New Jersey Inmate Search

There are about 12,978 incarcerated persons in state-run correctional facilities across New Jersey. 11 of New Jersey's 21 counties account for 81% of all incarcerated persons in the state, with Essex, Camden, and Passaic Counties having the highest number of commitments at approximately 2,012, 1,397, and 975 inmates, respectively. These numbers do not include the population of inmates incarcerated in local county jails, which totals approximately 7,900 individuals.

Inmate search tools are generally considered vital resources for locating individuals within New Jersey's correctional system and obtaining information on their current facility of incarceration. This is crucial in ensuring that the families and friends of these incarcerated individuals remain in touch and stay updated on their whereabouts and status.

What is New Jersey Inmate Lookup?

A New Jersey inmate lookup generally involves using online tools to search for information on individuals incarcerated in the state's correctional system. This includes inmates currently being held in a correctional facility or halfway house, parolees, and even recently released individuals (available information on persons in this category may be limited). Several tools are available to look up inmates in the state, such as the New Jersey Offender Search Engine and VINELink.

Inmate lookup in New Jersey primarily serves to provide members of the public with easy and transparent access to selected offender information, such as their current status, location, charges, and anticipated release dates, in line with the stipulations and intent of the state's Open Public Records Act (OPRA). These services are essential for friends, families, attorneys, and any other parties interested in a specific inmate, as they help them maintain connections with the inmate and stay informed on their status.

What Information Can You Find in a New Jersey Inmate Search?

You will typically find the following information when you conduct an inmate search in New Jersey:

• Inmate's full name
• Inmate's date of birth
• Inmate's ID number
• Inmate's sex, race, and photo
• Inmate's county of commitment
• Inmate's admission date
• Inmate's current facility or custody status

How Are Inmate Records in New Jersey Created and Stored?

New Jersey inmate records are created when an individual is first arrested and continually updated as they move through the correctional system until parole is completed and/or they are released. Local police officers and Sheriffs fill out a RAP sheet initially, which includes the suspect's name, address, crime details, and a mug shot. Afterward, every significant event in the inmate's life (during their time within the correctional system) is documented and updated in their file.

The New Jersey Department of Corrections (NJDOC) manages these inmate records and maintains them in a comprehensive online database. This database is publicly accessible, allowing any interested party to perform an inmate lookup and view information on an incarcerated person of interest from any location and at any time.

What Does New Jersey's Prison System Look Like?

New Jersey's prison system is a comprehensive one that includes state prisons, county jails, federal prisons, and various other correctional facilities primarily overseen by the New Jersey Department of Corrections (NJDOC). The NJDOC is New Jersey's second-largest department, with about 6,600 employees, a budget of over $1 billion, and direct responsibility for the custody and rehabilitation of approximately 13,000 state-sentenced offenders. To this end, it operates and manages nine correctional facilities, 11 Residential Community Release Programs, and an Assessment Center.

Individuals awaiting trial or serving short-term sentences are typically held in county jails and municipal detention facilities, which are operated locally by county authorities, with oversight from the NJDOC. Essex and Camden Counties account for the largest jail populations in the state. New Jersey is also home to two federal correctional institutions that hold inmates convicted of federal crimes (these facilities are run by the Federal Bureau of Prisons), and several juvenile detention centers providing care, custody, and rehabilitative services to juvenile offenders.

Types of Correctional Facilities in New Jersey

New Jersey has a variety of correctional facilities, all with different purposes and demographics. These include nine state-run prisons and treatment facilities for felons who have been sentenced to more than a year in prison. There are also two federal correctional institutions for federal inmates, multiple juvenile justice commission facilities, and numerous county jails and municipal detention facilities that hold pre-trial detainees and offenders serving short sentences. State and local facilities are overseen by the New Jersey Department of Corrections (NJDOC), while the federal and juvenile facilities are overseen by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission, respectively.

New Jersey State Prisons

The state of New Jersey has nine state-run correctional facilities, each with a different purpose. These prisons, which are overseen by the New Jersey Department of Corrections (NJDOC), are listed below:

• Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center
• Bayside State Prison
• East Jersey State Prison
• Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women
• Garden State Youth Correctional Facility
• Mid-State Correctional Facility
• New Jersey State Prison
• Northern State Prison
• South Woods State Prison

New Jersey County Jails

New Jersey has 21 counties, and each has its own local county jail. These facilities hold recently arrested individuals, pretrial inmates, and offenders sentenced to short terms. New Jersey county jails are managed by the local county Sheriff's Office. These Sheriff's Offices typically have dedicated websites offering details about their operations and the management of their respective jails. Many of these offices also provide access to dedicated platforms that may be used to perform a jail inmate search and view jail records online.

Here is a list of the county jails in New Jersey:

• Atlantic County Justice Facility
• Bergen County Jail
• Burlington County Jail
• Camden County Jail
• Cape May County Jail
• Cumberland County Jail
• Essex County Correctional Facility
• Gloucester County Department of Corrections
• Hudson County Corrections and Rehabilitations
• Hunterdon County Jail
• Mercer County Correctional Center
• Middlesex County Office of Adult Corrections
• Monmouth County Correctional
• Morris County Correctional Facility
• Ocean County Department of Corrections
• Passaic County Jail
• Salem County Correctional Facility
• Somerset County Corrections Division
• Sussex County Jail
• Union County Jail
• Warren County Correctional Facility

New Jersey Juvenile Detention Centers

New Jersey has three secure facilities (separate from the NJDOC) that hold youth offenders. These facilities are operated by the state's Juvenile Justice Commission (JJC) and are full care institutions, meaning that all services, including education, vocational training, counseling, and medical services, are provided on-site. The three secure juvenile justice commission facilities are:

• Juvenile Medium Security Facility (JMSF)
• The Female Secure Care and Intake Facility
• New Jersey Training School

The JJC also operates 10 Residential Community Homes designed for juveniles with specific needs, including those with substance abuse issues, emotional disorders, or nearing the end of their sentences. These facilities provide a less restrictive environment while maintaining security and focus on rehabilitation and preparation for reentry into the community. In addition, several counties also have their own local youth detention facilities, and counties without one typically contract with these facilities to house their juveniles.

