Alabama State Departament Of Corrections Inmate Search

Alabama didn't have a prison system for several decades after becoming a territory in 1819. That's mainly due to the residents not supporting such a system at the time.  

But Governor John Gayle initiated plans to bring in a criminal code (civilized) between 1831 and 1834. The plans weren't successful until the introduction of the state penitentiary system in 1839. The organizational structure initially had three IPs (Inspectors of the Penitentiary) and a warden.  

Today, the Alabama DOC (Department of Corrections) oversees a total of 132 county jails and state prisons. It has about 3,550 employees, including 2,150 correctional officers. The agency houses over 20,000 inmates across 15 major institutions, four work release centers, two boot camps, and one forestry camp.   

How to Search for an Inmate in Alabama 

The US treats inmate information and records as public records. Hence, the records are made available to the public in accordance with the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act).  

The Alabama DOC provides a database for individuals to access inmates' information online or in person. To search for an inmate in-person, you'll have to visit the DOC office at 301 Ripley Street, Montgomery, Alabama, to make inquiries. However, a more convenient alternative is visiting the online website, which allows you to access the details of every state offender in Alabama.  

The website contains about 27,608 incarcerated inmates. Each inmate has a unique identification number.  

• Step I: Follow this link to access the DOC website.  
• Step II: Enter the inmate's First name and last name or AIS number.   
• Step III: Using the AIS search will only display the details of the inmate with that particular number. In this case, the Last Name and First Name fields will be ignored. On the other hand, you can use the Last Name and First Name search options in conjunction or separately. When you fill in both fields of an inmate's name, only records matching the two fields will appear. But if you enter only the Last Name or First Name, the results will show the names of every inmate matching the name. Similarly, entering a few letters of the convict's name will display a list of inmates whose names contain those particular letters. 
• Step IV: Click on the convict's name to get more information about their status. Once you've successfully used the inmate locator search process, you'll find the following inmate information: name, gender, date of birth, potential release date, and institution of incarceration.  

How to Send Money to an Inmate 

The Alabama DOC has guidelines for interested parties looking to send money to inmates. You can do this in three ways: 

1. Cash Deposits: You can send cash via Cash Pay. To do this, call (844) 340 2274 or visit the website to know the nearest Cash Pay agent to you.  
2. Money Order: To send funds through money order, interested individuals will need to attach a deposit coupon and send the order. 
3. Access Secure Deposits: You can transfer funds to an inmate via an online third-party platform known as Access Corrections. Interested individuals must create an account to make payments and process transactions with every major credit card. Inmates will get the funds within a few minutes.  

Sending money to inmates at the Alabama Department of Corrections usually attracts a fee. You can find the fee schedule on its website.  

How to Visit an Inmate  

The Alabama correctional system allows families and friends of inmates to visit while adhering to the visitation guidelines. Visitors must know the jail that houses the inmate — you can confirm by searching the Inmate Search site.  

All intending visitors must fill out an inmate visitor’s application form. After submitting the form, approval takes about two to six weeks. After getting approved, visitors can visit an inmate following the jail's visiting schedule.  

Up to eight people can visit an inmate at a time. Every adult visitor must provide a valid ID, while minors must bring their birth certificate or other recognized court documents. Dressing and visitation guidelines vary based on the Alabama City or county hosting the jail.  

How to Phone an Inmate  

Prisons don’t allow cell phones, and prisoners can't receive any inbound calls. An inmate is only allowed to speak to you during approved hours via outbound calls, which they must pay for. Thanks so the DOC's partnership with ICT Solutions, you can speak to an inmate in two major ways: 

• A Debit Telephone Account: allows you to buy prepaid call services for an inmate. The inmate will be able to make calls to any phone number that's not restricted by the authority, including your number.  
• A Prepaid Account: allows you to buy prepaid telephone services for receiving calls on a specifically designated phone number (a cell phone, business phone, or home phone). An inmate can only make calls to that designated phone number.