Ingham County Recent Bookings
Ingham County recent bookings are tracked through the county's online jail system, which covers the Lansing metro area and surrounding communities. The county opened a new jail facility in early 2023 with 665 beds, making it one of the larger jails in mid-Michigan. You can search for current inmates on the Ingham County jail website by name or booking number. The sheriff's office also handles FOIA requests for older arrest records and booking logs. This page explains how to find recent bookings and get records from Ingham County.
Ingham County Overview
Ingham County Jail Facility
The Ingham County Jail is at 640 North Cedar Street in Mason. The phone number is (517) 676-2431. This facility opened in early 2023. It has 665 beds, a big upgrade from the old jail. The new building was designed to handle the county's growing needs and includes modern systems for inmate tracking and booking records.
Mason is the county seat, but the city of Lansing is the biggest community in the county and generates the most booking activity. Lansing is the state capital. About 290,000 people live in Ingham County overall. The jail handles bookings from the Lansing Police Department, the East Lansing Police, the Michigan State University Police, and the sheriff's department. Michigan State University is in East Lansing, which is also part of the county.
The Ingham County Jail website provides an inmate search and booking information portal.
This is the main portal for looking up current inmates and checking booking data in Ingham County.
| Facility | Ingham County Jail |
|---|---|
| Address | 640 North Cedar Street, Mason, MI 48854 |
| Phone | (517) 676-2431 |
| Capacity | 665 beds |
Search Ingham County Booking Records
Start at jail.ingham.org to search for current inmates. The site lets you look up people by name and view their booking details. This is the fastest way to find out if someone is in the Ingham County Jail right now. Results show charges, bond information, and booking dates.
The Ingham County Corrections page has more details about the jail and its operations.
This page links to visitation info, inmate services, and contact details for the corrections staff.
Video visitation runs from 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM. Attorneys can sign up for video visits too but need a government ID and bar card for verification. For statewide tools, VINELink covers Ingham County and lets you track inmates and set up release alerts. The ICHAT system costs $10 per search for criminal history records. The MDOC OTIS system covers state prison inmates.
You can deposit money into an inmate's account through Express Account by calling 866-422-6833. Money orders are also accepted, and online deposits are available through the jail's website.
Note: Ingham County's new jail facility opened in 2023 with updated booking and inmate tracking systems.
Ingham County Records and FOIA
To get copies of booking records from Ingham County, file a FOIA request. The county has a FOIA form available, but you do not have to use it. You can send your request by mail to Ingham County, P.O. Box 319, Mason, MI 48854. You can also submit by email, fax, or online. The phone number for the county is 517-676-7200.
Michigan FOIA law under MCL 15.231 et seq. requires a response within 5 business days. Fees are about $0.10 per page. Labor is billed in 15-minute increments for extensive searches. Indigent requesters get the first $20 waived. Under MCL 15.243, records tied to jail security or active investigations may be withheld. But names, charges, booking dates, and mugshots are public. The Patterson v. Allegan County Sheriff ruling confirmed that booking photos are public records in Michigan.
State Resources for Ingham County
The Statewide Records Management System connects law enforcement across Michigan for data sharing. The Michigan State Police run it from their Lansing office. Because Ingham County is home to the state capital, many state agencies are based here. The Criminal Justice Information Center is at (517) 284-6057 for statewide criminal history questions.
The Michigan Sex Offender Registry is free to search. Look up offenders by name, county, or zip code. It includes photos, addresses, tier levels, and offense details. Under MCL 28.241, criminal records are maintained by the state and accessible through approved channels. For Ingham County residents, both state and local tools are readily available given the county's central location.
Cities in Ingham County
Ingham County is home to Lansing, the state capital, which is the largest city. All bookings for arrests in the county process through the Ingham County Jail in Mason.
Other communities include East Lansing, Mason, Williamston, and Leslie. East Lansing is home to Michigan State University and generates significant booking activity through both the city police and MSU police.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Ingham County in the central part of the state. Lansing straddles the Ingham-Eaton county line, so some bookings from the Lansing area may end up in Eaton County.