How to Find an Inmate in the California Corrections Department

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation System houses prisoners both in-state and out-of-state.

The state of California houses more than 165,000 adult offenders and close to 2,000 juvenile offenders in 33 adult prisons, 13 adult community correctional facilities, and six juvenile facilities, making it one of the largest prison systems in the nation. As such, the process of finding one individual may seem daunting were it not for the streamlined system the state has made available online. With the help of the Inmate Locator and a minimum amount of information, you can find an adult prisoner with ease.

Things You'll Need

• Inmate's name

Instructions

1. Visit the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation website. There is a menu available at the top with several options, one of which is marked "Prisons." Select it and another drop down menu will appear. The Inmate Locator option can be found near the bottom.

2. Read and agree to the disclaimer by selecting "Agree." You will not be allowed to proceed until you have agreed to the terms. Bear in mind that the state of California updates this system regularly but does not guarantee that its information is 100% accurate, thus the warning: "The website is provided as an informational service only and does not constitute and should not be relied upon as an official record of the CDCR."

3. Enter the inmate's inmate number, if known, or their name. Only the last name is required for a search, however, unless the inmate has a particularly unique surname, the return results will be plentiful. Therefore, it's important to provide as much accurate information as possible.

4. Select "Search." You will be taken to a "CAPTCHA" screen, where you will be prompted to enter letters provided by a random generator. After you enter the generator's letters, the search results will appear. These results will include the full name, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation number, age, admission date and current location, of all inmates who meet your search criteria.

5. Select the "Current location" link in the search results menu once you've found the prisoner you're interested in. This will lead you to detailed information about the prison where they are housed, how to contact them or send money and how to visit.

Tips & Warnings

• The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation advises you to contact the Department's Identification Unit if you cannot find an inmate. However, if the inmate you are searching for was recently admitted or recently transferred from one prison to another, your search might still turn up nothing.

References

• California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation:Inmate Locator
• California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation:General Information