The Clinton County Inmate Population
The Clinton County inmate population is centered on the Clinton County Jail in St. Johns, which is operated by the Clinton County Sheriff's Office. The jail holds people arrested on local charges, people serving county sentences, and boarders from federal, state, or other county governments when the county accepts them. The official jail operations page says the jail replaced an older 42-prisoner facility after Clinton County had been boarding people elsewhere and dealing with crowding. That history matters because the modern jail population is measured against a building that was expanded several times for local needs.
Monthly jail counts rise and fall for plain reasons. Arrests add new bookings. Bond and release orders lower the count. Sentencing can keep a person in the jail for a local term or move that person into Michigan Department of Corrections custody after a prison sentence. Other-agency holds can keep someone in the jail even after a local bond issue is resolved. The Clinton County inmate population therefore is not just a list of new arrests. It is a moving count shaped by booking, court review, release, sentencing, transfers, and boarder agreements.
The county's Sheriff's Office Month End Reports archive is the strongest local source for recent population numbers. Those reports separate county inmates from people housed for other jurisdictions, which keeps the Clinton County inmate population from being mistaken for a state prison or federal-only count.
Clinton County Inmate Population Statistics
The best official capacity number is 236 individuals, published on the county Jail Operations page after the 1991 construction, 2004 addition, and 2012 bed increase. Recent monthly reports show early 2026 average daily populations well below that bed count. January 2026 averaged 91 total inmates, March averaged 84, and April averaged 85. Those figures include both Clinton County inmates and people housed for other jurisdictions. Annual bookings, average length of stay, and a county incarceration rate were not located in the official sources reviewed, so they are not treated as published county measures here.
| Measure | Figure | Source / Year |
|---|---|---|
| April average daily population | 85 total; 81 county; 4 boarder | April 2026 Sheriff's report |
| Rated / bed capacity | 236 individuals | Clinton County Jail Operations page |
| Original current-jail design capacity | 186 inmates | 1991 jail history on Jail Operations page |
| Old jail capacity | 42 prisoners | Jail Operations page |
| Annual bookings | Not located in official sources | Research gap from county materials |
Clinton County Inmate Population Trends
Clinton County's recent trend data is monthly rather than multi-year. The available 2026 reports show a stable jail count in the mid-80s to low-90s, with a small boarder component. The construction trend is much longer. The county moved from an old 42-bed jail to a 186-capacity building in 1991, then expanded the facility to 216 beds in 2004 and 236 beds in 2012. That leaves the early 2026 Clinton County inmate population at roughly one-third of listed capacity when the April average is compared with the 236-bed figure.
| Month / Event | Population or Capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | 91 total ADP | 86 county inmates; 5 housed for other jurisdictions |
| March 2026 | 84 total ADP | 81 county inmates; 3 housed for other jurisdictions |
| April 2026 | 85 total ADP | 81 county inmates; 4 housed for other jurisdictions |
| 1991 current jail | 186 capacity | Built after the old jail and boarding arrangement no longer met needs |
| 2012 bed addition | 236 capacity | Current strongest official capacity figure |
The month end archive is useful because it shows that average daily population can hide short daily swings. April 2026 daily totals ran from the high 70s to the low 90s. A person may be booked and released between monthly averages, so the current jail inquiry numbers remain important even when population reports are available.
The county's Sheriff's Office Month End Reports archive is the public source used to locate the 2026 jail billing reports behind these Clinton County inmate population figures.
The archive supports the population discussion because it points readers to the official monthly reports rather than a third-party jail-statistics summary.
Who Makes Up Clinton County Inmates
April 2026 is the clearest official composition snapshot in the research. The monthly jail count reported 2,111 male inmate-days and 453 female inmate-days, producing daily averages of 70 male inmates and 15 female inmates. It also reported 124 boarder inmate-days and 2,440 CCSO inmate-days, for averages of 4 boarders and 81 county inmates. The report does not publish race, ethnicity, age bands, charge level, pretrial share, or average length of stay.
- County custody - Most April 2026 inmate-days were listed under the CCSO column, not the boarder column.
- Boarders - The April 2026 average included 4 people housed for other jurisdictions.
- Male and female counts - April 2026 averaged 70 male inmates and 15 female inmates.
- MDOC and USMS issues - Monthly billing categories show that state detainers and federal marshal custody can affect a local jail stay.
Note: A boarder count describes physical housing at the Clinton County Jail, not necessarily a Clinton County criminal case.
