Pennsylvania Inmate Records

With approximately 37,000 inmates in state prisons, about 29,000 in local jails, and an average of 5,500 in federal correctional facilities within the Commonwealth, Pennsylvania's incarceration rate stands at 292 per 100,000 residents. The state's imprisonment rate is lower than the national average of 355 per 100,000 U.S. residents. Most of the correctional facilities in Pennsylvania are run by varying government agencies at the local, state, and federal levels, and each of them keeps detailed records about the individuals incarcerated in their facilities. These records are known as inmate records.

A typical Pennsylvania inmate record includes the following information:

• Personal Information - The inmate's full name, race, date of birth, gender, inmate number, and descriptions, such as complexion, scars, and tattoos.
• Criminal Arrest Record - These include incident report, arrest date, arrest location, the arresting agency, charges, and warrant of arrest.
• Booking Details - These include the booking number, mugshot, charges filed, and fingerprint card.
• Court Details and Sentencing Information - These include the court case number, sentencing outcome, eligibility for parole, trial details, length of imprisonment, probation status, fines, and the facility of incarceration.
• Release and Parole Information - Actual or expected release date, parole number, and parole status.

Are Inmate Records Public in Pennsylvania?

Yes, inmate records in the state are public under the Pennsylvania Right to Know Law (RTKL). According to this law, local and state government agencies must provide access to public records in the custody, including arrest records, to members of the public. As a result, interested persons may view or request copies of the Commonwealth's arrest records from the relevant public agencies following the RTKL.

However, the Pennsylvania Right to Know Law exempts certain records or information contained in arrest records from public disclosure. These largely include sealed inmate records, juvenile records, personal medical information, and personal financial information in any arrest record.

What Agencies Are Responsible for Inmate Records in Pennsylvania?

The agency responsible for an inmate's records in Pennsylvania depends on the government agency in charge of the correctional facility where the inmate is being incarcerated. Typically, most inmate records in the Commonwealth are kept by the following agencies:

• The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (DOC) - The over 20 state prisons in Pennsylvania are under the Department of Corrections' jurisdiction. These correctional facilities are supported by several offices and bureaus of the DOC, including the Bureau of Community Corrections, Housing Office, and Operations. The DOC generally maintains records of inmates held in its correctional facilities.'
• County Sheriff's Offices - The local county jails in Pennsylvania are run by the county sheriff's offices across the Commonwealth. Each sheriff's office overseeing any of the 67 county jail facilities is responsible for keeping the records of inmates under their supervision and making them available to the public upon request.
• The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) - The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is responsible for all federal inmates incarcerated in its 10 correctional facilities that operate in Pennsylvania. In addition, it keeps the records of each federal inmate housed in those prisons.
• Police Departments (PDs) - Although inmates are not housed in police departments, PDs generally keep arrest records of individuals convicted of an offense and sentenced to prison or jail. Arrest records/details are a part of a typical inmate record and may be retrieved from the arresting police department.

How To Search an Inmate's Information in Pennsylvania?

To search an inmate or inmate's record in Pennsylvania, it is crucial to know where the inmate is being incarcerated. They are either held in a local, state, or federal correctional facility.

Find an inmate in Pennsylvania State Prisons

Anyone may use the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Inmate/Parolee Locator to find inmates who are housed in one of DOC's correctional facilities across the state. Typically, users will have to select the "Inmate Locator" option and can search by inmates' names (full or partial) or inmates' numbers. The Inmate/Parolee Locator is a robust system that permits filtering search results by name, date of birth, inmate number, committing county, or location. A typical inmate record retrieved from the DOC's inmate locator will list the inmate's personal information (including mugshot), current location, permanent location, and committing agency.

Inmate information obtained from a search conducted through the Pennsylvania DOC's Inmate Locator is usually basic. Anyone interested in getting more detailed information about someone incarcerated in a state-run prison should consider visiting the inmate's holding correctional facility. They will generally be required to provide certain information, like the inmate's name or number to facilitate the search.

