How to Find Someone Incarcerated in Pennsylvania

An offender going through the criminal justice system in Pennsylvania may start their incarceration in a police lookup while undergoing investigations. The offender may proceed to a city or county jail to await court arraignment and sentencing. If the offender is guilty of a misdemeanor charge, the presiding judge may sentence them to serve a term of less than a year in jail. Still, other detainees end up serving longer sentences in state prison. Then, are you searching for an offender going through the criminal justice process in Pennsylvania? If so, here are three ways to locate the incarcerated person: -

1. Pennsylvania Statewide Inmate Search

The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections maintains an elaborate inmate database on its official website for all offenders in state-run correctional facilities or on community supervision. Use it to locate an inmate or parolee as follows: -

1. Go to http://inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov/#/
2. Select ‘Inmate Locator’ to locate an inmate or ‘Parolee Locator’ to locate a parolee
3. Provide the name of the inmate or parolee
4. Narrow your search by specifying the inmate or parole’s DOC number, gender, race/ethnicity, committing county, current location, date of birth, or citizenship
5. Click ‘Search’
6. The search results will display the following inmate or parolee details: -

• Inmate Number
• Name
• Mug Shot
• Parole Number
• Age
• Date of Birth
• Race/Ethnicity
• Height
• Gender
• Citizenship
• Complexion
• Current Location
• Permanent Location
• Committing County

Due to the high number of hits, you can sort your search results by name, DOC number, date of birth, race/ethnicity, committing county, or location.

2. Jail Roster Lookup

If you suspect the person you are searching for is at a county or city jail, visit the arresting law enforcement agency’s official website to scrutinize their online jail roster. See, most Pennsylvania Police and Sheriff’s Departments maintain and update their inmate listings online at their official websites. Use the person’s name or booking number to retrieve their details from the jail roster.

3. In-Person Search

If you cannot locate the inmate via online searches, consider visiting the correctional facilities or law enforcement agencies to inquire in person. Then, do you know which law enforcement agency arrested the individual? If so, check their physical address from their website and book an appointment with their administration. Likewise, if you know the last correctional facility where the inmate was residing, visit it to get their latest custody details.

Pennsylvania Jails Roster

There are 67 counties in Pennsylvania. The law enforcement agencies in 63 out of the 67 counties operate city and county jails as their primary holding facilities. Through them, the agencies detain suspects while conducting investigations, going through the court process, or awaiting transfer to another correctional facility. In turn, all jails maintain inmate listings to know how many inmates are in their custody at any given time. Further, the inmate details include criminal histories and past and current custody statuses. View the inmate listing online or in person at the jail lobby.

Pennsylvania Prison System

Pennsylvania prison system comprises facilities and stakeholders that make up the final stages of the state’s criminal justice system. The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections oversees 23 state prisons, a motivational boot camp, 14 community correctional centers, and a training academy. Here are more facts about the Pennsylvania prison system: -

• The rate of incarceration in Pennsylvania in 2019 was 659 per 100,000 people. For this, at least 96,000 residents were behind bars in the state.
• There are approximately 50,000 felons in Pennsylvania state prisons at any given time. Another 37,000 detainees are in Pennsylvania jails, while federal facilities hold up to 7,500 inmates. Likewise, at least 170,000 offenders are booked in Pennsylvania jails each year.
• Pennsylvania has 132 county and city jails that hold petty offenders for up to 12 months. Other offenders include pre-trial detainees and felons awaiting transfer to prison.
• There are ten stand-alone federal prisons and another five federal prison camps in Pennsylvania. The prisons detain federal inmates under high, medium, low, and administrative custody security levels. The Northeast Regional Office oversees all operations in the federal facilities.
• The Bureau of Juvenile Justice Services (BJJS) operates the juvenile justice system in Pennsylvania. It oversees and manages three juvenile detention facilities for balanced and restorative justice. Notably, punitive confinement is prohibited in the juvenile justice system.

Types of Correctional Facilities in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Prisons and Jails