Iron County Inmate Population Overview
The Iron County inmate population is a small local jail population, not a statewide prison count. The verified detention facility is the Iron County Jail, operated by the Iron County Sheriff's Office. The jail holds local pretrial detainees, sentenced county jail inmates, people serving short local commitments, warrant holds, and Huber or work-release inmates who remain under jail control while approved for work. Sentenced felony prisoners from Iron County move to the Wisconsin Department of Corrections after court sentencing and may be housed anywhere in the state.
That local boundary matters for every Iron County inmate population lookup. The county website does not publish a live roster, daily booking report, mugshot gallery, or current bed dashboard. Population figures come from outside public datasets and local government records, while current custody questions go through the jail phone line, VINELink, sheriff records requests, and court records after charges are filed. A recent arrest may be in the jail but not in the DOC locator. A sentenced person may leave the jail count and appear in state records instead.
Iron County Inmate Population Statistics
The strongest numeric source for the Iron County inmate population is the Vera Institute Incarceration Trends dataset, which uses Bureau of Justice Statistics and other official data sources. The county's own jail page does not post a live count or an official capacity line, so the figures below should be read as annual dataset values. They are still useful because Iron County is small enough that a few bookings or releases can shift the rate sharply.
| Measure | Figure | Source / Year |
|---|---|---|
| Rated jail capacity | 36 beds | Vera county dataset, 2025 row |
| Total jail population | 7 | Vera county dataset, 2025 row |
| Total jail population | 8 | Vera county dataset, 2024 row |
| Total jail population rate | 235.5 per 100,000 age 15-64 | Vera county dataset, 2024 row |
| County population | 6,136 | Iron County Health Department 2024 annual report |
| Jail nursing service encounters | 142 | Iron County Health Department 2024 annual report |
The Iron County inmate population statistics do not include a recent county-published admissions report, average length of stay, or detailed public dashboard for charge class, race, or pretrial status. Where the dataset has blanks, the safer reading is that the detail was not published in the source used for this build. That is why current custody questions still need direct confirmation through the jail, VINELink, or court records.
Iron County Jail Population Trends
Recent Iron County jail population values are well below the dataset capacity, but that does not mean every day inside the jail is simple. A small jail must separate people by sex, classification, medical needs, safety concerns, Huber status, warrants, and court orders. One or two people can create a housing issue even when the annual average looks low against rated beds.
| Year | Jail Population | Rated Capacity | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | 36 | Vera county dataset |
| 2024 | 8 | 36 | Rate 235.5 per 100,000 age 15-64 |
| 2023 | 4.25 | 36 | Annual derived value |
| 2022 | 8 | 36 | Rate 235.36 per 100,000 age 15-64 |
| 2021 | 4.5 | 36 | Rate 131.31 |
| 2020 | 4 | 36 | Rate 116.31 |
| 2019 | 10 | 36 | Prison population from county listed as 17 |
County records add local context to those figures. January 14, 2025 Law Enforcement Committee minutes say Sheriff Paul Samardich reported that Iron County housed Price County inmates for $21,459.48 and that a jail inspection completed in October had an overall good report with a few minor updates recommended. That shows the Iron County inmate population can include out-of-county housing work even though no separate regional jail or annex was verified in the county.
Who Makes Up Iron County Inmates
The Iron County inmate population is made up of people in several legal positions. A person may be in pretrial custody after arrest, serving a county jail sentence, held on a warrant, waiting for a bond decision, or approved for Huber work release while still under jail rules. The 2025 Vera row listed a male jail population of 6 and a female jail population of 1. The 2024 row listed male population 7.5 and female population 0.5, which appears to be a derived annual average rather than a one-day census.
Some older dataset fields are hard to compare cleanly. The 2019 row shows a total jail population of 10 but also lists subfields that exceed that total, including white jail population 11, native jail population 3, and total pretrial custody 11. Those values should be treated as dataset-derived categories, not as a precise public roster. The county website does not publish a current demographic dashboard for Iron County inmates.
- Pretrial detainee
- A person held before case disposition because bond, warrant, or court conditions have not led to release.
- Huber release
- A Wisconsin work-release privilege that lets an eligible jail inmate leave for approved employment while remaining in custody.
- Classification
- The jail decision about housing and custody status, governed in Wisconsin by prisoner-classification laws and jail standards.
Laws Behind Iron County Jail Records
Wisconsin law shapes how Iron County inmate population information can be requested and how jail custody is managed. Wis. Stat. 19.31 declares the state's policy favoring public access to government records. Wis. Stat. 19.35 sets the right to inspect or copy records, subject to exceptions, redaction, and public-records balancing. Those laws do not force the county to publish a live roster, but they support focused requests for booking sheets, jail records, and release records.
Key Wisconsin rules: Wis. Stat. 302.36 requires a prisoner classification system, Wis. Stat. 302.37 addresses jail maintenance and prisoner care, Wis. Admin. Code ch. DOC 350 sets jail standards, and Wis. Stat. 979.01 covers certain death-reporting duties.
The Iron County inmate population is also affected by court orders. The prosecutor files formal charges, the court sets release conditions, and the jail follows custody orders. A sheriff records request can seek law-enforcement records, while WCCA is the public path for court records after charges are filed.
Search Iron County Inmate Population
Iron County does not publish an official online jail roster on the county pages reviewed for this build. That makes the access chain more important. Use the Iron County Jail page and the sheriff contact information first, then add VINELink, WCCA, DOC, BOP, ICE, and sheriff records requests as needed. A person may move from one system to another as the case changes.
