I Cannot Find My Incarcerated Son. Here Is Where to Look.

No preamble needed on this one. She doesn't need setup. She needs help right now.

Slug: i-cant-find-my-son-who-is-incarcerated

FAQ Heading: I Cannot Find My Incarcerated Son. Here Is Where to Look.

Answer: We understand how frightening this is. Here is where to start right now.

If he is in the federal system, search the Bureau of Prisons free inmate locator at bop.gov/inmateloc. Enter his first and last name or his BOP inmate ID number if you have it. This database is updated regularly and covers every federal facility in the United States.

If he is in a state prison, each state Department of Corrections maintains its own inmate search tool. If you know which state he was sentenced in, InmateAid's facility directory can point you directly to that state's search tool.

If he was recently arrested, he may still be in a county jail rather than a state or federal facility. County jails typically have their own online inmate rosters updated daily. Search the county where he was arrested first.

If he was transferred, inmates are moved between facilities regularly and sometimes without notice to families. A transfer can make someone temporarily invisible in one database while they are in transit to another facility. If he was showing in a database previously and has now disappeared, a transfer is the most likely explanation. Check the BOP locator or state DOC search again in 24 to 48 hours.

If you still cannot find him, InmateAid's free inmate search covers facilities nationwide and is a good additional resource when official databases come up empty.

An arrest record search can also help locate someone who was recently taken into custody and may not yet appear in the corrections system database.

Do not panic if he does not appear immediately. Processing and transfer delays mean inmates sometimes take 24 to 72 hours to appear in official databases after arriving at a new facility.

He is somewhere in the system. We will help you find him.