Dane County, Wisconsin Inmate Search

The public tool that allows people to verify the custody status of individuals detained in the Dane County jail facility is called an inmate search. In Dane County, the Sheriff’s Office oversees the local jails, serving as the primary custodian for adult detainees, including those awaiting trial and individuals serving brief sentences for county ordinances or misdemeanors. Individuals sentenced for felonies are held at the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, while the Federal Bureau of Prisons manages federal correctional facilities for persons convicted of federal crimes.

Major cities, like Sun Prairie and Madison, have robust police departments that handle initial arrests and processing before transferring individuals to the county’s centralized booking center (jail). A standard inmate search for the county jail includes essential booking information, such as an individual’s full legal name, arrest date and time, charge(s), and assigned housing unit.

How to Find an Inmate in Dane County Jail

The Dane County Jail functions as a multi-site campus rather than a single facility. Inmate searches can be performed via the Sheriff’s Office portal using the "Current Resident Search" tool, which serves as the official digital registry for the adult jail population. This search tool facilitates access to individuals in pre-trial phases, awaiting arraignment, or serving short-term jail sentences, including those eligible for work release programs. Inmate searches can be used to determine the location of individuals in detention, either in the City-County Building (CCB) jail or the Public Safety Building (PSB) jail.

The PSB, which houses the Sheriff’s Office, functions as the financial, administrative, and central booking intake center for processing new arrests. In contrast, the CCB jail accommodates maximum-security inmates and those ineligible for work release.

Inmate searches can also be conducted by phone or in person with the relevant jail authorities.

Dane County Sheriff’s Office (Administrative Headquarters)

115 West Doty Street

Madison, WI 53703

Dane County Public Safety Building Jail (Medium Security)

115 West Doty Street

Madison, WI 53703

Dane County City-County Building Jail (Maximum Security)

210 Martin Luther King Jr

Blvd., Madison, WI 53703

How to Use the Dane County Jail Roster

The Dane County jail roster allows users to retrieve inmate information by entering specific criteria. Unfamiliar users can find inmate data by following the steps outlined below.

• Visit the Dane County Sheriff’s Office official website.
• Locate and click the "Resident Roster" search tool within the "Featured Content" section on the right-hand side of the page.
• The selected link opens a new page with a list of current resident names and their judicial status.
• To filter search results, researchers can enter the resident’s name in the "Search" box.
• For each inmate entry displayed, users can click the "Detail" tab to open up the record.
• Clicking "Detail" reveals an expanded view of an inmate’s custody status that includes booking date, the inmate’s housing unit, and filed charges.

If a record is unavailable online, individuals can call the jail’s 24-hour main information line for inquiries. Additionally, victims can sign up for alerts about an offender’s custody status.

What Information is Included in the Dane County Inmate Roster

The Dane County inmate roster displays the following information:

Resident Detail: This includes

• Full legal name and photograph of the inmate
• Custody Status (e.g., prearraignment)
• Building: The particular jail facility where the inmate is being held (e.g., Public Safety Building, City-County Building Jail)
• Area: The housing unit within the facility where the inmate is being housed (e.g., Male Dorm)
• Scheduled Release: The date the inmate was released from secure custody. If no date applies, the system returns "N/A."
• Booking Number: A temporary primary identifier assigned to an inmate, which is tied to a current stay at the jail facility.
• Booking Date: The date of formal booking.
• Name Number: A permanent number that identifies a particular person.

Arrest Information: This includes

• Arrest Number: A sub-identifier for the legal action (arrest) that brought an individual to the jail facility. For a single booking, there may be different arrest numbers signifying each incident or warrant that resulted in detention at the jail.
• Arrest Date: The specific date of the physical arrest.
• Arresting Agency: The police department that made the arrest.
• Agency Case Number: The investigative file number identifying the arrest in the arresting agency’s records. It links the arrest to the police incident report or investigation.

Offense Information: This includes

• Offense: A short description of each offense or charge that led to the inmate’s arrest.
• Counts: Each distinct allegation presented in a single criminal indictment or prosecution.
• Date/Time: The specific date and time when the offense occurred.
• Court Case Number: The unique identifier assigned by the court to each charge.

Each listed offense has a dropdown menu that users may click to find out its entry type/code (e.g., New Arrest, Municipal Offense), as well as whether the charge has been disposed of or the inmate released.

Under the Wisconsin Public Records Law, inmate records can be inspected and accessed by anyone, except when the law prohibits it. Specific details may be redacted or withheld from the public if they reveal a confidential informant or threaten an individual’s safety. Also, juvenile records are generally excluded from public access, as the records are restricted to safeguard minors’ rehabilitation and privacy.

Further, materials that reveal officers’ identities or disclose law enforcement investigative methods are protected from public scrutiny.

Contact Details for Dane County Jail or Sheriff’s Office

Effective navigation of the Dane County correctional system requires access to specific administrative departments that manage various aspects of the jail operations. The Sheriff’s Office offers designated communication channels for status updates, appointment scheduling, and mailing inquiries.

Department / Agency	Office Address	Main Phone Line	Unit Function
Dane County Sheriff’s Office	115 West Doty Street Madison, WI 53703	(608) 284-6800	General administrative inquiries
City-County Building Jail	210 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard Madison, WI 53703	(608) 266-4983	Custody status inquiries for pretrial adult inmates
Public Safety Building Jail	115 West Doty Street Madison, WI 53703	(608) 284-6100	Inquiries regarding recent arrests, processing status, and adult inmates.

