Inmate Search — Ask the Inmate
Finding out where someone is incarcerated is often the first and most urgent challenge families face after an arrest or transfer. The Bureau of Prisons maintains a free locator for federal inmates. Every state maintains its own inmate search tool. But knowing which system to search, how to use the locator correctly, and what to do when the search comes up empty requires guidance that most families do not have access to when they need it most. This section covers how to use the BOP inmate locator for federal inmates, how to find state inmates using DOC search tools, what to do when an inmate does not appear in any search system, why someone in transit may be temporarily unfindable, and how InmateAid's free inmate search can help locate a loved one across multiple systems simultaneously. The answers here are written for families searching in real time, often in crisis, who need accurate information fast. See also our sections on Inmate Transfer and General Prison Questions.
Related InmateAid Services
Not all of the arresting jurisdictions make mugshots available online.
Read moreChristopher Michael Collard, inmate AZ6105, incarcerated April 13, 2016, is alive and at Deuel Vocational Institution
Read moreTry this link [GDC Inmate Locator](http://www.dcor.state.ga.us/GDC/OffenderQuery/jsp/OffQryForm.jsp?Institution=)
Read moreUsually after the transfer, the facilities keep all inmate movement unpublished for safety reasons. Call the old facility and ask to speak to a counselor or case manager.
Read moreIf he has reported, he most certainly has a number. They issue a BOP Inmate ID card - that number must be on there. What is his name, we will find it for you.
Read moreThat is exactly the reason. Smaller counties often do not have the resources to maintain a full online court records portal, or their systems are not connected to any statewide database that is publicly searchable. The court records still exist, they are just not accessible the way larger jurisdictions with digital infrastructure make them. It is a common frustration. The solution is to go directly to the source. Contact the Clerk of the County Court in the county where
Read moreHere is a link to the [TDCJ Offender Information Search](https://offender.tdcj.texas.gov/OffenderSearch/index.jsp) - we could not find him
Read moreTen hours is still early enough that booking may not be complete across all databases. When someone is first arrested, it can take several hours for their information to propagate through the various systems that jails and public databases pull from. Coming up empty early on does not necessarily mean something unusual is happening. The best online resource to start with is VINELink at vinelink.com. It is a nationwide victim and offender notification system that pulls custody data from
Read moreHousing assignments are not posted online for any California state facility. The only way to get that information is to call McFarland directly. When you do, they may tell you that the specific bed assignment is not something they share with outside callers, and that is actually fine for mailing purposes. To send mail to your wife, you do not need her housing unit or bed number. You only need her full legal name, her CDCR number, and the
Read moreVINELink is a useful tool for some things but it does not always have complete or current information for Georgia state inmates, particularly those in probation detention centers. The more reliable source is the Georgia Department of Corrections offender search directly at dcor.state.ga.us. That database pulls from GDC's own records and is more likely to reflect a recent transfer than third-party notification systems. Search using his full legal name and date of birth. If he has been processed into
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