The Winona County Detention Center is a 80 bed jail in the city of Winona, Winona County, Minnesota. You can call them 24 hours a day for inmate information at 507-457-6503.
Offenders arrested for misdemeanors and felonies in this county are brought here for booking and processing, and if their crime requires it, are incarcerated until they are either bonded out, are released from custody on their own recognizance, or are ordered to remain in custody until the disposition of their trial.
You can also use the inmate search tool to see this facility's roster of those who have been arrested and are still in custody.
Those who are found guilty and sentenced to a term of less than one year, will do their time in this county. Those sentenced to longer terms will be sent to either the Minnesota State Prison System or the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
This page provides information on how to search for an inmate in the official jail roster, or by calling the facility at 507-457-6503, directions to the facility, and inmate services such as the visitation schedule and policies, funding an inmate's account, mailing them a letter, receiving phone calls from an inmate, voicemail, emailing and texting, tablet rentals, bail bond instructions, and commissary purchases.
It's always a good idea to find out and save the inmate's jail ID number or booking number as you may need this for sending mail or other communication needs. If you can't locate it online, you can call the Winona County Detention Center at 507-457-6503 to get it.
Phone: 507-457-6503
Physical Address:
203 West Third Street
Winona, MN 55987
Mailing Address (personal mail):
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID #
Winona County Detention Center
203 W 3rd Street
Winona, MN 55987
Mailing Address (legal mail or subscriptions):
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID #
Winona County Detention Center
203 W 3rd Street
Winona, MN 55987
Other Jails and Prisons
To search for an inmate in the Winona County Detention Center, review their criminal charges, the amount of their bond, when they can get visits, or even view their mugshot, go to the Official Jail Inmate Roster, or call the jail at 507-457-6503 for the information you are looking for. You can also look up any offender's court case online with the Minnesota Court Records Online application.
Winona County Detention Center Inmate Search
The Winona County Detention Center maintains an average of 80 offenders in custody on any given day. The Winona County Detention Center has a monthly turnover of 40% of their inmate population, another 30% turnover every 90 days, another 20% every six months, and approximately 10% stay incarcerated between six and twelve months. Every year Winona County law enforcement agencies arrest and detain approximately 1,600 offenders.
The following charts of Winona County inmate population demographics are updated daily. The information shown is for today. For research purposes we have broken down the inmates by sex, age, ethnicity, and criminal charges.
The information is compiled from the Winona County Corrections Department, the state of Minnesota Department of Corrections, as well as the United States Department of Justice and Census Bureau records. It represents every person in custody in Winona County.
For complete information on how to get directions, bond, visit, mail, send and receive email and texts, receive phone calls, and send money or commissary to an inmate, find arrest information for Winona County and other counties surrounding this one, scroll down this page. We have a section for each.
We also provide photos of the jail that we have collected over the years.
⇓ Learn more ⇓ Show lessFirst populated by inmates in December of 2023, the new Winona County Detention Center has an advanced security system, uses 53 cells to create space for 80 beds, and provides detention services for all of the offenders arrested by Winona County. Both those facing felony charges and those facing misdemeanor charges will be detained at the Winona County Detention Center as they await their trial as well as those serving a short sentence.
If you think someone you know has been arrested and is at the facility, you can contact the office at 507-457-6503 and they will provide basic public information, and the status of all inmates is updated frequently online.
A work release and inmate worker program is in place, though inmates must be sentenced to that program and pass the safety checks. This allows inmates to have a job either onsite or off, which will both provide a purpose each day but also can allow them to earn money to support their families during incarceration.
Along with the basic needs of nutrition, hygiene, laundry, medical care, and mental health services, there are also several programs provided that assist in supporting personal growth and success after incarceration. Programs at this location include AA/NA, bible study, men's groups, women's groups, outreach sessions, financial literacy, decision making, peer support, GED and educational classes, and employment classes.
All the mail is delivered by the postal service and no other methods of delivery will be accepted, and mail is sent to the inmate at:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID #
Winona County Detention Center
203 W 3rd Street
Winona, MN 55987
... and must be free of contraband.
Phones can be funded online and this will allow the inmate to call friends or family every day.
Visits occur three days of the week, and inmates may have two visits each day with all visits being 20 minutes in length. Visits are Tuesday 12pm-4pm, Saturday 8am-12pm, and Sunday 6pm-10pm.
To find out if someone you know has been recently arrested and booked into the Winona County Detention Center, call the jail’s booking line at 507-457-6503.
There may be an automated method of looking them up by their name over the phone, or you may be directed to speak to someone at the jail. Sometimes the jail staff may ask you the offender’s date of birth to ensure privacy of the offender’s status.
