Louisiana Inmate Search

As of November 30, 2024, Louisiana had a prison population count of 29,192, with approximately 14.3% of the inmates serving life sentences. While this figure represents the number of inmates held in state-operated correctional institutions managed by the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections (LA DPS&C), thousands of other inmates are housed in parish jails, and privately operated correctional institutions. As of December 31, 2022, 30,576 inmates were held in the parish jails in the state. Notably, East Baton Rouge Parish and Orleans Parish consistently record some of the highest inmate populations in the state.

To ensure that persons housed in these facilities are not completely cut off from their loved ones, Louisiana provides an inmate search tool to locate inmates and other resources in visiting them. Also, providing an inmate search in Louisiana allows for transparency in the operations of the state's prison system as it allows individuals to access up-to-date information about incarcerated persons, including their location, charges, and sentencing details.

What is the Louisiana Inmate Lookup?

Louisiana inmate lookup refers to the tools and process required to find detailed information about individuals incarcerated within the state's correctional facilities. The Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections provides this service to ensure transparency and accessibility for families, legal representatives, and the general public.

Through the Louisiana inmate lookup, users can access vital information about an inmate's current location, charges, sentencing details, projected release date, and status within the correctional system. This service is particularly beneficial for families trying to stay connected with incarcerated loved ones, legal professionals managing cases, and organizations supporting reentry efforts.

Louisiana partners with Vinelink to provide LAVNS (Louisiana Automated Victim Notification System) for the public to look up inmates in the state. Hence, to perform a Louisiana inmate lookup, the public may visit the Louisiana page on the Vinelink website or call (225) 383-4580 to be connected to the state's inmate lookup resource. Callers are required to have the inmate's DPS&C number or other details such as the name of the inmate, the date of birth to look up an inmate.

What Information Can You Find in a Louisiana Inmate Search?

Individuals who conduct inmate searches in Louisiana will typically find the following information:

• Inmate's full name
• Inmate's DPS&C ID
• Inmate's custody status
• Inmate's location
• Inmate's scheduled release date
• Inmate's parole or probation status
• Inmate's case or offense information
• Inmate's sentence information
• Inmate's transfer notifications
• Inmate's mugshot
• Inmate's physical description

How Are Inmate Records in Louisiana Created and Stored?

Inmate records in Louisiana are created by law enforcement and corrections staff. The process begins when someone is arrested, and a RAP sheet is filled out with their name, address, physical description, and details about their crime. The suspect is then held in jail until the time of their hearing or trial.

All of these events are noted in the file, which then becomes their permanent criminal record. The Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections is the agency in charge of the prison system for the state. According to Louisiana R.S. 15:574.12, inmate records are confidential, so they do not provide a way to perform an inmate lookup online.

What Does Louisiana's Prison System Look Like?

Louisiana's prison system consists of state-run prisons, privately operated facilities, parish (county) jails, and transitional centers. The Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections (DPS&C) oversees the state's correctional system, managing both secure institutions and community-based programs.

Louisiana's state prisons house inmates serving longer sentences, often for felonies, with notable facilities like the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, one of the largest maximum-security prisons in the United States. Other state-operated prisons, such as the Elayn Hunt Correctional Center and Dixon Correctional Institute, cater to medium- and minimum-security populations and often provide vocational training and rehabilitation programs.

Parish jails, managed at the local level, house inmates awaiting trial, serving shorter sentences, or transitioning between incarceration and release. Private prisons in Louisiana play a significant role in housing inmates and often contract with the state to accommodate overflow populations.

For individuals transitioning out of incarceration, halfway houses and reentry centers provide critical services like job training, substance abuse treatment, and housing assistance. These programs aim to reduce recidivism and facilitate successful reintegration into society.

Access to Louisiana prison records is public under the state's public record law. Louisiana prison records include details about an inmate's location, sentencing, and criminal history. Therefore, individuals seeking such information may use the DPS&C's inmate search options to inspect or copy prison records.

Types of Correctional Facilities in Louisiana

Louisiana has nine state prisons. They house only a fraction of the total state offenders. Because of this overcrowding, many Louisiana prisoners will be incarcerated elsewhere in other state or private prisons. The state does have healthy reentry and community corrections programs to help reduce recidivism. Louisiana also has sixty-four jails to hold suspects before sentencing, two federal prisons that hold offenders who have broken federal laws, and three juvenile detention centers for youth offenders.

Louisiana State Prisons

The state of Louisiana has only nine state prisons. They have about 19,000 beds available, which is far less than the state requires for all the criminals. The list of Louisiana state prisons includes:

• Allen Correctional Center
• B.B. Rayburn Correctional Center
• David Wade Correctional Center
• Dixon Correctional Institute
• Elayn Hunt Correctional Center
• Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women
• Louisiana State Penitentiary
• Raymond Laborde Correctional Center
• Winn Correctional Center (operated under a private-public partnership between the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and a private prison management company).

