Find St. Joseph County Bookings
St. Joseph County recent bookings are processed at the county jail in Centreville, Michigan. This southwestern Michigan county has about 61,000 residents and sits along the Indiana border. The Sheriff's Office maintains all booking records. The VINE notification system covers this county, so you can search for inmates and register for custody alerts online. You can also call the jail or file a FOIA request for detailed records.
St. Joseph County Overview
St. Joseph County Sheriff and Jail
The St. Joseph County jail sits at 650 E. Main Street in Centreville. Call 269-467-9045 to reach the Sheriff's Office. Staff can tell you if someone is in custody and share basic information about charges and bond amounts.
St. Joseph County is in the southwest corner of Michigan, bordering Indiana and Cass County. The county includes the cities of Three Rivers, Sturgis, and Centreville. All arrests made within the county go through the jail in Centreville for booking, regardless of which local agency made the arrest.
The county's border location means some arrests involve cross-state issues. People wanted on Indiana warrants may be picked up by St. Joseph County deputies, and vice versa. The booking record will show the originating warrant or charge, and the person may be held pending extradition. These records are still available through FOIA.
| Facility | St. Joseph County Jail |
|---|---|
| Address | 650 E. Main Street, Centreville, MI 49032 |
| Phone | 269-467-9045 |
Searching St. Joseph County Booking Records
The VINE system is the primary electronic tool for checking on inmates in St. Joseph County. Visit VINELink and search by name. You can register for free alerts by phone, email, or text. VINE will notify you when the person's custody status changes.
You can also call the jail at 269-467-9045. Have the full name of the person you are looking for. Staff will let you know if they are in custody and what their charges are. This works well for quick checks.
For criminal history searches beyond current bookings, the ICHAT system from Michigan State Police costs $10. It shows conviction records from all 83 counties. ICHAT does not include current bookings or pending charges. The free MDOC OTIS tool covers state prison inmates and parolees but not county jail inmates.
Note: St. Joseph County does not have a dedicated online inmate roster. VINE and phone calls are the fastest ways to check current custody status.
FOIA Requests in St. Joseph County
Under Michigan's Freedom of Information Act at MCL 15.231, you can request booking records from the St. Joseph County Sheriff's Office. Send a written request to 650 E. Main Street, Centreville, MI 49032. Include the person's name, approximate arrest date, and any other identifying details.
The office has five business days to respond. Booking records are public and include names, charges, arrest dates, mugshots, and bond information. The Patterson v. Allegan County Sheriff ruling requires that booking photos be released when asked for. MCL 15.243 exempts medical records, juvenile data, and information that could compromise jail security or active investigations.
Standard FOIA fees apply. Copy costs range from $0.07 to $0.25 per page. Staff time may be billed at an hourly rate. An Affidavit of Indigency waives the first $20 for people with low income. If the estimated cost exceeds $50, the office may request a deposit before starting the search.
St. Joseph County Records and Michigan Law
All law enforcement in St. Joseph County must report booking data to the Michigan State Police under MCL 28.241. This feeds into statewide databases like ICHAT. The same rules apply here as in every other Michigan county, regardless of size.
The Michigan Sex Offender Registry covers St. Joseph County. Search for free by name, county, or zip code. Michigan's Clean Slate law allows automatic expungement of certain older convictions. Misdemeanors may be cleared after seven years. Some felonies qualify after ten. This could affect what shows up in criminal history searches.
MCL 600.880 covers court records access. If you need records from the court rather than the jail, the St. Joseph County courthouse in Centreville handles those requests separately from the sheriff's office.
Booking Procedures in St. Joseph County
Arrests in St. Joseph County follow standard Michigan procedures. The person is brought to the jail on E. Main Street in Centreville. Staff take a mugshot, collect personal information, and log the charges. A booking number is assigned. Arraignment happens within 24 to 48 hours, where a judge decides on bond.
The jail handles bookings from the sheriff's office, Three Rivers police, Sturgis police, and other local agencies in the county. All arrests funnel through the same intake process. Booking records include the person's name, date of birth, charges, arrest date, and mugshot. These records stay on file at the sheriff's office permanently and are reported to the state under MCL 28.241.
Video visitation may be available for inmates. Contact the jail at 269-467-9045 for current policies on visiting and mail. Rules can change, so check before making plans.
Statewide Search Resources
The MDOC OTIS offender search is a free tool that covers all Michigan counties, including St. Joseph. The screenshot below shows the OTIS portal used for tracking state prison inmates and parolees.
OTIS is useful for people sentenced to state prison from St. Joseph County. For current county jail inmates, use VINELink or call the jail directly.
Nearby Counties
St. Joseph County is in southwestern Michigan near the Indiana border. Check these neighboring counties if you cannot find someone in the St. Joseph jail system.