Find an Inmate in Local Jail

The majority of the local jails in Pennsylvania are supervised by county sheriffs, whose offices maintain records of all inmates housed in those jails. Most county sheriff's offices/departments in the Commonwealth have inmate locators/rosters listing all the inmates incarcerated in their jails. These rosters provide basic information about incarcerated individuals and can help members of the public find where an inmate is being incarcerated.

Online rosters or listings of inmates housed in county jails do not usually provide as much information as most people may need. If there is a need to retrieve detailed information or records about any inmate incarcerated in a local jail in Pennsylvania, it is best to submit an in-person request at the county jail.

Find an Inmate in Federal Prison

Records of federal inmates incarcerated in Pennsylvania from 1982 to the present are maintained by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) and accessible through the BOP Inmate Locator. Interested persons may search the Inmate Locator using an inmate's name or BOP register number as the search parameter. Some of the federal prisons in Pennsylvania are:

• Northeast RO
• Allenwood FCC
• Philadelphia RRM
• Loretto FCI
• Pittsburgh RRM

How Can I Access Old Inmate Records?

Records maintained on the Pennsylvania DOC's Inmate/Parolee database and county jail rosters are mostly those of inmates currently serving time in the state's correctional facilities. Anyone who needs to access old inmate records in the Commonwealth may submit a completed Archives Mail Reference Order Form to the Pennsylvania State Archives. However, this service costs $20 per searched item or name. The state's Archives have certain inmate records for Western State Penitentiary, Eastern State Penitentiary, Allegheny County Workhouse, and Pennsylvania Industrial Reformatory. Some old inmate records in the Commonwealth are also accessible online through the PA Power Library.

Generally, inmate records and information collated and stored by third-party record sites like Pennsylvaniapublicrecords.us are never erased from their databases. Hence, these sites provide a viable option for anyone looking to find old inmate records in Pennsylvania but may require paying a small fee. Furthermore, the National Archives may also hold some records or information about inmates who were formerly incarcerated in any of the federal prisons in the Commonwealth.

If a person needs detailed records or information about an old inmate in Pennsylvania, it is best to file a Department of Corrections Right-to-Know Request. This can be done by submitting a completed Standard Right-To-Know Request Form to the DOC's Open Records Office by email or mail to:

Can I Find a Pennsylvania Inmate Record for Free?

Yes. Each government agency in charge of correctional facilities in Pennsylvania, including state prisons, local county jails, and federal prisons, provides online resources that enable interested persons to look up records of inmates housed in their facilities. However, records or information obtained from these databases are often basic. In addition, an agency cannot provide access to records of inmates outside their jurisdiction.

While looking up Pennsylvania inmate records through third-party sites like Pennsylvaniapublicrecords.us may cost a nominal fee, finding detailed records or information about such inmates is guaranteed. In addition, these sites are a one-stop-shop for inmate records, regardless of whether an inmate is housed in a state prison, federal prison, or a local county jail in the state.

Jails and Prisons in Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, correctional facilities are labeled based on which agency or entity manages them. The 24 state prisons are run by the Commonwealth's Department of Corrections (DOR), while the 10 federal prisons in the state are under the Federal Bureau of Prisons' jurisdiction. In addition to these, Pennsylvania has about 67 county jails spread across the state's 65 counties and managed by the county sheriff's offices.

State Prisons in Pennsylvania

The following are some of the state-run prisons in Pennsylvania and their security level:

Private Prisons in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania no longer has a private prison. The only one, George W. Hill Correctional Facility, has now been taken over by Delaware County in 2022 after 24 years under private control.

Pennsylvania Inmate Statistics

• Pennsylvania Incarceration Rate - 292 per 100,000 residents
• Male Incarceration Rate - 559 per 100,000 males
• Female Incarceration Rate - 32 per 100,000 females
• Youth Custody Rate - 80 per 100,000 youths
• Number of Prisoners in Private Prisons - 0
• Black/White Imprisonment Disparity - 7.7:1
• Latino/White Imprisonment Disparity - 2.3:1
• Number of offenders under community supervision - 1,625 per 100,000 people
• Number on probation - 942 per 100,000 people
• Number on parole - 732 per 100,000 people
• Felony Disenfranchisement Rate - 0.4%

* Source: United States Bureau of Justice Statistics