Texas Inmate Search

Texas has the largest prison system in the United States, comprising more than 100 state-operated adult offender facilities, which include eight private prisons and jails, 12 women-only and three co-gender facilities. The Texas prison system also includes 45 registered juvenile facilities, 16 federal facilities, and over 270 county jails. Texas has a high incarceration rate of 751 per 100,000 people, with an average of 134,000 Texans locked up in adult state facilities, 22,000 in federal prisons, and another 58,000 in local jails.

State prisons and jails in Texas are operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ). The TDCJ, which is the largest state agency in Texas, also manages inmates in private correctional facilities on contract with it. Note that facilities for juvenile offenders are separately managed and overseen by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD). Likewise, local jails are run by county sheriff's offices, while the Bureau of Prisons manages the federal correctional facilities located in Texas.

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According to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the state's correctional system includes 100+ state facilities (including 12 women-only facilities and 3 co-gender facilities), 8 private prisons, 45 juvenile facilities, 16 federal facilities, and 270+ county jails. The system houses approximately 134,000 state inmates, 22,000 federal inmates, and 58,000 county inmates, with an incarceration rate of 751 per 100,000 residents.

Texas Department of Criminal Justice Inmate Search

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) is responsible for running state correctional facilities holding adult offenders in Texas. This agency is charged with managing inmates in these facilities, which include state prisons, state jails, and private correctional facilities. The TDCJ also manages inmates released on parole, and mandatory supervision, and offers funding and oversight for community supervision. To this end, the department maintains detailed records of all inmates under its custody as well as inmates currently under supervised release.

Interested members of the public can access information on inmates under the custody or supervision of the TDCJ through several options, including an online Inmate Information Search tool the department offers for this purpose. This tool can be used to search for individuals currently incarcerated in a TDCJ-operated facility using the person's name, TDCJ number, or state identification (SID) number. Online searches typically return information like the inmate's name, age, gender, race, identification numbers, offense history, incarceration location, as well as their maximum sentence, parole eligibility, and projected release dates.

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Find Inmate by Name

Conducting a name-based search online is usually the most convenient way to find inmates in Texas state correctional facilities. All that is required is inputting the person's last name and at least the first letter of their first name into the designated fields on the TDCJ's search tool. The search will return a list of individuals with the exact last name provided – this list will also include inmates whose names start with the letter(s) inputted in the first namespace. As such, it is advisable to input the person's full name to narrow the search; results can also be filtered by additional criteria like gender and race (if this information is handy).

It is important to note that online searches via the Inmate Information Search tool only return details on individuals who are currently incarcerated in a TDCJ-operated facility.

User

Find Inmate by Number

Number-based searches are another option for finding inmates in Texas state prisons. Inmates typically have two identification numbers – a TDCJ number and an SID number. The SID (state identification) number is issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety once a person is arrested and fingerprinted. On the other hand, the TDCJ number is assigned to the person once they enter a state-operated correctional facility and is used to track them within the system. Both numbers are unique identifiers, meaning they are tied to a specific individual.

Conducting a number-based search for inmates simply involves inputting either the person's TDCJ or SID number into the search tool (in the provided fields). This method has the advantage of being more specific than name-based searches. However, this also makes it more sensitive, in that, inputting an incorrect number can result in a "no inmate found" message or return details on someone other than the inmate of interest.

Jail

Find Inmate by Jail Type

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice's Inmate Information Search tool does not provide a dedicated option for finding inmates by jail type. However, search results generated from name and number-based searches include the inmate's unit of assignment/current facility of incarceration. Clicking on this location leads to a webpage that lists contact information for facilities operated by the TDCJ.

What Information is Contained in a Texas Inmate Record?

Texas inmate records typically contain information on the inmate, the offense(s) that led to their incarceration, and details on their sentence/prison term. These include:

  • The inmate's full name
  • The inmate's identification numbers
  • The inmate's age, race, and gender
  • The inmate's maximum sentence date
  • The inmate's offense history, including the offenses committed, the inmate's sentencing date, county, and the length of the sentence
  • The inmate's parole eligibility and projected release dates. Parole refers to the conditional release given to certain inmates that allows them to serve the remainder of their sentence outside prison but under community supervision (probation). On the other hand, the project release date is a date (determined by the TDCJ) that the inmate is projected to be released from prison if they are not paroled earlier.

Inmate records accessed online through the TDCJ's search tool also contain details like their visitation eligibility and their scheduled release date and location, where applicable.

Texas Inmate Records by Counties

The Texas prison system also includes county jails that are separate from the facilities run by the TDCJ. Instead, the local jails are managed by county sheriff's offices and they typically handle short-term offenders serving sentences that are usually not more than a year. The county sheriff's offices also maintain records of inmates under their custody. While these local records are distinct from state records maintained by the TDCJ, they contain similar information, such as the inmate's name, offense details, booking, and release dates.

Local inmate records in Texas can generally be accessed by contacting the county sheriff's office overseeing the jail where the inmate is being held. Many county sheriffs also provide search tools on their official websites that can be used to search for inmates in their respective jurisdictions, usually by name or booking number. Be aware that search results are typically limited to inmates arrested and jailed within a specific county.

Are Incarceration Records Public Information in Texas?

