Public Records Free Directory Blog

Prison records are separated according to the type of prison the individual is serving time in. This includes county jail, state prison, and federal prison.

County prison records are maintained by the county jail where the convicted person is incarcerated. Jails are typically run by local governments, while prisons are run by state or federal governments. State prison records can be located through the state’s Department of Corrections (DOC). Many states, such as Texas, provide an online database to perform the search, or allow inquiries to be emailed directly to the DOC. You are only required to provide the name of the individual you are searching for. However in states such as Nevada, there is no online system so any prison records must be obtained manually through an archive system. This can be a very time consuming and frustrating process.

Federal prison records are maintained by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). The BOP provides a searchable online “Inmate Locater” which can be used to find inmates who have been incarcerated in Federal Prison since 1982. Individuals serve time in Federal Prison for committing acts that have been made illegal by federal legislation or if a crime occurs on federal property.

The type of information available from jail/prison records to the general public may include current and past incarcerations, the location of incarceration, offenses the individual was convicted of, and projected release date. However county, state, and federal prisons have their own rules, so the information available varies.

Also, the actual prison records are available only for individuals convicted of a crime. For example, if the individual’s case is in the process of being tried in court, then prison records will not be available. If you, or someone you know, is a victim of a crime, and you need information immediately about the status of the offender (convicted or not), Vinelink can provide information about whether an offender is in jail, and the location of the jail. Victims and other interested parties can register with Vinelink to be notified of an offender’s release. Information from Vinelink is available online or via telephone. The Federal Bureau of Prisons also has a Victim and Witness Notification Program for Federal prisoners.