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Federal Prisons: Search Inmates and Facilities

Federal Facilities and Inmate Search

Select one from the different types of Federal Prisons to find information about the facility and inmates.

Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP)

US Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE)

US Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)

US Military (MIL) Jails, Brigs

US Enemy Combatant High Value (HVD)

Federal Prison Inmates

Thanks to the power of the internet and the transparency of public records, you can find all of the relevant information about inmate location, housing conditions, addresses and facility rules right at your fingertips. A free inmate search is simple and only takes seconds.

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Federal Prison inmates locator

How to Find an Inmate

We know that inmates can be transferred, rerouted and shuffled between facilities at a moment’s notice. Using our powerful search engines and links, we can help you quickly and easily find inmates.

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For a federal inmate search, select from the menu “Federal Prisons” and click on the desired type of Prison like Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), US Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), US Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), US Military (MIL) Jails, Brigs or US Enemy Combatant High Value (HVD) to locate a federal inmate.

Find inmates in Federal Prisons

You can also search for the Federal Prison by its name to see the facility’s page and inmate search information.

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If the inmate is being held in a STATE or LOCAL facility, first navigate to the right-hand side of the screen (or scroll down if you are browsing from a smartphone or tablet) and select the appropriate state. From there, you will be able to choose which facility where you think the inmate is being housed. With one additional click, you will be taken to the facility’s information page that contains a link to their online website (if any), links to inmate search services, as well as important contact information such as telephone numbers and Inmate Mail address and policies.

To perform a federal inmate search, first you need to navigate to the appropriate federal administrative authority. Most federal inmates are under the authority of the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) so choose this option if you are not sure which authority has jurisdiction over the inmate.

If you know the name of the federal administrative authority and the name of the facility, select it from the list. With one additional click, you will be taken to the facility’s information page that contains a link to their online website (if any) as well as important contact information such as telephone numbers and mailing address.

Frequently Asked Questions About Inmate Search

What if I know an inmate is being held in a state/local facility, but I don’t know which one?

First, click on the appropriate state from the choices on the right-hand part of the screen (if you are browsing from a smartphone or tablet you will find the States by scrolling down). If you aren’t sure whether the inmate is being held in a state prison or county facility, make your best guess. A list of facilities operated in that state will then be displayed. Again, if you don’t know the name of the facility in which the inmate is being housed, make your best guess. You will then be directed to a free inmate lookup service that may be able to assist you further to perform an inmate search by name.

What if I know I’m looking for federal prison inmates, but I don’t know which facility they are being housed in?

First, you need to know which federal authority administers the facility where the inmate is being housed. If you are unsure about which federal authority administers the appropriate facility, select (BOP) as they have jurisdiction over most federal inmates.

A list of facilities operated by that federal authority will then be displayed. If you don’t know the name of the facility in which the inmate is being housed, you will then be directed to an inmate locator service that may be able to assist you further.

What if I don’t have any idea where the inmate is being held?

To search inmates, simply click on the links to an appropriate inmate locator service and you will be given further assistance.

Inmate Visitation

Although procedures and guidelines about inmate visitation are meant to be uniform across facility administration, in practice, rules can vary.

For a complete list of the current rules concerning visitation and other inmate services, simply navigate to the facility and you will be provided with their current contact information. Scroll down for updated information about the facility’s current visiting schedule, rules and guidelines concerning visitation, as well as other useful information.

Commissary and Inmate Services

Most inmate housing facilities provide secondary, commercial sources of basic necessities, personal care products, supplementary food supplies and other items (commissary).

For a complete list of the current rules and procedures for contributing to an inmate’s commissary account, simply navigate to the facility and you will be provided with their current contact information. Scroll down for updated information about the facility’s current commissary availability (if any), schedule, rules and guidelines concerning transferring funds to an inmate’s commissary account, as well as other useful information about inmate services. Lastly, you will find the facility’s telephone number, so you can contact the administration office to ask for further details about commissary.

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Useful Abbreviations

Before you begin search for inmate or other information, it’s important to know a few abbreviations:

  • Jail Name = The name of the institution where the inmate is currently being housed. This may be a prison, an immigration holding facility, military brig or other form of facility.
  • Type of Jail = County Jail, State Prison or Federal (BOP, ICE, DIA, HDV, MIL).
  • State = The name of the state where the facility is located.
  • County = The name of the county where the facility is located.
  • City = The name of the city where the facility is located.
  • Beds = The number of beds that a facility contains.
  • Jail Address = The official address of the facility.
  • Inmate Address = The mailing/postal address for the inmate.
  • Inmate Locator Links = Links to websites that perform inmate searches.
  • Jail Street = The name of the street of the official address of the facility.
  • Jail Postal Code = The ZIP or postal code of the mailing address of the facility.
  • Staff Address = The staff mailing address (if any) for the facility.
  • Telephones = Telephone listings for the facility
  • Fax = The fax number(s) for the facility.
  • Facilities Map = A digital map of the facility, provided by Google.

Your Guide to Correctional Facilities

Throughout the United States, there are seven categories of correctional facilities. Each is denominated by its controlling administrative authority. The conditions and amenities offered by each facility can vary even between facilities of the same type.

STATE/LOCAL

County Jail = administered directly or indirectly by the local city or county. This type of facilities usually only houses inmates for limited durations. Some inmates are being housed as part of pre-trial detention while other inmates have been convicted of violations, including misdemeanors and minor felonies.

State Prison = administered directly or indirectly by the state. Usually houses inmates for lengthier durations. Most inmates are being housed for convictions following felony violations.

FEDERAL

BOP = Most federal prisons are administered by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP).

ICE = Operated by the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. Facilities may vary from short-term holding areas to longer term housing units.

BIA = Administered by the BIA for certain inmates convicted of violations of tribal sovereignty, territory or law.

MIL = Every branch of the military administers their own inmate housing facilities. Inmates are usually held in military facilities solely for violations of military, rather than civil, law.

HVD = Used exclusively for inmates deemed High Value. Currently, all HVD facilities are outside the territorial boundaries of the United States.

Disclaimer

While we cannot guarantee with perfect accuracy that all of the information provided on this website is correct and updated, we have done our best to provide the best information available. All inmate information displayed by this website should be used in a lawful manner according to current United States and national law.
All information on this website is displayed as is.

WARNING

Warning: Inmatesearcher.com does not guarantee the accuracy of the information found on this website. We cannot guarantee that the information here is up to date or functioning. No subject that is located due to our website should be treated unfairly or unlawfully. The information of this website is provided as is, and you are responsible for using this website legally according to U.S. and National laws.