Charlevoix County Inmate Population Overview
The Charlevoix County inmate population is centered on one local adult facility, the Charlevoix County Jail. The jail is run by the Charlevoix County Sheriff's Office and holds people arrested by the sheriff, city police departments, Michigan State Police, and other local agencies after booking. It also holds people serving short county jail sentences and people waiting for transfer or court action. City of Charlevoix Police specifically directs prisoner information questions to the county jail, which confirms that the city does not maintain a separate public jail roster for local arrestees.
That local count is different from the state prison count. A person arrested in Charlevoix County may begin in the county jail, appear in District Court, move through felony review, and later enter Michigan Department of Corrections custody after sentencing. Once that happens, the person is part of MDOC's prison or supervision population, not the current county jail population. Federal criminal custody and immigration detention use still different systems, so the right search path depends on the person's legal status.
Charlevoix County Inmate Population Statistics
Current daily jail population is not posted on the sheriff's public site. The best county-specific figures in the research come from Vera Institute's Incarceration Trends county file, which provides historical jail measures through 2019. Those figures should be read as sourced history, not as a live jail roster. The 2019 Vera row lists a rated jail capacity of 89 beds and a total jail population of 49 for Charlevoix County.
The same Vera row separates people by legal status, sex, race, and custody source. It reports 16 people in pretrial custody and 33 in sentenced custody for 2019, with no people held from BOP, ICE, U.S. Marshals, or Bureau of Indian Affairs fields in that row. For county scale, U.S. Census QuickFacts lists Charlevoix County at 26,054 residents in the 2020 Census and an estimated 26,036 residents on July 1, 2025.
| Measure | Figure | Source / Year |
|---|---|---|
| Rated jail capacity | 89 beds | Vera Incarceration Trends, 2019 |
| Total jail population | 49 | Vera Incarceration Trends, 2019 |
| Pretrial custody | 16 | Vera Incarceration Trends, 2019 |
| Sentenced custody | 33 | Vera Incarceration Trends, 2019 |
| Jail admissions | 297.75 | Vera Incarceration Trends, 2019 annualized field |
| County population | 26,036 | U.S. Census QuickFacts, 2025 estimate |
Charlevoix County Jail Population Trends
The Charlevoix County inmate population has moved within a narrow small-county range in the selected Vera rows. The 2011 row shows 59 people, 2013 drops to 17, and later rows return to the mid-40s and mid-50s. The research did not locate a local policy memo, jail construction report, or litigation file that explains the 2013 low point, so the numbers should not be tied to an invented cause.
| Year | Total Jail Population | Rated Capacity | Pretrial | Sentenced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 49 | 89 | 16 | 33 |
| 2018 | 55 | 85.83 | 19.13 | 35.87 |
| 2017 | 46 | 82.67 | 16 | 30 |
| 2016 | 50 | 79.5 | 17.39 | 32.61 |
| 2013 | 17 | 70 | 5.91 | 11.09 |
| 2011 | 59 | 74.75 | 20.52 | 38.48 |
The sheriff's office page gives the current operational frame: Sheriff Charles Vondra leads the office, Nathan Kaminski is listed as undersheriff, and Benjamin Owens is listed as Jail Lieutenant/Administrator. The page says sheriff administration is open on weekdays, while the jail itself runs around the clock. Those facts explain who operates the current facility, but they do not replace the need to call the jail for a live count or custody check.
Who Makes Up Charlevoix County Jail Custody
Vera's 2019 demographic fields show a small jail population with more sentenced than pretrial custody in that historical row. It lists 38 male and 8 female jail population counts, along with race fields that include 38 White, 4 Native, 3 Black, 1 AAPI, and 0 Latinx jail population counts. Those categories come from the source file and should not be treated as a current booking list.
- Pretrial detainees are people held before conviction or final case resolution.
- Sentenced jail inmates are serving a local jail sentence rather than a state prison term.
- Municipal arrestees from Charlevoix city route to the county jail after arrest, based on the city police page.
- State prisoners are not counted as current county jail inmates after transfer to MDOC custody.
- Federal or immigration detainees were not shown as Charlevoix County jail holds in Vera's 2019 federal-source fields.
