By Patricia Jones The Hennepin County Jail roster is the official public list of people held at the county jail in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. The facility is also known as the Hennepin County Adult Detention Center.
The online roster includes current inmates as well as people released during the previous seven days. It is updated hourly and may show charges, bail amounts and scheduled court dates.
How to Search the Hennepin County Jail Roster
The official roster is available through the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office website. Users can open the jail-roster page and select the option to search for an inmate.
Using the person’s full legal name usually gives the most reliable result. Try alternative spellings or search using only the surname when the first search does not produce a match.
The roster may contain:
- The inmate’s full name
- Custody status
- Booking information
- Listed criminal charges
- Bail amount
- Scheduled court dates
- Release information for the previous seven days
Newly arrested people may not appear immediately. Jail staff must complete booking, identification, fingerprinting, medical screening and record entry before the public information becomes available.
The online roster can occasionally be temporarily unavailable. When that happens, users should try again later or call the jail at 612-348-5112 with the person’s full name and date of birth.
Hennepin County Jail Locations
The jail operates from two buildings located across the street from each other in downtown Minneapolis.
Hennepin County Public Safety Facility
401 South 4th Avenue, Suite 100
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415
Minneapolis City Hall
350 South 5th Street
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415
Both locations are near the Government Plaza light-rail station, which is served by the METRO Blue and Green lines.
The main jail telephone number is:
612-348-5112
The jail’s public email address is:
sheriff.jailinfo@hennepin.us
The Public Safety Facility is the main location for bail payments, visiting, property services and many other public jail transactions.
A Jail Record Does Not Prove Guilt
A person listed on the Hennepin County jail roster has not necessarily been convicted of a crime. County jails commonly hold people awaiting an initial court appearance, trial, sentencing, transfer or another court decision.
The charges displayed on the roster are allegations. Prosecutors may later amend, reduce or dismiss them. A defendant may also be acquitted or have the case resolved through another legal process.
The roster should therefore be used to confirm custody, not to declare that someone is guilty.
How to Check Hennepin County Court Records
The jail roster and court records serve different purposes. The roster provides current custody information, while a court record may contain formal charges, hearing dates, filed documents and the final outcome of a case.
Minnesota Court Records Online, commonly called MCRO, provides online access to many public state-court records. However, online records generally do not include information about pre-conviction criminal, traffic and petty-misdemeanour cases.
For information about a pending Hennepin County criminal case, people may call the Hennepin County Criminal Court at:
612-348-6000
More complete court records may also be reviewed using public-access computers at the Hennepin County Government Center.
How to Post Cash Bail
Cash bail may be posted at the Hennepin County Public Safety Facility 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The person making the payment should:
- Bring the case or warrant number
- Bring the exact bail amount in cash
- Pass through the facility’s weapons screening
- Go to the in-custody records window
The jail cannot provide change. It does not accept personal checks, debit cards or credit cards for cash bail, and there is no cash machine on site.
For current bail information, call 612-348-5112 and provide the inmate’s full name and date of birth.
A surety bond must be arranged through a bonding agency. Jail employees cannot recommend a particular company or change an amount ordered by a judge.
On-Site Video Visitation
Social visits are conducted through video monitors rather than ordinary face-to-face contact.
Free on-site video visits are held at:
Hennepin County Public Safety Facility
401 South 4th Avenue
Second floor, Room 235
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415
Visits are available seven days a week during these hours:
7:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Each visit lasts 20 minutes. An inmate may receive one visit per day and up to three visits per week.
Visitors must create a profile through Securus Friends & Family and request approval from jail staff. On-site visits must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance.
Visitors should arrive at least 10 minutes before the scheduled appointment. A late arrival does not extend or restart the session.
People under 18 may visit only when accompanied by an adult. No more than three minors may participate in a visit. Visitors may also be asked to show valid photo identification.