- Call the Iron County Jail or Sheriff's Office at 715-561-3800 for current custody status, using the person's full legal name and date of birth if known.
- Search Wisconsin VINELink for county-jail custody status and notification enrollment.
- Check Wisconsin Circuit Court Access after formal charges are filed.
- Use the Wisconsin DOC Inmate and Offender Locator only for state custody or supervision.
- For federal or immigration custody, use the BOP inmate locator or the ICE detainee locator.
- Request booking or release records from the sheriff by email, fax, or records phone extension when portal searches do not answer the question.
Iron County Custody Search Fields
Because no official Iron County online roster was located, there is no local county search form with booking-number, name, or release-date fields. The available search fields belong to substitute systems. VINELink is best for custody-status notification. WCCA is for court case records. DOC, BOP, and ICE cover other custody systems.
| System | Fields | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| Iron County local roster | None located | No official county online roster was found. |
| VINELink | State, person search, notification workflow | County-jail custody status and alerts. |
| WCCA | Case number, party name, county, date range, case type | Charges, hearings, bond entries, dispositions. |
| Wisconsin DOC locator | Name or DOC identifying information, CAPTCHA, search | Sentenced state custody or supervision. |
| BOP locator | First, middle, last name, race, sex, age | Federal sentenced inmates from 1982 forward. |
| ICE ODLS | A-number and country, or name, country, and date of birth | Adult immigration detainee lookup. |
What Iron County Inmate Records Show
A local Iron County inmate record may include data that is not visible online. Since the county does not display a public profile page, requesters should ask for the exact record they need. A booking sheet, bond record, release record, mugshot, or incident report may have different review rules. Wisconsin public-records law allows inspection and copying, but law-enforcement records may be redacted or withheld for privacy, safety, juvenile confidentiality, or ongoing-investigation reasons.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Full name | The person booked or held. |
| Booking date/time | When the person entered the jail. |
| Arresting agency | Sheriff, Hurley Police, State Patrol, DNR, or another agency. |
| Charges | Initial alleged offenses or warrant basis, not always final court charges. |
| Bond/bail | Amount and type if bond has been set. |
| Custody status | In custody, released, transferred, sentenced, or held for another agency. |
| Mugshot | Not shown online by the county; release depends on records review. |
Iron County Jail vs State Prison
The same name can appear in different systems at different times. The Iron County Jail covers local jail custody. The Wisconsin DOC locator covers sentenced state prisoners and some supervision records. BOP and ICE tools are federal systems and are not local jail rosters. DOC's own general information page says a person not found in DOC may be in a city or county jail that is administered separately.
| Custody Type | Where to Look | What It Covers |
|---|---|---|
| County jail | Jail phone, VINELink, sheriff records request | Pretrial custody, short sentences, warrants, Huber status. |
| State prison | Wisconsin DOC locator | Sentenced felony custody and state supervision. |
| Federal custody | BOP locator or U.S. Marshals contact | Federal sentenced inmates or pretrial federal matters. |
| Immigration detention | ICE ODLS | Adult immigration detainee status. |
Iron County Booking Record Requests
The Iron County Sheriff's Office records-request page gives three channels: email irso@ironcountywi.org, fax 715-561-2822, or call 715-561-2440 ext. 2151. The page does not publish a form, fee table, ID rule, or turnaround time. A focused request should include the person's full name, date of birth if known, arrest or booking date, case number if known, the type of record sought, and the preferred delivery method.
The records route is especially important for past or released inmates. VINELink is a status and notification tool, not an archive of booking sheets. WCCA shows the court case after filing. The sheriff is the local custodian for jail records held by the office.
Iron County Detention Facilities
The facility map resolves to one verified local detention facility. Huber work release is a status inside the jail, not a separate building. No state prison, federal prison, ICE detention center, or municipal jail roster was verified in Iron County.
- Iron County Jail - the county jail in Hurley for local pretrial detainees, sentenced county inmates, warrant holds, and Huber/work-release inmates.
The official jail page is the best source for mail, visitation, fingerprinting, and Huber forms. The sheriff staff directory supplies the 24/7 hours and jail staff titles.
Iron County Jail Conditions
Iron County's 2024 Health Department annual report provides unusually specific jail-health context. It reported 142 jail nursing service encounters, including 34 inmate assessments, 48 medical requests and follow-ups, 10 medication-management visits, mental-health referrals, emergency interventions, specialized-care transfers, lab reviews, and vital-sign monitoring. These details show that the Iron County inmate population is not just a count. It also requires medical screening, continuing care, and coordination with outside providers.
Huber rules add more local detail. Work-release inmates must report on time, spend the first full day in jail, verify employment, follow work-hour and county-boundary limits, submit to testing, and pay listed fees when applicable. Adjacent county employment is limited to specific counties named in the rules: Price, Vilas, Ashland, and Gogebic. Winter travel can also matter in Hurley because visits and court dates may require travel from rural Iron County communities or from the Michigan side.
Iron County Inmate Population FAQ
How big is the Iron County inmate population? The Vera county dataset lists 7 for 2025 and 8 for 2024, with rated capacity listed as 36 beds. These are annual dataset values, not live jail counts.
Does Iron County have an online jail roster? No official Iron County online jail roster was located on the county pages reviewed. Use the jail phone, VINELink, WCCA, DOC locator, and sheriff records request route.
Where are sentenced state prisoners from Iron County listed? Use the Wisconsin DOC Inmate and Offender Locator after a person moves into DOC custody or supervision. County jail bookings are separate.
Are Iron County mugshots online? No official public mugshot gallery or booking-photo roster was located. Booking photos may need a sheriff records request and public-records review.
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