Charlevoix County Jail Capacity
The 2019 Vera row does not show overcrowding when compared with rated capacity: 49 people against 89 rated beds. Michigan still has a formal jail-overcrowding framework. MCL 801.56 is part of the county jail overcrowding law and describes population-reduction steps when statutory capacity thresholds are met. No current Charlevoix County overcrowding order, consent decree, death-in-custody report, or new jail construction item was located in the official sources reviewed.
The local jail is also an active public-service building. The research found jail lobby services such as public fingerprinting and Preliminary Breath Tests, plus JailATM kiosks for inmate funds. Those public counter activities do not mean a visitor can obtain a jail roster at the lobby without limits. Custody status, bond status, records copies, and booking photos still follow the jail's phone, court, or FOIA process.
Charlevoix County Jail Records Laws
Michigan public-record law is the main access route for jail records that are not posted online. MCL 15.231 states the public policy behind Michigan FOIA, while MCL 15.235 describes response choices such as grant, deny, partly grant, or extend within the statutory process. Charlevoix County's sheriff FOIA page says fees may apply based on the time needed to compile records.
Key Michigan rules: MCL 51.281 lets the sheriff set prisoner conduct rules. MCL 791.262 gives MDOC rulemaking authority for jails and lockups. Michigan's jail and lockup rules set statewide operating standards.
Booking photos and fingerprints sit in a separate legal area. MCL 28.241a defines biometric data to include arrest or booking digital images, while MCL 28.243 addresses law-enforcement collection and forwarding of biometric data for qualifying arrests and convictions. Those laws support the records context, but FOIA exemptions can still apply to particular law-enforcement records.
Search Charlevoix County Inmates
No official sheriff-hosted Charlevoix County jail roster, booking report, current-inmate search, or mugshot gallery was located in the official county sources reviewed. That finding matters. A reader should not be sent to a third-party roster site as if it were the county jail. The official first step for current county jail custody is the jail phone line, followed by Michigan VINE for custody status and the sheriff's FOIA process for records that are not online.
The Corrections Division page supplies jail information, visiting rules, phone-service notes, and links to inmate services, but it does not expose a searchable roster profile. Michigan VINE can help with custody status and notifications. VINE is not a full booking-sheet database, and it is not a mugshot gallery.
- Call Charlevoix County Jail at 231-547-4461 for a current custody check.
- Search Michigan VINE if custody status or notification enrollment is the goal.
- Use the sheriff's FOIA form for a booking sheet, booking photo, incident report, or jail record request.
- Use MiCOURT Case Search or local dockets when the question is court charges after arrest.
- Use MDOC OTIS, BOP, or ICE only when the person is no longer in local county jail custody.
Charlevoix County Roster Search Fields
Because no official Charlevoix County jail roster form was located, there are no county-published name fields, booking number fields, status filters, or profile links to reproduce. The useful search-field table is therefore a negative finding: it tells the reader what the county does not offer online and where to go next.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| No official Charlevoix County jail roster located | N/A | N/A | The county site does not publish a roster search form, booking-number field, date filter, status filter, or public inmate profile. |
| Michigan VINE name search | Text | Usually yes | Use for custody status and notifications, not a full booking record. |
| MDOC OTIS name or MDOC number | Text | One search path required | Use after state prison, parole, probation, or MDOC supervision begins. |
| BOP number or name | Text | Depends on tab | Use for sentenced federal inmates from 1982 to present. |
For a visual example of the official jail information source, the county Corrections Division page shows visitation, phone, and jail information in one place.
The screenshot reinforces the key access point: the county publishes jail rules and contact information, while current inmate lookup relies on phone, VINE, and records requests.
What Charlevoix County Inmate Records Show
A public county roster profile could not be inspected because the county does not publish one. The expected record items to ask about by phone or request through FOIA are still practical: name, booking date, arresting agency, booking or arrest charges, bond or hold status, court of jurisdiction, release or transfer status, and a booking photo if retained and releasable. Court charges must be checked separately because the prosecutor can amend, reduce, dismiss, or decline charges after arrest.