Incarceration records are generally considered public information under the Texas Public Information Act and may be accessed by anyone, with some restrictions. For example, per Sec. 552.028 of the Public Information Act, correctional facilities are not obligated to respond to record requests from people who are currently incarcerated or anyone acting on their behalf, except their attorney. Juvenile offender records, inmate photographs, and medical records are also deemed confidential and restricted from public disclosure.

Federal Prisons in Texas

Texas is home to several facilities that hold inmates convicted of federal offenses. While these facilities are located in Texas, they are technically a part of the U.S. federal prison system and are overseen by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).

Here is a list of the federal correctional facilities in Texas:

Prison NameLocationTotal Inmate PopulationSecurity LevelNotes
Federal Correctional Institution (FCI), BastropBastrop1,134Low SecurityFCI Bastrop is an all-male facility with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp housing approximately 9% of its total inmate population.
Federal Correctional Institution (FCI), Beaumont – LowBeaumont2,144Low SecurityFCI Beaumont–Low is an all-male facility with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp housing approximately 22% of its total inmate population.
Federal Correctional Institution (FCI), Beaumont – MediumBeaumont1,577Medium SecurityFCI Beaumont – Medium is an all-male facility.
U.S. Penitentiary (USP), BeaumontBeaumont1,380High SecurityUSP Beaumont is an all-male facility.
Federal Correctional Institution (FCI), Big SpringBig Spring728Low SecurityFCI Big Spring is an all-male facility with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp housing approximately 15% of its total inmate population.
Federal Prison Camp (FPC), BryanBryan643Minimum SecurityFCP Bryan is an all-female facility.
Federal Medical Center (FMC), CarswellFort Worth1,196N/AFMCs are administrative facilities designed to provide specialized medical care to incarcerated individuals and typically hold inmates in all security categories. FMC Carswell is an all-female facility with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp housing approximately 11% of its total inmate population.
Residential Reentry Management(RRM) Field Office, DallasGrand PrairieN/AN/ARRMs 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.
Federal Medical Center (FMC), Fort WorthFort Worth1,547N/AFMCs are administrative facilities designed to provide specialized medical care to incarcerated individuals and typically hold inmates in all security categories. FMC Fort Worth is an all-male facility that also has a detention center.
Federal Detention Center (FDC), HoustonHouston873N/AFDCs are administrative facilities that hold criminal defendants (in all security categories) who are awaiting trial and sentencing. FDC Houston houses both male and female inmates.
Federal Correctional Institution (FCI), La TunaAnthony747Low SecurityFCI La Tuna is an all-male facility with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp housing approximately 15% of its total inmate population.
Residential Reentry Management(RRM) Field Office, San AntonioSan AntonioN/AN/ARRM San Antonio is one of two Residential Reentry Management Field Offices in Texas. These offices 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.
Federal Correctional Institution (FCI), SeagovilleSeagoville1,739Low SecurityFCI La Tuna is an all-male facility with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp and a detention center. Approximately 5% of its inmate population is housed in the satellite camp, with the other 95% held in the FCI facility and the detention center.
Federal Correctional Institution (FCI), TexarkanaTexarkana1,345Low SecurityFCI Texarkana is an all-male facility with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp housing approximately 13% of its total inmate population.
Federal Correctional Institution (FCI), Three RiversThree Rivers1,248Low SecurityFCI Three Rivers is an all-male facility with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp housing approximately 15% of its total inmate population.
South Central Regional OfficeGrand PrairieN/AN/AThe BOP's South Central Regional Office is an administrative office that provides oversight and support to its facilities located in the South Central Region (these facilities collectively house over 27,393 inmates).

In addition to these facilities, the BOP also operates an office complex in Grand Prairie that provides services in human resources, inmate systems, and financial management.

Interested members of the public can search for inmates in federal correctional facilities located in Texas online through the BOP's inmate locator tool – this tool allows both name and number search options, similar to tools offered by state and county jails. However, it does not include information on individuals incarcerated before 1982.

Frequently Asked Questions about Inmate Records

You can request copies of public records from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice by contacting the department via email or completing and submitting a Public Information Act Request Form online. Requests can also be made in person at the department's Executive Administrative Services Division at:

2 Financial Plaza
Suite 600
Huntsville, TX 77340

You can look up inmates online in Texas using the TDCJ's Inmate Information Search tool. Note that this tool only provides details on individuals incarcerated in a state-operated facility; to look up inmates in county jails, visit the county sheriff's website.

You can find old inmate records in Texas by contacting the TDCJ or the appropriate sheriff's office (for local jail records). The Texas State Library and Archives Commission also keeps copies of old inmate records and may provide access to them.

Death records less than 25 years old are deemed confidential in Texas and may only be accessed by individuals with a direct and tangible interest (in the record). However, per Section 552.029 of the Texas Public Information Act, basic information regarding the death of an inmate in custody is considered public information - interested parties looking to access this information may do so by contacting the TDCJ.

The TDCJ's online database for searching inmate information is only updated during working days and information hosted on this platform is usually at least 24 hours old.

The TDCJ offers several options for sending money to inmates under its custody. These include money orders, cashier's checks, ACH deposits, and third-party service providers like Access Corrections, ACE, eCommDirect, JPay, and TouchPay. Note that only people on the inmate's approved visitor or telephone list are allowed to send them funds.

County jails and federal prisons in Texas also have similar options for sending money to inmates in their custody; however, it is best to contact the facility directly to get information on their specific procedures.