Search Arrest, Mugshot & Inmate Records by Name
Search by name and state for arrest, booking, mugshot, inmate, jail roster, prison, criminal and court-record search categories.
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Find a Johnson County, Iowa Jail Inmate
This guide covers Johnson County, Iowa, including the county jail in Iowa City. If you are trying to find someone who was recently arrested, start with the Johnson County Sheriff’s official jail roster. It is the most direct public source for current and very recent county custody information.
The roster can show people who are under Johnson County Sheriff custody even when the “Housing Facility” column says Washington County, Linn County, Henry County or another location. That does not automatically mean you found the wrong record.
Best place to start: use the Johnson County Sheriff roster rather than a commercial inmate-search directory.
Open Official Jail Roster Johnson County Jail DivisionHow to Search the Johnson County Jail Roster
- Open the official Johnson County jail roster page.
- Read the county disclaimer, then select View Johnson County Jail Roster.
- Choose All if you want the broader custody list or Recent Bookings when the arrest happened recently.
- Enter the person’s name in the Name Search field and select Update Results.
- Review the date booked, age, housing facility and release field. Expand the charge information when necessary.
- Before acting on the result, confirm that the record belongs to the correct person. Similar names are common.
The public roster currently displays columns for Date Booked, Name, Age, Date Released, Housing Facility and additional details. Charge information can also appear with the roster entry.
What the Johnson County Roster Actually Covers
| Roster information | What it means |
|---|---|
| Date Booked | The date and time the person entered the listed Johnson County custody record. |
| Name and age | Use both to help distinguish people with similar names. |
| Date Released | If populated, the person may no longer be in active county custody. |
| Housing Facility | The physical facility where the person is being housed. Johnson County detainees may be housed outside Johnson County. |
| Charges | The charges associated with the custody record. A listed charge is not proof of guilt or conviction. |
Important roster limitation: the Sheriff states that the online list is not necessarily a complete list of everyone being held. It primarily covers people who are currently, or during the previous 48 hours were, in Johnson County Sheriff custody. Juveniles are not included, and information can change after release, transfer, court action or correction of a booking record.
If You Cannot Find the Person
A missing name does not always mean there was no arrest. Work through these possibilities before stopping your search:
- Booking is still being processed: a very recent arrest may not be visible immediately.
- The person was released: the public roster focuses on current custody and the recent 48-hour period.
- The name is entered differently: try the full legal last name, alternate spelling, hyphenated name or middle name.
- The person is a juvenile: juveniles are not included in the public jail roster.
- The person moved to Iowa state custody: use the Iowa Department of Corrections offender search instead of the county roster.
- The person entered federal custody: a county jail search will not replace the federal inmate locator.
For a time-sensitive custody question, call the Johnson County Jail at 319-356-6025. Jail staff can confirm whether a person is in custody, the charges being held on, bond required for release when applicable, and a scheduled release date when one is available.
Bond, Charges and Release Information
The jail roster is useful for the initial custody check, but you should separate three different questions:
| Your question | Best source |
|---|---|
| Is the person in jail now? | Johnson County Sheriff jail roster or Jail Division |
| What charge or bond is the jail holding them on? | Roster or jail staff at 319-356-6025 |
| What is the court date, case status or final disposition? | Iowa Courts Online or Johnson County Clerk of Court |
Johnson County’s own jail FAQ says jail staff cannot provide court information. For a filed criminal case, use Iowa Courts Online or contact the Johnson County Clerk of Court.
Johnson County Clerk of Court:
417 S Clinton St, Iowa City, IA 52240
Phone: 319-356-6060
Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Johnson County Jail Visitation
In-person visitation is scheduled according to the first letter of the inmate’s last name.
| Inmate last name | Visiting days | Available time windows |
|---|---|---|
| A–L | Monday, Wednesday, Friday | 1:00–3:00 p.m. or 6:00–9:00 p.m. |
| M–Z | Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday | 1:00–3:00 p.m. or 6:00–9:00 p.m. |
Visitors must show picture identification and sign the visitor log. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Visits are limited to 20 minutes total, and the inmate may participate in only one visitation session per day.
Check the official Jail Division page before traveling because jail operations or scheduling can change.
Mailing a Letter to an Inmate
Use this format for ordinary inmate correspondence:
Inmate’s Full Name
PO Box 2540
Iowa City, IA 52244
Your full name and return address should be included. According to the Sheriff’s jail FAQ, letters should not have stickers, lipstick, perfume or another foreign substance applied to the letter or envelope.
Packages are not accepted. Books or magazines cannot be mailed directly by friends or family; they must be sent directly from the publisher.
Inmate Canteen and Video Services
The Johnson County Jail Division links families to Inmate Canteen / TEAM3 resources for inmate canteen services and video communication. Because vendor login pages and account instructions can change, the safest path is to open the county’s Jail Division page and follow its current Inmate Canteen links.
The county-posted instructions direct users to the TEAM3 Inmate Canteen platform. New users need a valid email address to create an account. If you already have an inmate-canteen account, follow the migration or login instructions shown by the service rather than creating duplicate accounts.
