In Texas, when a person is sent to jail or prison, they are assigned a TDCJ number by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. This unique number helps people to track the inmate’s location within the state’s correctional system.
The TDCJ website is frequently updated, making it easy for anyone, including family members and government officials, to follow the inmate’s progress through the system.
Locating a TDCJ Inmate
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) provides an online list of inmates who are currently incarcerated in state or county jails.
Finding an inmate’s name on the website is easy with at least one of three pieces of information: the offender’s last name with at least the first initial of their first name, their TDCJ number or their State Identification (SID) number.
When searching by name, it is important to spell the inmate’s name correctly as the system searches for an exact match.
In case you don’t have access to the internet, you can still locate an inmate by calling the TDCJ at 936-295-6371 or 800-535-0283 from Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
However, if you don’t know the inmate’s TDCJ or SID number, you will need to provide their exact date of birth when making a phone request.
How to Perform an Inmate Search
If you’re searching for an inmate, you can find the necessary information on the TDCJ website. To do this, go to the Home menu and click on Online Services.
Then, scroll down to the Inmate Information page and click on it. This will take you to the Offender Information Search homepage. Once you’re there, you’ll need to fill in the fields provided with any information you have about the inmate and click on Search.
If the inmate is in a TDCJ facility, you’ll be able to access their housing information, charges, and days of visitation. However, it’s important to note that the information on the TDCJ website is always at least 24 hours old.
Therefore, the agency recommends that anyone picking up an offender should call the facility beforehand to make sure there are no changes to that inmate’s status.
Unsuccessful Search for Inmate Information
If you cannot find an inmate’s information in the system, it may be because the system hasn’t been updated recently. In such a case, it is recommended to wait for 24 hours and try again.
Also, if an inmate has been released, their information will not be found in the system. Furthermore, the inmate may be in a different facility. In such instances, you should directly contact the specific jail or prison to inquire about the inmate.
If you are looking for an offender in a federal facility, you should contact the Federal Bureau of Prisons as they have their inmate locator. You can also call them at 202-307-3198.
Different states have their inmate locators, and you can find the links to these locators on the TDCJ website under Related Links. For city jails and other law enforcement entities, you can find additional information on the TDCJ website.
If the inmate is in a county jail, it is recommended to contact the respective county via the Texas Association of Counties.
If you have any further queries or concerns, you can contact the TDCJ by email at [email protected]. In case of technical difficulties with the website, you can reach out to the TDCJ at [email protected]. The webmaster will address your problem as quickly as possible.