How to Find Prison Inmates

Inmate Locator – Federal Prisons, State Prisons, and County Jails

Federal Bureau Of Prisons US Federal Prisons
Federal inmates are easy to locate on the BOP website. The Federal database includes all federal inmates from 1982 to present. The information you get includes inmate’s age, race, release date, and current location.

State Department of Corrections US State Prisons
There is no national database that includes all inmates in all state prisons. Each state has its own Department of Corrections and the way they release information about their prison population vary from state to state.

The good news is that most states have web sites for their Department of Corrections, and contact information for inquiries is available. Some states offer information about their prisoners on-line.

If on-line information is not available you have to call. Ask for the Inmate Information telephone number, then call that number. Be prepared with the following information about the inmate you are inquiring:

Inmate’s Last Name and First Name
Date of Birth
Prison ID Number or Social Security Number – (optional, it varies from state to state)
They will give you his current location and other pertinent information that may be available to the public.

County Jails US County Jails
People awaiting trial are kept in County Jails managed by the Sheriff’s Departments. Again, there is no national database for County Jail Prisoners but these links will give you a head start.