Keep in mind that after an arrest, the information on an offender may not be publicly available for several hours.
If you don’t want to check up on an offender by calling the jail, you can also try looking up people recently booked online.
Winona County Detention Center Booking Roster
After being arrested and taken into custody, and after being read their Miranda Rights, an offender will next be transported to the local police or department or the Sheriff’s Department in Winona County for booking.
Booking is very involved and requires multiple steps in the process, however, keep in mind that most attorneys will advise that an offender remain silent and not offer any additional information about the crime they have been arrested for because anything they do say may be recorded and may very well be used against them in court.
Booking includes having their photo (mugshot) and fingerprints taken, as well as being asked a lot of questions about their personal history and state of mind. If it’s a serious felony, their DNA may also be taken. They will also be checked for warrants in Winona County and other Minnesota and USA jurisdictions.
If the offender was arrested for a DUI offense, and has refused a breathalyzer test, they may also be forced to have blood drawn by a doctor or nurse.
It is also very likely that the offender will undergo a humiliating full body search while in the nude. This includes bending over, spreading their cheeks in the direction of an officer, and coughing. They will also be walked through a metal detector or x-ray machine, like those used at an airport.
The arresting jurisdiction will ask about gang affiliations, tattoos, medical conditions, prescribed medication they are taking, recreational drugs they are on or addicted to, allergies, if they are suicidal, and other relevant information that will help with determining their cell assignment and special needs.
During the arrest and booking process an offender will also have all their personal property confiscated and held for either their release from jail, or with the offender’s approval, released to a friend or family member.
Personal property includes the clothing they are wearing, money, wallets, purses, cell phones, jewelry, body rings, earrings, watches, and even glasses if they are deemed a security risk. If they are allowed to keep their shoes or sneakers, the laces are removed.
At this point the offender will be allowed to make a free phone call to a person of their choice to notify them of their arrest, and/or arrange a bond or bail for their release.
If the offender is being detained and housed while awaiting arraignment, the Winona County Detention Center will provide a jail garment and slip-on shoes, a blanket, sheets, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, and a towel.
Often, before they are dressed in the jail outfit and brought to their housing location, they will be forced to take a shower and undergo a disinfectant treatment for body and hair lice, scabies or other pests that may be residing on their person.
Booking can take anywhere from an hour to 24 hours or more. It all depends on the number of people that are awaiting processing, the number of staff on duty at the time, and the behavior of the offender.
If the offender is heavily intoxicated and/or violent, the Booking Officer may decide to stick the offender in a holding cell for several hours until they become more manageable.
Bail is what the arrested in Winona County must pay or do to stay out of jail until the first court appearance.
The agreement to bail acts as a promise that the arrested will return to court for court dates and trial. Bail usually refers to a dollar amount, but bail can also mean something that has to be done, or a condition such as reporting to an officer of the court, a curfew, restraining orders or attending a treatment program.
Bail is usually a significant enough amount of money and/or condition that the person will be negatively impacted and has incentive to return to court and not flee. A flight risk usually means that the person would flee the area, and not necessary that they are going to take an airplane.
If a judge in Winona County feels that the arrested will return to court for further proceedings, the arrested could be released under a conditional release without needing to pay bail money. This is called Released on Own Recognizance, or ROR.
Conditions for ROR might be to obey all court orders and laws, maintain contact with the lawyer, report changes in residence or have no contact with the victim. Family support will show the court that there are people who will make sure that the defendant makes it to court.
If the judge or bail schedule determines that the defendant would be a danger to the public if they were released, bail can be denied, and the person will be detained in the Winona County Detention Center until the case is resolved or goes to trial.
Bail can be denied if the defendant did not comply with bail conditions from a previous arrest. Bail is usually denied in cases of violent offenses.
Bail and bond are used interchangeably to mean the same thing but technically, they are different. The bail is the amount to be paid and a bond is a signed document promising payment of the bail amount with certain conditions. Think of a bond as a loan to pay for the bail.
The bond payment is always written to the court in your municipality, Winona County or district directly and does not go through the defendant. Chances of obtaining a bond from a bond company or clerk of court are better if family is involved.
The thought of being in jail can cause the arrested to panic and try to secure a bond immediately.
DO NOT panic and take the time to understand all the options.
More courts are now trying to work with defendants to make bail work and might provide non-monetary options or even reduce the bail.
Payments to a bond company are not refundable. It is a long process to get back property title or money that was given to the clerk of court or bondsperson to secure the bond. This could put your loved ones into a difficult financial situation.
