New York Inmate Search
New York has an extensive prison system that can be traced back to the late 18th century. This prison system currently comprises 44 state facilities, 57 county jails, five city jails, and five federal facilities. Five of the state prisons and one federal facility house female inmates; the state also operates eight detention facilities for juvenile offenders. New York has an incarceration rate of 317 per 100,000 New Yorkers. This roughly translates to about 59,000 offenders behind bars, with state facilities housing approximately 30,000 of these offenders. The local jails (county and city) hold an average of 18,000 offenders, while federal facilities house about 8,400.
The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision is responsible for operating state facilities, while county and city jails are run by county sheriff's offices and the NYC Department of Correction, respectively. All correctional facilities in New York are overseen and regulated by the New York State Commission of Corrections, excluding the federal facilities, which are managed and operated by the Bureau of Prisons. State law currently prohibits private parties from owning or operating correctional facilities in New York.
According to the New York State Department of Corrections, the state's correctional system includes 44 state prisons, 57 county jails, 5 city jails, and 5 federal facilities. The system houses approximately 59,000 inmates (including 30,000 state inmates, 18,000 local inmates, and 8,400 federal inmates), with an incarceration rate of 317 per 100,000 residents. The state operates 5 women's facilities and 8 juvenile detention centers.
New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Inmate Search
The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) is charged with administering the state's prison and parole system. Its functions range from inmate management and rehabilitation, to reentry support and parole supervision. As part of its oversight and rehabilitative roles, the department maintains comprehensive inmate records, which can be accessed by interested members of the public, both online and offline.
For online access, the DOCCS offers an Incarcerated Lookup tool that can be used to look up individuals admitted into state prisons since 1970. The lookup tool can be used to search for inmates by name and department ID number (DIN) and offers details like the inmate's full name, age, ethnicity/race, custody status, current facility, crimes of conviction, sentence term, and release dates. The department also offers a separate Parolee Lookup tool that provides details on individuals under (or formerly under) parole supervision. This tool can also be searched using the person's name or DIN and offers similar results (to the Incarcerated Lookup tool), such as the parolee's full name, age, and offense(s) as well as information on their parole status and its effective date.
It should be noted that both lookup tools do not provide details on youthful offenders, individuals who have had their convictions set aside by a court, and certain previously incarcerated non-violent offenders exempted under Correction Law §9.
Find Inmate by Name
Searching for inmates by name is the easiest way to find inmates in New York state correctional facilities. There are two possible ways to run name-based searches on the DOCCS's Incarcerated Lookup tool: using a partial first/last name or an exact last name with year of birth:
- Partial first/last name: with this option, users simply have to enter a part of the inmate's last name to run a search. This option is preferable for people who want to locate an inmate with a name they aren't sure of or can't properly spell. The search will generate a list of inmates whose last names start with the letters inputted into the search field. For example, inputting the name "Will" into the search field will return a list of inmates in DOCCS custody whose last names are "Will," "William" "Williams'" "Williamson," and so on.
- Exact name with year of birth: this option is recommended for individuals who know the name and date of birth of the inmate they wish to locate, as it helps narrow the search results. Searches can be done with either the last name or both the name and year of birth; however, including the year of birth only returns matches for inmates with the exact last name provided who are also born on or after the year inputted. For example, searching for an inmate with the last name "William" and year of birth "1990" will only return a list of inmates with this exact surname born in 1990 or later. This means that only people named William who are a certain age or younger will appear in the results, and those with name variations (like "Williams," "Williamson," and so on) won't be included.
Note that, for both name search options, the generated list will still include every inmate with the last name inputted, even if the inmate's first and middle names are included in the search. The first and middle name options are only used to skip to a particular point in the list (on the first lookup performed).
Find Inmate by Number
Number-based searches are the most direct way to find inmates incarcerated in a New York state prison. Inmates are issued a Department ID Number (DIN) once they are admitted into a DOCCS facility; this number remains unique to them throughout the term of their commitment, regardless of which facility they are transferred to. However, released inmates who are re-admitted for a new prison term are issued a new DIN.
DINs comprise seven alphanumeric characters divided into three portions: two initial numbers that signify the inmate's year of current incarceration, a letter indicating the DOCCS reception center that originally admitted them, and four numbers, which are sequentially assigned within the reception center. For example, a DIN "99A0007" means that the inmate was incarcerated in 1999 and was the seventh incarcerated individual admitted to Downstate Reception Center that year.
Number-based searches return an exact match for the inmate with the DIN inputted into the search tool, making this a more direct and effective way to find inmates in the DOCCS. Members of the public can obtain an inmate's DIN by running a name-based search for them; this is recommended for people who intend to keep tabs on the inmate.
What Information is Contained in a New York Inmate Record?
New York inmate records contain details on incarcerated inmates and parolees in the state. These include:
- Personal Identifying Information: the individual's full name, date of birth, age, race/ethnicity, and ID number.
- Offense and Sentencing Information: the crime(s) the individual was convicted for and the length of the sentence imposed.
- Incarceration Information: the date the individual was incarcerated, their county of commitment, current custody status, and the facility responsible for the inmate or parolee's records (in most cases, this is also the facility where they are either being housed or will be released from).
- Parole and Release Information: the individual's parole eligibility date (where applicable), earliest release date, and other related information. Parole is a conditional release given to eligible inmates allowing them to serve part of their sentence under supervision in the community rather than in prison. Likewise, the earliest release date is not a definitive date when the inmate will be released but is merely an indication of the earliest date this release may occur, depending on several factors (such as their behavior while incarcerated).
