Stephenson County 24 Hour Booking

Stephenson County 24 hour booking records are managed by the Stephenson County Sheriff's Office in Freeport, Illinois. Sheriff Steve Stovall runs the department that handles all arrests and booking data for the county jail. With about 43,768 people, Stephenson County sits in the far northwest corner of Illinois near the Wisconsin border. The only way to search for inmates at the Stephenson County Jail is by downloading the free custom smartphone app from the sheriff's office. Each booking record includes the person's name, charges, bond details, and arrest information. Call the jail at (815) 235-8254 for questions about someone currently booked.

Stephenson County Sheriff Booking Data

The Stephenson County Sheriff's Office operates from two locations in Freeport. The Public Safety Building is at 204 West Exchange Street, and the jail sits at 1680 East Singer Drive. Sheriff Steve Stovall was born and raised in Freeport and has deep ties to the community. He started as a volunteer in the Freeport Auxiliary Police in the early nineties before becoming a full-time officer in 1994. The department processes all booking records when someone is arrested in Stephenson County.

The Stephenson County Sheriff's Office website provides department information and links to jail services.

The website includes the mission statement and links to inmate search tools.

Search Stephenson County Jail Records

The Stephenson County inmate search page explains that the only way to search for inmates at the jail is through the free custom smartphone app. Download it to your phone to search by name and check current booking information. The app provides real-time data about who is held at the Stephenson County Jail.

The app is the primary tool for checking 24 hour booking records in Stephenson County.

Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140), Stephenson County booking records are public. Section 2.15 requires agencies to release arrest data within 72 hours of a booking. For records not available through the app, file a written FOIA request with the sheriff's office. The first 50 pages are free, and extra pages cost 15 cents each.

The Stephenson County jail information page on the county website covers money deposits, bail procedures, and other jail details.

This page has important details about how money deposits and bail work at the jail.

Stephenson County Bail and Custody

A bond fee of $65 must go with any bail posted for an inmate at the Stephenson County Jail. Once bail is posted, it may take several hours for the release to be completed. Inmate release dates and times are not given out to the public. Court information will not be shared either. The bail and housing information system has been under construction at times, so check the app or call the jail for current details.

Money orders are not accepted at the Stephenson County Jail. You can put money on an inmate's account in three ways. First, use the lobby cashier at the jail with cash, debit, or credit cards (convenience fees apply). Second, go online at JailATM.com using MasterCard or VISA only. Third, call the jail at (815) 235-8254 if you have questions about the lobby cashier. Any funds placed on an inmate's account may be used to pay unpaid fines, costs, and restitution.

Jail inmates cannot have cash. Each person booked into the Stephenson County Jail gets a trust fund set up on their behalf. This fund covers bail, hygiene items, and food items.

Stephenson County Booking Laws

The Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630) requires all felony and Class A and B misdemeanor arrests in Stephenson County to be reported to the Illinois State Police. This data feeds into the statewide criminal history database. The Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635) limits what conviction info the public can get from the state. Local booking records from Stephenson County fall under FOIA.

Circuit Clerk Shanelle Bardell handles court records at 15 North Galena Avenue in Freeport. Call (815) 235-8266 for court filings tied to a booking. The ISP Bureau of Identification handles statewide criminal history requests. The IDOC search covers inmates transferred from Stephenson County to state prison.

Note: Inmate release dates and court information are not provided to the public by the Stephenson County Jail.

Nearby Counties

Stephenson County borders several counties in far northwestern Illinois. Check which county handled the booking before making a record request.