How to Send Money to an Inmate in a Prison or Jail
Table of Contents
What is Texas Inmate Search?
A Texas inmate search is the process of looking up any individual who is currently incarcerated in a Texas correctional facility in order to obtain certain information about such a person.
Inmate information in the state may be obtained from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) by telephone and email. However, the department manages an online Inmate Information Search portal that allows anyone to look up or locate any inmate incarcerated in a TDCJ facility. The portal is convenient to use and is offered for the safety of the general public.
Are Inmate Search Records Open to the Public in Texas?
Yes. Unless specifically exempt from public disclosure by state law, Texas jail records in the state are generally open to the public under the Texas Public Information Act (PIA). Hence, interested members of the public may inspect or copy most inmate records using any of the available channels provided by the TDCJ.
However, sensitive details like inmate medical records, information about ongoing investigations, mental health information, and victim information are generally restricted from public access.
How To Perform Texas Inmate Lookup
You can quickly search for someone incarcerated in the state by using their name, TDCJ number, SID number, race, or gender. From there you will see a long list of inmates that match your criteria. You can click on the inmate's name to see more details like name, race, gender, date of birth, sentencing, possible parole date, aliases, facility information, visitation directions, and offense history. You can also use a Texas inmate records search online to see even more details like mug shots, complete criminal history, arrests, warrants, and sex offenses.
How to Search for an Inmate in Texas
To search for an inmate in Texas, open the TDCJ's Inmate Information Search portal and enter any of the inmate's name (last and first), TDCJ number, or SID number as the search criterion. Afterward, click on the search button. Selecting the inmate's gender and race may help refine or streamline the search. Generally, the search result will include a list of records that match the search parameters.
Alternatively, it is possible to search for inmate information in Texas by email. Anyone may do this by sending the inmate's 7-digit TDCJ number and full name to the Department of Criminal Justice by email. If the inmate's TDCJ number is unknown, the requester may provide the exact date of birth or approximate age, and the county of conviction of the exact date of birth is not known.
Furthermore, you can conduct a jail inmate search in Texas by contacting the TDCJ at (936) 295-6371. For telephone requests, it is generally required to provide an inmate's SID or TDCJ number. If any of these is not known, the requester must provide the inmate's exact date of birth to facilitate the search.
How to Conduct a Free Inmate Search in Texas
Anyone may conduct Texas inmate searches free of charge online using any reliable third-party services. While quick searches through such services are usually free, users may need to pay a nominal fee to access more detailed inmate records. Third-party inmate record search services like RecordsFinder generally allow interested members of the public to search all Texas correctional facilities, including county, state, city, and federal prisons and jails.
How to Find a Federal Inmate in Texas
Information about inmates incarcerated in federal prisons located in Texas may be searched using the Federal Bureau of Prison's (BOP) Inmate Locator. The Inmate Locator allows interested persons to search federal inmates incarcerated in the state by name or BOP register number.
About 15 federal correctional facilities, including the following, house federal inmates in Texas:
- Big Spring FCI
- Dalla RRM
- South Central RO
- Bastrop FCI
- Texarkana FCI
What Can You Find with State of Texas Inmate Search
A typical search of Texas jail records via the TDCJ's Inmate Information Search portal will return information such as the following:
- Inmate's full name
- TDCJ number
- SID number
- Gender
- Race
- Age
- Current facility of incarceration
- Maximum sentence date
- Projected release date
- Inmate visitation eligibility (typically YES or NO)
- Parole eligibility
- Inmate's offense history
Jail and Inmate Search in Texas
As of August 2023, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice had 129,653 inmates in state prisons, and by December 2022, there were at least 75,838 inmates held in the state's county jails. They also have 4,400 youths in detention centers around the state. TX has a very high rate of incarceration when compared to the overall U.S. average. About 32.3% of the state-run prison inmates are Black, and 33.7% are Hispanic.
Also, at least 33.3% of them are White, while other races account for 0.6%. Along with those in TX jails and prisons, the state is also responsible for another 100,600 inmates on parole and about 364,180 people on probation.
