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Find the answers to the most commonly asked questions about prisons, jails, and inmates.
To locate someone who is currently an inmate in a federal prison, or has been anytime since 1982, visit the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator. You can look up inmates in two ways:
You can locate someone who:
Is currently detained for possible violation of immigration laws
Was released within the last 60 days from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility
To do so, use the Online Detainee Locator System. Or, contact the field offices of the Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations. If you know the facility where the person is being held, call that immigration detention facility directly.
For information about the status of a particular court case, contact the immigration court.
Each prison sets its own visiting hours. By law, an inmate gets at least four hours of visiting time per month. If you have a question about a particular prison, contact that facility directly. Review information on visiting a federal inmate to ensure your visit is a success.
For further information, contact the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
State or local correctional systems may have different procedures for visiting an inmate.
You can send money to inmates so they can buy certain items.
Inmates at federal prisons have bank-type accounts that they can use to buy things. You can deposit money into a federal inmate's account by:
MoneyGram (electronically)
Western Union (electronically)
United States Postal Service (money order through the mail)
If the inmate is at a private contract facility, contact that facility or the contract operator for instructions on how to send funds.
Options for sending money to inmates in state and local prisons vary. Contact the state or local correctional department for more information.
You can find federal prison records by date.
The National Archives and Records Administration maintains early prison and prisoner records. It has indexes of inmates once held at Alcatraz, Leavenworth, and other federal penitentiaries. Search by name for former inmates at each location to see if they served time there.
You can order copies of these prisoners’ records, if available. Include the following information about the inmate in your request:
Name (including middle name or initial)
Date of birth or approximate age at the time of incarceration
Race
Approximate dates in prison
The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) maintains records of federal prisoners released after 1982. You can use the Inmate Locator to find out when a prisoner was, or is expected to be, released.
To learn more about an inmate, submit a Freedom of Information Act request to the BOP. Also include a completed Form DOJ-361.
The BOP Library provides a wealth of resources on corrections, criminology, and related fields.
For state and local prison records, contact the state or local corrections department.
You can file a complaint about a prison, policy, or procedure. You can also file a complaint about claims of abuse.
To submit a complaint about a local, county, or state prison:
File a formal complaint directly with the state or local correctional facility.
Contact the state Department of Corrections office if the issue remains unresolved.
Contact your governor.
To submit a complaint about a federal prison:
File a formal complaint directly with the facility.
File a complaint with the BOP Regional Office that oversees the facility.
Contact BOP Headquarters or the Department of Justice - Office of the Inspector General, which oversees the BOP.
Give the complaint a reasonable amount of time to progress before going on to the next step. Qualified legal advice, as always, remains an option.
Ask a real person any government-related question for free. They'll get you the answer or let you know where to find it.
Last Updated: May 11, 2020