When someone is incarcerated, they are given an inmate ID number. This number can be useful when their family or friends want to visit them, send them money, or send them mail. On the Zoukis Consulting Group site, it is explained that an inmate ID number is also used for tracking, accountability, and DOC inmate search purposes.
With an inmate ID number, when there is more than one inmate with the same names, it will not be confusing because each of them has a different inmate ID number. If you want to communicate with an inmate such as by sending them mail, but you do not know the inmate ID number, you have to find it. Where can we find it? The explanation below will give you information about finding an inmate ID number.
Methods to Find an Inmate ID Number
If you have someone that is incarcerated in prison, it is important for you to know their inmate ID number. It is because anytime you want to contact them, you will have to mention their ID number. If you do not know their inmate ID number, there are several ways for knowing it.
1. Contact the Correctional Facility
You are able to contact the correctional facility where the inmate is incarcerated. Contact the facility by phone and then ask the officer about the inmate ID number of the inmate by mentioning their complete name and if necessary, you can also mention their other relevant information such as the inmate’s date of birth, booking number, the date they were incarcerated, etc. By giving this information, it will make the officer easy to find the ID number of the inmate that you are looking for.
2. Access Inmate Search Tools Online
Another way to find an inmate ID number is by accessing an inmate search tool online. There are a lot of correctional facilities that have online inmate search tools on their official websites. So, you can access the official website of the DOC (Department of Correctional) and then find the ID number of the inmate in the inmate search tool there. Usually, you have to enter the inmate’s name and the information that will be given by the tool is generally the inmate’s ID number, complete name, date of birth, booking date, race, case, and some other information.
-
-
Use BOP Inmate Locator
-
If the inmate is incarcerated in a federal prison, you are able to access the BOP (Bureau of Prison) site and find the inmate’s ID number by using the BOP’s inmate locator on that site. You can find the inmate by name where you have to enter the inmate’s first name, middle name, last name, race, age or sex. And then, after entering two or some of these fields, just hit the Search button. However, the First and Last name of the inmate are required to be filled in this inmate search tool.
-
-
Use DOC Inmate Locator of the State
-
If the inmate is incarcerated in a state prison, you can search them in a DOC inmate locator of the state. A state prison usually has a website that provides online inmate searches. Washington state, for example, has a DOC website and on the site, there is an inmate search tool that you can use to find an inmate ID number if the inmate is incarcerated in the Washington Department of Correction. In the inmate search, you have to enter the inmate’s first name or last name. After hitting the Search button, it will give you the list of results including the inmate’s DOC number, name, age, and location.
Purposes, Providers and Numbering Conventions of Inmate ID Number
An inmate ID number is also called an inmate number, prisoner ID number, a DOC number, a BOP federal number, offender number, register number, offender ID, or a prison number. As explained earlier, this number is used for tracking, accountability, inmate search purposes, sending money, sending mail, visiting, etc. An inmate number is unique where each inmate has a different number so that when there are some inmates with the same names, they can be differentiated by the inmate ID number.
Who gives the ID number to the inmates? It can be given by prison staff, by the U.S. Marshals Service, or by the court when sentencing.
Different prisons have different numbering conventions for giving ID numbers to inmates. The ID can be only numbers, but in some prisons, it may include letters as well. As explained on the Zoukis Consulting Group site, an inmate number in the federal prison system consists of eight digits where it is given by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the U.S. Marshals Service. The eight-digit number consists of 5 digits of unique numbers and the last three digits identify the federal sentencing court. Every state also has its own numbering that can include letters and numbers.
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.
