Find Recent Arrests in Union County

Union County recent arrests are handled by the Sheriff's Office and the Circuit Clerk in Jonesboro. This small county in southern Illinois has about 17,000 residents and sits close to the Shawnee National Forest. If you need to look up who was booked or find an arrest record, Union County keeps these files at the courthouse and sheriff's office. Arrest data in Union County is public under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, and you can request it in person, by mail, or through a FOIA submission. This page covers the key sources and steps for searching recent arrest records in Union County.

Union County Sheriff Arrest Records

The Union County Sheriff's Office is the main law enforcement agency for the county. They handle arrests, run the county jail, and keep booking records for all people brought into custody. The office is at 211 W. Main St. in Jonesboro. Call them at (618) 833-5500 for questions about recent arrests or to check on an inmate. The fax number is (618) 833-5501.

Union County does not have a public online jail roster or inmate search tool at this time. That means you need to call the jail or go in person to find out if someone was recently arrested and booked. Many smaller counties in Illinois lack online booking portals, and Union County is one of them. The sheriff can give you basic booking info over the phone in most cases, such as the name of the person, the charges, and the bond amount set by the court.

You can also visit the Union County government website for general contact info and department details. The sheriff's page lists phone numbers and the office address but does not post arrest logs or booking reports online. For a broader search that covers state-level custody data, try the Illinois VINE system at vinelink.vineapps.com, which tracks offenders in county and state facilities across Illinois, including Union County.

Union County Circuit Clerk Records

The Union County Circuit Clerk maintains all court case files for the county. Once an arrest leads to criminal charges, the case file is created and stored at the courthouse. The clerk's office is at the Union County Courthouse, 309 W. Market St. in Jonesboro. You can reach them at (618) 833-5913.

Court records from Union County show the charges filed, hearing dates, plea entries, and case outcomes. These are public records. You can go to the courthouse during business hours and ask the clerk to look up a case by name or case number. There is no online portal run by Union County for searching cases directly, but some records may be available through the Judici case search system that many Illinois counties use. Check the site and select Union County to see if records are listed there.

Note: Court records and arrest records are different things in Union County, so you may need to check both the sheriff and the clerk to get the full picture.

Requesting Arrest Records in Union County

Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140), you have the right to request arrest records from any law enforcement agency in Union County. The law says that basic arrest data must be released within 72 hours of an arrest. This includes the name, age, address, charges, and the time and place of the arrest.

To file a FOIA request in Union County, write a letter or send an email to the Sheriff's Office stating what records you need. Be as specific as you can. Include the full name of the person, approximate date of the arrest, and any other details you have. The agency has five business days to respond. They can take five more days if needed. The first 50 pages of black and white copies are free. After that, it is up to 15 cents per page. Union County agencies follow the same FOIA rules as every other county in the state.

Keep in mind that certain records may be withheld. If the arrest ties to an ongoing case, some details could be held back to protect the investigation. Juvenile arrest records are never public under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 (705 ILCS 405). But for adult arrests, the basic booking info is almost always available in Union County.

Union County Statewide Arrest Databases

Several state-run tools can help you find arrest and custody data that covers Union County. The Illinois State Police operates the CHIRP portal for name-based criminal history checks. A search costs $10 for electronic results. Under the Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635), only conviction data is shared with the public through this system. You do not need consent to run a name-based check.

The Illinois Department of Corrections runs an inmate search tool that shows people serving state prison sentences. You can look up anyone from Union County who was sentenced to IDOC custody. The IDOC inmate search page below is a good starting point for checking if someone from Union County was sent to state prison after their arrest and sentencing.

Search by last name or IDOC number at idoc.illinois.gov. Pre-trial detainees in the Union County Jail will not appear here since IDOC only tracks sentenced prisoners. For real-time custody alerts, register with Illinois VINE to get notified when an offender's status changes.

How Arrests Work in Union County

When someone is arrested in Union County, the process follows a set path. The person is booked at the county jail at 211 W. Main St. in Jonesboro. Staff take fingerprints, photos, and personal info. A bond hearing happens within 48 hours in most cases. The judge decides bail based on the charges and other factors.

After the bond hearing, the case moves to the Union County Circuit Court. The State's Attorney files charges if they decide to prosecute. All of this creates records. The booking record stays at the jail. The court file goes to the circuit clerk. Both are public for adult cases. If the person posts bond and leaves jail, the booking record still exists and can be requested through a FOIA submission or in person at the sheriff's office in Union County.

Union County is part of the 1st Judicial Circuit in Illinois, which also covers several other southern Illinois counties. Cases are heard at the Union County Courthouse in Jonesboro. The Illinois Courts website has more on how the circuit court system works statewide.

Union County Arrest Record Sealing

Not all arrest records stay public forever. Illinois law allows certain records to be sealed or expunged. Under the Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630), people who were arrested but not convicted may be able to get their arrest records removed. This applies to Union County arrests that ended in dismissal, acquittal, or no charges filed.

The process starts with a petition filed at the Union County Circuit Court. There are waiting periods depending on the type of case. Felony arrests that did not lead to conviction can be sealed after a set time. Misdemeanor arrests may have shorter wait times. The state's attorney in Union County gets a chance to object. If the court grants the petition, the arrest record is sealed from public view. This means it will no longer show up in standard searches, though law enforcement can still see it.

Cities in Union County

Union County includes several small towns and communities. Jonesboro is the county seat. Anna is the largest city in the county. All arrests in Union County are processed through the Union County Sheriff's Office and go through the circuit court in Jonesboro. No cities in Union County meet the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Union County. If you are not sure which county handled an arrest, check the location where it took place. Each county has its own sheriff and court system.