Are Indiana Inmate Records Public Information?
Yes. Indiana inmate records are public information under the state's freedom of information law. The primary goal of releasing inmate records is to enhance public safety. Thus, interested persons can access inmate records using the Indiana inmate locators provided by correctional agencies, or they can ask for the records in person at such agencies. Individuals can also call the corrections divisions to find out why someone is in jail or what jail someone is in. However, not all portions of an inmate record are disclosed to the public.
Indiana Inmate Search
Indiana inmate records contain personal and administrative data of incarcerated individuals in Indiana prisons or jails. Personal inmate records provide identifying details like name, sex, race, age, and Indiana inmate mugshots. Administrative records describe inmates' arrival, incarceration, transfer, and release from detention facilities. Per Indiana's Access To Public Records Act, inmate records are publicly available in Indiana. Interested residents may inspect and obtain these records online, in person, or by mail from the designated record custodian at the state and county level. For instance, record seekers can obtain inmate records from the Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) website. IDOC has an Indiana inmate lookup tool that helps the public find information about someone in prison. This Indiana inmate locator reveals who’s in custody in a state prison, including their DOC number, full name, gender, race, custody status, and sentence information (such as if an inmate is serving a life sentence). However, the lookup tool does not bring up Indiana inmate mugshots.
Inmate records are considered public in the United States and, therefore, are made available by both traditional governmental agencies as well as third-party websites and organizations. Third-party websites may offer an easier means to search, as these services do not face geographical limitations. However, because third-party sites are not government-sponsored, the information obtained through them may vary from official channels. To find inmate records using third-party aggregate sites, requesting parties must provide:
- The location of the sought-after record, including state, county, and city where the inmate resides.
- The name of the person listed in the record, unless it is a juvenile.
How to Find Someone in Jail in Indiana
County sheriff's offices in Indiana keep records on inmates incarcerated in detention centers or jails. In addition, most county sheriffs have online inmate search tools or jail rosters that can be used to find someone in jail in Indiana. For instance, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office has an inmate lookup tool that users can search with a name or booking number/date to find out what jail someone is in. One can also find other inmate information, such as a mugshot, custody status, or release date.
Alternatively, an individual can call or walk into the sheriff's office in the county where an inmate is housed during business hours to find out why someone is in jail.
Note that the county inmate locators in Indiana can only return county inmate information. For a state or federal inmate search, one may use the inmate locators provided by the IDOC or the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), respectively.
Facilities Operated by the Indiana Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
The Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) operates state-run correctional facilities in Indiana. These include adult prisons, juvenile correctional facilities, and work release centers. IDOC currently manages 18 adult correctional facilities, including three women's prisons, three juvenile correctional facilities, and 13 work release facilities. Interested persons can use these links as a prison lookup tool to gain these correctional institutions' contact details, descriptions, and visitation information.
Besides state prisons, there are also county jails in Indiana. Sheriff's Offices run these and primarily house inmates with short sentences. Interested persons who wish to find more information about a county jail may visit the county sheriff's official website.
The following are the addresses and contact information of Indiana state prisons are as follows:
IN DOC - Branchville Correctional Facility
21390 Old State Road 37,
Branchville, IN 47514
IN DOC - Camp Summit Boot Camp
2407 North 500 West,
LaPorte, IN 46350
IN DOC - Chain O' Lakes Correctional Facility
3516 East 75 South,
Albion, IN 46701
IN DOC - Correctional Industrial Facility
5124 West Reformatory Road
P.O. Box 600,
Pendleton, IN 46064
IN DOC - Edinburgh Correctional Facility
23rd & Schoolhouse Road
P.O. Box 470,
Edinburgh, IN 46124
IN DOC - Henryville Correctional Facility
1504 Schlamm Lake
P.O. Box 148,
