Pennsylvania Inmate Search

Get detailed records of inmates serving their sentence in Pennsylvania state prisons using Inmate Lookup. Records are maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PADOC).

The respective DOC maintains a centralized database of inmates that anyone can find easily.

Inmate Lookup is designed to make it easy for you to find information about people who are incarcerated. The Department of Corrections maintains a centralized database of inmates that anyone can search. This database covers inmates in facilities administered by PADOC only, however. This includes state prisons and state jails but does not include city jails, county jails, or other detention facilities.

County jails, police jails, and city jails in Pennsylvania maintain all the inmate database records individually and one can go to their individual website for detailed information.

Inmate Lookup provides you with a list of these facilities below. Each has a link to a page with more detailed information, like phone numbers, location, and procedures for visiting inmates.

Each facility’s page here at Inmate Lookup provides a link to its website. There, you may be able to find information about inmates they are currently holding along with details like projected release date. However, not all facilities have the same level of information available

ou may need to call them on the phone to find the information you’re looking for.

Detailed instructions are given below so that you can look up inmate information from the PADOC database. Further down on this page we provide a listing of city jails, county jails, and other facilities in Pennsylvania along with contact information. Again, with each listing, Inmate Lookup also provides a link to their website.

Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PADOC) Inmate Lookup:

The Department of Corrections operates and manages all the state prisons in Pennsylvania. To search any inmate in the PADOC follow the steps put together by Inmate Lookup and shared below:

Step 1: Visit the Pennsylvania DOC inmate lookup website.

Step 2: Enter the inmate's name, id, age, gender, and DOB in the required fields.

Step 3: Click on the 'Submit' button.

On the results page, you can see the list of all inmates matching the specified criteria.

You can also find out information about a PADOC inmate by contacting the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections at:

Website: http://www.cor.pa.gov/

Pennsylvania Inmate Search: http://inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov/

Address: 1920 Technology Parkway, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050

Phone: 717-728-2573

If you discover the person you’re looking for is not in a state facility, Inmate Lookup has assembled a comprehensive listing of other facilities lower down on this page

Frequently Asked Questions about Performing an Inmate Search

What is the difference between jail and prison?

Though both types of facilities have to do with public safety, the main differences have to do with the length of confinement and who runs them. Generally speaking, jails are used to hold persons who have been arrested and are awaiting trial in court or to detain offenders who have been convicted of minor crimes. They are operated by local governments on the city or county level. Inmate Lookup provides you with an accurate list of these kinds of facilities in Pennsylvania (see below).

Prisons, on the other hand, house offenders who have been convicted of more serious offenses and who have a projected release date farther in the future. They are typically run by the state or the federal government. Examples in Pennsylvania include the Harrisburg Community Corrections Center and the Wernersville Community Corrections Center. Inmate Lookup walks you through the process of finding someone in a state facility at the top of this page.

How do I look up a PADOC ID number?

The PADOC ID number is assigned to each inmate who is in PADOC custody following a conviction. If you know the number, you can use it to look up an inmate in the system. You can find the number on the PADOC website listed above by Inmate Lookup. You will need to have either the name or SID number of the person you are looking for.

What is a SID number?

A SID number is an abbreviation for State Identification Number. Individuals who are arrested for a crime are assigned a SID number, which is used for record-keeping and identification purposes. You can use the State Identification Number to look up a Pennsylvania inmate in the PADOC inmate database. Inmate Lookup has provided easy instructions for how to do this near the top of this page.

What kinds of information can I find out about inmates in an inmate search?

Inmate Lookup provides you with simple instructions for searching the PADOC database near the top of the page. When you look up an offender in the PADOC database, you'll be provided with the following information collected in the system:

SID number (State Identification Number)
PADOC ID number (Pennsylvania Department of Corrections number)
Name
Race
Gender
Age
Maximum sentence date
Current facility
Projected release date
Parole eligibility date
Inmate visitation eligible
Offense history

If available, you will also see information about the scheduled release date, type, and location. A space near the bottom includes the offense history, which gives you details about their initial conviction and any additional convictions. Data includes the sentencing date and Pennsylvania county locations where offenses were committed. You'll also see the case number and the length of each sentence. The current facility listed links to another page where you can find the address and phone number for that facility if you need to find out about how to contact or visit an inmate.

You won't find photos (mugshots) or their date of birth.

You can also find out information about a PADOC inmate by writing to the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, 1920 Technology Parkway, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050.

Information obtained from the database about a PADOC inmate is only to be used for permitted purposes.

If you need to find out about a prisoner who is not in the state system but rather in a local facility, Inmate Lookup has pulled together a comprehensive list below.

Pennsylvania DOC Information:

Authority	Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PADOC)
Website	http://www.cor.pa.gov/
Pennsylvania Inmate Search	http://inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov/
Address	1920 Technology Parkway, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050
Phone	717-728-2573
Fax

Search by Prison Type

Police Department Jail

Re-entry & Treatment Facility

State Prison Administration

Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP)

Federal BOP Reentry & Treatment Facility

City Jail Administration

There are 977 prisons and jails in Pennsylvania.

Allegheny County Jail - 2nd Avenue

950 Second Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219

412-350-2000