Tips for Conducting a State, Federal, and ICE Inmate Search
The United States Prison System is one of the most mass incarceration systems in the world, with over two million adult and juvenile inmates. Most of them are imprisoned in 1,677 adult state and federal prisons. A handful of immigrants also serve time in the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency’s detention facilities.
Finding a single inmate in such a number may sound next to impossible, especially if you do not have the tips. Besides, it is not illegal to locate an inmate as inmate records are public records under the Public Records Act and the Freedom of Information Act.
To easily and quickly find an inmate, here are some of the tips you will need to be aware of:
Understanding the Prison System
Most people do not even understand how the prison system works; thus, they have no idea where to begin their search. In the US, inmates can either be incarcerated in a county, state, or federal system. Note that different states have different laws regarding incarceration and rehabilitation, hence sentencing criminals.
At the county level, inmates who spend time in county prisons and other detention facilities are pretrial inmates and short-term inmates charged with common and minor offenses requiring a sentencing period of less than a year or two in some states. The county or parish sheriff’s department operates these jails and detention facilities.
Inmates charged with severe crimes for violating state laws are sentenced to state prisons run by the state’s department of corrections or public safety. The name of the government agency responsible for operating the state prison system differs with states. Most inmates have a sentencing period exceeding two years.
On the hand, individuals charged with violating federal laws in the state are sentenced to serve time in the federal prison system. These prisons are maintained by the Bureau of Prison’s Regional Office.
Finally, inmates who get to serve time in the ICE’s detention facilities are immigrants who defile or violate immigration laws.
Where to search
When it comes to finding inmates incarcerated in the state, federal and ICE facilities, knowing where to look is crucial. Ideally, you can find inmates using major government websites that deal with inmate records and incarceration. However, some states do not have a website that offers these services, and thus you need to improvise.
However, all state departments of correction, public safety, or justice must provide a way to help state residents know the whereabouts of their loved ones. If they do not have a readily accessible inmate search database, they must offer an alternative. Of which sometimes is not direct or easily accessible.
In such a case, you can find inmates online and physically, from contacting the prisons by phone to visiting the prisons in pursuit of their loved ones. In addition, you can utilize third-party websites that offer access to your state’s public records to find an inmate.
When it is impossible to find them, or you do not even know whether they are in prison, missing, or has escaped, you could hire a lawyer to help you find them.
What do you need to conduct an inmate search?
Conducting an inmate search does not require much information as most databases will require the interested party to enter the inmate’s first and last name or their prisoner number or ID. On the other hand, some databases will require the searcher to indicate the county, state, or city of the inmate to pull out search results.
In some instances, you could find inmates using their court records, such as case file numbers, charges, or sentencing period.
However, most corrections departments understand that some interested parties in finding an inmate are victims. In that case, some states have established an advanced search database requiring the searcher to search an inmate using their physical description.
When utilizing the physical description, the searcher may use their abuser using their height, approximate age, eye and hair color, visible scars or tattoos, race, sex, and gender.
How to conduct an Inmate Search
With the above information, you will know where to and where not to bother visiting in pursuit of your loved one. Here are the easiest ways of finding an inmate in the US Prison system:
Finding state prisoners
There are 1,155 state prisons in the US, which houses over 1,098,591 inmates behind their walls. Finding state prisoners is easier when the state has a readily accessible inmate search database. To find a prisoner, you need to visit your state’s department of correction or public safety and find the inmate search database.
On the database, ensure that you fill in the accurate information required, such as the prisoner’s first and/or last name, where necessary. If the search database requires you to include a middle name, ensure to put one.
In addition, if it requires a date of birth or a prisoner ID, ensure to indicate the accurate date or number. Besides, any inaccurate information will yield incorrect information or no search results.
Some states have different ways of finding inmates depending on the inmate’s classification. This may be through their security threats, minimum, maximum, or medium, and levels like Level I-V.
Out-of-state State Prisoner
Some inmates, especially those with special needs and who need special programs, are sentenced to an out-of-state state prison system. This means that although they were arrested, charged, and sentenced in one state, they can serve time in another prison. Besides, there are states without enough room to keep their inmates.
In such a case, you need to contact the department of justice or corrections using the available options and request to inquire about the whereabouts of your loved one. You can find the contact information of your state’s department of justice or correction online by searching “(your state) Department of Correction or Justice.”