Henryville, IN 47126
IN DOC - Indiana State Prison
1 Park Row, Michigan City,
IN 46360
IN DOC - Indianapolis Men's Community Re-Entry Work Release
448 West Norwood Street,
Indianapolis, IN 46225
IN DOC - Indianapolis Re-Entry Educational Facility
401 North Randolph Street
Indianapolis, IN 46201
IN DOC - Indianapolis Women's Community Re-Entry
2596 Girl's School Road,
Indianapolis, IN 46214
IN DOC - Logansport Juvenile Intake Unit & Correctional Facility
1118 South State Road 25,
Logansport, IN 46947
IN DOC - Logansport Juvenile Treatment Unit
1118 South State Road 25,
Logansport, IN 46947
IN DOC - Madison Correctional Facility (Women)
800 MSH Bus Stop Drive,
Madison, IN 47250
IN DOC - Madison Juvenile Correctional Facility (MJCF)
1130 MSH 4th Street,
Madison, IN 47250
IN DOC - Miami Correctional Facility
3038 West 850 South,
Bunker Hill, IN 46914-9810
IN DOC - Pendleton Correctional Facility
4490 West Reformatory Road,
Pendleton, IN 46064-9001
IN DOC - Pendleton Juvenile Correctional Facility
9310 South State Road 67
P.O. Box 900,
Pendleton, IN 46064
IN DOC - Plainfield Correctional Facility
727 Moon Road,
Plainfield, IN 46168
IN DOC - Putnamville Correctional Facility
1946 West US Highway 40,
Greencastle, IN 46135
IN DOC - Reception Diagnostic Center (Men)
737 Moon Road,
Plainfield, IN 46168
IN DOC - Rockville Correctional Facility (Women)
811 West 50 North,
Rockville, IN 47872
IN DOC - South Bend Community Re-Entry Center
4650 Old Cleveland Road,
South Bend, IN 46614
IN DOC - Wabash Valley Correctional Facility
6908 South Old US Highway 41
P.O. Box 500,
Carlisle, IN 47838
IN DOC - Westville Correctional Facility
5501 South 1100 West,
Westville, IN 46391
Indiana Women's Prison
2596 Girl's School Road,
Indianapolis, IN 46214
How Do I Contact Inmates in Indiana Prisons?
IDOC allows offenders serving time in state prisons and juvenile facilities to receive letters sent from outside correctional facilities. Generally, to send a letter to an inmate in Indiana, you need to know the inmate's name and DOC number, the name of the facility where they are incarcerated, and the address of that facility. You can find inmates' DOC numbers using the Indiana prison lookup tool to perform a free inmate search by name. The state agency also has a directory for the address and contact information of incarcerated individuals in various correctional facilities in Indiana.
Note that the IDOC no longer accepts inmate letters written on colored paper or sent with colored envelopes. Send written correspondence only with plain white stationery. Address both envelope and letter in this way.
Offender name, DOC number
Facility Name
Street Address or P.O. Box
City, IN ZIP code
Furthermore, note that IDOC officials open, examine, and read all incoming and outgoing mail. Anyone may write a letter to an inmate as long as the sender provides the inmate's full name and unique ID if known.
How Do I Send Money to Inmates in Indiana Prisons?
The IDOC contracts inmate fund transfers to GTL, a third-party payment processor. Using this vendor, you can send money to an inmate in an Indiana prison by:
- Money orders sent by mail to a GTL address
- Online funds transfer at www.ConnectNetwork.com
- Calling one of GTL's toll-free lines
- Fund transfer through the ConnectNetwork mobile app
When sending a money order to an inmate, make sure to enclose a completed deposit slip. Make the money order payable to "GTL Financial Services" and provide the inmate's full name and Offender ID. The value of the money order must not exceed $300. Send the money order and deposit slip to:
GTL Financial Services
2603 Northwest 13th Street
P.O. Box 328
Gainesville, FL 32609-2835
You can also make a VISA or MasterCard card deposit into an inmate's account online using GTL's ConnectNetwork service. Visit the IDOC page on GTL's website to sign up for an account. You can send money to any of the six accounts IDOC maintains for each inmate in Indiana state prisons with the service. These accounts are:
- AdvancePay Phone
- Pin Debit
- Trust Fund
- Messaging
- Debit Link
- Video Visitation
GTL also allows friends and family to send money to Indiana inmates by phone. Call the following toll-free lines to send money to these accounts:
- AdvancePay: (800) 483-8314
- PIN Debit: (855) 706-2445
- Trust: (888) 988-4768
Lastly, you can download ConnectNetwork mobile apps for iPhones and Android phones to send money to inmates in IDOC facilities.
Indiana county jails provide multiple options for sending money to inmates and detainees. Most of them allow cash and money order deposits at designated kiosks placed in jail lobbies. Some also accept money orders sent to their addresses. Some county jails contract funds transfer to payment processors. These handle credit/debit card deposits over the phone and online. Visit the county jail website to learn the payment methods supported by the facility.
