Both federal prisons and some state prisons provide inmate status information through online databases. Usually, all you need to find a specific inmate is the name of the inmate and the state. The federal and state prison systems provide different types of inmate information, but both provide both the date of incarceration and the date of release. Not all states offer information online, but prisoner information can be accessed by contacting the state prison system directly by telephone.

Determine if the prisoner was charged with a federal or state crime. Knowing the criminal charges will help you decide if you should look for it in the database of the federal or state penitentiary system.

Charges such as domestic violence, abuse , and theft fall under state violations. If the inmate is charged with a crime such as fraud, possession of drugs or weapons, or tax evasion, search the federal penitentiary system.

Visit the appropriate online location or telephone consultation system. For free information on federal prisons, visit the Federal Bureau of Prisons database. A free inmate information provider is inmateroster.org. This site also lists a series of county jails listed by state in alphabetical order. Here you can get Nisqually Tribal Police jail inmate search .

Alaska, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming do not offer online databases. However, they have websites with contact information.

Enter the offender's full name or identification number in the state or federal database to retrieve the information. You will need the surname of the inmate to complete the search. Searches also explore different areas of the prison system, such as lists of prisoners who have been released or escaped.

You may need the prisoner's status, name, or some additional information if the search gives you a multiple listing.

Click on the prisoner's name to see the information. Federal searches offer the least amount of information but will provide you with the inmate's registration number, age, race, sex, and release date. If the inmate remains incarcerated, a link to the federal prison provides more information about the facility.

State searches offer the same information as federal searches. You can also usually view the criminal history data, find the police files, view the visiting program and find specific features such as scars or tattoos, along with height and weight.

Author's Bio: 

Hasan Root, a dream lover