how to find out if someone is in jail

How to Lookup an Inmate in County Jail

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If you know someone who has been arrested and want to find out what their custody status is, an inmate search is the quickest way to get your questions answered. Once a person is in a county jail, their information goes into the facility's database. Information available to the public includes name, date of birth, charges, intake date and release date. Some locations may provide additional information. While each county presents and maintains their databases differently, there are a few basic steps you can take to lookup an inmate in county jail.

Gather the Necessary Information

There are hundreds of people booked in a county's jail at any given time. While you might be able to look at a list of all of the names of people currently incarcerated in the county jail, wading through this information is tedious and time consuming. Most counties have a database with a handy search tool that makes it easier to find the inmate you're looking for. Make sure that you have this information handy.

Inmate's full name Date of birth County arrested Inmate ID number

The inmate ID number is not necessary, but it's helpful if your database search turns up empty.

Start with a Broad Search

County jails operate independently and maintain their own databases. There is no single database that lists all the inmates in the thousands of county jails around the country. Navigate to the website for the sheriff's department where the person was arrested to locate the inmate search. If there is not one available, call the jail directly to learn the inmate's status.

Start the search with just the person's full first and last name. There is a chance that the person's information does not include a middle name or initial. If there are too many results — as is the case with common names — add the extra information. You can also filter the results by checking the birth date to find the correct person.

Understand the Limitations

Though computer databases make it much easier to maintain up-to-date information about all of the inmates in a county jail, there are some limitations. Small and understaffed corrections facilities can take longer to input the data. Information might not be readily available or accurate for someone who was just arrested or released from custody.

Look in State and Federal Prisons

If the inmate you are looking for is not in the county jail database, check surrounding counties to ensure you have the proper location. If your search still turns up empty, there is a good chance that the person is in the custody of another agency and was not booked in the county jail. Move your search to state and federal prison databases.

Call the Jail for Assistance

When online inmate database searches turn up empty, call the corrections facility directly. If you have the person's name and birth date, you should be able to learn the person's custody status. Note that these facilities are limited to the type and amount of information they can give you over the phone. Additionally, you can't speak with the inmate directly.

how to find out if someone is in jail

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