Rice County Released Inmates

Rice County released inmate records are managed by the Rice County Sheriff's Office and the Rice County Jail in Faribault, which opened a brand new 76-bed facility in November 2024. The jail serves as the main detention point for people arrested in this south-central Minnesota county, and the Sheriff's Office makes inmate and release information available to the public through its website and through statewide tools that cover all of Minnesota's county jails and state prisons.

Rice County Jail in Faribault

The Rice County Jail moved to a new facility at 50 East View Drive in Faribault in November 2024. This is the main detention site for the county. The jail is run by administrator Stephanie Duhme and staffed by an assistant administrator, two jail program assistants, four sergeants, and 25 correctional officers. The 76-bed facility is newer and larger than the previous location. For general jail inquiries, contact the Rice County Sheriff's Office at 118 3rd Street NW, Faribault, MN 55021. The phone is 507-334-4391, fax is 507-334-0268.

Correctional officers at the Rice County Jail also handle inmate transportation and provide courthouse security, which are additional responsibilities on top of detention operations. The jail provides inmate messaging, telephone services, video visitation, and commissary ordering. For video visitation from home, you can set up an account at inmatecanteen.com. Questions about video visits can go to TurnKey Corrections at 715-690-2965.

The Rice County Jail information page at ricecountymn.gov/279/Rice-County-Jail covers inmate services, mail procedures, visitation rules, and the current roster. If you are trying to reach someone in custody or confirm a recent release, the jail page is the best starting point for Rice County.

VINE Notification for Rice County

VINE is a free automated notification system that alerts registered users when an inmate's custody status changes. If someone you know is in the Rice County Jail and you want to know the moment they are released or transferred, VINE is the most direct way to get that notification. The system covers the Rice County Jail and all state DOC facilities in Minnesota.

Register at vinelink.com or call 877-664-8463. The hotline runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can choose to receive alerts by phone call, text, or email. There is no cost, and you are not required to explain your reason for registering. VINE is especially useful if you cannot check the jail roster regularly or if you need notification as quickly as possible after a release occurs. Many domestic violence advocates and victims' attorneys in Rice County use VINE routinely.

MN DOC Offender Locator

The Minnesota Department of Corrections maintains the Public Viewer for people serving state felony sentences. If someone from Rice County was convicted of a serious offense and sent to a state prison, they appear in the DOC system rather than the local jail roster. This is a free, public tool available at coms.doc.state.mn.us/PublicViewer/.

Search by name or DOC offender ID to find current status, facility assignment, offense type, and release date. For people who have already completed their state sentence and returned to the community, the Public Viewer will show their discharge date and any post-release supervision conditions. This is separate from county jail release records. Rice County Jail holds people for local sentences and pretrial detention. The DOC holds people for state felony sentences. You may need to check both systems depending on what the person was charged with.

The DOC also tracks individuals on supervised release, which is similar to what other states call parole. If someone was released from a state prison and is now living in Rice County under supervision, that status will show up in the Public Viewer. This can be useful for neighbors, employers, or family members trying to understand what conditions apply after release.

Minnesota Law and Rice County Jail Records

State law governs what Rice County must make public about its inmates. Minnesota Statute 13.82 requires law enforcement to disclose booking data including name, charges, booking time, and physical description to anyone who requests it. This is why Rice County posts its jail roster publicly without requiring anyone to identify themselves or pay a fee.

Minnesota Statute 13.85 sets the limits. Medical records, mental health data, and juvenile information are off limits. These restrictions apply regardless of who is asking. The data you see on the Rice County roster reflects exactly what the law allows to be shared. If you want data beyond what is posted publicly, you would need to file a formal request under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act.

For registered predatory offenders living in Rice County, Minnesota Statute 243.166 requires active registration. The MN Predatory Offender Registry is searchable online and shows registered offenders by name, address, and offense. Community notification for higher-risk offenders is governed by Minnesota Statute 244.052.

Court Records in Rice County

Rice County is in the Third Judicial District. Criminal case records from Rice County are available through the Minnesota Court Records Online portal at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us. You can search by name or case number to find charges, court dates, pleas, and final outcomes. The system is free to use and covers all case types, not just criminal.

Court records let you trace what happened to a person after they were booked. Did charges get dropped? Was there a conviction and sentence? Is there a scheduled release date? These questions are answered in court records, not jail rosters. Using both sources together gives a fuller picture of someone's status in the Rice County justice system. For cases going back many years, some older records may not be in the online system and may require a records request to the court clerk.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension handles statewide criminal history requests. If someone has criminal records in multiple Minnesota counties, a BCA background check will capture all of them in one report, which is more efficient than searching each county individually.

Cities in Rice County

Rice County has no cities over 100,000 in population. Faribault is the county seat. No city pages are available for this county.

Nearby Counties

These counties are near Rice County. Each has its own released inmate records.