How to find out if someone is in jail or prison?

Find the answers to the most commonly asked questions about prisons, jails, and inmates. To locate someone who is currently an inmate in a federal prison, or has been anytime since 1982, visit the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator. You can look up inmates in two ways:

How do I find out when a federal prisoner was released?

The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) maintains records of federal prisoners released after 1982. You can use the Inmate Locator to find out when a prisoner was, or is expected to be, released.

Are inmate and jail records public?

Inmate and jail records are public, so with some basic information available, most can find the information they need through jail records search online. Public jail and inmate records are accessible to anyone who wants to get more details on prisoners criminal history, arrest records, prison location, conviction details and much more.

Can a person go to jail for less than a year?

Usually, if the time being served is under a year, it is likely that it will be jail and not a prison where the person can be located. If a person has had a hearing and has received a sentence, he or she is more likely to be located at the prison, particularly for sentences exceeding a year.

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How do I get a visiting application to visit an inmate?

Again, there are no universal rules when it comes to prison, but there are two common ways for you to get a visiting application to visit your prison inmate. First, there is the online option.

How do I locate an inmate to support them?

Before you can support an inmate, you’ll need to determine their location. The best first step to locating your inmate is to know the system they are in. Are they in a state prison? Perhaps they have been sentenced to serve time in a federal institution? In some cases, the inmate may spend their incarceration period in a county jail.

How do I find an inmate number without a website?

In the absence of a website, you can call the facility directly and ask for the inmate number. For those counties that do have a site, typically all that is needed is a name.