Brookings County Jail Roster & Inmate Search: Daily Bookings

Use the Official Source That Matches Your Question

One website does not control every part of a Brookings County criminal case. Use the jail for local custody, the Sheriff for warrant information, South Dakota courts for hearings and case records, Brookings Police for its incident reports, and state or federal corrections systems after a transfer.

How to Search the Brookings County Jail Roster

“Daily Bookings” and the Current Inmate List Are Not the Same Thing

If a recent Brookings County Sheriff media release identifies an arrest and later says the person was released on a personal-recognizance bond, the person may disappear from the active roster while the court case continues. This is why “not on the current list” and “never booked” are not equivalent conclusions.

How to Read Common Brookings Jail Roster Information

The exact public-list format can change. Interpret only the fields actually shown on the current county-linked roster. The following distinctions are useful when those items appear.

Keep four records separate: an arrest is not a conviction; a booking charge is not the final court disposition; a warrant is not current incarceration; and an expected or estimated release is not a confirmed release.

If the Person Is Not on the Brookings County Roster

A blank result is a troubleshooting problem, not a final answer. Work through the most likely explanations in order.

Brookings Can House Inmates for Five Other South Dakota Counties

This is one of the most important local details when interpreting the roster. Brookings County states that its Detention Center contracts with Deuel, Hamlin, Kingsbury, Lake and Moody counties to house adult male and female inmates.

Physical custody and legal control can therefore be different. If another county appears in the case, ask which court controls the charge, whether another agency has a hold, where bond must be handled, and whether transport back to the originating county is expected.

Brookings County Active Warrants Are a Separate Search

The Brookings County Sheriff’s Office says it maintains the county criminal warrant file and links separate felony and misdemeanor active warrant lists from its official Sheriff page.

Use the warrant lists when the question is whether a warrant is publicly listed. Use the Current Inmates list when the question is whether the person appears in local jail custody. A warrant hit by itself does not prove that the person has been arrested or is currently housed at the Detention Center.

Open the Brookings County Sheriff page and locate “Active Warrant Lists.”

Use South Dakota UJS for the Court Case, Hearing and Disposition

Brookings County is part of South Dakota’s Third Judicial Circuit. The Brookings County Courthouse houses Court Administration, Court Services and the Clerk of Courts at 314 6th Avenue.

For a case outcome, amended charge, dismissal, plea, sentence or other legal disposition, rely on the court record rather than the jail roster. The jail record answers custody questions; the court record controls the legal case.

Bond Payments: Verify the Current Amount and Holds Before Paying

Brookings County says an inmate’s bond can be paid through the Stellar Services kiosk in the Detention Center public lobby or online through JailATM. The lobby kiosk accepts cash or credit card; the county describes the online route as credit-card payment.

Brookings County Video Visitation Rules

The Detention Center currently uses Reliance Telephone for video visitation and inmate phone-account services.

If scheduling is the problem, call the Detention Center at 605-696-8308. For Reliance product or account issues, use the provider’s support route.

Phone Minutes and How to Leave a Message for an Inmate

Brookings County directs users to Reliance for adding minutes to an inmate phone account. The jail also publishes a separate message line: 605-305-4530.

To leave a message, the county says to provide your name, the inmate’s name, a callback telephone number and a brief message. The inmate can access messages during normal phone-access periods.

Brookings County Inmate Mail Changed in 2026

Effective February 1, 2026, Brookings County says personal inmate mail must go to the Reliance Telephone Mail Processing Center. The mail is scanned and delivered electronically to the inmate’s device. Personal mail sent directly to the Detention Center after that date is returned to the sender.

Current personal-mail limits listed by the county

• Mail must fit in a standard envelope; excessive pages may be delayed or rejected.
• Pages should be no larger than 8.5 × 14 inches.
• No staples.
• No privileged legal material in the personal-mail processing route.
• No packages.
• No money, checks or other currency.
• No nudity, weapons or material that creates a facility safety risk.
• The processing facility scans the physical mail and destroys the physical copy.

Books, Newspapers and Property Drop-Offs

Brookings County published another important update effective April 3, 2026. Newspapers may be sent directly from the publisher. Books may be ordered directly from the publisher or from Barnes & Noble; the county says Amazon, Walmart and other sites that allow third-party sales are not approved.

