Indiana Inmate Search

Indiana's correctional facilities manage a significant inmate population that shows the overall trends in the state's criminal justice system. Indiana's prisons house about 24,374 inmates. Similarly, county jails across the state accommodate about 17,926 inmates. Indiana prison capacity can accommodate 24,918 inmates. Some counties in Indiana have higher inmate populations, with Marion, Lake, and Allen counties housing 1,016, 864, and 704 inmates, respectively.

Generally, inmate search tools serve as an essential resource for families and friends of incarcerated individuals, as they provide a means of staying informed about their location. Inmate search in Indiana provides access to details about an incarcerated person's status and sentence while ensuring the transparency of the criminal justice system.

What is Indiana Inmate Lookup?

Indiana inmate lookup refers to the process of using specific tools and databases to locate persons incarcerated within the state's correctional system. Interested persons may utilize the Incarcerated Search tool provided by the Indiana Department of Correction to conduct an inmate lookup.

Indiana inmate lookup tools are designed to make the correctional system more accessible and transparent. These tools allow the public to monitor the state's correctional system, holding them accountable for the treatment and management of incarcerated persons.

Primarily, inmate lookup resources provide a centralized source to access information about inmates. Families and friends may use the inmate locator to know where an inmate is housed and stay connected through phone calls or letters. Likewise, inmate lookup tools help the legal process become faster by helping to confirm charges and gather relevant case details for ongoing cases.

What Information Can You Find in an Indiana Inmate Search?

When you conduct inmate searches in Indiana, you gain access to numerous details about incarcerated individuals, including:

• Inmate's full name
• Inmate's DOC number
• Inmate's date of birth
• Race
• Gender
• Facility location where the inmate is housed
• Custody status
• Sentencing information

How Are Inmate Records in Indiana Created and Stored?

All types of law enforcement agents create inmate records in Indiana. When someone is arrested by local police or the Sheriff's Office, a RAP sheet is filled out with the suspect's name, address, physical description, and crime details. After that everything that happens in the inmate's life is documented and added into the file. This documentation becomes the inmate's permanent record and follows them through the prison system.

The Indiana Department of Correction is the government agency in charge of maintaining and storing these records. Indiana inmate records are kept online in a centralized database, making it easy for anyone to perform an Indiana inmate lookup.

What Does Indiana's Prison System Look Like?

The Indiana Department of Corrections (IDOC) oversees the state's prison system, managing 21 facilities, 18 for adults and 3 for juveniles. The adult correctional facilities consist of 15 male and 3 female institutions, while the juvenile facilities comprise 2 males and 1 female detention center. These facilities are located strategically across the state to serve various regions. The IDOC is responsible for the custody and rehabilitation of incarcerated individuals, ensuring the safety and security of both inmates and staff.

The IDOC has an estimated staff strength of 6,023 employees, with over 3,864 working as prison custody staff. Indiana prisons can accommodate up to 28,369 inmates. On average, the monthly facility population of Indiana prisons is 24,842 inmates. The IDOC classifies correctional facilities into different security levels to accommodate inmates based on their custody needs.

Each adult correctional facility is assigned a security level -minimum, medium, or maximum. Minimum security facilities are typically designed for inmates who pose the least risk and have shown good behavior. Medium facilities house inmates who commit a higher-level offense, such as violent crimes, and require more supervision than minimum-level facilities. Maximum security facilities accommodate persons who have committed the highest offenses and pose significant risk.

Types of Correctional Facilities in Indiana

Unlike many other states, Indiana has a pretty basic structure for its corrections system. The state has eighteen state prisons to house long-term sentencing offenders, two intake facilities to determine where to send them, and a community corrections program for re-entry. The state also has only one federal prison but has a high number (19) of juvenile detention centers to deal with youth offenders under the age of 18. The Indiana Department of Corrections mission states: "We promote public safety by providing meaningful, effective opportunities for successful re-entry".

Indiana State Prisons

Indiana has eighteen state prisons housing about 24,000 inmates at any given time. The state prisons are differentiated by custody type ranging from maximum-security to minimum-security. After being thoroughly tested and evaluated, prisoners are assigned to one of the state facilities to serve out their sentences. The state prisons in Indiana are:

• Branchville Correctional Facility
• Chain O'Lakes Correctional Facility
• Edinburgh Correctional Facility
• Madison Correctional Facility
• South Bend Community Re-Entry Center
• Heritage Trail Correctional Facility
• Branchville Correctional Facility
• Correctional Industrial Facility
• New Castle Correctional Facility
• Plainfield Correctional Facility
• Putnamville Correctional Facility
• Rockville Correctional Facility (Female)
• Westville Correctional Facility
• Miami Correctional Facility
• Wabash Valley Correctional Facility
• Indiana State Prison
• Indiana Women's Prison
• Pendleton Correctional Facility

Indiana County Jails

County jails hold recently arrested inmates awaiting their initial hearing, a trial, or who have been sentenced to a short stint in jail. In Indiana, county jails are operated and managed by the local Sheriff's Office. There are 97 counties in Indiana, and most have a local Sheriff's Office with jurisdiction over all the towns within the county.

While there is no centralized list of county jails in the state, interested parties can visit the INjail Public Portal page. This resource offers information on each county jail, including their contact details. Likewise, you may use the resource to conduct a jail inmate search specific to each facility.