How to Get Approved to Visit an Inmate in Indiana Prisons and Jails
Individuals who wish to visit inmates in Indiana state prisons or juvenile correctional facilities must be on their approved visitors' list. Prospective visitors must apply for visitation privileges by completing and submitting visitation applications. Ask the inmate you want to visit for a copy of this application. Send the completed application to the IDOC facility where the offender is held. Minors need to complete a separate application form.
While IDOC provides visitation rules, each facility sets its visiting hours. Click on the link for a facility on the IDOC Visitation page to see their current visiting days and times.
The IDOC also offers video visitation through GTL. To use this service, you must first register for it online or through the GTL VisMobile Android app. Then, sign it to schedule a video visit with an inmate from the comfort of your home. GTL charges $3.30 for a 10-minute video visit and $8.25 for a 25-minute visit.
County jails have separate visitation rules, regulations, and schedules. When visiting an inmate in a local prison, first check the prison website to find visitation information for the facility.
How to Find a County Inmate Roster in Indiana
Individuals can find an inmate roster on an Indiana county sheriff's website. Each sheriff's roster has information on incarcerated individuals housed in the county jail. Inmate information on a county inmate roster may include inmates' full names, booking numbers, mugshots, booking dates, bond amounts, and charges.
An inmate roster assists individuals in finding out who's in custody in a specific jurisdiction. It is useful to persons curious about how to find out if someone is in jail but who wants to circumvent calling or visiting the sheriff's office.
How to Perform an Indiana Prison Inmate Search
The public can initiate an Indiana prison inmate search to obtain non-confidential records of IDOC inmates. To request offender records, send an email request to COAOffenderRecordRequest@idoc.in.gov or call IDOC's Records Division at (317) 232-5765. You can also send a written request by mail to:
302 West Washington Street
Room E-334
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Individuals can also obtain offender records using the Indiana prison inmate search tool provided by the IDOC. This tool makes finding inmates in adult correctional and work-release facilities easy. Simply enter the last name or the last and first name of the inmate into the search tool. Alternatively, provide the inmate's Offender Number.
If the inmate in question has been transferred to federal prison, individuals should conduct a federal inmate search using the inmate locator on the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) website. With this search, one can retrieve an inmate's full name, register number, age, race, sex, release date/life sentence, and location.
How to Perform an Indiana Jail Inmate Search
Some Indiana county jails provide inmate locator tools on their websites. Others regularly publish updated jail rosters of current inmates online. These website applications help users determine who's in custody in a specific jail facility. Individuals can also obtain a county sheriff's office or county jail contact information to know how to find someone in jail without using the county jail website. Subsequently, the person can contact either institution to inquire about the location or custody status of an inmate.
Indiana State Prisons and County Jails: Understanding the Difference
Indiana has a total of 26 state prisons and 92 county jails. The Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) is responsible for the operation of all Indiana state prisons and county jails.
The IDOC offers a variety of programs and services to inmates, including education, vocational training, substance abuse treatment, and counseling. Inmates can also participate in work release and reentry programs that help them transition back into society.
The vast majority of inmates in Indiana state prisons are male (93%), while the minority are female (7%). For instance, there were about 22,787 inmates in the Indiana Adult Correctional Facility by the end of October 2022. About 20,700 of them were males, while 2,087 were females. The average age of an inmate is 38 years old.
The vast majority of inmates in Indiana state prisons are non-violent offenders (82%), while the minority are violent offenders (18%). The most common type of offense is drug-related (40%), followed by property crimes (20%), and then violent crimes (15%).
Approximately half of all inmates in Indiana state prisons are serving sentences of 5 years or less (50%), while the other half are serving sentences that are longer than five years. The average sentence length is 8.5 years. In addition, the recidivism rate in Indiana is relatively high, with nearly 33.82% of inmates returning to prison within 3 years of being released. However, this rate has been slowly decreasing over the past few years.
How Do I Find Out an Inmate Release Date?
Inmate release dates are public information unless releasing this information exposes the incarcerated person to danger. In such cases, the record custodian will only provide Indiana inmate records to immediate family members and persons with a direct, tangible interest in the release date. These eligible persons include the crime victim and authorized criminal justice officials. These individuals may visit the record custodian in person or call during business hours to find out an inmate's release date.
