The New Jersey inmate records are those files where the details of a person’s incarceration are documented. The information disclosed in these documents include, but are not limited to, the charge, the security risk, transfer, mugshots, sentence, time & place of arrests, gender, age, address, and more. The state’s inmate records are created, managed, and disseminated by the New Jersey department of corrections (NJDOC). Alternatively, interested parties may also get the records from approved third-party sites.
Are Incarceration Records Public Information in New Jersey?
In New Jersey, Incarceration records are public records. Pursuant to the state’s open public records act (OPRA), this information is made available to the general public to ensure its safety. For the most part, both the administrative and personal inmate documents are accessible publicly. However, the NJDOC prohibits access to certain details, such as the criminal’s health.
Records that are considered public may be accessible from some third-party websites. These websites often make searching simpler, as they are not limited by geographic location, and search engines on these sites may help when starting a search for a specific or multiple records. To begin using such a search engine on a third-party or government website, interested parties usually must provide:
- The name of the person involved in the record, unless said person is a juvenile
- The location or assumed location of the record or person involved. This includes information such as the city, county, or state that person resides in or was accused in.
Third-party sites are independent from government sources, and are not sponsored by these government agencies. Because of this, record availability on third-party sites may vary.
What Information is Contained in a New Jersey Inmate Record?
Inmate records in New Jersey are generated using the reports gathered from court records, arrest records, and the personal details obtained when interrogating the criminal. The following are the information disclosed in a New Jersey inmate’s document:
- Inmate’s last & first name
- Race
- Mugshots
- Physical details
- Booking number
- DOB
- Sex
- Address of the Jail facility
- Parole number
- Inmate’s offense
Where do I Look Up an Inmate in New Jersey?
The documents of an inmate’s detention are accessible via the state’s inmate finder, maintained by the New Jersey department of corrections. On the portal, interested persons can search for an inmate’s records through inmate number, the last & first name, race, DOB, or gender.
. However, there are records of certain inmates that are restricted. Therefore they may not be publicly available on the inmate finder portal. To gain access to such documents, the requester has to petition the appropriate government agency stating the reasons for wanting that record. According to C.47:1A–2.2 of the New Jersey OPRA, the court has the power to limit access to certain inmate records. Also, some of these details can only be opened if the information thereon is vital to the applicant’s safety. Below are some state agencies where individuals can check inmate records in New Jersey:
- The New Jersey inmate-finder
- The local police officials/county sheriffs
- The NJDOC’s office
- County jails with online search tools
How Do I Conduct an Inmate Search in New Jersey?
Requesters can search for New Jersey inmates through;
Inmate Finder: This is a web-based repository managed and updated by the New Jersey department of corrections. The repository offers interested persons, inmates details such as name, gender, booking number, and more. The inmate finder tool contains the records of released persons within the last twelve months and those currently incarcerated. Parolee records are also accessible to interested parties using this tool.
Requesters may search for New Jersey inmates in the state’s prisons via the state bureau of investigations (SBI) number and their names. To further narrow the search, requesters are advised to add the inmate’s current prison address, age, hair & eye color, race, gender, and birth date. When this is done, the portal will produce search results with administrative & personal inmate records and their pictures to make inmate identification simpler for the requesters.
County Jails with Online Search Tools: Certain county jails in New Jersey offer web-based inmate finder tools. Requesters can check if the concerned county jail has a search tool by looking up the county’s website. Some counties have a website dedicated to their sheriff; in such cases, if the county has an inmate search tool, it will be on the sheriff’s website. Alternatively, interested persons may physically visit the concerned sheriff’s office to view an inmate’s record.
Petitioning to access a public record under the open public records act: As stated in C.47:1A–7 of the OPRA, if any custodian of a government record (such as an inmate’s record) refuses to grant access to it, a requester can petition for the document’s release. Then the appropriate council shall put the petition to a vote. This will decide whether the record should be made accessible or not.
After a majority vote, if the council finds that the custodian unreasonably denied access to the records, the council can impose sanctions.
How Can I Find an Inmate for Free in New Jersey?
Individuals can discover inmates incarcerated in New Jersey prisons through the NJDOC inmate finder for free. To search, the requester should enter the correct details for either inmate or parolee. One major piece of information to help narrow the search is to enter the inmate’s “county of commitment.”
How to Find Old Inmate Records in New Jersey
Interested persons can obtain old New Jersey inmate records by visiting the appropriate police division that handled the inmate’s arrest. Individuals can access these old files, archived in the office of the proper county sheriff. Also, requesters can view documents of convicts provided by the state’s court.
Alternatively, authorized third-party sites also keep records of old inmates from New Jersey. The old inmate records are obtainable via mail, online, or in-person.
For parole information, the state’s parole board maintains and disseminates such reports when requested for. Interested parties are required to submit a request for paroled offender documents to the parole board’s official email. However, individuals should note that this nature request will also need an OPRA request order, obtainable from the court.
How do I Find Inmate Death Records in New Jersey?
New Jersey inmate death records are obtainable from the state’s department of corrections. Applicants can request this document by mail or in person. When ordering an inmate’s death records, the requester should state all necessary details of the deceased, such as SBI number, full name, and, if available, the prison’s address. All requests for New Jersey inmate death records should be sent to:
The New Jersey Department of Corrections
Whittlesey Road, P.O.Box 863
Trenton, New Jersey 08625
Phone: (609) 292 4036
Fax: (609) 292 9083
Email: New Jersey Email
How do I Conduct a Federal Prison Inmate Search?
Through the Federal Bureau of Prisons, interested individuals can process U.S federal prison inmate search. Whether for official or personal reasons, the process is executed in two ways, which are by:
Inmate Name: This is done through the inmate’s first, middle, & last name, age, gender, and race.
Inmate number: This is done through the numbers from the federal Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP), the department of corrections’ and the federal bureau of investigations number.
The inmate records available with the federal bureau of prisons are from 1982 to date. For questions and complaints, requesters can reach their office on:
The U.S Federal Bureau of Prisons
320 First St., NW
Washington, DC 20534
Phone: (202) 307 3178
How Long Does it Take For An Inmate’s Information to Be Published in New Jersey Inmate Locator?
The NJDOC manages the booking process and the online registration procedures for all prisons in the state. To fully document an inmate’s information can take hours depending on the sources from which this information is gathered. On average, an inmate’s record gets uploaded to the state’s inmate finder within two hours after bookings and registrations.
