Information You Enter
Search Terms
When you type a name, county, facility, or similar detail into a search tool, that query may be sent to the third-party provider that operates the tool. This site does not keep its own separate log of those search terms.
Messages
If you send an email or contact message, the information in that message may be kept long enough to read it, respond, and maintain ordinary business records. It is not shared outside the organization except when required by law.
Information Collected Automatically
Like most websites, this site may receive basic technical details when a page loads.
- Your IP address.
- Your browser type and browser version.
- Your device category and operating system.
- The pages viewed and the approximate time spent on them.
- The referring website, when your browser provides one.
- Date and time stamps connected to visits and requests.
Cookies
Cookies and similar tools may be used to understand site usage, remember technical preferences, and support advertising or analytics. You can block cookies in your browser settings, although some features or measurements may work differently after cookies are blocked.
How Information Is Used
- To keep the site available, stable, and reasonably fast.
- To route search requests to the provider handling that search feature.
- To understand which Mercer County jail, court, and locator pages are useful to visitors.
- To diagnose broken links, display issues, security events, or other technical problems.
- To display advertising that may be based on general interests or browsing activity.
Links Leaving This Site
Mercer County Inmate Population links to West Virginia jail rosters, sheriff and police pages, WVDCR resources, court portals, VINE, federal locators, ICE resources, and third-party search tools. Once you click away, the privacy policy of that outside site controls its collection and use of information.
Advertising partners may also use their own systems to measure activity across websites and deliver interest-based ads. That tracking is handled by those partners, not by a Mercer County government office.
When Information May Be Shared
Personal information is not sold as a standalone list. It may be provided to limited categories of recipients when needed to operate the site or comply with law.
- Search partners that process submitted search queries.
- Analytics providers that measure traffic and page performance.
- Advertising networks that serve or measure ads.
- Law enforcement, courts, or government bodies when a valid subpoena, court order, warrant, or similar legal demand requires disclosure.
Security
Reasonable safeguards are used to protect information connected with the site. No internet-connected website, email system, analytics service, or advertising platform can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
Visitors Under 18
This site is intended for adults. It does not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If a minor has submitted information, a parent or guardian may request deletion.
Your Choices and Rights
- Ask for a copy of personal information held by the site, if any.
- Request correction of information you believe is inaccurate.
- Request deletion where retention is not legally or operationally required.
- Opt out of certain processing where applicable law gives that right.
Public records held by West Virginia agencies follow separate public-record and court-record rules, including West Virginia FOIA in WV Code Chapter 29B. This privacy notice does not control records kept by WVDCR, courts, the sheriff, police departments, BOP, ICE, or VINE.
Policy Updates
This notice may be revised from time to time. Updates will be posted on this page with the new effective version reflected by the posted text.