Indiana Juvenile Detention Centers

Indiana has a high number (19) of juvenile detention centers. These facilities are in place to help rehabilitate youth offenders to keep them out of prison later in life. You may conduct a juvenile inmate search by using the Incarcerated Search tool provided by the IDOC. The twenty juvenile detention centers in Indiana are:

• Allen County Juvenile Detention Center
• Bartholomew County Youth Services Center
• Clark County Clementine B. Barthold Juvenile Detention Center
• Dearborn County Juvenile Detention Center
• Delaware County Youth Opportunity and Juvenile Detention Center
• Elkhart County Juvenile Detention Center
• Grant County Juvenile Detention Center (Temporarily closed)
• Hamilton County Youth Center
• Howard County Robert J. Kinsey Youth Center
• Johnson County Dickison Juvenile Justice Center
• Knox County Southwest Indiana Regional Youth Village
• Lake County Juvenile Detention Center
• LaPorte County Dorothy S. Crowley Juvenile Services Center
• Madison County Youth Services Center
• Marion County Juvenile Detention Center
• Porter County Juvenile Detention Center
• St. Joseph County Juvenile Justice Center
• Vanderburgh County Youth Care Center
• Vigo County Juvenile Center

Indiana Community Correctional Facilities

The IDOC manages Indiana community correction facilities. These facilities help to reduce the number of people in state prisons by supporting local programs that provide alternatives to incarceration. They aim to reduce the reoffending rate and facilitate the reintegration of offenders into society.

The community correctional facilities in Indiana operate programs such as home detention, work release programs, substance abuse treatment, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and educational and vocational training. In the home detention program, offenders reside at home under strict supervision while serving their sentence. The work release program allows offenders to leave for employment outside the facility.

The substance abuse treatment program provides counseling and treatment for individuals with drug or alcohol dependencies, while the CBT programs are designed to change an offender's pattern of thinking. The education and vocational training offered by the IDOC focuses on enhancing offender employability. The IDOC, through the Indiana Community Corrections Division, provides local funding to the tune of $72.6 million every year to counties to fund these programs.

Why are People Incarcerated in Indiana?

Incarceration in Indiana occurs for various reasons ranging from nonviolent to violent crimes.

Nonviolent crimes are offenses that do not involve physical harm to a person. Usually, they are illegal actions related to property, finances, or breaking rules. Common nonviolent offenses leading to incarceration in Indiana include drug possession, burglary, shoplifting, white-collar crimes, insurance fraud, identity theft, or driving under the influence. Violent crimes involve harm or threat of harm to a person. They are serious crimes impacting the safety of individuals. Violent crimes in Indiana include homicide, assault, aggravated assault, and sexual assault, such as rape.

Indiana emphasizes rehabilitation programs for nonviolent offenders. It aims to reduce reoffense and help offenders reintegrate into society once their sentence is complete. Therefore, the IDOC runs programs such as substance abuse to address addictions, educational training to help acquire skills necessary to get a job, and mental health services to offer counseling and therapy to offenders who suffer from such issues. However, incarceration remains a crucial tool to address violent offenders, particularly where public safety is threatened. Incarceration is not just a way to punish offenders in Indiana but also a means to stop them from hurting others.

Persons interested in finding details about offenders in Indiana, including their status and incarceration reasons, may conduct an Indiana inmate search using the IDOC's Incarcerated Search tool. Additionally, you may utilize Vinelink, a national database that provides comprehensive information on offenders, to conduct inmate searches.

Indiana's Incarceration Rate and Statistics

At 349 inmates per 100,000 people, Indiana recorded its lowest incarceration rate in recent years in 2022. On the converse, the state reported its highest incarceration rate over a seven-year period, at 418 inmates per 100,000 residents. As of December 31, 2024, Indiana had 24,842 inmates in custody compared to 23,177 inmates from the previous year, showing a 7% increase in inmate population.

The table below shows Indiana's incarceration rate and the total year-end count of the inmate population over 7-years.

Life After Incarceration in Indiana

Returning to life after being in prison can be tough for ex-offenders but also offers opportunities to rebuild and fit back into society. Typically, inmates are released to family and friends after release. These individuals engage in activities to get reintegrated into society, including employment, substance abuse treatment, or participating in educational programs.

Indiana offers Re-Entry Services to support individuals transitioning from incarceration back into the community. The IDOC offers the Hoosier Initiative for Re-Entry to assist formerly incarcerated individuals with resources and skills to become employable. Likewise, some counties offer re-entry programs like the Marion County Re-entry Court Program.

The primary aim of offering a re-entry program after incarceration is to successfully reintegrate individuals into society to reduce recidivism. Even though Indiana tries to support released inmates, up to 38% of released inmates are re-incarcerated, making the state rank 24th in recidivism rate.

How Does Parole Work in Indiana?

Parole in Indiana is a privilege given to inmates who have served with good behavior and are released before their full sentence is fulfilled. They are let out of prison early with strict supervision and rules. These inmates must check in regularly with a parole officer and follow other guidelines set by the parole board. If they fail to meet any of these regulations, they will go back to prison for the remainder of their term. As of December 2022, there were 6,958 inmates on parole in Indiana.

Indiana Parole Population in 2022

How Does Someone Get Probation in Indiana?

For first-time or low-risk offenders, a judge has the option of sentencing them to probation rather than sending them to prison. The offender may be free to live life but has to comply with some court-ordered rules. These rules always include being supervised by a probation officer who will check in regularly to assess the offender's progress. The court often sets goals of gainful employment, stable living arrangements, and other action items for the offender to complete. If they violate any of the rules, they will immediately be sent to prison.

Indiana Probation Population in 2022