Remote Video Calls
Inmates can initiate paid video calls from kiosks inside their housing units. The family member or friend receiving the call must have an approved Securus account.
The listed price is 17 cents per minute, with calls lasting up to 20 minutes. Payments must be made in advance through the Securus AdvanceConnect system.
Each inmate is limited to one video call per day and three calls per week. Unused calls do not carry over into the following week.
Video calls and social visits are recorded and monitored. Inappropriate behaviour, threats, nudity or attempts to discuss prohibited activities may cause the call to be ended and visiting privileges to be suspended.
How to Send Money to an Inmate
Money may be deposited in person, online or by mail.
Public Safety Facility Deposits
The Public Safety Facility lobby has a cash-deposit machine available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The depositor needs the exact spelling of the inmate’s name and the inmate’s personal identification number, known as the PAK number.
Minneapolis City Hall Deposits
A deposit machine is available in the public visiting area of Minneapolis City Hall from:
Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Online Deposits
Online payments may be made through Access Corrections. Users must select the Hennepin County Adult Detention Center in downtown Minneapolis. Service fees apply.
Deposits by Mail
A money order payable to the inmate may be sent to:
Inmate’s Full Name
Hennepin County Public Safety Facility
401 South 4th Avenue, Suite 100
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415
Mailed funds may be held for verification before becoming available.
The jail charges an inmate a withdrawal fee equal to 10% of the transaction, up to a maximum of $10. The fee does not apply to initial deposits, final withdrawals or money used for bail.
How to Send Mail
Personal correspondence should include the inmate’s full name and be addressed to:
Inmate’s Full Name
Hennepin County Public Safety Facility
401 South 4th Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415
Packages are accepted only in limited situations. They generally must come directly from a publisher, mail-order bookseller, attorney or court official.
A private person may send a package only when it contains a particular item needed for court or release, such as approved clothing. Unauthorised packages may be rejected or returned.
Inmate Telephone Calls
Family members and friends cannot call directly into the jail to speak with an inmate. They can only receive calls initiated by the inmate.
Questions about collect-call charges, blocked telephone numbers or account problems should be directed to the jail’s telephone provider, Securus Correctional Billing Services.
Calls may be monitored and recorded unless they qualify as protected legal communications.
Picking Up Property or Money
The property room is located at the Public Safety Facility and is open seven days a week during these hours:
7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Anyone collecting property must be at least 18 and carry a current state or federal photo ID.
The inmate must complete and sign a release form before personal property can be given to someone outside the jail.
Families may bring only one suitable set of clothing for an inmate’s felony trial. Other clothing and personal items are generally not accepted.
Money released by an inmate may also be collected from the property room during the same hours.
Why Someone May Not Appear on the Roster
A person may be missing from the jail roster because:
- Booking has not been completed
- The person was released quickly
- The arrest resulted in a citation
- The name was entered differently
- The individual was transferred to another county
- State or federal authorities have custody
- The individual is in a juvenile facility
- The person is serving a sentence at another correctional facility
The Hennepin County Jail should not be confused with the Adult Corrections Facility in Plymouth. The downtown jail mainly holds people before trial, while the Adult Corrections Facility generally houses people serving local sentences of up to one year.
Avoid Jail Payment Scams
The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office warns that scammers target inmates’ families and people who have recently been released.
The Sheriff’s Office will not call and demand immediate payment. Anyone receiving such a call should hang up and independently contact the jail at 612-348-5112.
Never send money through gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers or an unfamiliar payment service because someone claims an inmate will otherwise remain in custody.
Using the Roster Responsibly
The official Hennepin County jail roster is the best place to confirm whether someone is currently detained or was released during the previous seven days.
Because the roster is updated hourly, custody, bail and court information can change during the day. Important details should be confirmed with the jail or the court before paying bail, scheduling transportation or making legal arrangements.
Most importantly, a booking record documents an arrest and custody status. It is not proof that the person committed the listed offence.