you will show to court and will be responsible to pay the bond if the arrested person does not show up. A surety can be family, friend or a bondsperson. Your attorney cannot act as a surety.
What are the least expensive and affordable bail bonds in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin does not permit persons to secure a bond for profit so neither a bondsperson nor a court can charge a fee for executing a bond.