Another reason not to unnecessarily rush into securing a bond is that if the court notes that you came up with the money to pay a bond company, they may assume you have resources to pay a defense attorney and decline public defense.
On the other hand, as anyone who has ever been involved in their criminal defense understands, fighting your case while ‘out on the streets’ gives you a much better chance of either winning, or getting a more favorable sentence.
Based on a review of information from the arrest, the judge or bail officer will determine and notify the accused of which types of bonds are available to them.
To describe the types of bonds, let’s use an example of buying your neighbor’s car. Your neighbor decides the price of the car and how they would be paid.
Similarly, the court (meaning a police or bail officer, clerk of court, bail magistrate or judge) determines the bail amount and how it would be paid.
Here are different options that the seller of the car or the court might consider:
You could pay full asking price for the car in cash. This is similar to paying cash bail. The full amount of bail would be paid to the town or county clerk or at the jail. Cash, cashier’s checks and credit cards are usually accepted.
You could sign an agreement on your own or with another person to pay for the car at a future date knowing that your neighbor would know where to find you if you stopped payment. This would be similar to a cash bond or a personal recognizance (PR) bond which are bonds to where someone representing the defendant signs paperwork promising to pay the bail amount if the defendant does not show up to court. There is no money due up front.
If the defendant does not show up, the full amount of the bail will be due to the court and the people who signed the paperwork will be responsible for paying the court and the court will send the sheriff’s department to arrest you.
Cash bonds and PR bonds are types of unsecured bonds because you are not securing it with any money down. In bond terms, a surety is a person who will be responsible for making sure that you will show to court and will be responsible to pay the bond if the arrested person does not show up.
Surety can be family, friend or a bondsperson. Your attorney cannot act as a surety.
You can put a deposit down for your neighbor’s car and sign an agreement that the car will be paid off at a later date. Cash percentage in lieu of bonds is when the defendant pays a percentage of the bail amount, usually 10%, to the court which then holds the money until the case is over.
The amount is returned to the person who paid the 10% after the case is over. In most cases, the full amount is not returned if there are court fees or fines due. This is a type of surety bond if another person signs the bond paperwork.
You could sign an agreement that if the car were not paid off, that your neighbor would get your house or something of value.
A property bond is a bond that the courts might consider in which the bond is pledged in land or home real estate (mobile homes are not accepted).
Usually, the property must be in the same state as the courts, and it must be worth at least 1 ½ - 2 times the amount of the bond.
There are multiple court fees involved to execute a property bond with the courts and a tedious process to get the property deed back. This is another type of surety bond if another person or a bond company is used to secure the bond.
You could also go to a local bank and take out a car loan offering property or anything of value for collateral. You may get someone to co-sign on the loan and offer their property. The bank charges fees, interest and could keep your property if you did not pay the loan back, or even on time.
A professional bondsperson makes money, at least 10% of the bond amount by providing you with a “loan” called a bond. The percent that they charge is fixed by the state and cannot be negotiated. The defendant or surety does not get that 10% or more back even if the terms of the bail are met.
With a property bond, the property deed would need to be signed over to the bondsperson and everyone on the deed would need to be involved.
Since the bondsperson signed off, to be responsible that you show to court as your surety, they can send a bounty hunter to bring you to court if you flee. A bondsperson does not have to give you a bond if the defendant seems to be too much of a risk.
Ask the bondsperson to explain all the costs: percentage, fees or court fees. There is never a reason to rush through signing the paperwork with a bond company. Make sure that everything told to you is in writing and that you understand what you are signing. Ask questions, and if you feel rushed or don’t understand the contract with the bond company, you might want to call another one.
(There have been phone scams where a bond company calls and informs a person that their family member has been arrested and they ask for financial information. A bondsperson will not call asking for money without involvement of the arrested.)
Yes, Winona County recognizes most types of bonds.
Winona County recognizes most types of bonds. The court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest. Minnesota offers several types of pre-trial release including unconditional, conditional, or cash/surety bail.
Depending on the charge(s) bail may be set according to a bail schedule or at the discretion of the judge.
Bail is set at the defendant’s first court hearing, or arraignment. State law requires this hearing be scheduled within 48 hours of arrest, except for weekends or holidays.
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances, let the bond officer know. Your attorney can also request a bond reduction.
The person posting bail should be a relative or close friend, called a surety, because they are promising and taking responsibility that you will return to court to get their money back.
A surety is not responsible for court fees or paying off personal debts for the defendant. A professional bondsperson who is approved by the State of Minnesota could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Yes, Winona County does offer online bail payment. Contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Winona County Detention Center for more information about the jails in Winona County.
