Walworth County Inmate Population Overview
The official facility map for Walworth County identifies one public detention facility in the county: Walworth County Jail, operated by the Walworth County Sheriff's Office at the county complex in Elkhorn. The jail is a county detention facility, not a Wisconsin prison. It holds people arrested on criminal or traffic matters, people waiting for bond or sentencing, sentenced county inmates, Huber or work-release inmates, and people accepted for other agencies. The county describes the housing model as direct supervision for male and female inmates.
The county's official Corrections page is the source for the jail capacity and facility overview used in the Walworth County inmate population discussion.
The screenshot reinforces that the local population data belongs to the county jail system, while prison and federal custody use separate locators.
That local scope matters when reading the Walworth County inmate population. A recent arrest may be in booking, a sentenced person may be moved to the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, and a federal or immigration case may leave the county roster entirely. The sheriff's roster is the best starting point for current county jail custody, but it is not a statewide prison locator, a federal inmate database, or a complete warrant list.
Walworth County Inmate Population Statistics
Walworth County publishes a clear rated-capacity figure, but the inspected county jail pages did not publish a current average daily population, annual bookings, average length of stay, race table, or pretrial-sentenced split. The strongest sourced county-specific population point in the research is a 2013 local jail census figure. State reports are the right place for monthly jail head count and capacity tables, but the current county-specific average daily population was not extracted from those PDF tables during the research pass.
| Measure | Figure | Source / Year |
|---|---|---|
| Rated jail capacity | 512 beds | Walworth County Corrections page, public page inspected July 2026 |
| Original jail capacity | 398 beds | Walworth County Corrections page, current jail opened in November 1995 |
| Local jail population snapshot | 297 | Prisoners of the Census dataset, 12/31/2013 |
| Statewide annual jail bookings | At least 129,000 | Prison Policy Initiative Wisconsin profile, statewide context |
Walworth County Inmate Population Trends
The Walworth County inmate population cannot be described from one current public daily count, because the county pages opened for research did not publish that figure. The reliable trend story is partly a building-capacity story: the first jail was a small log building, overcrowding pressure was noted by the State Jail Inspector in the late 1980s, the current jail opened in 1995, and the 2003 addition brought capacity to 512 beds. A dated 2013 population snapshot of 297 people would be about 58 percent of the current rated capacity, but it should not be treated as today's utilization.
| Year / Date | Population or Capacity Figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1840 | 14 by 20 foot jail | First county-owned building and first known jail baseline |
| 1995 | 398 beds | Current jail opened in November 1995 |
| 2003 | 512 beds | County addition raised bed space to the current total |
| 12/31/2013 | 297 local jail population | Prisoners of the Census dataset for Walworth County Jail |
| 2026 public page | 512 beds | County Corrections page still states the rated capacity |
Walworth County Inmate Population Makeup
The public jail description gives custody categories rather than a full demographic table. Walworth County Jail holds male and female inmates, people arrested on criminal or traffic offenses, people held pending bond or sentencing, and people serving county jail terms. The official materials also refer to Huber and work-release processing as part of the jail operation. No separate Walworth County work-release annex was mapped as its own public facility page, so Huber should be treated as an internal jail function for this site.
Several useful breakdowns were not found in the inspected county pages. The public research did not locate a current race or ethnicity table, felony and misdemeanor split, pretrial and sentenced split, average stay, or annual booking count for Walworth County Jail. The roster profile layout can show sex, age, race, custody date, release date, status, facility, charges, and holds when a specific record is populated, but those record fields are not the same thing as a public population report.
- Pretrial custody
- A person is jailed while charges, bond, or court dates are still pending.
- County sentence
- A short jail term served under local custody instead of state prison custody.
- Huber or work release
- A Wisconsin jail privilege structure that may allow approved work activity under jail rules.
- Hold or detainer
- A separate agency or court reason that can keep a person in custody even if one bond issue is resolved.
