Accessing Minnesota Inmate Information

Inmates being held in Minnesota prisons can be located by conducting a search through a variety of federal and state correctional facilities. Almost all the counties of Minnesota maintain their inmate records as well, making it easy for the general public to search the records of those currently incarcerated in Minnesota prisons.

Searching Federal Records for Minnesota Inmates

Those convicted of violating the federal laws of the United States are usually held in state prisons, supervised by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. However, a search of the records of federal prison inmates may also return the names of individuals who have never been incarcerated in federal prison. This occurs when an individual is held for civil contempt or has had charges against him or her dismissed. Certain offenders may also be held in federal prisons while awaiting trial.

All federal incarceration records are available at the website of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, located at http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/LocateInmate.jsp. This system holds inmate records dating back to 1982. When searching for an inmate by name using this search tool, the user must enter the inmate's full name; partial searches are not allowed. It is possible to narrow down the search by selecting the race, sex, and age of the inmate whose information is desired. It is much more effective to search through the database with specific identifying numbers such as FBI, DCDC, or INS numbers. These numbers usually accompany all forms of written correspondence regarding the inmate and should be easy to obtain. Records of inmates housed before 1982 can be viewed by writing to the Historic Inmate Locator service at:

Federal Bureau of Prisons
Office of Communications and Archives
320 First St., N.W, Washington, DC 20534.

Minnesota State Resources

Information about any adult offender housed in a Minnesota prison or state correctional facility can also be obtained by contacting the Commissioner of Corrections via telephone at 651-361-7200, or by writing to the following address:

Minnesota Department of Corrections
1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 200
Saint Paul, Minnesota  55108

An online search for offenders still in prison, recently released from prison, or on probation or parole may be conducted by accessing the Department of Corrections' official website at http://info.doc.state.mn.us/publicviewer/main.asp. Users can search by first name, last name, or date of birth; entering more information will narrow down the search. Entering an inmate's ID number will also pull up the corresponding record quickly.

Minnesota County Jails

Some county jails in Minnesota have also allowed their records to be accessed online by the public. The Anoka County jail permits its residents to search for inmates online at http://ww2.anokacounty.us/v3_jail/search.aspx, while the Carver County jail simply displays a roster of all the offenders serving time at present, located at http://www.co.carver.mn.us/county_government/jail_roster.asp. Dakota County, Stearns County, and Hennepin County all provide similar services as a means of promoting safety and awareness for the general public.