Find California Inmate Records

California inmate records are the official documentation of individuals incarcerated in state prisons, conservation (fire) camps, and correctional facilities by state courts. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is responsible for maintaining the state's physical and electronic inmate records.

Are Incarceration Records Public Information in California?

Yes, incarceration records are public information in California. Public access to this information is pursuant to the provisions of the California Public Records Act and Section 13030.23.3 of the CDCR's Department Operation Manual (DOM). Under these rules, members of the public may access inmate records. However, the following inmate information is exempt from public access:

• An inmate's personal/identifying information is not included per Section 13030.23.3. Except that the requesting party is eligible under Section 13030.14 of the DOM
• Identifying/personal information of the family, friends, associates, and former employers of an inmate
• Information about an inmate that is not directly related or relevant to a newsworthy event, and may compromise the safety of the inmate

What Information is Contained in a California Inmate Record?

A California inmate record is created when an individual has been processed, classified, and incarcerated in a state prison for a term. Sections 13030.23.3 & 13010.11 of the CDCR's Department Operation Manual (DOM), and Title 15, Section 3261.2 of the California Code of Regulations list information that can be released to the public without the inmate's authorization. Information that may be contained in a California inmate record includes:

• Identifying the inmate's information, such as name and alias, mugshots, gender, race, date of birth, place of birth, etc.
• County where committed
• Offenses committed, sentences, and priors
• CDCR identification number
• Any pending court actions/records of court proceedings
• Facility or field parole office with jurisdiction
• Admission date
• Expected date of release to parole or discharge
• Board of Parole Hearing (BPH) hearing schedule and actions
• Nature of an injury
• General state of health
• Cause of death.
• An inmate's role, functions, or actions relating to a facility incident or newsworthy event.

Where do I Look Up an Inmate in California?

Interested parties may use the CDCR Inmate Locator to find inmates incarcerated in state prisons and facilities. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation maintains this repository and provides online access to the public at no cost. Inmate information for county/city jails is available through sheriff's offices in counties across the state.

How Do I Conduct an Inmate Search in California?

Inmate locators provided at the state and county levels may be used to conduct inmate searches in California to locate an inmate. Inmates housed in state prisons may be searched on the CDCR Inmate Locator. However, only information on adult inmates can be obtained. Records of juveniles are not available.

The following information is required for the search:

• The inmate's last name: The inmate's first and middle name may be used to narrow search parameters.
• The inmate's CDCR identification number

Search results include inmates' names, mugshots, age, admission dates, eligible parole or release dates, and current locations (including driving directions). Searchers who cannot find an inmate may contact the CDCR's Identification Unit at (916) 445-6713 from Monday to Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Physical copies of inmate records may be obtained from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation by written request to the facility holding the records. This request must clearly identify the inmate record in question. The facility of confinement will then provide the requester with CDCR procedures by which copies may be obtained. Section 13030.16.1 of the CDCR's operation manual offers these procedures. Some include:

• Information to be provided by the requester, such as name and contact details
• Fees that will be assessed for copies under Section 13030.26.3
• Time, date, and place of record inspection
• Proof of identity is required, such as a valid ID
• Information that is exempt from public access

Some county sheriff's offices provide inmate locators on their websites to locate an inmate in a county/city jail. This information may also be obtained in person at their physical locations. Inmate information includes mugshots, inmates' names, ages, offenses, sentences, cell/facility locations, and incarceration dates.

How Can I Find an Inmate for Free in California?

Interested parties can find an inmate for free in California using the CDCR Inmate Locator. However, this applies only to inmates in state prisons or correctional facilities. Searches may use online inmate locators provided by county sheriff's offices to locate inmates incarcerated in county jails for free.

Records that are considered public may be accessible from some third-party websites. These websites often make searching more straightforward, as they are not limited by geographic location, and search engines on these sites may help when starting a search for specific or multiple records. To begin using such a search engine on a third-party or government website, interested parties usually must provide:

• The name of the person involved in the record, unless said person is a juvenile
• The location or assumed location of the record or person involved. This includes information such as the city, county, or state in which the person resides or was accused.

Third-party sites are independent from government sources and are not sponsored by these government agencies. Because of this, record availability on third-party sites may vary.

How to Find Old Inmate Records in California

When an inmate is released from a state prison or facility, the inmate is no longer under the jurisdiction of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The CDCR forwards the inmate's record to the department's archives unit. Unfortunately, there is no clear process for obtaining these records. However, the requesting party may contact the state prison or facility where the inmate was incarcerated for more information.

Inmate Release Date Lookup In California

In California, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR maintains the information on inmate release dates. The CDCR operates an Inmate Locator, available on its official website, where searches can be conducted using the inmate's full name or CDCR number. For persons in county jails, release information is unavailable through the CDCR. Instead, each county sheriff's office maintains custody records. For example, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department operates an inmate information center, while counties such as San Diego and San Francisco provide similar online inmate locators or telephone assistance. Federal inmates in California are not included in either county or state systems; their release dates are accessible through the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Inmate Locator.

For formal record requests, members of the public may submit a Public Records Act request to CDCR under the California Public Records Act (Gov. Code § 6250 et seq.). Requests can be sent by mail, email, or fax to:

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
Office of Legal Affairs – PRA Coordinator
P.O. Box 942883
Sacramento, CA 94283-0001
Phone: (916) 445-7682
Email: PRA@cdcr.ca.gov

The CDCR may charge reasonable fees for duplication, usually $0.10 per page plus postage, though electronic records are often provided at no cost. Processing time varies depending on the complexity of the request.

County-level inquiries should be directed to the appropriate sheriff's office.

How do I Find Inmate Death Records in California?

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation does not outline procedures by which individuals may obtain inmate death records in the state. Nor does it state who is eligible to do so. Interested parties may contact the department at (916) 324-7308 for inmate death record inquiries or the specific facility where the death occurred.

How do I Conduct a Federal Prison Inmate Search?

A federal prison inmate search may be conducted using the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Inmate Locator. Inmates incarcerated and released from 1982 to date can be located using this tool. Searchers may use the name of the inmate and the inmate's BOP/FBI/INS/DCDC number to search. It is also possible to look up information on inmates who were not incarcerated but held in BOP custody. Search results include the following information:

• Name of the inmate
• BOP registration number
• Age
• Gender
• Race
• Release date
• Current location

How Long Does it Take For An Inmate's Information to Be Published in California Inmate Locator?

It may take several days for an inmate's information to be published in the California inmate locator. For inquiries, the CDCR may be contacted at (916) 445-6713 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Why Is An Inmate Not Showing Up In Search?

There are several reasons why an inmate may not appear in the CDCR's Inmate Locator. If the individual is housed in a county jail or federal prison, their record will not be included in the state system and must be searched through the county sheriff's office or the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Records may also be absent if the inmate was recently admitted or transferred, since databases take time to update. In some instances, such as juvenile offenders, information is confidential by law and will not appear in public searches.

Additionally, incorrect spelling of names, missing identification numbers, or incomplete data entry can cause the system to show no results. If these issues occur, contacting CDCR or the relevant county sheriff's office is the most reliable way to confirm custody status and anticipated release dates.