Prison records accessibility varies by country. In the US, most records are public and can be found online or through in-person inquiry. Exceptions include child records and some information kept private for security reasons.
Whether or not prison records can be accessed by the public varies greatly from country to country. In the United States, nearly all prison records are considered public records and, as such, must be accessible to the public upon request. Jail records can be located through an online search, a phone call, or an in-person inquiry, depending on the jurisdiction.
Locating a prison record for a federal prisoner in the United States is relatively easy. All inmate information is maintained in a central database that is made publicly available on the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) website. From the Prisoner Locator page on the BOP website, you can search using the prisoner’s identifying information, such as record number or name. If you search by first name, you must use the first and last name and only exact matches will be shown.
Jail records for inmates in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody can also be searched online. The online detainee and detainee locator system available on the US Immigration and Customs website allows you to search records for anyone in ICE custody. The most accurate search results are obtained using the prisoner’s A number and country of birth. The A number is a number assigned to you when you are in custody. A search can also be performed using biographical information.
In the United States, inmate records for anyone sentenced to a term in state prison are also usually easily discoverable. Each state has its own central repository for inmate records. Anyone who is in custody or has been incarcerated within the state prison system should be located through an online search on the state Department of Corrections website.
Local jail records are typically harder to locate. First, it could take hours for a record of a person’s arrest to enter the system. Second, not all local prisons have searchable online databases. Finally, the information shown may be incomplete and out of date at the time it is accessible.
Larger cities or county jails often offer an online search option for locating inmate jail records. If such an option exists, it will be found on the county sheriff’s or local law enforcement agency’s website. If an online search option is not available or if the information appears incomplete or outdated, a call or personal visit to the prison should yield the desired records.
While nearly all prison records are public information in the United States, some exceptions apply. Child records are not considered public records. Additionally, some information within an inmate’s file may be kept from the public. For example, when and where a federal prisoner is transferred he will not be made available for obvious security reasons.
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