How to Get Information About an Inmate's Crime

When someone goes to jail, the first thing on almost everyone's mind is why the person is in jail. If you are curious, finding this information is not a complicated process. Here's how to find out why an inmate is incarcerated.

Instructions

1. Go to the circuit court in which the person is incarcerated. Information about an inmate is often kept at the court where the case was prosecuted. Contacting the court clerk is something that can easily be done to find information about an inmate's crime.

2. Look at your state's inmate records website. Since crimes are public record, you can look up information about inmates' crimes online. Contact your local jail for the website. Keep in mind that sometimes it takes a few days or a week for a new inmate to be added to this site.

3. Contact the clerk of courts, who can tell you what the inmate is charged or convicted of. You must contact the clerk of the court in which the inmate was charged, or you may have difficulty with this step.

4. Check the jail facilities. The jail will have documented records of the crime committed by the inmates. Contact the jail for information about the inmate.

5. Call the local media. For more crime committed in different cities, television news stations and the newspaper are often the first outlets to know about the crimes. They are required to give this information to you, so ask them for details.