Clinton County Jail Roster Search

Clinton County jail roster data comes from the Clinton County Sheriff's Office in St. Johns. The sheriff runs the county jail and maintains a list of all inmates in custody. You can search the jail roster to find booking dates, charges, and bond amounts for people held at the Clinton County facility. The county sits just north of Lansing in central Michigan. All arrests from local law enforcement in Clinton County end up at this jail, and the roster is the public record of who is inside.

Clinton County Sheriff Jail Roster

The Clinton County Sheriff holds custody of the jail under MCL 800.7. The sheriff is responsible for everyone held in the facility. Under MCL 800.13, booking records must be kept for each inmate. This includes the person's name, date of commitment, charges, and the authority that ordered them held. These are public records maintained at the sheriff's office in St. Johns.

Check the Clinton County Sheriff's website for jail contact information and policies. The site provides details on the corrections division, visiting hours, and how to reach staff about inmate questions. You can call the sheriff's office to ask about someone in the jail during normal business hours.

The Clinton County Sheriff's site shown above gives access to corrections and jail information. Use it to find phone numbers and other contact details for the jail.

Find Clinton County Inmates

VINELink offers a fast way to search the Clinton County jail roster. Pick Michigan, then choose Clinton County. Enter the person's last name. The system shows if they are in custody and what facility holds them. VINELink is free and runs at all hours. You can sign up for alerts to get notified when an inmate's status changes. This is useful if you need to know when someone gets released or moved.

State-level tools cover different ground. OTIS from Michigan Department of Corrections tracks state prisoners, parolees, and probationers. It does not show county jail inmates. If someone went from the Clinton County jail to state prison, OTIS is where you find them. Records stay in the system for three years after discharge. The ICHAT database costs $10 per search and shows criminal history from all Michigan law enforcement agencies.

Clinton County Booking Records

Each arrest in Clinton County starts with a booking at the jail. Staff take a photo, record personal details, and enter the charges. They log the arresting agency and set bond based on the court schedule. All of this becomes part of the jail roster.

Booking photos are public records in Michigan. Patterson v. Allegan County Sheriff established that mugshots cannot be kept from the public under the FOIA privacy exemption. This ruling applies in Clinton County and everywhere else in the state. You can request copies of booking records by filing a FOIA request with the Clinton County Sheriff under MCL 15.233. The office has five business days to respond. Fees are capped at actual costs per MCL 15.234, and the first $20 of labor is free.

The ACLU v. Calhoun County case in 2022 made FOIA access to jail records even stronger. The Michigan Supreme Court said only state statutes can exempt records from public disclosure. Federal regulations cannot be used as a reason to deny a FOIA request. This applies to all counties including Clinton.

Clinton County Court and Criminal Records

Criminal cases from the Clinton County jail move through the 29th Circuit Court or the 65th-A District Court. Look up case records through MiCOURT. This state system shows hearing dates, charges, pleas, and case dispositions. Search by name or case number to find Clinton County cases.

The Michigan Sex Offender Registry is a separate public tool from Michigan State Police. Search for registered sex offenders in Clinton County by name or address. Offenders must register under MCL 28.721 through 28.736. The registry shows photos, addresses, convictions, and registration tier. It is updated regularly as offenders report changes.

Note: Court records in Michigan are presumed open to the public per Detroit Free Press v. Recorder's Court Judge.

Michigan's court system and jail system work together but are separate. The jail roster tells you who is in custody. Court records tell you what happens with the case after the arrest. Use the jail roster to find current inmates. Use MiCOURT to follow the case through the courts.

FOIA Rights for Clinton County Jail Data

Michigan's FOIA law at MCL 15.231 establishes that government records should be open. The Clinton County jail roster falls under this policy. Anyone can request roster data, booking logs, or other jail records. You write a request describing what you want and send it to the FOIA coordinator at the sheriff's office. You do not have to explain why you want the records.

Some exemptions exist. MCL 15.243 allows records to be withheld if they would interfere with an active investigation, reveal security details about the jail, or put someone at risk. But the core roster showing names, charges, and booking dates is available. Most basic lookups can be done through VINELink at no cost.

Clinton County sits in the Lansing metro area. It is one of the more populated counties in central Michigan. The jail in St. Johns processes arrests from the county's various communities including DeWitt, Bath Township, and surrounding areas. Whether the arrest involves a traffic offense, a drug charge, or a warrant, the booking creates the same set of public records. The Clinton County jail roster gives you a clear view of who is in custody and why.

Nearby Counties

These counties are next to Clinton County. Each keeps its own jail roster through the local sheriff's office.