Clinton County Jail Capacity
The current jail was built because the old Clinton County facility was too small. The county says the prior jail held 42 prisoners and that the county had been paying other counties to board people. The 1991 jail opened with a 186-inmate design capacity. A 2004 renovation added a larger kitchen and 30 beds, and a 2012 addition added 20 more beds. The result is the published 236-individual capacity used for current comparisons.
No official recent jail death, consent decree, release order, or new overcrowding litigation was located in the county sources reviewed. The Jail Operations page instead says the jail has had 100% compliance inspection from the Michigan Department of Corrections since 2000, except 2013. Early 2026 counts do not show crowding against the 236-bed figure. January's average of 91 equals about 38.6% of 236, while April's average of 85 equals about 36.0%. Those percentages are calculations from county-published figures, not separate county-reported occupancy rates.
Laws Governing Clinton County Inmates
Michigan law supplies the public-record and jail-standards frame behind Clinton County inmate population records. A custody count, booking sheet, jail log, or booking photograph may still be subject to exemptions, but the starting point is written public-record access. Jail standards are also state supervised, which is why MDOC inspection language appears in the county's operations material. Population reduction law matters because it explains how courts and sheriffs can respond if a county jail becomes crowded.
Key Statutes:
MCL 15.233 gives a person the right to inspect, copy, or receive copies of sufficiently described public records unless an exemption applies.
MCL 791.262 gives MDOC authority to supervise and inspect county jails and requires jail records in the prescribed form.
MCL 801.55 names tools such as bail review, recognizance, work release, and alternative housing to reduce county jail population during crowding.
MCL 333.2841 requires death registration for each death in Michigan, which is separate from custody-count reporting.
Clinton County State Prison Records
A person sentenced from Clinton County to state prison is no longer found through a normal county jail inquiry after transfer. The Michigan Department of Corrections OTIS offender search is the statewide locator for prisoners, parolees, and probationers currently under MDOC supervision and people discharged within the last three years. Research did not confirm any separate state prison inside Clinton County, so OTIS is a statewide channel, not a local facility page.
OTIS requires at least a last name or offender number. If an offender number is entered, OTIS searches by that number and ignores other criteria. Optional fields include first name, sex, race, age, and marks, scars, or tattoos. The county jail and OTIS can both matter in the same case, but at different stages. New arrests and short local sentences start with Clinton County Jail inquiry. State prison sentences move to MDOC records after commitment.
Search Clinton County Inmate Population
No official searchable Clinton County jail roster or mugshot gallery was located on the current county website. The county quick links mention inmate information, but the current public link captured in the research resolved back to the county home page rather than an active roster. The practical Clinton County inmate population search therefore starts with the jail phone lines, then moves to VINE, FOIA, court records, MDOC, BOP, or ICE depending on the person's status.
Have the person's full legal name ready. Date of birth and an approximate arrest or booking date help staff distinguish similar names. Ask whether the person is in custody, whether bond information is available through the jail or court, and whether the case is in 65A District Court or 29th Circuit Court. Staff may not release every detail by phone, so written records requests remain the fallback for booking sheets, jail logs, release data, and mugshots.
- Call Clinton County Jail Inmate Inquiry at 989-403-5090 or Jail & Inmate Information at 989-227-6580 for current physical custody.
- Search Michigan VINE when custody status or release notification is the main goal.
- Use the county FOIA request form or sheriff FOIA email for nonexempt booking records that are not online.
- Search MiCOURT for Clinton County 65A District Court when the question is filed charges or hearing dates.
- Use MDOC OTIS, BOP, or ICE only when the person is in that state, federal, or immigration system.
Current Clinton County Inmate Lookup
Because no official public roster form was found, the current inmate lookup fields are not web boxes. They are the details a caller or FOIA requester should provide. The jail directory lists 989-403-5090 as Inmate Inquiry, while the Sheriff's Office page lists 989-227-6580 as Jail & Inmate Information. Those numbers are the first channel for a current Clinton County Jail custody check.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public web roster | Not located | Not applicable | No official Clinton County public roster/search form was found. |
| Phone inquiry: full name | Verbal | Effectively required | Call 989-403-5090 or 989-227-6580. |
| Phone inquiry: date of birth | Verbal | Recommended | Helps separate people with similar names. |
| Phone inquiry: booking date | Verbal | Recommended | Useful for recent or historical custody events. |
| FOIA record description | Written text | Yes | Identify the booking sheet, mugshot, jail log, release date, or other jail record sought. |
Past Clinton County Inmate Records
Released or historical Clinton County inmate records are handled differently from current custody checks. The county did not publish a roster-retention period or public archive of past booking profiles. A person who has left the jail may still appear in court records, Michigan VINE notifications, a sheriff record, or an MDOC OTIS result if the case led to state supervision. For a copy of a booking record, request the record in writing under Clinton County FOIA procedures and describe the person, date, and record type as clearly as possible.