Most all jail and courts accept cash, a cashier or bankers’ check. Some accept a credit card with fees. Contact the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted. Go to the Winona County Detention Center for more information about posting bail in Winona County.
Bail money is returned to the person who paid the bail; in whole or in part once the case is finished. There may be fees, restitution (money to pay for damage caused by the crime) or fines that come out of that amount. If you used a bondsperson, you would not get your 10% back. Property is returned by the court or bondsperson after the appropriate requests and formal paperwork are completed with the court.
The judge or officer who sets bail determines which kind of bail will be an option for you, but a cash bond and PR bonds usually do not require cash down, though you might have to pay court fees.
A cash bond or a personal recognizance (PR) bond are bonds where someone representing the defendant signs paperwork promising to pay the bail amount if the defendant does not show up to court. There is no money due up front.
If the defendant does not show up, the full amount of the bail will be due to the court and the people who signed the paperwork will be responsible for paying the court and the court will send the sheriff’s department to arrest you.
Cash bonds and PR bonds are types of unsecured bonds because you are not securing it with any money down. In bond terms, a surety is a person who will be responsible to make sure that you will show to court and will be responsible to pay the bond if the arrested person does not show up. A surety can be family, friend or a bondsperson. Your attorney cannot act as a surety.
The Winona County Detention Center or court in this jurisdiction can provide you with a list of approved and licensed bond companies, but they cannot recommend a specific company. You are not obligated to use the first company available and can call several companies to compare what kind of bonds that the bondsperson is willing to execute.
The percentage of bail that the bond company can charge is set, usually at 10%, by the state and cannot be negotiated.
Learn even more ⇓ Learn more ⇓ Show lessHow Do You Visit an Inmate in the Winona County Detention Center? What is the Schedule?
203 West Third Street
Winona, MN 55987
507-457-6503
ON SITE VISITATION SCHEDULE - ALWAYS CALL 507-457-6503 TO CONFIRM VISITATION SCHEDULE!
DAY | TIMES |
SUNDAY | 6:00PM - 10:00PM |
TUESDAY | 12:00PM - 4:00PM |
SATURDAY | 8:00AM - 12:00PM |
Winona County Detention Center uses the services of Reliance Telephone for video (visit) phone calls and for emailing/texting to inmates.
Note: This option may not be available for your inmate. When registering, check to see if devices are available.
Known as the 'Reliance Inmate Wallet', it makes funding jail communication easy. Payments made into an 'Inmate Wallet' account are linked to a dedicated telephone number for inmates who rent one of their Reliance Tablet Phones. Inmate Wallet funds can be used for personal inmate text messaging, voice calls and video calls. The cost of this is $4.00 per month for rental of the Reliance Tablet Phone + $0.25 per minute for video and voice calls.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Winona County Detention Center’s Inmate Visitation Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 507-457-6503 for further assistance.
Learn even more ⇓ Learn more ⇓ Show lessCan I Use My Computer or Phone to Have a Remote Video Visit with an Inmate in the Winona County Detention Center?
Note: This option may not be available for your inmate. When registering, check to see if devices are available.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Winona County Detention Center’s Video Remote Visitation Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 507-457-6503 for further assistance.
Learn even more ⇓ Learn more ⇓ Show lessHow Do You Deposit Money for an Inmate in the Winona County Detention Center?
Whatever cash the inmate has on their person when booked into the facility will automatically deposited and credited to their account. When released any money left in the account will be returned to them in the form of a check from the Sheriff's Department or the Winona County Detention Center Trust Account. There may be circumstances where the inmate can give permission to have his money released to a family member or friend.
Option 1 - Dropping Money at the Jail
Option 2 - Mail the Inmate Deposit to the Jail
Mail to the Jail.
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID #
Winona County Detention Center
203 W 3rd Street
Winona, MN 55987
Failure to do this properly will delay your inmate getting their account credited and may require you to have to resubmit a second money order.
Call 507-457-6503 to ask any questions about this.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Winona County Detention Center’s Inmate Money and Trust Fund Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 507-457-6503 for further assistance.
Learn even more ⇓ Learn more ⇓ Show lessHow Do I Receive Phone Calls from an Inmate in the Winona County Detention Center?
To set up your Winona County inmate to make to make phone calls to you and others, follow these instructions:
For all the information you need in order to receive phone calls from your Winona County inmate, or to assist them in making calls to others, including instructions, fees, cost of calls, payment methods and times that your inmate can use the phone, check out our Inmate Phone Page.
NOTE: All of your communication with your inmate will be monitored and recorded. Use discretion when discussing sensitive information about their pending case.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Winona County Detention Center’s Inmate Phone Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 507-457-6503 for further assistance.
