Rock County, Wisconsin Inmate Search
A Rock County inmate search is often the first step for record seekers trying to locate someone in custody. It provides access to basic records maintained by the relevant custodian. In this case, the entity responsible is the Rock County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO), which has a duty to verify and update local jail records as individuals enter and exit the county’s correctional system.
The public should expect to view essential arrest and incarceration details when scanning the profile of someone detained in Rock County Jail. The most common pieces of data are the arrested person’s name, age, address, and booking photograph, the arrest time and date, and the specific alleged or confirmed offenses.
Inmate records ultimately derive from initial arrests executed by the Sheriff’s deputies and municipal law enforcement. The activities of police departments in the cities of Janesville and Beloit, the county’s largest, account for a large share of resulting inmate bookings. While both PDs maintain temporary holding facilities and daily arrest logs, only the Beloit Police Department offers online access to its arrest information.
Notably, the RCSO does not host an official online jail roster on its own website, instead utilizing a third-party system for offender searches.
How to Find an Inmate in Rock County Jail
Those looking to locate an inmate in Rock County Jail may rely on the third-party system deployed by the Sheriff’s Office. While the database is externally maintained, the actual records emanate from the RCSO, providing an assurance of reliability. However, the data may not reflect a complete account of all individuals held in the county jail and should not be treated as the sole official source of custody information.
An alternative is to submit a public records request directly to the Sheriff’s Office. This compels the agency to provide the requested inmate information from their daily arrest logs or jail booking records. The public can submit inquiries online through the RCSO’s Public Records Portal.
Granted, a direct telephone inquiry may be preferable in certain instances, due to the benefit of speaking with a knowledgeable human in real time. Calling the RCSO’s main line at (608) 757-8000 or the jail’s central control line at (608) 757-7957 can provide direct information about an inmate’s housing unit, bond status, or court appearance dates.
When other options are unavailable, members of the public may visit the jail complex in person at 200 East US Highway 14, Janesville, WI 53545 for inquiries.
How to Use the Rock County Jail Roster
With the caveat that Rock County Jail’s "official" online inmate roster is hosted by a third-party service, here is an outline of how to locate inmate information through the Rock County Sheriff’s Office:
- Visit the RCSO’s website and navigate to the "Jail" section on the left-hand menu.
- Click the "+" sign next to "Jail," then select the tab that appears.
- On the next page, follow the link to the Offender Search system.
- Choose the "Search for Someone" option, then specify "An Offender" for the subject, "Wisconsin" for the location, and "Name" as the search method.
- Input the individual’s First and Last Name (both are required fields).
- Complete the CAPTCHA and hit the "Search" button to view matches.
What Information is Included in the Rock County Inmate Roster
Based on various state laws, correctional facility personnel are duty-bound to protect certain types of inmate information from public disclosure. These include
- Medical, dental, and physical health records (Wis. Stat. § 146.82; Wis. Stat. § 19.36(1))
- Mental health and treatment records (Wis. Stat. § 51.30(4)))
- Information that may endanger life or institutional security or identify an informant (Wis. Stat. § 19.35(1)am)(2)
Otherwise, Wisconsin’s Public Records Law (Wis. Stat. §§ 19.31-19.39) affirms the public’s right to access law enforcement arrest logs and jail records. Rock County’s public safety agencies may voluntarily release, or be compelled to disclose, certain information, including the following:
- The fact that an arrest has taken place
- The name, age, and address of the person arrested, although the address may be withheld on discretionary grounds
- Booking details, including the time and date of the arrest
- Booking photograph, more commonly known as a mugshot
- The police agency responsible for the arrest
- The claimed or proven offenses the individual committed
- The arrested person’s jail location and housing unit
- Bond information, including the type of bond and the amount for cash-based bonds
Contact Details for Rock County Jail or Sheriff’s Office
The public may select the appropriate contact from the following directory to speak with the Rock County Jail or Sheriff’s Office staff concerning booking, bonding, visitation, inmate commissary, or other related matters.
- Physical Address (Shared Facility): 200 East US Highway 14, Janesville, WI 53545
- Sheriff’s Office Main Line: (608) 757-8000
- Non-Emergency Police Response: (608) 757-2244
- Jail Central Control (24-Hour/Booking/ General Jail Inquiries): (608) 757-7957
- Records Supervisor: (608) 373-3879
- Records Email:shena.kohler@co.rock.wi.us
- Spanish Language Community Line: (608) 751-6349
- Bureau of Identification (Property & Evidence): (608) 757-7980
- Jail Administrator: (608) 757-7916
- Fax (Jail/Correctional Services): (608) 757-7997
- Fax (Civil Process): (608) 757-8012
- Fax (Sheriff’s Office General): (608) 373-3885
Jail Facility Overview in Rock County
Rock County has two noteworthy detention facilities, one for adult detention and one for juvenile custody. At the time of publishing, it does not host any state or federal correctional facility.