Walworth County Jail Capacity History
Walworth County's jail history is unusually detailed. The Sheriff's Office history says the first county jail was built in 1840, made of logs, measured 14 by 20 feet, and was the first building owned by the county. Later jails followed in 1852, 1878, and 1915. The 1852 jail stood at the northeast corner of Court Street and Church Street in Elkhorn, with sheriff quarters in front and jail space in the rear. The 1878 jail cost $10,546 including the lot. The 1915 jail cost about $35,000 and stood until the mid-1980s.
The modern capacity story starts with crowding pressure. The official history notes that in 1987 county jail overcrowding pressure from the State Jail Inspector led Walworth County to form an ad hoc jail study committee. County approval in December 1991 for the Law Enforcement Center at the Lakeland Complex led to the present jail, which opened in November 1995 with 398 beds. A 2003 addition increased bed space to 512 beds. No official county page in the research set reported a new jail-construction plan, consent decree, or broad overcrowding lawsuit.
Walworth County Inmate Population Laws
Wisconsin law shapes both public access and jail operations. Current custody information starts with the county inmate locator, but older booking records, booking photos, reports, and audio or video material may require an open-records request to the Sheriff's Office. Formal court records after an arrest are searched through WCCA/CCAP or requested from the Clerk of Circuit Court. Public access is broad in Wisconsin, but jail, juvenile, medical, victim, investigative, sealed, and expunged materials may still be limited.
Key Statutes:
Wisconsin Statute 19.31 declares a presumption of complete public access to government records, consistent with government business.
Wisconsin Statute 19.35 gives requesters the right to inspect or copy records, subject to legal limits, fees, and exemptions.
Wisconsin Statute 302.365 requires DOC jail and house-of-correction program standards, including screening and policy-manual standards.
Wisconsin Statute 302.37 sets jail-care duties for clean conditions, food, clothing, water, heat, light, and basic needs.
Wisconsin Statute 303.08 provides the legal framework for Huber or work-release privileges and wages.
Walworth County Jail Programs
Population data does not show how the jail operates day to day. Walworth County publishes program and conditions details that help explain local custody. Educational programming includes a contract with Gateway Technical College for GED and HSED instruction, with classroom work and testing available at no cost to the inmate while incarcerated. The jail also has a library stocked by volunteers and staff, with donated books rotated through inmate areas.
Religious programming includes a non-denominational Jail Chaplain Program, faith-based studies, Sunday church services, Catholic volunteer services, and accommodations for different religious or faith practices. Healthcare services are described as available 24/7 through Southern Health Partners. Current prescriptions must be brought in and verified before they are administered, and the jail doctor may prescribe replacement or additional medication. These details belong with population context because they show why a jail count is also a housing, medical, program, and supervision workload.
Walworth County Custody Context
Official county news reviewed in the research did not show a broad jail-overcrowding reform, new jail-construction project, death-in-custody summary, or conditions consent decree. The research did note a county update from December 19, 2025 stating that Sheriff Dave Gerber planned to retire and would not seek reelection in 2026. As of July 3, 2026, the official county pages used in the research still identify Sheriff Dave Gerber as sheriff.
Immigration custody should be handled as a separate search channel. Official ICE pages explain the 287(g) Warrant Service Officer model and immigration detainers, and 2026 news reports discussed Walworth County participation and related advocacy or litigation. That context does not turn the county jail roster into an ICE locator. If an immigration transfer or detainer is involved, use ICE ODLS and direct facility contact rules along with any information the jail is legally permitted to release.
Search Walworth County Inmate Population
The official online route begins with the Walworth County Inmate Search page, which links to the Walworth County Sheriff Inmate Locator. The county says the search can help determine inmate status, pending court cases, release information, and bond information. The public locator states that its data is not live, is updated regularly, and is not guaranteed to be complete or accurate for legal action. A booking record also does not prove guilt or conviction.
- Open the county Inmate Search page and select the link to view the Walworth County Inmate Search, or go directly to the public locator.
- Enter the last name first. Add a first name when the surname is common or the result list is too broad.