• Books must be softcover and paper bound.
• Books must fit in the inmate’s tote; excess books cannot be stored in secure property.
• Books may be shipped to the Detention Center at 315 7th Ave, Brookings, SD 57006, care of the inmate’s name.
• The facility does not accept outside packages, clothing, magazines, coloring books, writing utensils or hygiene items.
• Property drop-offs are not accepted except medically necessary items that receive prior approval from the Detention Center Nurse.

If an item is expensive or time-sensitive, call 605-696-8308 before ordering it. A retailer being willing to ship an item does not mean the jail will accept it.

Commissary, Care Packages and Inmate Money

The Detention Center says commissary care packages can be sent through JailATM. Money for an inmate’s commissary account can be deposited at the Stellar Services kiosk in the public lobby or online through JailATM.

• Confirm the person is still housed at Brookings before depositing.
• Use the inmate identity details required by the live provider.
• Review the transaction fee before submitting payment.
• Keep the confirmation or receipt.
• Do not assume commissary money can be used as bond or phone/video funds.

The county currently lists a $3 third-party fee for cash kiosk deposits and a $3 or 10% third-party fee for credit-card deposits, whichever is more.

Medical, Mental-Health and Inmate Programs

Brookings County lists 24/7 medical services with a full-time jail nurse, mental-health counseling, food and laundry services, clergy visits, attorney visits and commissary access. Programs listed by the jail include AA meetings, mental-health and drug counseling, work and school release, trustee programming, church services, Bible study and recreation.

If you need to communicate an urgent medication or health concern about a current inmate, start with the Detention Center at 605-696-8308 and ask how the information should be provided to medical staff. Do not bring medication or medical items to the jail without prior approval; the county specifically limits property drop-offs to medically necessary items approved in advance by the Detention Center Nurse.

Jail Custody, Sheriff Records and Brookings Police Reports Are Different Records

If Brookings Police made the arrest, the city Police Records Division—not the county jail roster—may be the right source for an incident or offense report. Brookings Police says most releasable incident/offense reports are available within 5 to 7 working days, while some categories such as juvenile matters may not be releasable.

For a city police record request, have the case number if known and describe the specific identifiable record you want. The city says an estimated fee is provided when a public-record request is reviewed.

Brookings Booking Photos: What South Dakota Law Actually Says

Do not rely on a third-party “mugshot” page to decide what Brookings County must publish online. South Dakota Codified Law § 23-5-7 expressly treats a criminal booking photograph for a felony as a public record under state public-record law.

The same statute says a law-enforcement agency is not required to provide or reproduce a criminal booking photograph more than six months after the photo was taken, and an agency may recover retrieval or reproduction costs. That does not mean every felony booking photo must appear on the public jail roster, and it does not turn a booking image into proof of guilt.

Where to Search After Release or Transfer

Do not jump through random county websites because one roster search is blank. Follow the arresting agency, court, transfer information or hold to the next responsible system.

Brookings County Jail, Sheriff, Court and Police Contacts

Map: Brookings County Detention Center

Brookings County Jail Roster FAQs

Official Sources Used for This Brookings County Guide

• Brookings County Detention Center — current inmates link, 2026 mail rules, visitation, messages, money, bond, programs and facility contact.
• Brookings County Sheriff’s Office — jail authority, jurisdiction, warrant lists and Sheriff contact.
• Brookings County Courthouse — courthouse location and Third Judicial Circuit context.
• South Dakota UJS — Brookings County — Clerk of Court address, phone and office hours.
• South Dakota UJS Find Court Date — future court-date search.
• South Dakota UJS PARS — public criminal/protection-order record search and current search fee.
• Brookings Police Records Requests & Licensing — city police report availability, request process and Records Division contact.
• South Dakota Codified Law § 23-5-7 — felony criminal booking-photo public-record rule and reproduction limitation.
• South Dakota SAVIN Offender Search — offender search and notification route.
• South Dakota DOC Offender Locator — state corrections lookup.
• Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator — federal prison lookup.

Source review completed: October 5, 2026. Time-sensitive information such as custody status, bond, visitation availability, provider fees and mail procedures should be rechecked before acting.