Missouri inmate search

In Missouri, local governments operate the jails. A county or city corrections department, not a sheriff, oversees many facilities.

• The Jackson County Department of Corrections runs the Jackson County Detention Center under county government. Anyone held on Kansas City municipal matters goes to a separate Regional Correctional Center.
• The City Justice Center has no sheriff in charge. City of St. Louis Division of Corrections runs it, working under the Department of Public Safety.
• The St. Louis County Justice Center is run by the St. Louis County Department of Justice Services. Municipal defendants from across the county are booked by staff there.

A municipal case means a city court matter, not a state charge.

Every jail has its own online lookup, and the rules differ. The City Justice Center locator requires an exact first and last name for the person. Exact matches are the only results. The results refresh periodically and list the person's name, race, sex, birth year, and facility. This shows whether they're in that jail or still being held by police.

The Jackson County Detention Center roster is updated regularly. At intake, staff check identity, run searches, and take photographs. Because the detention center doesn't do its own booking, the arresting police agency provides the arrest records. With a Booking ID or Offender ID, you can also use the statewide MOVANS offender lookup. When a recent arrest isn't showing online yet, phone the jail directly.

The people supervised by MODOC, the state corrections agency, appear in the Missouri Department of Corrections Offender Search. Local city and county jails aren't part of this state database.

After police arrest someone, officers bring them to a local jail to await court or to post bond. The state prison system won't list a new arrest. Someone enters MODOC custody only after a court has convicted them. They must receive a state prison sentence or be placed under state supervision. When your family member has been arrested recently, the county or city jail roster is the place to look.

Calling the jail every few hours to ask about a release isn't necessary. Another option is MOVANS, formally the Missouri Victim Automated Notification System. It keeps track of people in MODOC facilities and Missouri county jails, and it's free and automated.

After you register, the service notifies you whenever the custody or incarceration status of an inmate changes. The portal allows a search by Offender ID or Booking ID for that person. If you want help by phone, the Missouri VINELink page lists Appriss toll-free support at 1-866-277-7477.

Once booking is done, release can happen on bail, on recognizance, or on a bond. With recognizance, no money is paid upfront, and the person signs a promise to come back for court. After a court sets the bail amount, there are two choices. You can pay the jail, or a general bail bond agent can post a bond for you.

The fee you pay the bail bond agent is called a premium, and it's nonrefundable. If a bond is $1,000 or less, RSMo 324.2166 sets $50 as the minimum premium. The agent may not add fees for investigations or for services needed to execute the bond. RSMo 491.620 and RSMo 575.270 contain other bail rules. Each jail sets its own payment methods. Cash in person is the only option in St. Louis City, while Jackson County and St. Louis County let you pay online. Learn more about the bail process.