Montana Inmate Search

How Are Inmate Records in Montana Created and Stored?

Inmate records in Montana are created when someone is arrested and then updated every time something happens in the inmate's life. The first form filled out is a RAP sheet. This document is completed by the law enforcement agency who arrests the suspect. It usually includes the person's name, address, physical description, mug shot, and then details about their crime. The Montana Department of Correction s (MDOC) is the government agency in charge of inmate records and keeps them updated daily. The MDOC has a website connected to a massive inmate database so that anyone can perform an inmate locator quickly and easily.

What Does Montana’s Prison System Look Like?

The state of Montana has a unique prison system in that although they do have a few state prisons, they rely heavily on contracted facilities. The entire system is overseen and managed by the Montana Department of Corrections and Director, Reginald D. Michael. The Montana prison system consists of:

Types of Jails and Prisons in Montana

Unlike most states, Montana does not have any federal prisons. Federal prisoners who commit federal crimes on Montana soil must be shipped to other locations. They do, however, have five state prisons and seventeen private/contracted prisons they use extensively to hold felons requiring custody. They also have two juvenile detention facilities that house the male and female youth offenders in the state. Montana has thirteen county jails that hold pretrial offenders and sentenced individuals with short stays.

How Many People are Locked up in Montana?

Montana’s prison system holds 3,814 residents in various kinds of correctional facilities, from which 1,730 residents are held in state prisons, 14 in federal prisons, and 589 in local jails.

Montana State Prisons

Montana has five state prisons; each is designed for a specific demographic and purpose. Some hold only male inmates, and others are specifically for women. Riverside helps women who have undergone trauma heal while they rehabilitate from their crimes. The state prisons in Montana include:

• Missoula Assessment and Sanction Center (MASC)
• Montana Correctional Enterprises (MCE)
• Montana State Prison (MSP)
• Montana Women's Prison (MWP)
• Riverside Recovery & Reentry Program (women only)

All of these facilities are overseen and managed by the Montana Department of Corrections.

Montana County Jails

Montana's county jails hold arrested suspects and pretrial detainees awaiting sentencing. These facilities are managed and run by the local county police or Sheriff's departments. The list includes:

• Dawson County Corrections.
• Yellowstone County Detention Facility.
• Cascade County Sheriff's Office / Detention Center.
• Missoula County Detention.
• Gallatin County Detention Center.
• Butte Detention Center.
• Broadwater County Sheriff.
• Ravalli County Adult Detention.
• Lewis & Clark County Jail.
• County Jail in Kalispell.
• Lincoln County Jail.
• Lake County Jail.
• Fergus County Sheriff & Jail.

Montana Juvenile Detention Centers

The state of Montana has two main juvenile detention centers. One is for boys only, and the other is for girls. The state also has a youth transition center in Great Falls that helps youth offenders re-enter society smoothly following incarceration. All three facilities are overseen and managed by the Montana Department of Corrections. The facilities include:

• Pine Hills Youth Correctional serves delinquent boys
• Riverside Youth Correctional Facility, a 20-bed facility for girls
• Youth Transition Centers, Great Falls

Montana Private Prisons

The state of Montana extensively uses outside resources to shoulder some of the responsibility of the corrections system. They use seventeen contracted facilities. Some are prerelease centers to help transition inmates before they go back into society. The list of private prisons in Montana include:

• Missoula Pre-release Center
• WATCH West - Warm Springs
• Connections Corrections Program (CCP West)
• Sanction, Treatment, Assessment & Revocation Centers (START)
• Butte Pre-release Center
• Connections Corrections Program (CCP East)
• Bozeman Pre-release Center
• Elkhorn Meth Treatment
• Helena Prerelease Center
• Great Falls Pre-release Center
• Great Falls Regional Prison
• Crossroads Correctional Center
• Nexus Meth Treatment
• Alpha House Pre-release Center
• Passages (pre-release center, & SMART facility)
• Glendive Regional Prison
• WATCH East - Glendive

Why are People Incarcerated in Montana?

Montana has only 7,400 inmates in prison and jail. The majority (3,700) are in state prisons or private facilities. Eighteen hundred are in local jails and detention facilities. Another 1,400 reside in federal prisons in other states. One-hundred-seventy are in youth detention centers, and another 300 are in Indian Country facilities. The top reason that people are incarcerated in Montana is drug charges. Some other popular offenses that land an inmate in a Montana prison are DUIs, theft, burglary, and criminal endangerment. Most Montana inmates have committed non-violent crimes.

Montana’s Incarceration Rate and Statistics

Montana’s incarceration rate for year-end 2016 under state prison or local jail jurisdiction per 100,000 population was 364, which is lower than an average incarceration rate by 19%. The number of Montana prisoners at the year-end of 2016 was 3,814, from which 11% were female prisoners, whereas the number of male prisoners was 3,405 in 2016.

Where Do Montana Inmates Go When They are Released?

Montana contracts with seventeen private prison facilities. Seven of those are designed to work as pre-release centers to help transition inmates before they are released. These facilities help inmates to get jobs, find housing, and educate them on how to be good members of society. They also provide treatment if needed, for mental illness and substance abuse issues.

How Does Parole Work in Montana?

Parole is granted to prisoners who behave well while incarcerated and who do not pose a threat to society. The Montana parole board reviews each inmate's case, and they release some inmates early who meet these requirements. Parole is a supervision program where an inmate is released with the agreement that they will follow strict rules, including regular check-ins with their parole officer. If the parolee disobeys the orders of the parole board, they will return to prison to finish up their stay.

Parole Population

How Does Someone Get Probation in Montana?

As an alternative to prison, a Montana judge can instead order probation. Probation is also a supervision program where the offender is released and allowed to go home and resume life, but they must follow strict court-ordered rules. These rules include regular visits with a probation officer and sometimes drug tests. If the probationer violates any of these rules, his or her probation will be revoked, and they will go to prison.

Probation Statistics