Adams County Booking Releases

Adams County booking releases are public records managed by the Adams County Sheriff's Office in Decatur, Indiana. When someone is booked into the Adams County Jail, that information becomes part of the public record. You can search these jail records online or contact the sheriff's office directly. This page covers how to find Adams County booking records, what those records contain, and which state and local tools you can use to look up current and recent inmates.

Adams County Jail Booking Records

Every time someone is booked into the Adams County Jail, a booking record is created. This record includes the person's name, the date and time of booking, the charges listed at intake, and basic identifying details. These are public records under Indiana law. The Adams County Sheriff's Office maintains these booking releases and makes them available to the public through several channels.

The Indiana County Jail Portal at public.indianajail.gov is the main online tool for checking Adams County booking releases. Adams County participates in this statewide system, which means you can search current jail records from the portal without calling the sheriff's office. The portal is updated regularly, though it may not show releases in real time. For the most current information, calling the jail directly is always a good option.

The portal at the Indiana County Jail site showed the Adams County Jail as a participating facility. The screenshot below is from that search system.

The Indiana County Jail Portal lets you search Adams County booking releases by name.

This portal connects to the Adams County Jail system and shows active booking records when available.

Note: Booking records show intake information only and do not reflect the outcome of any charges or court proceedings in Adams County.

Adams County Sheriff's Office

Sheriff Daniel Mawhorr leads the Adams County Sheriff's Office, which handles law enforcement across Adams County, including operating the county jail. The sheriff's office is the primary source for booking releases and inmate information in Adams County. Staff at the jail can confirm whether a person is in custody and provide basic booking details.

Adams County is NIBRS compliant, meaning the sheriff's office reports crime data to the National Incident-Based Reporting System. This is a sign that the department maintains organized and accurate records. When you call the sheriff's office about booking releases, have the full name of the individual you are looking for ready. Partial names can slow down a search.

How to Search Adams County Booking Releases

There are several ways to find booking releases in Adams County. Online tools are the fastest option for most people. The Indiana County Jail Portal gives you access to current Adams County jail records without making a phone call. You can also search by name or browse recent bookings.

For state offenders who may have moved through the Adams County area, the Indiana Department of Correction Offender Locator at offenderlocator.idoc.in.gov lets you search people currently in state custody. This is a different database from the county jail system. Someone booked into Adams County Jail may later transfer to state custody, and that is when the IDOC system would show their record.

Indiana SAVIN at indianasavin.in.gov provides victim notification services. If you need to know when a specific person in Adams County is released, you can register for alerts through SAVIN. This service is free and works for both county jail inmates and state prisoners. It is a useful tool for anyone who needs ongoing updates about a specific person held in Adams County.

Court records related to Adams County criminal cases can be searched at public.courts.in.gov. This system shows case filings, charges, and court dates. It connects to booking records indirectly since charges from an Adams County arrest appear in the court system as cases are filed.

Note: Court records and booking records are separate systems. A person may appear in one and not the other depending on the stage of their case.

What Adams County Booking Records Include

Adams County booking releases contain specific details captured at the time of arrest. The record typically shows the full name of the person booked, their date of birth, the booking date and time, and the charges listed at intake. Physical description details such as height and weight may also appear. This information is part of the public record under Indiana's Access to Public Records Act.

Indiana's public records law, found at IC 5-14-3, gives the public the right to inspect and copy public records held by government agencies. Booking records from the Adams County Jail fall under this law. The sheriff's office cannot charge more than the actual cost of making copies, and they must respond to public records requests in a reasonable time. The specific provision covering what records must be made available is IC 5-14-3-3, which lists the categories of records open to the public.

Some information within a booking record may be redacted. Details that could identify victims or compromise ongoing investigations are sometimes withheld. Juvenile records are handled separately and are not part of the public booking releases system in Adams County.

Indiana Booking Resources for Adams County

Beyond the county jail portal, Indiana offers several statewide resources that apply to people booked in Adams County. These tools are maintained by state agencies and are free to use.

The IDOC Offender Locator covers people in state prison or on state-supervised release. Someone originally arrested in Adams County who received a prison sentence would appear in this system. The SAVIN system covers both county jails and state facilities and lets you sign up for automated release notifications.

The Indiana Access to Public Records Act guide, published by the Indiana Office of the Public Access Counselor, explains your rights when requesting booking releases from Adams County or any other county. That guide is available at in.gov. If the Adams County Sheriff's Office denies a records request, you can file a complaint with the Public Access Counselor.

Indiana court case records for Adams County are searchable through the MyCase public portal. Criminal cases filed in Adams County Circuit Court appear here. This gives you another way to trace what happened after an Adams County booking.

Cities in Adams County

Adams County includes Decatur as its county seat along with several smaller communities. All booking records for people arrested anywhere in Adams County are processed through the Adams County Jail in Decatur. None of the cities in Adams County currently meet the threshold for a dedicated city page on this site.

Communities in Adams County include Decatur, Berne, Monroe, Geneva, and Petroleum. All arrests and bookings in these areas are handled by the Adams County Sheriff's Office or by local police who transfer custody to the county jail.

Nearby Counties

Adams County borders several counties in northeastern Indiana. Each has its own jail and booking records system. Use the links below to find booking releases for neighboring counties.