Conduct a Free California Inmate Search (Offender Lookup)

Run a free California inmate search today; these searches are publicly available thanks to extensive online databases compiled by local record custodians.

Inmates are those who’ve been arrested and held in custody, either in jail or prison. Using the lookup tools linked and described below, it’s possible to locate inmates regardless of the type of facility they’ve been placed in.

Being able to look into inmate details helps promote access to public information. This resource enables citizens to efficiently check the status and details of inmates anywhere in California.

The Difference Between Being Incarcerated in Jail vs. Prison

Before delving into an inmate search, it can be helpful to understand what it means to be in jail or prison. The primary difference is the governmental level of oversight. Jails typically refer to facilities run by either the county or municipality, while state and federal governments oversee prisons.

County sheriff’s offices typically oversee county jails. They can hold inmates from the entire county if a municipal-level jail isn’t available. They may also report information about every inmate held in jails within the county, making them a useful starting point when searching for someone who’s been incarcerated.

The city or town’s police department usually oversees municipal-level jails and those housed within them. Those held in municipal jails were likely arrested by the local police department.

Prisons hold individuals who’ve committed state or federal crimes. At the state level, they’re overseen by the Department of Corrections or other similar agencies.

The California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation (CDCR) oversees numerous prisons across the state. At the federal level, the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) runs prisons scattered across the country.

As a general rule, it’s more common to find inmates in jail at the city or county level, as state prisoners outnumber federal inmates.

How To Complete a California Inmate Search on Anybody in Jail

To perform an inmate search, it helps to know where to begin. Where an inmate is housed often depends on why and where they were arrested.

Often, sheriff’s offices across the state allow for inmate searches online. For example, in Los Angeles, the county sheriff maintains an Inmate Information Center.¹ This requires a partial or full last and first name to be entered to complete a search, but there are fields for middle name and date of birth to further narrow results.

After performing a search, all results matching the query will populate, including information such as:

• Booking Number
• Last Name
• First Name
• Middle Name (if applicable)
• Gender
• Race
• Date of Birth (DOB)
• Age

By clicking on the booking number and completing the CAPTCHA on the next page, further information becomes available. This page will also include arrest information, including the date, time and agency, as well as the time booked and booking location.

Notably, it also offers the charge level (misdemeanor or felony) but doesn’t provide details on what the crime was. Any information regarding bail and housing, along with court date information, is also accessible here.

Scrolling down the page reveals redacted information about the relevant court case, including which court they attended and a sentencing date. This information may prove useful during a more detailed criminal public records search.

Further inquiries can be directed to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
211 West Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Phone: (213)229-1700

The same search tool proves useful for locating individuals in municipal jails within the county. Glendale City Jail inmates, for example, will appear on the Los Angeles County Inmate Information Center mentioned above.³ However, there’s no way to search by facility specifically, so it’s necessary to search by name and review the current facility information manually. In some cases, researchers may need to contact the jail directly.

Glendale City Jail
131 North Isabel Street
Glendale, CA 91206

Phone: (818)548-3124

Some third-party databases provide free access to criminal history records and useful information such as a list of every county jail’s contact information and inmate searches. For example, it’s possible to look up free Los Angeles County public records, including records about arrests.

How To Check Whether Someone Is in a California State Prison

In California, it’s possible to find detailed information about prison inmates across the state in a single database.

The state’s Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) offers the California Incarcerated Records & Information Search (CIRIS) tool, which allows for searches by name or CDCR number.⁴ By entering this information, all individuals matching the search will be displayed. Results will list:

• Full Name
• CDCR Number – the unique identifying number given to each inmate
• Age
• The Facility the Individual is Currently Held In
• The County the Individual is Held In
• Date an Inmate Was Admitted
• Any Upcoming Board of Parole Hearing Dates
• Outcomes for Incarcerated Persons

There are two options underneath the fields for the name search: age range and commitment county. The age range is helpful — it allows for searches to be specified to a set age, narrowing down results.

What’s particularly useful, however, is the commitment county option. This allows searchers to specify exactly which county they wish to search for inmates in and can dramatically reduce the number of results for those with more common names.

Other information may prove useful during an inmate lookup. Review the following tools to find information on inmates and prisons:

• CDCR Facility Locator tool and interactive map⁶
• Information on visiting CDCR facilities and contacting inmates
• Contact information for regional Division of Adult Parole Operations facilities⁷
• Contact details for the Office of Victim & Survivor Rights & Services
• CDCR Frequently Asked Questions⁸
• Board of Parole Hearing Schedules
• List of wanted sex offenders in California

How To Execute a Federal Prisoner Search

To search for prisoners on the federal level, the primary tool to use is the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Find an inmate tool.⁹ This tool requires either the name or an identification number to locate the correct individual. Number options include:

• BOP Register Number
• District of Columbia Department of Corrections (DCDC) Number
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Number
• Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS) Number

A name search has fields for:

• First, Middle & Last Name
• Race
• Sex
• Age

Keep in mind that when searching by name, it must be spelled correctly and completely. The tool won’t search by partial name.

When a result comes back, it includes the individual’s name, register number, age, race, sex and the date they were released, if applicable. If they’re still in custody, it will list where the inmate is being held as well. A list of BOP locations is available online to locate contact information and addresses.¹⁰

This tool can only pull records about individuals who’ve been released from federal incarceration after 1982. Not all information on inmates in custody before this time has been entered into the database. The BOP currently recommends redirecting searches for inmates prior to this date to the National Archives Records Administration (NARA).¹¹

This may allow access to court records that can reveal information about a federal incarceration. It’s recommended to send requests with an inmate’s full name, date of birth, race and the dates they were imprisoned, if known.

Online access to the information NARA provides may be possible with the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER). However, this service has fees that must be paid, and users must sign up for a PACER account to look at federal court records.¹²

The above tools make performing a California inmate search possible, helping empower citizens by improving ease of access to public records.