Louisiana County Jails

The state of Louisiana has sixty-four counties, and each one has a Sheriff's Office. The Sheriff's Office has jurisdiction over the county jails and handles all custody matters regarding prisoners awaiting trial and sentencing. The Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections has a complete list of Louisiana local law enforcement jail facilities posted on its website. The list is divided by parish/county.

Louisiana Juvenile Detention Centers

As of 2022, Louisiana operates 26 juvenile detention facilities. These facilities are managed by a combination of state, parish, multi-parish, and private entities. The Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice (OJJ) oversees several secure care facilities for youth, including:

• Swanson Center for Youth in Monroe
• Bridge City Center for Youth in Bridge City
• Acadiana Center for Youth in Bunkie
• Swanson Center for Youth at Columbia in Columbia

Additionally, the OJJ contracts with the Ware Youth Center in Coushatta to house adjudicated girls in an intensive residential program.

Beyond these state-operated facilities, there are about a dozen pre-trial juvenile detention centers across Louisiana, managed at the parish or regional level. These centers provide short-term care for youth awaiting court proceedings or placement in longer-term programs.

Louisiana Community Correctional Facilities

Louisiana's prison population data reveals that individuals are most vulnerable to reoffending within the first two years after release. This heightened risk often stems from a lack of access to programs and services that promote stability and successful reintegration into their communities. Without adequate support, many individuals fall back into harmful patterns or associations. To address this issue, the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections has implemented various alternatives to incarceration.

Probation and Parole (P&P) officers play a vital role in connecting individuals under supervision to community-based programs that address common challenges. These programs include substance abuse treatment, mental health support, anger management courses, job training, and skills development, driving schools, and specialized treatment for those convicted of sex offenses.

In 2014–2015, the Division of Probation and Parole expanded its support network by opening five additional Day Reporting Centers (DRCs), bringing the total to eight locations across the state in Monroe, Lake Charles, Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Covington, Lafayette, New Orleans, and Shreveport. These centers provide life skills training, job preparation, and a range of treatment services to help returning residents achieve stability and reduce the likelihood of recidivism .

Why are People Incarcerated in Louisiana?

People are incarcerated in Louisiana for a range of offenses. Per November 2024 Louisiana prison statistics, more than 55% of the offenses for which inmates were convicted were categorized as violent offenses. Violent offenses include crimes such as assault and homicide. Other categories of offenses for which Louisiana inmates were incarcerated include property crimes and drug-related offenses.

Louisiana's criminal justice system seeks to strike a balance between ensuring public safety and addressing the root causes of crime. For nonviolent offenders, the state prioritizes rehabilitation and offers programs that focus on education, substance abuse treatment, job training, and other support services aimed at reducing recidivism. However, incarceration remains necessary for individuals who pose significant risks to public safety.

Tools like LAVNS (Louisiana Automated Victim Notification System) provided by the state provide vital information for persons looking to conduct a Louisiana inmate search. The tool allows the general public to access details such as their location, charges, and incarceration status of inmates.

Louisiana's Incarceration Rate and Statistics

Massachusetts prison population has declined since 2016 year end when the state recorded 35,740 as its prison population count. As of the end of November 2024, the total prison population in the state was 29,192. The table below shows Louisiana's year-end incarceration rate over a 5-year period.

Life After Incarceration in Louisiana

Annually, around 18,000 individuals are released into communities. Upon release from Louisiana correctional facilities, former inmates typically face barriers to employment, housing, and social integration, making reentry programs important to their success and reducing the chances of re-incarceration.

To combat this, Louisiana has several reentry programs, such as the Certified Treatment and Rehabilitative Programs (CTRP). The state also has local-level reentry programs for people serving state prison sentences and about 10 regional reentry programs operating in conjunction with local sheriffs. Note that half of Louisiana's prison population is housed in state facilities, with the other half in local jails and transitional work programs.

Despite Louisiana's best efforts, the state's five-year recidivism rate stands at 43%, reflecting a slight improvement from 48% in 2008 due to expanded reentry programs and evidence-based policies. The DPS&C emphasizes engaging individuals housed in local facilities to ensure equitable access to rehabilitation programs, aiming to reduce incarceration and recidivism while minimizing negative impacts on victims and communities.

How Does Parole Work in Louisiana?

Parole is a supervised program where inmates are released early to return to society but with some strict rules and regulations. The inmate must check in regularly with their parole officer and agree to other goals and terms. If they fail to comply with any of these stipulations, they may be sent to prison to complete their sentence.

Louisiana Parole Population in 2022

How Does Someone Get Probation in Louisiana?

When a convicted felon gets sentenced in court, if it is a first offense or the person is low-risk, the judge can assign probation instead of prison. This is a privilege granted to only specific individuals who have displayed exceptional circumstances or good behavior. Probation comes with rules, and if the offender does not follow any of the court's requirements, they will go to jail to serve out the remainder of their sentence.

Louisiana Probation Population in 2022