New York Inmate Records by Counties
Each county in New York (including NYC's five boroughs) operates local jails that house offenders serving sentences of one year or less, individuals awaiting transfer to a state prison to serve longer sentences, and people with pending court cases. Local jails are operated by the county sheriff's office in the jurisdiction where they are located, and the NYC Department of Correction (NYCDOC) for the jails located in New York City. These agencies maintain records of offenders in their custody, similar to what the DOCCS does for incarcerated individuals and parolees.
Interested parties can obtain records of individuals being held in a county or city jail by contacting the appropriate sheriff's office or the NYCDOC. These agencies also offer inmate search/lookup tools that can be used to view details like the offender's full name, arrest information, court dates, and discharge date online. These search tools can be accessed via the respective county or city jail's official website. It is important to note that each search tool only offers access to offenders being held by that specific agency.
- Albany County
- Allegany County
- Bronx County
- Broome County
- Cattaraugus County
- Cayuga County
- Chautauqua County
- Chemung County
- Chenango County
- Clinton County
- Columbia County
- Cortland County
- Delaware County
- Dutchess County
- Erie County
- Essex County
- Franklin County
- Fulton County
- Genesee County
- Greene County
- Hamilton County
- Herkimer County
- Jefferson County
- Kings County
- Lewis County
- Livingston County
- Madison County
- Monroe County
- Montgomery County
- Nassau County
- New York County
- Niagara County
- Oneida County
- Onondaga County
- Ontario County
- Orange County
- Orleans County
- Oswego County
- Otsego County
- Putnam County
- Queens County
- Rensselaer County
- Richmond County
- Rockland County
- Saint Lawrence County
- Saratoga County
- Schenectady County
- Schoharie County
- Schuyler County
- Seneca County
- Steuben County
- Suffolk County
- Sullivan County
- Tioga County
- Tompkins County
- Ulster County
- Warren County
- Washington County
- Wayne County
- Westchester County
- Wyoming County
- Yates County
Are Incarceration Records Public Information in New York?
While inmate records are considered public information under New York's Freedom of Information Law, certain information is restricted. These include youthful offender and juvenile delinquent records, pre-sentence reports, booking photographs, medical and mental health records, drug and alcohol abuse records, parole and probation data, and sealed records. In most cases, this restricted information may only be accessed with the authorization of the person named on the record or a court order.
Federal Prisons in New York
Individuals convicted of federal crimes are housed in facilities operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). Several BOP-operated facilities are located in New York; these facilities, their location within the state, and the types of inmates they hold are listed below:
| Prison Name | Location | Total Inmate Population | Security Level | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Correctional Institution (FCI), Otisville | Otisville | 899 | Medium Security | FCI Otisville is an all-male facility with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp and a detention center. This satellite camp holds about 10% of the facility's total inmate population. |
| Federal Correctional Institution (FCI), Ray Brook | Ray Brook | 821 | Medium Security | FCI Ray Brook is an all-male facility with a detention center. |
| Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC), Brooklyn | Brooklyn | 1,176 | N/A | MDCs are administrative facilities capable of holding inmates in all security categories. MDC Brooklyn houses both male and female inmates; these inmates are usually individuals awaiting trial or sentencing. |
| Residential Reentry Management (RRM) Field Office, New York | New York | N/A | N/A | RRMs handle contracts for community-based programs that manage and supervise halfway houses and inmates. They serve as the Bureau of Prisons' local liaison with relevant agencies and community groups and also provide reentry support services for federal offenders looking to transition back into society. There are currently over 14,000 federal offenders in the U.S. federal prison system managed by 22 RRM field offices across the country. |
| Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC), New York | New York | N/A | N/A | This facility was temporarily closed in 2021 and has not been reopened as of October 31, 2024. |
The Bureau of Prisons provides an inmate locator tool for finding inmates held in federal correctional facilities located in New York. Searches can be conducted by entering the inmate's name or ID number (which may be a BOP register number, DCDC number, FBI number, or INS number) in the designated fields. Note that inmates incarcerated before 1982 cannot be located using this tool.
Frequently Asked Questions about Inmate Records
You can obtain public records from the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision by submitting a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request to the department online . Written requests can also be submitted to the department via email , fax to (518) 453-8474, or mail-in to
Records Access Officer
Department of Corrections and Community Supervision
Harriman State Campus
1220 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12226-2050
Be aware that copy fees apply. Queries on FOIL requests can be directed to the department at (518) 457-0176.
You can find inmates in New York state prisons through the DOCCS's Incarcerated Lookup tool. Most counties and NYC also provide their inmate search tools for looking up incarcerated individuals in their respective jurisdictions , while inmates in federal facilities can be searched using the BOP's inmate locator tool.
You can get old inmate records in New York by contacting the facility where the individual in question was incarcerated. The New York State Archives also holds old inmate records and may provide access to these documents.
Death records less than 50 years old are considered confidential in New York and access to these records is typically limited to the decedent's immediate family and individuals with a documented lawful right/claim or a valid court order. Eligible parties may obtain copies of these records by contacting the facility where the inmate was held or ordering a copy of the inmate's death certificate from the local Registrar of Vital Statistics in the city or county where the death occurred.
It can take up to 48 hours or more for an inmate's information to be published or updated on state and local search/lookup tools in New York.
You can fund the account of an inmate in a DOCCS facility by leaving cash, money orders, and checks in the conventional visitor deposit lock box located at the facility. Cash deposits are processed by DOCCS staff, while money orders and checks require a JPay deposit slip (available at the facility). JPay also facilitates payments into inmate accounts through several options, including online, mail-in, telephone, mobile app, and MoneyGram.
Similarly, county and city jails in New York typically have their procedures for sending money to inmates in their custody. As such, it is advisable to contact the facility directly to learn about their available options for funding inmate accounts.