Criminal Justice Quick Facts
Texas Imprisonment Rate * (per 100,000 population)
751
Probation Population
337,000
Parole Population
100,000
Racial Disparity in Incarceration Rate
Black: White Ratio: 4.8:1
Hispanic: White Ratio: 1.3:1
Juvenile Custody Rate (per 100,000 juveniles)
89
Disenfranchised Population
479,097 (2.50%)
Disenfranchised African Americans
131,290 (5.19%)
Corrections Expenditures (state/local)
$3.84 B / $2.9 B
* Texas incarceration rate includes statistics for prisons, jails, immigration detention, and juvenile justice facilities
Texas Parole Population
The Texas parole population was 104,207 at the beginning of 2022 and 100,595 by the end of the year.
Paroles per 100,000 Population (2022)
Nationwide
267
Texas
443
Parole Total Population in Texas (2022)
Nationwide
698,820
Texas
100,600
Parole Entries and Exits (2022)
Entries
28,400
Exits
32,080
Change in 2022, in Percentage and Number
Percent
3.5%
Number
3,680
Number on Parole per 100,000 U.S. Adult Residents
Decreased by
267
Texas Prisons
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) maintains a map of all state-run prison facilities. The state currently has 232 jails across 254 counties and another 104 prisons. They house a lot of inmates: 75,838 in jail and another 129,653 in prison. With an enormous budget of $3.9 billion and a massive staff of over 36,000 employees, the state has one of the largest inmate populations in the country.
The Texas community corrections system oversees another 100,600 inmates who were released on parole and 364,180 people on probation. It costs the state $22,494.95 to house and care for each inmate for a year. Based on 100,000 residents, TX has an overall incarceration rate of 452, a violent crime rate of 432, and a property crime rate of 2,300.
| Prison Name | Prison Type |
|---|---|
| A.M. "Mac" Stringfellow Unit | State Prison |
| Alfred D. Hughes Unit | State Prison |
| Allan B. Polunsky Unit | State Prison |
| Barry B. Telford Unit | State Prison |
| Bastrop FCI | Federal Prison |
| Beauford H. Jester III Unit | State Prison |
| Beaumont Low FCI | Federal Prison |
| Beaumont Medium FCI | Federal Prison |
| Beaumont USP | Federal Prison |
| Big Spring Flightline Unit | Federal Prison |
| Bryan FPC | Federal Prison |
| C.T. Terrell Unit | State Prison |
| Carol S. Vance Unit | State Prison |
| Carswell FMC | Federal Prison |
| Christina Melton Crain Unit | State Prison |
Frequently Asked Questions
The following are some frequently asked questions about Texas inmate search and their answers:
Why Is an Inmate Not Showing Up in Search?
An inmate's information may not show up in a Texas inmate search if the inmate is incarcerated in a correctional facility other than a TDCJ-run prison facility. In this case, such inmate's information may only be found by contacting the holding facility directly, such as city jails, county jails, or federal prisons. Also, entering inaccurate search criteria on the TDCJ's Inmate Information Search portal may not return information about the inmate whose information is sought even if they are incarcerated in a state prison.
If you are unable to find an inmate in a Texas inmate search, double-check the search criterion to be sure there are no spelling errors. If the issue persists despite entering the correct search parameter, contact the Texas Department of Justice.
How Can I Check If Someone Is in Jail in Texas?
You can check if someone is in jail in Texas by doing any of the following:
- Conduct an inmate search on the TDCJ's Inmate Information Search portal.
- Visit the county or city jails to inquire if a person is currently in jail or check inmate rosters or inmate locators maintained by county sheriff's offices.
- Contact the TDCJ by email or telephone to check if someone is being incarcerated in a state-run prison.
- Contact the local law enforcement office, especially if the person being searched has been charged.
How Can I Conduct a Texas Prison Inmate Search?
You may conduct a Texas prison inmate search online through TDCJ's Inmate Information Search portal, by email, or by calling the department. Alternatively, some reliable third-party inmate record search sites like Records Finder are generally great for conducting Texas inmate searches.