- Leave Gender as Unknown unless a broad search returns too many results, then narrow to Male or Female if appropriate.
- Use DOB year only when known. The field is labeled DOB (yyyy), so a full birth date is not the right format.
- Select Search, review the Search Results grid, and open the person record for details, charges, bail or fine fields, court data, and holds.
- If the person does not appear after a recent arrest, wait and search again. The county warns that booking or arrival may not be complete.
- Call Walworth County Jail at 262-741-4400 when the custody question is urgent or the online roster does not match the timing.
Walworth County Roster Lookup Fields
The Walworth County roster is a free public search. No login was found in the research. The search form is narrow, which is useful for people who know only a name. It does not use a booking-number field on the initial search form. Instead, the locator asks for name, gender, and year of birth, then displays matching records in a results grid.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last Name | Text | Unspecified | Best first field to use; no wildcard rule was located. |
| First Name | Text | Unspecified | Useful for common surnames or broad result sets. |
| Gender | Dropdown | Unspecified | Options identified as Unknown, Male, and Female; Unknown is the default. |
| DOB (yyyy) | Text | Unspecified | Use a four-digit birth year only. |
| Search / Clear | Buttons | n/a | Search runs the query; Clear resets the form. |
Note: A blank search result after an arrest does not prove the person was released or never booked.
Walworth County Past Inmate Records
Released and older booking records may not stay visible in the same way current custody records do. The research did not locate a public county rule stating how long released people remain on the roster. For historical booking material, reports, booking photos, body camera, audio, or other sheriff-held records, use the Sheriff's Office Open Records page and the official request form.
The request form asks for contact information, delivery choice, and a detailed description of the records sought. Delivery choices are in person, email, and mail. Requests can be sent to sheriffrecords@co.walworth.wi.us, and the form says the office responds within 10 business days in the order received. Fees listed in the research are $3 for accident or crash reports, 50 cents per page for other records, and $15 per DVD for photos, body camera, or audio. Records that can be emailed have zero cost, but not all records can be emailed.
Walworth County Inmate Record Fields
The public profile layout includes more than a name and custody status. Research found fields for booking identifiers, physical description, bail or fine amount, custody and release dates, booking status, facility, cell location, eligible release date, court date, court branch, charges, and holds. The layout also includes an inmate image area and a "Click to View Image" link, but the county does not promise that every person or historical record will show a booking photo.
- Booking number is the local jail booking identifier, distinct from a DOC number.
- Custody date shows when the person entered jail custody if the field is populated.
- Charges can include charge text, description, severity, case number, bail amount or type, court date, and court branch.
- Bail or fine amount is a roster summary that should be confirmed with the jail or court before action.
- Facility and cell location identify jail placement when those fields are shown publicly.
- Booking status and holds show custody status, hold reason, and hold agency if a hold is displayed.
Walworth County Booking Process
Booking delay is one of the main reasons a roster search can fail. A newly arrested person may still be in transport, identification, property intake, fingerprinting, medical screening, or classification. The reporting-to-jail materials say a person reporting for confinement will be fingerprinted and processed whether it is their first time or not. People are told to bring as little property as possible because outside items are restricted in the secured facility.
Huber or work-release reporting adds more rules. People ordered to report to the Walworth County Huber Dorm or Work Release Center must arrive at the scheduled time with a .00% blood alcohol and controlled-substance level. The county materials say to allow a minimum of 2 to 3 hours for processing after arrival, and orientation occurs before work-release activity. Huber Control is listed as 262-741-4580 for confinement questions.
Walworth County Mugshots and Court Records
The jail roster profile has a booking-photo area, so the official system is built to show an inmate image when available. That does not mean every booking photo is online or that a photo proves guilt. The county locator warning says the information should not be relied on for legal action and that a booking does not establish guilt or conviction. For missing or older booking photos, the correct route is the Sheriff's Office records process, not an unofficial mugshot site.