| Field | Where It Is Found | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Custody status | Jail phone or VINE | Whether the person is currently held, released, or possibly transferred. |
| Booking charges | Jail record or FOIA | The arrest or intake basis, which may differ from filed court charges. |
| Bond status | Jail or court | Whether release may depend on money, conditions, or another hold. |
| Court dates | MiCOURT or local docket | Public case events after arraignment or filing. |
| Booking photo | FOIA request if releasable | An intake image, not a commercial mugshot posting. |
County Jail vs State Prison Lookup
Charlevoix County jail records cover local custody. MDOC OTIS covers people who are or were under Michigan prison, parole, probation, absconder, or recent discharge jurisdiction. MDOC states that OTIS information may not reflect the most current status and that no action should be taken without confirmation. The systems are related by a criminal case, but they are not the same database.
| Custody Type | Who It Covers | Where to Search |
|---|---|---|
| County jail | Recent arrests, pretrial custody, short jail sentences, local holds | Call Charlevoix County Jail, use VINE, or request records |
| Michigan state prison | Sentenced prisoners and MDOC supervision cases | MDOC OTIS |
| Federal prison | Sentenced federal inmates | BOP Inmate Locator |
| Immigration detention | ICE civil immigration custody | ICE Online Detainee Locator System |
The official MDOC prison list does not show a state prison in Charlevoix County. The BOP facilities review did not locate a federal prison in the county, and no ICE detention facility was identified inside Charlevoix County. That leaves the county jail as the local detention facility for adult jail custody.
Charlevoix County Arrest Court Records
Court records after a jail arrest start when the case moves from arrest and booking to prosecutor review and arraignment. The Charlevoix County Prosecuting Attorney's criminal-case page says police may submit a warrant or charging request after investigation. The Prosecuting Attorney reviews reports, witness statements, prior history, and sometimes additional investigation before authorizing charges.
The 90th District Court handles misdemeanor criminal cases and felony preliminary stages. The 33rd Circuit Court handles felony criminal matters after bindover. The county also posts local court dockets, with a notice that dockets are subject to change.
Charlevoix County Jail Visits and Funds
Jail records often lead to family tasks such as visiting, mail, phone calls, or money deposits. The Charlevoix County Jail allows male and female inmate visitation every day except Tuesday, with published blocks of 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Visitors must be on the approved list, bring picture ID, follow dress rules, and keep cameras and cell phones out of the visitation area.
The Inmate Trust Accounts page says JailATM deposits can be made online or through the lobby kiosk. Credit and debit transactions carry a 10% fee, cash kiosk transactions carry a $2 ATM fee, and the commissary account cap is $300 per week. Before posting bond in the lobby, the county says to check in with jail staff at the receptionist window.
Charlevoix County Detention Facilities
The facility map resolves to one adult detention facility in the county. Beaver Island and Boyne Falls are sheriff substations, not jail facilities. Local city police pages and sheriff links point inmate questions back to the county jail.
- Charlevoix County Jail - the county jail for local arrestees, pretrial detainees, short jail sentences, and people held before transfer.
Charlevoix County Custody Terms
Several terms appear across jail, court, and DOC records. Knowing the difference prevents a common mistake: treating a booking charge, court charge, and conviction as the same thing.
- Booking
- The jail intake event after arrest, including identity, property, photo, fingerprints, and screening steps.
- Arraignment
- The first court appearance where charges, rights, and bond are addressed.
- Complaint
- The charging document used at the initial District Court stage.
- Bindover
- The transfer of a felony case from District Court to Circuit Court after preliminary examination or waiver.
- Detainer
- A hold or request from another agency that may delay release even when local bond is posted.
Charlevoix County Inmate Population FAQ
Is there a Charlevoix County jail roster online?
No official sheriff-hosted current inmate roster was located on the Charlevoix County site. The official route for current custody is to call the jail, use Michigan VINE for custody status, or request records through the sheriff's FOIA process.
How large is the Charlevoix County inmate population?
The sheriff does not post a live daily count. Vera's 2019 county row lists 49 people in jail against 89 rated beds. That is historical data and should not be read as today's count.
Where are sentenced Charlevoix County prisoners searched?
After a state prison sentence and transfer, search MDOC OTIS rather than the county jail. OTIS covers Michigan prison, parole, probation, absconder, and recent discharge records under MDOC jurisdiction.
Are Charlevoix County jail mugshots posted online?
No official county mugshot gallery or booking-photo roster was found. Booking photos may be requested through the sheriff's FOIA process when releasable, but the county site does not publish a public gallery.