### Accessing the Active Jail Roster The Vigo County Sheriff's Office provides an online inmate lookup tool or active jail roster. This database is updated regularly and allows the public to search for individuals currently in custody. To search the roster effectively: * **Search by Name:** You can input the first and last name of the individual. If you are unsure of the spelling, entering a partial name may still yield results. * **Browse the Roster:** If you do not have a specific name, you can browse the entire list of current inmates alphabetically. ### Information Provided on the Roster When you locate an individual on the jail roster, clicking on their profile typically reveals specific booking details, including: * **Full Name and Booking Photo (Mugshot):** A photograph taken at the time of booking. * **Booking Date and Time:** When the individual was admitted to the facility. * **Charges:** The specific offenses or allegations leading to the arrest. * **Bond Amount:** The set bail amount required for release, if applicable. * **Inmate ID:** The unique identification number assigned to the inmate. Please note that the online jail roster only displays individuals currently housed in the Vigo County Jail. If an individual has been released on bond, transferred to a state facility, or released after charges were dropped, their name will no longer appear on this active list.
## Searching Vigo County Court Records If the person you are searching for is no longer in jail, you can still find record of their arrest and subsequent legal proceedings through the Indiana court system. ### Using the Indiana MyCase Portal The state of Indiana operates a centralized, free public access portal called **MyCase (mycase.in.gov)**. This database contains non-confidential court dockets for Vigo County Circuit and Superior Courts. To search for arrest-related court cases: 1. Navigate to the MyCase website. 2. Enter the individual’s first and last name. 3. Filter the search by selecting "Vigo County" from the court location drop-down menu. 4. Narrow the results by selecting "Criminal" or "Infraction" case types.
### What Court Records Reveal About Arrests A search on MyCase will not display a mugshot, but it provides a comprehensive legal history of the arrest. The case file will show: * The formal charges filed by the Vigo County Prosecutor. * The arresting agency (e.g., Terre Haute Police Department or Vigo County Sheriff's Office). * Probable cause affidavits and arrest warrants. * Scheduled court dates, plea agreements, and final sentencing details. ## Requesting Records from Local Law Enforcement For official arrest reports, incident reports, or historical records that are not available online, you may need to contact local law enforcement agencies directly. ### Submitting an APRA Request To obtain physical copies of arrest logs or specific police reports, you can submit a public records request under the Indiana Access to Public Records Act (APRA). You can direct these requests to the agency that made the arrest: * **Vigo County Sheriff's Office:** Handles arrests made in the county's unincorporated areas. * **Terre Haute Police Department:** Handles arrests made within the city limits of Terre Haute.
When submitting a request, provide as much detail as possible, including the individual's full name, date of birth, the approximate date of the arrest, and the location of the incident. ## Finding State-Level Arrest Records If an individual was convicted of a crime in Vigo County and sentenced to serve time in a state prison, their records will be transferred to the state level. ### Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) Search The Indiana Department of Correction maintains a free online offender search tool. If the individual you are looking for is serving a sentence in a state correctional facility, you can search for them using their name or IDOC number. The IDOC database provides the offender's current location, sentencing details, projected release date, and a mugshot.
## Important Considerations and Limitations When researching arrest records and mugshots online, it is important to keep the following legal and practical limitations in mind: * **Presumption of Innocence:** An arrest record or mugshot is not proof of guilt. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. * **Expungements:** Under Indiana law, individuals may petition to have certain arrest records and convictions expunged. Once a record is expunged, it is sealed and will no longer appear in public databases like MyCase or the jail roster. * **Third-Party Websites:** While private search engines and mugshot databases exist, they may contain outdated, incomplete, or inaccurate information. For the most reliable data, always rely on official county and state databases.