Court records are separate from the jail roster. Once the prosecutor files a case, search Wisconsin Circuit Court Access, often called WCCA or CCAP. The Clerk of Circuit Court at the nearby Judicial Center maintains court records, fines, fees, and court case files. Booking charges can change after prosecutor review, so compare the roster with court filings when the legal status matters.
Walworth County Jail vs DOC
Walworth County Jail and the Wisconsin Department of Corrections cover different custody stages. A person in local pretrial custody, held on bond, serving a county jail sentence, or reporting for Huber processing belongs in the county jail search path. A person sentenced to state prison after a Walworth County case leaves the county jail system and is searched through the Wisconsin DOC locator.
| Question | Walworth County Jail | Wisconsin DOC |
|---|---|---|
| Who Is Held | Pretrial detainees, bond holds, county sentences, Huber/work release, and accepted holds | People sentenced to DOC custody or reincarcerated after supervision revocation |
| Run By | Walworth County Sheriff's Office | Wisconsin Department of Corrections |
| Where to Look | Walworth County Sheriff Inmate Locator | DOC public offender locator |
| Local Facility | Walworth County Jail in Elkhorn | No DOC adult prison was found in Walworth County |
Walworth County Outside Search Channels
Every access channel should be checked against the kind of custody involved. Use the county roster and jail phone line for current local custody. Use the records request path for older sheriff-held records. Use WCCA/CCAP for court cases. Use the Wisconsin DOC locator for sentenced state prison custody. Use the BOP inmate locator for sentenced federal prisoners, keeping in mind that federal pretrial custody may not appear in BOP before sentencing. Use ICE ODLS for immigration detention. Use VINELink and Wisconsin DOC NOTIS for custody notification where the relevant agency feed supports it.
No official Walworth County Sheriff's Office mobile app, app-store listing, or app-only inmate roster was found in the official source set. The documented official channels are the web inmate locator, phone, in-person inquiry, Sheriff's Office records request, WCCA/CCAP, Wisconsin DOC, BOP, ICE, and VINELink.
Walworth County Detention Facilities
The facility list is short because the research map found no state prison, BOP institution, or separate ICE detention center physically located in Walworth County. That does not remove state, federal, or immigration searches from the lookup chain. It means those channels are external systems after transfer, sentencing, or federal custody.
- Walworth County Jail - county jail operated by the Walworth County Sheriff's Office for pretrial detainees, bond holds, sentenced county inmates, Huber/work-release inmates, and accepted agency holds.
Walworth County Inmate Population FAQ
How large is the Walworth County inmate population?
The current daily population was not posted in the inspected official county pages. The county does publish a 512-bed rated capacity for Walworth County Jail, and a 2013 correctional population dataset listed 297 people at the jail on December 31, 2013. Treat the 2013 figure as a dated snapshot, not the current count.
How do I search the Walworth County inmate population?
Start with the official Walworth County Sheriff Inmate Locator. Search by last name, add first name if needed, narrow by gender when useful, and use DOB year only if known. If a new arrest does not appear, wait for booking and data refresh, then call 262-741-4400 if the issue is time-sensitive.
Can I find a released Walworth County inmate?
The research did not locate a public county rule for how long released inmates remain visible online. For older booking records, use the Sheriff's Office open-records request form. Court cases tied to an arrest should be searched through WCCA/CCAP or requested from the Clerk of Circuit Court.
Does Walworth County have more than one jail?
The facility map identifies Walworth County Jail as the only detention facility in the county that needs a facility page for this project. Huber and work-release are documented as jail functions, not as a separately mapped public detention facility.
Where are state prisoners from Walworth County listed?
People sentenced to Wisconsin DOC custody are searched through the DOC offender locator, not the county jail roster. DOC records use state identifiers and facility information that differ from local jail booking numbers.
What if the person is in federal or ICE custody?
Use BOP for sentenced federal inmates and ICE ODLS for immigration detention. A person arrested in Walworth County may later move into those systems, and the county roster may no longer be the current place to search.