Jail Facility Overview in Dane County

The Public Safety Building (PSB) in Dane County is a medium-security jail that employs a direct supervision model in which officers interact with inmates within the housing pods. It is an adult facility that houses both male and female residents who are awaiting trial, with an inmate population capacity of 700-800. This facility also functions as the central booking center for all administrative and financial activities.

The City-County Building (CCB) jail, by contrast, is a maximum-security facility where residents are housed in designated cell blocks. Residents who are not eligible for work-release privileges, as well as inmates awaiting trial, are housed at this facility.

Agency	Office Address	Phone Number	Office Hours	Email
Public Safety Building Jail (Medium Security)	115 West Doty Street, Madison, WI 53703	(608) 284-6100	Monday to Friday 7:30 a.m to 5:00 p.m	No dedicated public email address
City-County Building Jail (Maximum Security)	210 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Madison, WI 53703	(608) 284-6100	Monday to Friday 7:30 a.m to 5:00 p.m	No dedicated public email address

How to Send Money to an Inmate in Public Safety Building Jail

Financial support for inmates is managed through physical and digital platforms. These funds are essential for residents to access the commissary, which provides stationery, supplemental food, and hygiene items, and maintain communication via phone and tablet systems. Family members and friends can send money to an inmate via the following channels:

• Communication/Tablet Accounts: Funds intended specifically for phone calls or tablet usage (photo sharing, messages, education) are managed through authorized vendor services. These accounts allow residents to communicate electronically with support networks.
• Online: Inmate funds can be transferred online through the authorized third-party vendor.
• Lobby Kiosk: The jail also accepts cash, debit, or credit card deposits for inmates through a 24-hour automated payment kiosk at the PSB jail lobby.

To place commissary orders, which are delivered on Wednesdays, resident accounts must be funded beforehand, and orders must be submitted by Sunday night. Note that any funds deposited into a resident’s account will be used to pay outstanding debts owed to Dane County, such as booking fees and prior medical costs, before being applied to other expenses. For a complete guide on how to send money to an inmate, one can visit the Dane County Sheriff’s Office’sDeposits page.

Inmate Search by Jail Facility

The "Current Resident" tool is the primary method for locating individuals in Dane County custody. The county also maintains a separate record for detention programs based on the detainee’s legal status and facility type. Individuals who have been granted Huber privileges are housed with the main jail population and managed through the Jail Diversion Program; therefore, their status is visible on the main online roster.

Juvenile online rosters are not available to the public due to state confidentiality laws. Nonetheless, individuals can verify the status of a youth in detention through the juvenile court administrative offices.

Program/Facility	Public Inmate Search Option	Method of Access
Juvenile Detention Center	No	In-person visits to the Juvenile Reception Center. Phone calls can also be made to the Center at (608) 266-4983 or the Juvenile Court Administrator at (608) 283-2926
City-County Building Jail	Yes	The Sheriff’s Office Current Resident Search
Public Safety Building Jail	Yes	The Sheriff’s Office Current Resident Search
State Prisons	Yes	Wisconsin DOC "Offender Search" portal
Jail Diversion Programs	Yes	The Sheriff’s Office Current Resident Search; judicial status indicates Huber eligibility

Dane County Visitation Rules and Schedules

Visits at the Dane County jail are usually non-contact, with visitors and residents interacting through a video system. Dane County Public Jail Visitation protocols and schedules include the following

• Individuals under 18 must be accompanied by a legal guardian or parent, while visitors aged 16 and above must present a valid state-issued photo ID.
• All visitors are required to register and create an account via the authorized visitation portal.
• Residents are generally permitted two non-contact visits weekly (at 45 minutes per slot)
• Visits require a minimum of 48 hours’ notice; unscheduled visits are not allowed.

Visitation Type	Schedule	Hours
Remote Video (Paid)	Daily	7:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. 12:15 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. 5:45 p.m. to 9:45 p.m.
Non-Contact Visitation (PSB)	Monday to Friday	6:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m.
	Saturday & Sunday morning	8:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m.
	Saturday & Sunday afternoon	1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m.
	Saturday & Sunday evening	6:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m.
Non-Contact Visitation (CCB)	Monday to Friday	6:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m.
	Saturday & Sunday morning	9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m.
	Saturday & Sunday afternoon	1:00 p.m
	Saturday & Sunday evening	6:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m.

Remote video visitation is available for 25 cents per minute, allowing family members to connect with inmates from home on mobile or computer devices.

Behavior and Dress Code

Jail visitors must follow a dress code that mandates full coverage from the collarbone to mid-thigh, including appropriate footwear. Prohibited apparel includes transparent clothing, visible undergarments, and attire displaying violence, drugs, or profanity.

Details on approved and prohibited items can be viewed on the Sheriff’s Mail page.

Mailing and Commissary Information

To minimize the introduction of contraband and streamline mail handling, the Dane County jail utilizes a standardized mailing system. Correspondence must adhere to the jail’s guidelines to be delivered correctly.

• Personal mail must be sent via the United States Postal Service.
• Hand-delivery or the use of private couriers for physical mail delivery is not permitted.
• All mail is required to follow the correct mailing format, i.e.,

Resident Name and Name Number

Dane County Jail

115 West Doty Street

Madison, WI 53703

Guidelines for Mailed Items

All incoming mail is inspected. Items that do not comply with regulations will either be returned to the sender or held in the resident’s property locker until the resident is released. Mail containing adhesive items (e.g., stamps, labels, stickers) or materials such as glue, glitter, or confetti is prohibited.

Magazines and books should be sent directly from authorized vendors or publishers. Additionally, instant photographs, such as Polaroids, are not allowed, as their chemical layers may be used to conceal contraband.