Where to Find Inmate Records
There are many search companies you can hire to find inmate records, but there is no reason to hire someone to perform a search you can do yourself through each state’s department of corrections. Inmate information is public, and a current inmate list can be obtained through most search portals. Inmate info varies, but usually includes vital statistics (birth date, age, gender, ethnicity, and so on), date of incarceration, brief details of the crimes committed, and the current location of the inmate.
Finding inmate records is not difficult but you do need some information to start performing your search. It is actually better to begin with less information and enter more if you do not obtain the search result you are looking for, because if an inmate has been transferred between state prisons the information may not have been updated yet.
The first and last name and known aliases are very helpful, though you can search for a partial name or initials in most websites. The inmate’s state assigned number will make the search extremely easy. This number is sometimes known as the Offender Identification or OID number, or as a Department of Corrections (DOC) number. Knowing the prison inmate’s birth date may help narrow the search; some search portals will allow you to enter an age range instead. Other information such as gender and ethnicity may be entered if the inmate has a common name.
It is always interesting to examine the public records of a given inmate. In these sections of the inmate information you will find a list of all the offenses committed, the dates of the offenses, the class and type of the offense, and probation or parole information for multiple crimes.
State inmate locators will probably not have information about inmates being held in county jails or in federal prison, nor do they usually have inmate info for those who have been paroled or released from state prison. If a prisoner is being housed in county jail or federal prison awaiting transport to another state prison, his or her information may be found in county or federal prisoner locator databases. Some states keep information on parolees; others delete those inmate records when the person is released from supervision.
The VINE System: Inmate Records for All 50 States
The Victim Information and Notification Everyday (VINE) system is part of the National Victim Notification Network. Crime victims can register to receive information on specific prisoners and their custody status. Concerned citizens and members of the general public may also register to receive alerts.
Almost every state has its own inmate records search portal, but the VINE system might come in handy if a prisoner is moved from one state to another. Inmate records information from the VINE site is extremely brief; you will not be able to view previous crimes through this portal. The purpose of the website is to notify people if a prisoner’s custody status changes over time.
Some states have linked their sex offender registries with the VINE system, so you can choose to receive notifications of sex offender status changes. More states will probably move in this direction in the years to come.
Inmate Search Portals for the United States
Here is a list of the most current department of corrections inmate records search portals. If you do not find what you are looking for in these sites, enter “department of corrections” and your state’s name into a search engine. All the sites listed below are government sponsored; there is no charge to access inmate records from these sites.
Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator: http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/LocateInmate.jsp
Alabama (AL) Department of Correction Inmate Search: http://www.doc.state.al.us/inmsearch.asp
Alaska (AK) Department of Correction VINE Service: https://www.vinelink.com/vinelink/initSearchForm.do?searchType=offender&siteId=2001
Arizona (AZ) Department of Correction ADC Inmate Datasearch: http://www.adc.state.az.us/inmate_datasearch/index.aspx
Arkansas (AR) Department of Correction Inmate Population Information Search: http://www.adc.arkansas.gov/inmate_info/http://www.peoplepublicrecords.org/index.html
California (CA) Department of Correction VINE Search: https://www.vinelink.com/vinelink/initSearchForm.do
Colorado (CO) Department of Correction Inmate Locator System: https://exdoc.state.co.us/inmate_locator/offender_search_splash.php
Connecticut (CT) Department of Correction Offender Information Search: http://www.ctinmateinfo.state.ct.us/
Delaware (DE) Department of Correction VINE Search: https://www.vinelink.com/vinelink/initSearchForm.do?searchType=offender&siteId=8000
Florida (FL) Department of Corrections Inmate Population Information Search: http://www.dc.state.fl.us/ActiveInmates/search.asp
Georgia (GA) Department of Corrections Offender Query: http://www.dcor.state.ga.us/GDC/OffenderQuery/jsp/OffQryForm.jsp
Hawaii (HI) Department of Corrections SAVIN VINE Search: https://www.vinelink.com/vinelink/initSearchForm.do?searchType=offender&siteId=50000
Idaho Department of Correction Offender Search: http://www.accessidaho.org/public/corr/offender/http://www.peoplepublicrecords.org/search.html
