How to Find U.S. Inmates for Free

Are you trying to locate a prisoner within the U.S. judicial system? Use the Federal Bureau of Prison's online Inmate Locator tool to locate federal inmate incarcerated from 1982 to the present. Only persons convicted of violating federal laws, as well as some individuals awaiting trial for violating federal laws, are sent to federal prisons.

Things You'll Need

• A computer

Instructions

1. Log on to http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/LocateInmate.jsp.

2. Enter as much information as you can about the prisoner you are looking for. First and last name are required. The more information you are able to submit, such as race, sex, age or ID number, the faster and more accurate the results will be. Click "Search."

3. View the list of search results to find the inmate you are looking for. If there is more than one with the same name name, view the other columns containing information such as age, race and sex.

Tips & Warnings

• Always contact the prison before mailing anything to the prisoner; all prisons have rules about contraband.

• Most states have their own online inmate locator systems. Contact the department of corrections for the state for further information.

References

• Federal Bureau of Prisons: About the Inmate Locator
• Federal Bureau of Prisons: Who is a "Federal" Inmate? Related Documents Differences Between Federal, State, & Local Inmates

Resources

• Federal Bureau of Prisons: Inmate Locator