The Winona County Jail Roster is a public resource that allows anyone to check who is currently in custody at the county jail in the state of Minnesota. Public information about current and recently released inmates can be found on the WinonaCourt.us website. Additional data can be obtained through the official website of the Winona County Sheriff's Office, by visiting the facility in person, or by calling the jail. A search in the roster allows you to find out the custody status of a person, the charges filed, and the booking date. The roster is maintained by the Winona County Sheriff's Office, is updated regularly, and is posted on the sheriff's website.
Search Current Inmates in Winona Jail
There are several ways to check if a specific person is in custody at the county jail.
Online Search
- Go to WinonaCourt.us to search among publicly available court records and inmate information.
- To check court cases related to criminal charges, use the Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) system — select Winona County from the list.
- If the person has been transferred to a state facility, check the Minnesota Department of Corrections inmate locator.
To start a search, you will need the person's full legal name. A booking number will speed up the process if you know it. The jail roster is usually presented as a list that can be browsed or filtered by last name — in some cases, a browser search function (Ctrl+F) works.
Juvenile offenders are not displayed in the public roster.
By Phone
Call the Winona County Jail and inquire about the status of a specific inmate. The operator can confirm if the person is in custody if you provide the full name and date of birth.
In-Person Visit
Visit the jail during business hours. You can make an inquiry about the inmate's status in the lobby or at the information window.
For information on court cases being heard in the Winona County Court, contact the court directly or use the online MCRO system.
Find Winona Jail Booking Records Online
A booking record is created at the moment a detained person is officially registered in the jail. This is not the same as an arrest record — booking records the fact of being taken into custody.
During booking, the following information is generated:
- Unique booking number
- Date and time of intake
- Charges filed
- Arresting agency (police, state patrol, sheriff, etc.)
- Personal details of the detainee — name, date of birth, physical description
Booking records in Winona County can be found in several ways. The quickest is to view the current jail roster on the sheriff's website. If more detailed information about a criminal case is needed, contact the Minnesota State Law Library, which explains how to access county court documents. For a complete criminal history check, contact the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) through their public criminal history search system.
If you need a copy of a specific booking record, not just the current status, submit a written request to the sheriff's office. Some records may be restricted according to Minnesota's public access rules.
Search the Winona Jail Roster by Last Name or Booking Number
The jail roster supports two main search methods.
Search by Last Name
Enter the person's last name in the appropriate field or use the browser search function on the roster page. A few tips:
- Check the spelling — even one incorrect letter can yield zero results.
- Try entering just the first few letters of the last name if the exact spelling is unknown.
- Add the first name to narrow down results when the last name is common.
Search by Booking Number
The booking number is a unique identifier assigned during registration. It provides an exact result without the need to guess the spelling of the name. This number is usually given to relatives during the first call from the jail.
If the Search Yields No Results
- The person may have already been released — the roster only shows those in custody at the time of viewing.
- The booking may not yet be complete — several hours may pass between the actual arrest and the record appearing in the system.
- The name may have been recorded differently than you expect (e.g., maiden name or a transliteration variant).
- Call the jail directly for clarification.
To check related court cases, use the court records access page on the Minnesota Judicial Branch website.
Jail Roster Updates and Search Limitations in Winona
The Winona County Jail roster is updated periodically throughout the day, but it is not a real-time system. Between the time of booking and the record appearing on the website, several hours to the end of the business day may pass — depending on staff workload and time of day.
It's important to understand a few limitations:
- The roster shows only those currently in custody. After release, transfer, or posting bail, the record disappears.
- This is not an archive. Historical data on everyone who has ever passed through the jail is not available here.
- Records sealed by the court under expungement will not appear in any public system.
- Technical delays occur — if you are sure the person was recently detained but the search shows nothing, wait a few hours and try again.
For individuals transferred to state-level facilities, use the Minnesota Department of Corrections inmate and fugitive search. If you need legal advice regarding a specific case, self-help centers of the court system can direct you to appropriate resources.