Finding Federal Inmates
You can easily find a single federal prisoner incarcerated in any of the 111 federal facilities across the US. You must visit the Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator Database to find them. The database is simple to utilize as you can only find inmates in two methods:
With such an option, you will be required only to indicate the offender’s first and last name to utilize the search-by-name option. On the other hand, you will be required to indicate the correct and accurate form and number of the inmate to perform a federal inmate search. There are four types of federal inmate numbers; imputing the correct number in the wrong form will yield no inaccurate search results or search results.
Federal inmate number can either be one of the following, and it is only known to one federal inmate:
- Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Register
- D.C. Department of Corrections (DCDC)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)
Note that the federal inmate locator system will produce search results for inmates from 1982.
Out-of-state Federal inmates
Some states do not have federal prisons or do not have prisons that can accommodate male and female inmates of all security levels. In that case, the state contracts with another state to run an out-of-state federal program.
When your loved one is in such a program, you can contact your state’s BOP regional office and request information about where the inmate is incarcerated. You can find the contact information on the website too.
Finding ICE Detainees
When your inmate is an immigrant and was sentenced for violating immigration laws, then they will end up in one of the over 200 ICE detention facilities. To find them, you will be required to visit the ICE Detainee Locator System to search by the;
- Detainee’s names
- Detainee Number
- Country of birth
Since some immigrants, especially illegal inmates, do not provide their real names, and you may not know their detainee number, you can visit your nearest ICE field agent and request them to search for an inmate that matches your description.
Using alternative ways to find your inmate
VINELink
If you are a victim, you could utilize your state’s Victim Information Notification Exchange (VINELink or VINE). This is a free national resource for victims and survivors of crime, and you can register with VINELink to receive updates on your offender, such as;
- Changes in court or release dates
- When they don’t show up for court, escape or abscond
- When they are transferred
Third-party Websites
Utilizing third-party websites is the easiest way of finding inmates in the US. However, the secret is finding a trustworthy website that will not charge you expensively for wrong or inaccurate results. This is because so many websites will charge for false information.
How to ensure a Successful Search
Most searchers complain of unsuccessful searches when finding their loved ones. This is because they make tiny mistakes that they may never notice. For instance, they may be looking for a state prisoner in a federal inmate database or vice versa.
On the other hand, some put a lot of inmate information, especially when utilizing the advanced inmate search. This is because you want to pull out specific search results when utilizing this method. The search becomes unsuccessful if you mistakenly put the wrong letter when it is not supposed to.
Some even confuse the inmate’s first, last, and middle names. The search will also be unsuccessful when you input the wrong name in the right category. In the federal inmate locator, some will input the incorrect number format leading to no search results.
As such, you should be careful with what you feed on the databases. The secret is knowing the details of your inmate.
Staying safe when Conducting a State, Federal, and ICE Inmate Search
Online
When your loved one is imprisoned, you are desperate to find where they are. Some organizations will use your desperation to scam and extort money from you. In that case, you should ensure that the websites you click to find your inmate is safe. Many of these websites will ask you to provide your credit or debit card details, and they will steal money from you if you are not careful.
If you are a crime victim, ensure that the information you provide to these websites will not disclose your actual location. This is because some criminals will utilize these websites to find their victims or hire other criminals and assault them again or, worse, kill them in pursuit of revenge.
You should also avoid giving too much information about you or your inmate. This is because even when utilizing the government agencies’ websites, the government bugs these websites and gets notifications when a particular inmate search is conducted. However, this applies to illegal immigrants, absconders, and high-profile criminals. The government will use your IP address to track you down in connection with the inmate.
Physically
Finding inmates may be stressful, frustrating, and challenging, leave alone having the idea that your loved one is in prison. When conducting an inmate search, you should ensure that you are relaxed and avoid drugs and other substances to prevent depression which can lead to worse like;
- Self-harm and suicidal thoughts
- Addiction
- Lose of children to the child protection services
- Poor hygiene and health of the children
When searching for an inmate in person, ensure that you understand where you are going and what you are required to enter with in these offices and prisons. In addition, different places have different terrains, climates, and laws; thus, familiarize yourself with the location you plan to visit. This may include learning and understanding the laws, what to wear, and how long it will take.
Recommendations
With the above information, you can find any inmate in the US. However, you should take safety precautions very carefully. This is because criminals will always find a way of impacting back to their victims, especially witnesses and whistleblowers.
Ensure you have financial maturity on how you spend, be it paying the website to conduct the inmate search or moving from one office or jail to the other. Also, ensure that you do not miss your work which may lead to financial losses when self-employed or getting sacked.