It should be noted that juvenile records are considered confidential in New Jersey; as such, parties who wish to conduct a juvenile inmate search may need to contact the JJC (or other appropriate facility) directly.

New Jersey Community Correctional Facilities

In addition to the state prisons, the NJDOC operates 11 Residential Community Release Programs (commonly called "halfway houses") designed to help inmates transition from incarceration back into the community. These facilities focus on job placement, treatment for addictions, and mental illness as well as other society reintegration assistance:

• Clinton House (Mercer County)
• CURA, Inc. (Essex County)
• Fenwick House (Passaic County)
• Fletcher House (Camden County)
• Garrett House (Camden County)
• Hope Hall (Camden County)
• James A. Hemm House (Essex County)
• Kintock Bridgeton I & II (Cumberland County)
• Kintock Bridgeton Legacy Program
• Kintock Newark (Essex County)
• Tully House (Essex County)

Why are People Incarcerated in New Jersey?

Individuals are incarcerated in New Jersey for committing a crime, which is typically either a violent crime (a crime committed against a person) or a nonviolent crime. Offenses that lead to incarceration may be further categorized into several categories, including:

• Violent offenses, such as homicide, assault, robbery, kidnapping, sex offenses, and negligent manslaughter. These types of offenses account for over 70 percent of the incarcerations in New Jersey state prisons.
• Property offenses, such as burglary, arson, theft, embezzlement, forgery, and receiving/possessing stolen property.
• Weapons offenses, such as weapon possession and operation.
• Drug violations, such as the distribution, manufacture, possession, and use of illegal drugs.
• Public policy offenses, such as racketeering, perjury, juvenile and family-related offenses, and bail jumping.

Nonviolent offenses often result in shorter sentences, with a focus on rehabilitation and reducing recidivism among offenders. In some cases, nonviolent offenders are given the option of participating in alternative sentencing programs that prioritize treatment and support instead of actual jail time. On the other hand, violent offenses typically result in longer periods of imprisonment, especially when the severity of the offense is considered. These longer incarceration periods serve the dual purpose of reducing risk to public safety while ensuring that there is enough time to address the underlying issues contributing to the offender's criminal behavior.

You may get information on individuals currently incarcerated in New Jersey using inmate search tools like VINELink and the New Jersey Offender Search Engine. These tools are an invaluable resource for accessing details like the reason(s) for the inmate's incarceration, their location, current status, and much more.

New Jersey's Incarceration Rate and Statistics

Incarceration rates in New Jersey have generally decreased over the years; however, there was a slight increase from 135 per 100,000 to 137 per 100,000 between 2021 and 2022. This change was also reflected in the New Jersey Department of Corrections' total population statistics, which rose by over five percent during this period.

The table below shows New Jersey's year-end incarceration rate over a 7-year period:

*figures for offenders in youth complexes and halfway houses/RCRP facilities not included

Life After Incarceration in New Jersey

New Jersey has a recidivism rate of around 30%, meaning that roughly one-third of released inmates return to prison (usually within three years). To this end, the state offers comprehensive reentry programs designed to help inmates navigate the challenge of transitioning back into society after incarceration and ensure that they do not end up back behind bars. The Reentry Coalition of New Jersey, for instance, operates over 30 community-based programs across the state, including Residential Community Reintegration Programs (RCRPs), Community Resource Centers (CRCs), and the ReEntry Substance Abuse Program (RESAP). These programs are contracted (and overseen) either through the New Jersey Department of Corrections or the New Jersey State Parole Board, and they collectively serve about 9,000 offenders every year.

Therefore (and also depending on the specifics of their sentence), inmates may either be moved to one of these programs before being released to enable them to secure work, housing, and work on other life skills, or they may return home to family and friends. Many former inmates also participate in community service or mentorship programs to aid their transition back into society.

How Does Parole Work in New Jersey?

Parole is a privilege given only to well-behaved inmates who are also deemed to no longer pose a threat to society and it involves an early release from incarceration upon the approval of the parole board, which supervised their progress during their imprisonment. Once released on parole, the inmate must comply with a set of rules and requirements, including checking in with a parole officer. If they violate any of these rules, they will be returned to prison to finish their sentences. As of December 2022, there were about 15,610 parolees in New Jersey.

New Jersey Parole Population in 2022

How Does Someone Get Probation in New Jersey?

On occasion, a New Jersey judge may order probation rather than prison for a first-time or low-risk offender. Probation is a supervisory program where someone is allowed to live free but must comply with court-ordered rules for months or years. They must check in regularly with a probation officer and receive routine drug tests. If they fail to comply with these rules, they will be sent to prison. It is estimated that there were about 123,300 offenders on probation in New Jersey as of 2022.

New Jersey Probation Population in 2022