Illinois (IL) Department of Corrections Inmate Search: http://www.idoc.state.il.us/subsections/search/default.asp
Indiana (IN) Department of Correction Offender Search: http://www.in.gov/apps/indcorrection/ofs/ofs
Iowa (IA) Department of Corrections Offender Information: http://www.doc.state.ia.us/OffenderInfo.asp
Kansas (KS) KASPER Offender Population Search: http://www.dc.state.ks.us/kasper
Kentucky (KY) Offender Online Lookup KOOL: http://www.corrections.ky.gov/KOOL.htm
Louisiana (LA) Department of Public Safety and Corrections Inmate Locator: http://www.corrections.state.la.us/view.php?cat=10&id=64
Maine (ME) Department of Corrections (inmate locator not currently available; call for information): http://www.state.me.us/corrections/FAQ.htm
Maryland (MD) Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Inmate Locator: http://www.dpscs.state.md.us/inmate/
Massachusetts (MA) Department of Correction VINE Offender Search: https://www.vinelink.com/vinelink/initSearchForm.do?searchType=offender&siteId=20000
Michigan Department of Corrections OTIS Offender Tracking Information System: http://www.state.mi.us/mdoc/asp/otis2.html
Minnesota (MN) Department of Corrections Offender Locator: http://info.doc.state.mn.us/publicviewer/main.asp
Mississippi (MS) Department of Corrections MDOC Inmate Locator: http://www.mdoc.state.ms.us/inmatetest.asp
Missouri (MO) Department of Corrections Offender Search: https://web.mo.gov/doc/offSearchWeb/
Montana (MT) Correctional Offender Network Search: http://app.mt.gov/conweb/
Nebraska (NE) Department of Correctional Services Inmate Information Locator: http://dcs-inmatesearch.ne.gov/Corrections/COR_http://www.peoplepublicrecords.org/input.html
Nevada (NV) Department of Corrections Offender Tracking Information System: http://www.doc.nv.gov/notis/search.php
New Hampshire (NH) Department of Corrections Inmate Locator: http://www4.egov.nh.gov/Inmate_Locator/
New Jersey (NJ) Department of Corrections Offender Search: https://www6.state.nj.us/DOC_Inmate/inmatefinder?i=I
New Mexico (NM) Corrections Department Offender Information Search: http://corrections.state.nm.us/offenders/search.php
New York State (NY) Department of Correctional Services Inmate Population Information Search: http://nysdocslookup.docs.state.ny.us/
North Carolina (NC) Department of Correction Offender Public Information Search: http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/offendersearch.do?method=view
North Dakota (ND) Statewide VINE Search Service: https://www.vinelink.com/vinelink/initSearchForm.do
Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Offender Search: http://www.drc.state.oh.us/OffenderSearch/Search.aspx
Oklahoma (OK) Department of Corrections Offender Inquiry: http://docapp065p.doc.state.ok.us/servlet/page?_pageid=395&_dad=portal30&_schema=PORTAL30
Oregon (OR) Department of Corrections Offender Search: http://docpub.state.or.us/OOS/intro.jsf
Pennsylvania (PA) Department of Corrections Inmate Locator: http://inmatelocator.cor.state.pa.us/inmatelocatorweb/
Rhode Island (RI) Statewide VINE Search: https://www.vinelink.com/vinelink/initSearchForm.do?searchType=offender&siteId=40900
South Carolina (SC) Department of Corrections Incarcerated Inmate Search: https://sword.doc.state.sc.us/incarceratedInmateSearch/
South Dakota Department of Corrections (inmate locator not currently available; call for information): http://doc.sd.gov/about/faq/search.aspx
Tennessee (TN) SAVIN Statewide VINE Inmate Locator: https://www.vinelink.com/vinelink/initSearchForm.do?searchType=offender&siteId=43000
Texas (TX) Department of Criminal Justice Offender Information Search: http://168.51.178.33/webapp/TDCJ/index2.htm
Utah (UT) County Arrested Person Search: http://www.co.utah.ut.us/DEPT/SHERIFF/InmateSearch.asp
Vermont (VT) Department of Corrections Inmate Locator: http://www.doc.state.vt.us/offender-locator/
Virginia (VA) Department of Corrections Offender Locator: http://www.vadoc.virginia.gov/offenders/locator/
Washington State (WA) Department of Corrections Find An Offender Search: http://www.doc.wa.gov/offenderinfo/Default.aspx
Washington, D.C. District of Columbia VINE Offender Search: https://www.vinelink.com/vinelink/initSearchForm.do?searchType=offender&siteId=9900
West Virginia (WV) Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority Inmate Search: http://www.wvrja.com/
Wisconsin (WI) Department of Corrections VINE Offender Locator: https://www.vinelink.com/vinelink/initSearchForm.do?searchType=offender&siteId=50001
Wyoming (WY) VINE Inmate Locator: https://www.vinelink.com/vinelink/initSearchForm.do?searchType=offender&siteId=51000
Additional State-Specific Inmate Record Information:
Alabama Inmate
Arizona Inmate
Arkansas Inmate
California Inmate
Colorado Inmates
Connecticut Inmates
Florida Inmate
Georgia Inmate
Idaho Inmates
Illinois Inmate
Indiana Inmates
Iowa Inmates
Kentucky Inmate
Michigan Inmate
Minnesota Inmate
Mississippi Inmate
Missouri Inmates
New Jersey Inmate
New York Inmate
North Carolina Inmate
Ohio Inmate
Oregon Inmate
Pennsylvania Inmates
South Carolina Inmate
Texas Inmate
Utah Inmate
VA Inmate
Wisconsin Inmates
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