Prison Records
More Information

          
We are able to obtain State and County Prison Records or Incarceration Records for most states in the US, and Federal Records nationwide. Three types of records can be obtained:

• County Prison Records, County Jail Records

• State Prison Records, Department of Corrections

• Federal Prison Records, Federal Bureau of Prisons

The type of prison record that you decide to search for depends on what you know about the person, and the reasons why you are making a search.
              

If you don't know which record to search for then either read on, click on the links on the left and view the information for each type of prison record (Federal, State, County), or call us at 1-800-315-7678 and we will be happy to assist you.
           
You know very little about the person being searched
 - If you know little about the subject, and are trying to see if they have EVER been imprisoned, then you will need to search Federal, State AND County Prison records. You will need to know the city or county where the person has been in residence, OR if you know that a crime has been committed, then where the crime occurred, so we can search the correct county prison records. In addition, county records are only available to immediate family members. We may need a signed release to obtain this information for you. Order online in the usual way and we will contact you with the requirements when we check with the county records repository.
    
You know a little about the person being searched
 - If you believe that someone was, or is imprisoned, please provide us with as much information as possible to assist us in finding the information that you seek. You can enter this information in the "Additional Comments" box which is provided in the online application.
           
 - If you even know the TYPE of crime that was committed, you can narrow your search. Individuals who commit felonies are sent to the state or federal penitentiary; individuals who commit misdemeanors are sent to the county facilities. Based on the nature of the crime (felony or misdemeanor) we can help you get the information you need by refining our search. Enter what you do know in the "Additional Comments" box which is provided in the online application.
        
Making a general search  
 - If this is simply a general background search, then you should probably order records at the STATE level from the Department of Corrections of the state in which the person resides. If they have moved within the last seven years then you should also search the records of the states where they have previously resided.
   
The subject is known by you to have an extensive criminal history
 - If you KNOW that someone was, or is imprisoned, please provide us with as much information as possible with regards to the nature of the crime, the facility in which they were incarcerated. This will assist us in finding the information that you seek, and make sure that we have the correct subject and the right records. You can enter this information in the "Additional Comments" box which is provided in the online application.
       
 - If you believe that the individual has an EXTENSIVE criminal record, or if you know that they have been convicted of a Federal Crime then you should probably search both the Federal records AND the State prison records of their primary state of residence.
      
 - If you wish to verify that anyone, even a family member or direct relative, has been convicted of a lesser crime, ie. not a felony, then a County Prison Record search should bring to light any records that they might have at the County Jail level. During the ordering process for County Prison records you will be required to affirm that you are a family member and therefore entitled to search for these records.
             
The subject's State(s) of residence
 - At the State and County level the more information about the person's previous addresses that you can provide, the better, as this ensures that we search all the states applicable to that individual.
       
The problem with searching with only minimal information
 - The minimum information that is required varies depending on the type of record that you require. We can often obtain records simply with a name, but to reduce the risk of a "false positive" where another person's records are found under a similar name, we prefer to also have a middle initial and a date of birth (DOB). All searches are made much easier if you are able to provide the individual's Social Security Number, as this ensures positive identification of the subject.
         
Changes of Venue
 - In very rare cases, a person can file for a change of venue. This is
extremely uncommon and usually occurs with very notorious cases. The case is then heard in a different location because the individual cannot get a impartial jury in the county or state where the crime was committed. For example, Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City bombing case was moved to Denver, CO because the judge felt that McVeigh would not get a fair trial in Oklahoma City. If there has been a change in venue then we may not necessarily find a record in the State or County repositories where the crime was committed. If you believe there was a change in venue then make sure that you note this in the "Additional Comments" box while you are completing the online ordering application.