The internet makes it possible to find nearly anyone. You can find family, friends, and inmates. Yes, inmates. There are two ways to locate someone in the prison system. You can search using the state’s Department of Corrections website or through the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The following explains how to search for inmates using both websites and why you may want information about someone in the prison system.
Department of Corrections
All states have a Department of Corrections website. At these websites, you can search for any inmate in the state. The basic information you need to search for someone is a first and last name. Without those two bits of information, you cannot search its databases. Additional information you can enter to get a more accurate result includes gender, age, race, county, facility, and offense category. If you know his or her identification number, you can enter that information as well.
Once you’ve input the information, search results will appear. These results will tell you a number of things. The inmate’s name will always pop up. Along with a name, you’ll get his or her Department of Corrections number, race, gender, birth date, and the facility in which the inmate is being held. Finally, it will also give you the date he or she is eligible for parole or transfer. Some websites will also show a picture of the inmate, but it depends on the facility.
Why would you want to use this website? There are a number of reasons. Some websites allow you to deposit money into an inmate’s account through the website. Another reason you may use the website is to obtain information on a loved one’s release. A victim might use it to learn about the release of an offender. Finally, you can locate exactly where an inmate is being held so you can visit.
Federal Bureau of Prisons
If you cannot find an inmate using your state’s Department of Corrections website, you can try the Federal Bureau of Prisons website. On this website, you can use several tools to locate an inmate. You have the option to search by number or by name. If you wish to search by number, you must have an inmate’s BOP register number or his or her INS, FBI, or DCDC number. All of these numbers will pull up the desired inmate.
If you do not know any of these numbers, you can search by name. Searching by name is simple. All you need to know is the inmate’s first and last name. If you know it, you may also input middle name, race, age, and sex. Click “search,” and the information will be displayed.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons offers much of the same information you will find on the state Department of Corrections websites. Listed are the inmate’s name, register number, age, race, sex, release date, and location. You can also find information about prisoners who have been released. If such information is known, it is kept on file for several decades. However, there are some situations where the information may not be known, usually because the prisoner is not in the Federal Bureau of Prisoner’s custody.
You can use this information for a variety of reasons. If a person is still in custody, you can find out where he or she is being held. If the inmate has been released from BOP custody, it will simply say “released.” This website also offers information about the facility, as well as how to call or email, send mail or a package, send money, visit, or voice a concern. There is a process you must go through in order to visit, but the website walks you through this process.