Learn even more ⇓ Learn more ⇓ Show lessHow do I Mail an Inmate in the Winona County Detention Center, and what can I send them?
Postcards
The Winona County Detention Center allows inmates to receive pre-metered postcards like the type purchased from the post office. They may also allow certain photo postcards as long as they have not been tampered with or contain images that may be considered to be obscene or violent in nature. It is best to only use blue or black ink. Always include your name and return address.
Envelopes
The Winona County Detention Center also allows envelopes to be mailed to inmates. It is best to only use blue or black ink.
Postcards and envelopes MUST HAVE the sender's full name and return address on the envelope.
Postcards and envelopes MUST be mailed to the following address:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID #
Winona County Detention Center
203 W 3rd Street
Winona, MN 55987
Legal Mail
Send all Legal Mail to this Address:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID #
Winona County Detention Center
203 W 3rd Street
Winona, MN 55987
Newspapers
Newspapers may also be mailed to an inmate as long as they are shipped directly from the publisher.
Magazines
News, special interest or sports magazines may also be mailed to an inmate as long as they are shipped directly from the publisher. Any magazines that contain profanity, weapons, pornography or other content that is adult in nature will be confiscated by the jail staff and will NOT be delivered to the inmate.
Books
The Winona County Detention Center allows books to be mailed directly to the jail from a reputable source such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million. You can order them directly from your computer and have them shipped to the inmate at the address noted.
Books must NOT contain images or content that are considered excessively violent, pornographic or obscene. Any book that does not meet the Winona County Detention Center standards will be disposed of.
Hard cover books will not be accepted by the jail due to their potential to be used as a weapon.
All newspapers, magazines and books are to be shipped to:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID #
Winona County Detention Center
203 W 3rd Street
Winona, MN 55987
For inmates receiving mail in the Winona County Detention Center there are different addresses and policies depending on the inmate's status, as well as what type of mail they are receiving; personal mail, legal mail, subscriptions or books sent from a third-party such as Amazon.
All mail is to be shipped to the Winona County Detention Center:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID #
Winona County Detention Center
203 W 3rd Street
Winona, MN 55987
For complete information on mail policies, what you can send an inmate and what address to send them, check out our Inmate Mail page.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Winona County Detention Center’s Inmate Mail Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 507-457-6503 for further assistance.
Learn even more ⇓ Learn more ⇓ Show lessCan I purchase Commissary Online for an Inmate in the Winona County Detention Center, and what can I purchase?
Whatever cash the inmate has on their person when booked into the facility will automatically deposited and credited to their account. When released any money left in the account will be returned to them in the form of a check from the Sheriff's Department or the Winona County Detention Center Trust Account. There may be circumstances where the inmate can give permission to have his money released to a family member or friend.
Option 1 - Dropping Money at the Jail
Option 2 - Mail the Inmate Deposit to the Jail
Mail to the Jail.
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID #
Winona County Detention Center
203 W 3rd Street
Winona, MN 55987
Failure to do this properly will delay your inmate getting their account credited and may require you to have to resubmit a second money order.
Call 507-457-6503 to ask any questions about this.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Winona County Detention Center’s Commissary Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 507-457-6503 for further assistance.
Learn even more ⇓ Learn more ⇓ Show lessHow Can I Communicate with an Inmate in the Winona County Detention Center using an Online Messaging Service?
Known as the 'Reliance Inmate Wallet', it makes funding jail communication easy.
To set up your Winona County inmate to make to send and receive texts and emails to you and others, follow these instructions:
For all the information you need in order to send and receive texts and emails from your Winona County inmate, or to assist them in sending and receiving secure messages to and from others, including instructions, fees, cost of each message, tablet rentals, payment methods and times that your inmate can send messages, check out our Text/Email an Inmate Page.
NOTE: All of your communication with your inmate will be monitored and recorded. Use discretion when communicating sensitive information about their pending case.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Winona County Detention Center’s Text and Email Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 507-457-6503 for further assistance.
Learn even more ⇓ Learn more ⇓ Show lessDo Inmates in the Winona County Detention Center have Access to Tablets or Computers?
Note: This option may not be available for your inmate. When registering, check to see if tablets are available.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Winona County Detention Center’s Tablet Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 507-457-6503 for further assistance.
Learn even more ⇓ Learn more ⇓ Show lessWhat are the other Jails in the Neighboring Counties surrounding Winona County?
This facility, known as "Winona County Detention Center" is also known as Winona County Jail, Winona County Jail , Winona County Jail , Minnesota, Winona.