Texas State Departament Of Corrections Inmate Search

The crime rate in Texas has been 10% above the national average since the 1980s. The state's incarceration rate is 840 per 100,000 individuals, making it one of the highest globally. Most Texas inmates are held in jails, prisons, juvenile justice facilities, and immigration detention centers. Over 251,000 Texans are behind bars, as local jails receive about 505,000 people yearly.  

Texas Inmate Records  

Texas inmate records contain relevant information that identifies an inmate in the journey through the justice system within Texas's state prisons and federal prisons, jails, and other correctional facilities.  

Inmate information is accessible to any interested members of the public or parties as per the Texas Public Information Act. The data is crucial in locating incarcerated persons in Texas. Government agencies and third-party websites access this information and provide it to interested public members. One advantage of third-party websites is that they offer information without geographical limitations.  

TDC J's Correctional Institution Division (CID) oversees and manages at least 106 correctional facilities in Texas. The agency has information on most inmates incarcerated in Texas with records containing inmate information, including; mugshots, police reports, finger reports, arrest and court records, the current facility, evidence, and other details.  

Texas Inmate Locator Tool

TDCJ has an inmate locator tool that allows you to perform an inmate search on its website. You can search an inmate by entering their name, SID number, or TDCJ number and narrowing the search results with the inmate's gender and race.  

The search results on the website show a list of offenders with search names, their TDJC numbers, gender, race, age, projected release date, and current correctional facility. Click any row in the name column for more details about the inmate, including case numbers, criminal history, parole eligibility, and release date.  

You may also search and inquire for inmate information by contacting TDJC by phone using (936) 295-6371 or (800) 535-0283. Inquire about the inmate's status by calling (844) 512-0461 if the Board of Pardons and Paroles has yet to vote on the incarcerated person's status and (512) 406-5202 if the board has voted. Remember to provide the inmate's SID or TDCJ number when calling to inquire about any information.  

The laws of Texas also allow the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to release an inmate's status and location by mail. You can also access the following information by mail: 

• In the Inmate's TDCJ number  
• Incarceration history  
• Offense committed  
• Projected release date  
• Current incarceration facility  

Texas's Jail & Prison System  

Texas's high crime rate has seen the state having one of the enormous numbers of correctional facilities in the US. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) manages 90 state-owned correctional facilities and has active contracts with nine other privately-owned correctional facilities.  

The Federal Bureau of Prisons also runs 18 federal prisons located in Texas. Texas's state-owned correctional facilities are spread in the six state regions.   

There were about 269 state-owned prisons and county jails in Texas as of 2019. Texas's jail system is divided into 18 federal prisons, 52 state-owned prisons, 15 state jails, 48 private prisons, 14 transfer facilities, four pre-release facilities, five SAFPF, two medical facilities, 57 juvenile detention centers, and three psychiatric facilities, among others.  

The state has over 163,000 inmates in state correctional facilities and 55,000 more offenders in county jails. The state's federal prisons have 27,000 inmates, making Texas correctional facilities the most overcrowded in the United States.  

Visiting an Inmate in Texas 

Texas's inmates can receive one visit per weekend. You must carry a valid identification card and dress as per the acceptable code when visiting an incarcerated loved one. Visitors must obtain approval and schedule a visit with jail wardens at least a day before the visit. Read more about the rules and regulations for visiting an incarcerated person in Texas here.  

Contacting an Inmate 

TDCJ allows inmates to call family members and friends, but your phone number must be on the inmate's approved list to receive a call. You can purchase talk time for an incarcerated loved one using this guide.  

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice allows you to regularly correspond with an incarcerated loved one through the mail. However, the sent and received mails are inspected to ensure they comply with set rules.  

Sending Money to an Inmate  

TDCJ allows friends and family members to send incarcerated loved ones money through: 

• Cashier's check or money order 
• America's Cash Express (ACE) 
• JPay 
• Monthly checking account debit (ACH) 
• Touch Payment Systems 
• eCommDirect Systems  

You can find more about the process of sending inmate money here.