Union County 24 Hour Booking
Union County 24 hour booking records come from the Union County Sheriff's Office in Jonesboro, Illinois. This is a small rural county in the southern tip of the state with about 16,000 people. The sheriff handles all jail operations and booking intake for the area. When someone gets arrested in Union County, the booking record logs their name, charges, bond information, and the arresting agency. Jonesboro is the county seat. To check on a recent booking, contact the sheriff's office by phone. Union County does not have an online inmate search tool.
Union County Booking Quick Facts
Union County Sheriff Booking Records
The Union County Sheriff's Office runs the county jail and keeps all booking records. The office is in Jonesboro, a town of under 2,000 people that serves as the county seat. All arrests in Union County go through the jail for processing. Each booking record includes the person's full name, date of birth, physical description, charges, bond amount, and the name of the arresting officer.
Union County is one of the smaller counties in southern Illinois. There is no online roster or search tool for checking who is in the jail. Phone calls are the standard way to get booking information. Staff can confirm custody status, charges, and bond details. For older records, a written request is best.
The Union County government website has contact information for the sheriff and other county offices.
Use this site for phone numbers and addresses for all Union County departments.
| County Seat | Jonesboro, IL |
|---|---|
| Population | Approximately 16,000 |
| Record Access | Phone or in-person request |
Search Union County Arrest Records
To find booking records in Union County, call the sheriff's office. They can tell you if someone is in custody and share the charges and bond amount. For written copies of booking records, submit a FOIA request. Put the request in writing and send it to the sheriff's office in Jonesboro.
Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140), Union County booking records are public. Section 2.15 says arrest information must be released within 72 hours. This covers the name, age, charges, arrest time, and custody status. No reason is needed to make a request.
The first 50 pages are free. Extra pages cost 15 cents each. The sheriff's office has five business days to respond. If they deny your request, you can appeal to the Public Access Counselor at the Illinois Attorney General's office.
The Illinois Department of Corrections inmate search helps you find people who moved from the Union County Jail to state prison.
The FAQ page covers common questions about county services including records requests.
The ISP Bureau of Identification maintains statewide criminal history data that includes Union County arrests. You can request your own record through the Access and Review process.
Union County Booking Record Laws
The Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630) requires Union County to report all felony and Class A and B misdemeanor arrests to the Illinois State Police. This data feeds into the statewide criminal history system maintained by the ISP Bureau of Identification. Every serious arrest in Union County ends up in this central database.
The Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635) governs how the public gets conviction data at the state level. Local booking records from Union County are handled under FOIA instead. Booking records show who was arrested. They are available even before a case is resolved.
Under 5 ILCS 140/2.15, agencies in Union County cannot post mugshots on social media for petty offenses and Class B or C misdemeanors. Written booking records with names, charges, and status remain public. This restriction only applies to social media posting of photos.
VINE Link covers Union County for custody change alerts. Register at vinelink.com or call 1-866-277-7477. The service is free, runs all day, and supports over 200 languages.
Cities in Union County
Union County includes Jonesboro, Anna, Cobden, and Dongola. None of these cities meet the population threshold for separate pages on this site. All arrests in these towns go through the Union County Sheriff's Office for booking.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Union County in southern Illinois. If you are not sure where a booking took place, check the nearby counties as well.