The county FOIA procedures allow written requests by letter, in person, email or other electronic transmission, and fax. The county generally has five business days for an initial response and may extend for up to ten business days. The FOIA form warns that a one-half deposit may be required if the estimated fee exceeds $50. Records may be redacted or withheld when an exemption applies, including juvenile, medical, investigative, sealed, or set-aside material.
Note: A missing online booking page is not proof that no Clinton County arrest or jail stay occurred.
What Clinton County Records Show
Clinton County's official public website does not expose a full inmate profile view with a booking number, mugshot, charge list, bond, housing unit, and release date. Those records may exist in sheriff files, but they are requested rather than viewed in a public roster. Formal charges should be checked through the court because a booking charge can change after prosecutor review.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Name | Not available through an official public roster; confirm by jail phone, VINE, court search, or FOIA. |
| Booking number | Not found publicly; request a booking sheet or ask the jail if it is needed. |
| Booking date/time | Not found publicly on the county site, but likely part of a booking record. |
| Charges | Booking charges may be available from jail records; filed charges belong in court records. |
| Bond | Verify with the court because bond can change at arraignment or later hearings. |
| Release status | Use jail inquiry or VINE for custody status and notification. |
Clinton County Jail vs Prison
County jail and state prison records answer different questions. The Clinton County Jail is the local facility for new arrests, pretrial custody, short local sentences, and some boarders. MDOC OTIS is for people under state correctional supervision. Federal and immigration custody are separate again. Mixing these systems is the most common search problem for families because the person may have moved after sentencing, transfer, or a federal hold.
| County Jail | State Prison (MDOC) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who Is Held | Pretrial detainees, local sentenced inmates, and some boarders | Prisoners, parolees, and probationers under MDOC supervision |
| Run By | Clinton County Sheriff's Office | Michigan Department of Corrections |
| Where to Look | Jail phone inquiry, VINE, FOIA, and court records | MDOC OTIS |
| Record Window | No public roster-retention period found | Generally current supervision plus three years after discharge |
State and Federal Search
State and federal inmate locators cover people outside ordinary Clinton County Jail lookup. Use MDOC OTIS for state prisoners, parolees, and probationers. Use the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator for sentenced federal prisoners and some former federal inmates. Use the ICE Online Detainee Locator System for immigration detainees. No separate Clinton County state prison, BOP prison, or ICE detention facility was confirmed in the research.
A federal defendant may not appear in BOP if the person is still in U.S. Marshals pretrial custody. Clinton County monthly reports include a U.S. Federal Marshals billing line, but that is not enough to describe the jail as a formal federal facility. If the arrest is federal, call the jail for physical custody and use the federal court, attorney, or marshal channel for case-specific custody questions.
- Detainer
- A request or hold from another agency that may keep a person in custody.
- Boarder
- A person housed in Clinton County Jail for another jurisdiction.
- MDOC
- Michigan Department of Corrections, the state prison and supervision agency.
- Remand
- A court order keeping a person in custody.
Clinton County Detention Facilities
Only one adult detention facility was confirmed in Clinton County, Michigan. The county jail is the local facility for the Clinton County inmate population, while state, federal, and immigration custody must be searched through statewide or federal locators when a person is no longer in the local jail.
- Clinton County Jail - county jail for local pretrial detainees, local sentenced inmates, MDOC detainers, and some other-jurisdiction boarders.
Clinton County Inmate Population FAQ
How big is the Clinton County inmate population?
April 2026 averaged 85 total inmates, with 81 county inmates and 4 boarders. January 2026 averaged 91 total inmates, and March 2026 averaged 84. Those numbers come from Sheriff's Office monthly jail billing reports.
Does Clinton County have an online jail roster?
No official searchable Clinton County public jail roster was located on the current county website. Current custody checks should start with the jail's Inmate Inquiry number or Jail & Inmate Information number.
Where are sentenced state prisoners searched?
Use MDOC OTIS for people sentenced to Michigan prison or under state supervision. OTIS is separate from the county jail and generally keeps public information until three years after discharge.
Are mugshots part of the Clinton County inmate population search?
Clinton County did not publish a public mugshot gallery in the researched official pages. Michigan FOIA can be used to request a booking photo kept by the sheriff, subject to exemptions and records review.
Who operates the Clinton County Jail?
The Clinton County Sheriff's Office operates the jail. The official directory lists Sheriff Dush and gives the sheriff administrative office and jail information phone numbers.