Inmate records form part of public records in Texas, which means they are accessible to anyone who needs them. There are ways on how to do an inmate lookup in Texas. This article aims to discuss them buy showing you where and how to search for these records.

Inmate records in Texas give identifying information on people in Texas who are incarcerated in numerous detention facilities. These can be prisons, jails that are run by the state, counties, cities and private facilities. The records may include details such as fingerprints, mugshots, police reports, court records, arrest records, DNA, confinement facility documents, video and audio clips and much more.

The information that you will find in these records can range from offender’s name to age, gender, date of birth, race, physical description, eye and hair color, scars, tattoos, height, weight, to name them. They might also have the criminal charges, confinement details and sentencing.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) is the one responsible for maintaining inmates, inmates’ records and facilities in the state through the Correctional Institution Division (CID). The prison lookup tool gives the contact information and location of prisons and county jails found in Texas.

Since inmates’ records are public records and can be made available to whoever needs them, there are sources of these records that you can try a search from. These are traditional government agencies and third party websites.

Texas Prison Inmate Search

The inmate search tool will allow you to conduct a Texas prison inmate search for free. You can look up inmates by name, state identification number (SID), TDCJ number from here. You can filter your lookup using details such as race or gender.

Apart from the locator tool which operates online, inmate lookups in Texas can be done by phone according to the TDCJ. This process can be achieved by calling the general information line (936) 295-6371 or (800) 535-0283.

However, if you are looking to find out the status on an offender, you can call (844) 512-0461. This is the number you call if the inmate status has been voted for by the Board of Pardons and Paroles. If not, you can call (512) 406-5202. People who are looking to find information on inmates in Texas should provide the inmate’s SID number, TDCJ number or date of birth.

Texas laws permits the TDCJ to offer offender status and inmate location via email. Other records on inmates that you can get via email include:

• TDCJ Number
• Offense of conviction
• Incarceration history
• Current incarceration (crime, county, and court of conviction)
• Projected release date

Texas Jail Inmate Search

You can find information on an inmate in Texas who is jail by visiting the county or city website. City police departments usually run city jails. County jails are normally under the sheriff’s supervision. These facilities normally host individuals who are awaiting trial and those serving short sentences, as a result of misdemeanor offences.

To find more details about the jail in a certain municipality, you can go to the sheriff’s office section of the county webpage or try the police department section of city webpage. This is where you will find tools for locating inmates who are kept in local jails.

An alternative would be to lookup the county or city website for contact details of the law enforcement agency or local jail where the detention center is. The details will include information on contact numbers physical address of the county or city jail. You can then call or visit the jail to find out information on the inmate with these details.

Those who are looking to find out information on an inmate’s proposed release date can consult with offender information search tool found on the TDCJ website. It offers comprehensive details on an inmate including their crimes, incarceration history and their proposed release date.

TDCJ Search Tool Online Search Tips

The online search tool only caters for searches on inmates who are currently serving time in a TDCJ facility.

The minimum requirement for a search from the website include the following:

• The last name plus at least the first initial of the first name of the inmate
• The TDCJ number of the inmate
• The SID (state identification) number of the inmate

For name searches, the system would search for the exact last name provided. So make sure the spelling you give is the correct one.

Visiting an Inmate in Texas

There is only one visit on weekends that is permitted in Texas if you want pay an inmate a visit. Visitors are required to provide a valid identification document, wear proper clothing and adhere to the other long list of regulations that are set for visitors.

With these tips on how to do an inmate lookup in Texas, you have a solution. Try them and find the inmate records that you need.