If you have family members or friends who will soon be released from prison, you should know the release date of inmates so that you can plan their homecoming. Or, if you are a victim of a crime committed by the inmate, you should also know the inmate’s release date to protect yourself from the inmate. So, how to find out the release date of an inmate?
The release date of an inmate is accessible to the public. You can get it by calling a phone or searching the internet. Whether you are a family member of an inmate, or a victim of a crime committed by the inmate, knowing the inmate’s release date is very important.
Finding an Inmate’s Release Date – Here’s Way
If you want to find the release date of an inmate as easy as possible, you must know some information related to the inmate including:
- Inmate’s name
- Inmate’s Identification number
- The facility where the inmate is being held
- Other identifying information
Besides the inmate’s name, the first important information you need to know in finding an inmate’s release date is the name of the prison or jail where the inmate is currently being held. Find out whether it is a state, federal, or county facility.
Knowing an inmate’s identification number is helpful. If you do not have an inmate’s identification number, you need to know other identifying information. Inmate’s age, race, and gender can help you if the name of the inmate is a common one.
If you do not know the facility where the inmate is currently being held, then you can start by looking it up. You can use VINE (Victim Information and Notification Every day) as long as you know the state where the inmate is currently being held. VINE offers details like inmate’s Identification number, location, date of birth (DOB), gender, race, and custody status. Occasionally, it offers the scheduled release date.
After you have the inmate’s information, then you will be able to move on to the next step to find out the inmate’s release date.
State Department of Corrections Release Dates
If an inmate you are looking for is currently being held in a state facility, you can visit that state’s Department of Corrections (DOC) website to get information about the inmate. Most Department of Corrections websites have advanced search functions where you will be able to browse for a specific inmate’s name if you know their last name or their Department of Corrections (DOC) number.
You can type the state, followed by “DOC release dates” into your search engine in finding the DOC release date search function. While some states refer to these search functions as “Offender Database Search,” “Offender Locator,” or “Search for Inmates.” There is a phone number you can call to find out an inmate’s release date if the state’s site does not have an online search feature.
In addition, there are several states that provide a SAVIN Notification service. It allows you to register and you will be notified of all custodial status changes for current inmates.
Federal Inmate Release Dates
If you know that an inmate you are looking for is incarcerated in a federal prison, you can visit the Federal Bureau of Prisons website. The site has a “Find an Inmate” feature where you can find an inmate that is currently being held in a federal prison.
You can search by the inmate’s ID number from:
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Bureau of Prisons (BOP)
- Department of Corrections (DOC)
- Immigration and Naturalization Services
To make the search more efficient, you can also use a name search option where it allows you to enter information about the inmate’s age, sex, and race.
Federal inmate release dates can change based on the First Step Act. It allows the inmates for early release or get a reduced sentence based on good behavior. For note: This system applied for any inmates who were incarcerated after 1982.
County and City Jail Release Dates
If an inmate you are looking for is incarcerated in a county jail, you can contact the county clerk. You can also use online search functions as some county and city jails have these functions. On your search browser, simply you can type the name of the county followed by “inmate release.” Usually, several jurisdictions refer to their search function as “Inmate Locator,” “Jail and Arrest Information,” or “Inmate Release Information Search.”
The county’s database will show you some following information:
- Inmate release dates
- Inmate housing information
- Court dates
- Criminal charges.
Every 24 hours, information about the inmates is updated in the county’s database.
When you are looking for an inmate’s release date that is incarcerated in a county jail, make sure that the county provides inmate release dates. This is because not all county facilities provide the release dates of inmates.
A bookworm and researcher especially related to law and citizenship education. I spend time every day in front of the internet and the campus library.
