How to Find Texas Prison Inmate Records

To obtain information on a certain Texas prison inmate for safety reasons or for any other purpose, you can seek the aid of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ). Visit the Department's website at http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us for more information on the TDCJ.

Accessing Prison Inmate Information

Inmate information is available online at the Offender Information Search page of the TDCJ's website, located at http://168.51.178.33/webapp/TDCJ/index2.htm. To conduct an inmate search, provide the details of the inmate whose record you are seeking, such as the inmate's name, TDCJ number (if you know it), race, sex, and state identification (SID) number.

If the website finds a match between the information you enter and the records in its database, it will usually display detailed information. This includes the full name of the Texas prison inmate, the date and time of his or her arrival to prison, the projected release date, booking number, report number, and arrest location. The separate counties also provide information on the arrest charges and bail. There is no charge for obtaining this information. Note that you will not be provided the social security numbers or photographs of inmates.

You can also request an inmate's information by e-mail. Simply send an e-mail message to classify@tdcj.state.tx.us; include the offender’s name and TDCJ number, date or approximate age, and county of conviction. Inmate information can also be requested via telephone by calling the Offender Locator Line at 936-295-6371 or 800-535-0283. When using this service, you will need to provide the inmate's TDCJ number, SID number, or exact date of birth. The office's hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Other Methods of Finding Inmate Information

If you do not find the Texas prison inmate record that you were seeking, you can also try searching with the Federal Bureau of Prisons (http://www.bop.gov/), the Departments of Corrections of other states in the US (http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/links/links-states-doc.htm), city jails (http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/links/links-lawenforc-tx.htm), county jails or court offices (http://www.county.org/counties/txcounties.asp), and the Texas Department of Public Safety's Crime Records Service (https://records.txdps.state.tx.us/DPS_WEB/Portal/index.aspx).

For information concerning a specific Texas prison inmate, you can also contact the Ombudsman Coordinator's Office. However, the Ombudsman will not be able to handle issues that are beyond the oversight of the TDCJ.

Other Important Information

The inmate information on the TDCJ's website is provided in the interest of public safety only. Using the information for any unlawful purpose, such as harassing or threatening the family of an inmate, will result in criminal prosecution. The information available regarding a Texas prison inmate is updated every five minutes on the working days of TDCJ; the information is, at most, a day old.

When using the TDCJ's online inmate search, the system will search for a Texas prison inmate based on the given data. Note that information on a prison inmate will be based on the state, whereas information on a local jail inmate will be based on the county.

The TDCJ Victim Services Division offers a notification system for a particular criminal’s arrest, transfer across prisons within the state, and completion of sentence as well as release date. This service helps victims to be alerted of an inmate's release before hand and to adopt the proper safety measures. Victims can contact the Victim Services Division of the TDCJ from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 1-800-848-4284, Monday through Friday, to register for these automated inmate status notifications.

Citizens can also request prison tours, which can aid in clearing their misconceptions about prison life. Prison tours are conducted by the TDCJ for the education of victims, their families, criminal justice professionals, and others on the realities of prison life in Texas. Call 1-800-848-4284 for tour information.

The TDCJ moved death row in Texas to Polunsky Unit in 1999. Female death row inmates in Texas are held at the Mountain View correctional facility.