The central Rock County Jail can accommodate more than 500 individuals at full capacity. It is a mixed facility featuring minimum, maximum, and medium-security housing units, with inmates assigned to pods based on their current charges, criminal history, and risk assessment. The facility accommodates adult male and female inmates, including sentenced and unsentenced individuals.
The Rock County Youth Services Center provides secure housing for young people sentenced by the Juvenile Court or held in precautionary custody.
Facility | Physical Address | Phone | Office Hours | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Rock County Jail | 200 East US Highway 14, Janesville, WI 53545 | (608) 757-7957 | Standard: Monday to Friday Facility: 24/7 | N/A |
Rock County Youth Services Center | 210 East US Highway 14, Janesville, WI 53545 | (608) 757-5930 | Open 24 Hours | N/A |
How to Send Money to an Inmate in Rock County Jail
Individuals incarcerated in Rock County Jail can receive funds from external sources for commissary purchases, covering medical co-pay service fees, snacks, and other allowed expenses.
Anyone can use the 24/7 payment service kiosk at the county jail lobby for inmate deposits. The automated machine accepts cash deposits made with 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 dollar bills, as well as credit and debit cards. Each transaction attracts a service charge based on the deposit range.
- $4 fee for deposits between $5 and $300
- $5 fee for deposits between $301 and $500
- $6 fee for deposits above $501
To ensure a successful deposit, the sender must submit the inmate’s full name and jail ID number for processing. Out-of-county depositors can use the facility’s third-party vendor to make online deposits.
Inmate Search by Jail Facility
Although the Rock City Jail and the Youth Services Center are both county-managed, record seekers should not expect to locate information about their respective inmates in the same place. Due to their differing purposes and the legal frameworks under which they operate, the methods used to locate individuals in custody differ between the two facilities.
The Sheriff’s Office maintains a central roster of individuals housed in the main county jail. The public may access them through the third-party Offender Search system (as explained) or call jail personnel at (608) 757-7957 for custody information. Jail staff is legally required to honor inmate search inquiries made in person or through a formal records request.
While the Youth Services Center manages an internal roster of young people secured within the facility, it does not make these records available to the general public, either online or offline. This is pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 938.78(2)(a), which authorizes the relevant agencies to withhold detention records in their custody. Family and other eligible parties can call (608) 757-5930 or visit the center in person to request access.
Rock County Visitation Rules and Schedules
Rock County Jail no longer allows inmates to have contact visits. Instead, it relies on a video visitation system provided by its authorized vendor. Consequently, prospective visitors must register on the platform, as that is the only official way to schedule a session with anyone incarcerated in the facility.
Users may register on the vendor’s website or use the strategically placed kiosk in the jail lobby. Those registering must possess valid photo identification and provide a phone number or email address that the system may use for schedule notifications.
Inmates at Rock County Jail begin each week with 30 minutes of available visitation time. However, family members and associates may obtain additional sessions by paying $7.50 per extra visitation period. General visitation occurs throughout the week, in time blocks of 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
The facility provides the following lines for further inquiries:
- First Shift Jail Supervisor: (608) 757-7961
- Second Shift Jail Supervisor: (608) 757-7959
- Third Shift Jail Supervisor: (608) 757-8002
- Assistant Jail Administrator: (608) 757-7907
- Jail Administrator: (608) 757-7916
Mailing and Commissary Information
Inmates at the Rock County Jail and their loved ones may submit commissary orders on the approved jail partner’s platform. These orders are delivered every Tuesday and Friday and should be placed at least 24 hours beforehand.
Inmates may use money from their jail funds account, while external parties can pay via credit or debit card. On the partner’s website, the purchaser must first select the state, then input a last name or inmate number. There is an additional option to choose the jail or county, which helps to streamline results after clicking the Search button.
Regarding inmate mail, friends and family can send letters, cards, drawings, and pictures through the U.S. Postal Service and addressed to the contracted mail scanning vendor using a standardized format. Personal mail sent to the jail’s physical address will not be delivered.
Envelopes must not feature external or suggestive markings such as gang signs, sexual material, threatening language, or perfumes and scents, as these will be rejected outright. Inmates may subscribe to and receive up to two newspaper, book, or magazine publications delivered directly from the publisher.