Requesting an Official Johnson County Jail Records Check
The online roster is useful for a quick lookup, but Johnson County also provides a formal jail public-information records check through the Sheriff’s Records Division.
| Records check detail | Official rule |
|---|---|
| Information provided | Date of arrest, arresting agency and charges |
| Final case disposition | Not provided by the Sheriff’s jail records check |
| Required identifying information | Full name and date of birth |
| Search fee | $5 per request/name searched |
| Phone or fax requests | Not accepted for these records checks |
| Mailed request | Include a self-addressed stamped envelope |
| General record copies | $0.50 per page, except separately priced record types |
The Records Division is at 511 S Capitol St, Iowa City, IA 52240 and can be reached at 319-356-6020, extension 3. Office hours are Monday through Friday, excluding county holidays, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Official Records DivisionIf the Person Was Sent to State Prison
A Johnson County Jail roster search is not the same as an Iowa prison search. If the person has been transferred into Iowa Department of Corrections custody, use the state offender system instead.
- Open the Iowa DOC Offender Search.
- Search using the inmate’s name or offender number when known.
- Compare identifying details carefully.
- Check the listed institution or supervision status.
Use the Johnson County roster for local Sheriff custody and the Iowa DOC search for people under state corrections jurisdiction.
Victim Custody Notifications
The Johnson County Jail Division links to VINE for victim custody information and notifications. Johnson County’s victim-assistance information also directs crime victims to the Clerk of Court for certain local victim-notification matters.
Coming to the Jail for a Sentence
If someone is reporting to the jail to begin a sentence, the Sheriff’s FAQ says the person may bring four pairs each of all-white underwear, socks and T-shirts, plus bras without underwire where applicable. Prescription medication must be in prescribed or approved sample bottles and verified by a doctor. Piercings must be removed. Other personal property is generally not accepted.
Because intake rules can change, confirm current instructions with the jail at 319-356-6025 before reporting.
Johnson County Jail Contact Information
| Service | Contact |
|---|---|
| Johnson County Jail | 511 S Capitol St, Iowa City, IA 52240 |
| Jail information | 319-356-6025 |
| Sheriff main line | 319-356-6020 |
| Jail Division | 319-356-6020, ext. 5 |
| Records Division | 319-356-6020, ext. 3 |
| Jail fax | 319-339-6121 |
| Jail mailing address | PO Box 2540, Iowa City, IA 52244 |
| Johnson County Clerk of Court | 319-356-6060 |
The Sheriff states that all arrests made in Johnson County are brought into the Johnson County Jail booking process, including arrests made by other law-enforcement agencies in the county. The physical jail has a stated capacity of 92 inmates, while the online roster may also list Johnson County detainees housed in other facilities.
More Jail Search Guides
If your search moves outside Johnson County, these verified guides may help:
- Polk County, IA Jail Inmate Search & Roster
- Cook County Jail Inmate Search & Roster
- Lake County Jail Inmate Search & Roster
Johnson County Jail Inmate Search FAQs
1. How do I search for an inmate in Johnson County Jail?
Open the official Johnson County, Iowa jail roster, choose All or Recent Bookings, enter the person’s name and select Update Results. Confirm the match using the age, booking date and housing information shown.
2. Does the Johnson County jail roster show recently released inmates?
The Sheriff states that the roster includes people who are currently, or within the previous 48 hours were, in Johnson County Sheriff custody. A person released longer ago may no longer appear.
3. Why does a Johnson County inmate show another county as the housing facility?
Johnson County may house detainees in another facility. The official roster covers Johnson County Sheriff custody even when the Housing Facility field lists another county.
4. Can Johnson County Jail staff tell me the inmate’s bond?
Yes. The Sheriff’s FAQ says jail staff can provide custody status, charges, required bond when applicable and a scheduled release date when one is available.
5. Can the jail tell me an inmate’s court date?
No. Johnson County says jail staff do not provide court information. Use Iowa Courts Online, the inmate’s attorney or the Johnson County Clerk of Court for case and hearing information.
6. What are Johnson County Jail visitation hours?
Last names A–L visit Monday, Wednesday and Friday; last names M–Z visit Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Published visiting windows are 1:00–3:00 p.m. or 6:00–9:00 p.m., with visits limited to 20 minutes.
7. Where do I mail a letter to a Johnson County Jail inmate?
Address the letter to the inmate’s full name, PO Box 2540, Iowa City, IA 52244, and include the sender’s full name and return address.
8. Can I mail a package, book or magazine to an inmate?
The jail does not accept packages mailed to inmates. Books and magazines must come directly from the publisher rather than from a friend or family member.
9. How do I add money or use inmate canteen services?
Use the current Inmate Canteen links published on the Johnson County Jail Division page. The county directs users to the TEAM3/Inmate Canteen system, but vendor instructions can change.
10. How much does an official Johnson County jail records check cost?
The Sheriff’s Records Division lists a $5 fee per name or request searched. You must provide the person’s full name and date of birth. The jail check provides arrest date, arresting agency and charges but not the final court disposition.
Information note: Jail rosters, bond information, visitation schedules, vendor systems and release status can change. For a legal or time-sensitive decision, verify the current record with the Johnson County Sheriff, arresting agency or Iowa Judicial Branch.