Washington Inmate Search 

Inmate records in Washington are papers that include information about incarcerated individuals in the state’s correctional institutions. The non-confidential biodata of criminals, such as their name, gender, age, race, prisoner number, and mugshot, are all available in these records. In addition, these records provide administrative information on offenders’ crimes, incarceration, and release from prison. The Washington Public Records Act allows interested parties to receive prisoner records. 

Inmate records in Washington are public information. As a result, they are accessible by conventional government institutions and third-party websites and organizations. The Washington State Department of Corrections (WADOC) oversees 12 minimal, medium, and maximum security prisons. Interested individuals may utilize the Washington state prisons directory to find these institutions’ physical location and contact information.  

Aside from state-administered prisons, local law enforcement agencies maintain several municipals, county, and regional jails in Washington. In Washington, police departments are in charge of municipal jails, while the Sheriff’s offices are in charge of county jails. Regional jails serve multiple counties or groupings of counties and cities. 

Benefits Of Performing An Inmate Search  

Most people are unsure of the whereabouts of their family and friends in jail. On certain occasions, inmates are subjects of transfer, which means there may be changes in their incarceration facilities. Since the Bureau and the Department do not necessarily communicate the exact time and date of transfer to the inmates or family and friends, these family and friends may be in the dark of where the inmate is—requiring them to perform an inmate search. 

On the other hand, you may need to send the inmate some funds. You have to know their names or their official WADOC number to do so. Performing a search may help you find these details on the website. You may also need to visit the inmate, write them a letter, or send a package. Finding where the inmate is, is very crucial. To avoid visiting the wrong inmate in the wrong incarceration facility. Moreover, performing an inmate search is key to assurance an inmate is still in the facility. Besides, it is free and fast, especially in Washington. 

How To Find Inmates In Washington Prisons 

The WADOC offers a Washington prison locator tool to assist the public in locating inmates in the institutions it oversees. The public may utilize the two of the available options. Either search by name or by WADOC Number. Each offender in Washington prisons receives a six-digit identifying number referred to as a DOC number upon arrival. This is the simplest form since the search result will be specific when you feed in the correct number, and you will not have to narrow searches.  

However, you may feed in their names if you do not know their WADOC number. You need to input their first name and last with the Middle name as optional. Moreover, note that the search results of this search may be significant; thus, if you have any specific information about the inmate, it is crucial. Other information that may help narrow down the inquiry include: 

  • Date of incarceration. 
  • Gender. 
  • Date of Birth. 
  • Sex. 
  • Offense status. 
  • Offense level.  

If you cannot utilize the online methods, you may opt to visit the WA DOC offices during normal business hours on regular days to inquire about an inmate’s records. 

There are no exclusions for juveniles in Washington, unlike other states where they protect minors. In Washington, juveniles facilities have an inmate locator system, and they update their rosters as required by law.  

How To Conduct An Inmate Search In A Washington Jail 

The simplest method to look for inmates in Washington is to use a county or local website. Most Washington counties and localities include prisoner locators on their websites to help researchers figure out how to find out whether someone is in jail. In addition, the state’s law requires these prison personnel to update their inmate registers or lists regularly. These listings include the names of current prisoners and personal information such as age, sex, and inmate number. To locate a person currently in a Washington city or county jail, use the following steps: 

  • Visit the official website of the county/municipality. 
  • Find the local law enforcement agencies (Sheriff’s Office or Police Department) websites. 
  • Look for a prison or inmate list on the website of your local law enforcement agency. 

However, not all jails have an online inmate search database, especially municipality jails. Some operate manually. And this applies to many of the juvenile facilities and town detention facilities. Consequently, you must contact the facility to locate an inmate to inquire about the information. To get them, you may visit their website for the contact information.  

Locator For Federal Detainees 

It is pretty simple to locate a federal prisoner. You may look for your loved one using their Bureau of Prisons registration number or their first and last name on the BOP prisoner finder. If you’re looking for a prisoner by name, you may narrow down the results by adding extra information like age, gender, or race. This is useful if the federal offender’s name is common or if the first search results include the names of numerous convicts. 

The Federal Bureau of Prisons’ prisoner locator record stays on their database after an inmate is freed from federal prison. In addition, the inmate locator tool may indicate the inmate’s release date. Note that federal inmates are the federal pretrial offenders, those sentenced to prison by federal courts. Consequently, you cannot find an inmate charged with a crime in a public court. Again, remember that only convicts detained after 1982 are included in the BOP’s prisoner locator tool. If you require detailed information on a prisoner freed before 1982, you may need to contact the National Archives. 

Washington Sex Offender Search 

Sex offenders are minors or adults who have committed a crime, a severe misdemeanor, or both involving sexual offenses. They have to register for fifteen years or ten years, depending on the sex crime. RCW 9A.44.130 governs registration laws. However, not all sex offenders register. This is because in Washington, only Level II, III, and non-compliant or temporary Level I offenders register, according to RCW 4.24.550. You may call your local Sheriff’s office if you need information on a particular crime that isn’t available on the internet. They may be able to assist you with details on individual Level I offenders. 

The Washington State Sex Offender Registry is a database that contains information about registered sex offenders. The registry is updated daily as sex offenders register and update their information. Residents may sign up for email notifications anytime an offender registers an address near them on the website. 

Residents of Washington may use the area search option to look for sex offenders by entering the offender’s address, city of residence, state of residency, and zip code. They may also search for sex offenders by putting their first and last names into its name search feature. 

Washington Non-Compliant Sex Offender Search  

Members of the public may use the non-compliant search option to get information on all non-compliant sex offenders in the state. 

Locating An Inmate In ICE Facilities 

Men, women, and children arrested by U.S Custom and Border Protection or Immigration and Customs Enforcement are usually put in removal proceedings and held in ICE detention facilities. Under its ostensibly civil system, many immigrants detained by ICE are housed in the county and municipal prisons that contract with ICE to accommodate them. The others are detained in ICE-run immigration detention camps or private prisons, including family detention centers that house mothers and children.  

Individuals suspected of visa violations, illegal entry, or unauthorized arrival and those facing deportation and removal are held in immigration detention until immigration authorities decide whether to grant them a visa and release them into the community or repatriate them to their country of origin. Mandatory detention is the practice of detaining or imprisoning persons seeking political asylum or deemed unlawful immigrants or unauthorized entrants in a nation without their permission. Some governments have imposed a maximum custody term, while others allow imprisonment indefinitely. 

You may be able to locate someone who is in an immigration detention center by utilizing the Online Detainee Locator System. However, you have to feed in their ICE number or names. Since most illegal immigrants do not reveal their true identities, finding them by their name or date of birth is very difficult. Nonetheless, if you do not have either of these details, you may contact the Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations field offices. Contact the individual’s immigration detention facility directly if you know where they are. 

How Can I Find Out When An Inmate Will Be Released? 

The WA DOC prisoner search tool provides the easiest way to determine when a Washington offender is scheduled to be released. The public may use this service to locate convicts and get information about their convictions and possible release dates. Those interested may also contact or visit the correctional institution where the convict is currently incarcerated. 

However, publishing dates are often confined to the month and year, particularly in sensitive circumstances. In such cases, only the inmate’s closest family members, crime victims, lawyers, and authorized criminal justice authorities have access to the actual release date. This is generally for security reasons for both the inmate while in jail and outside the incarceration facilities.