What Are Inmate Records In Louisiana?

Inmate records are official reports of offenders held in Louisiana state prisons, parish jails, correctional inmate facilities, and other penal institutions. The Department of Public Safety and Corrections (DPS&C) oversees these records, which usually contain the following:

• Full name and aliases of inmates
• Inmate’s biodata which includes sex, date of birth, gender, and mugshot 
• The housing facility where the inmate is incarcerated
• Offender registration number
• Arrest date and Parish where the case was tried
• Details of sentencing, including the type of offense and release date
• Legal status, indicating that the offender is either an inmate or on parole

In Louisiana, inmate records are not entirely available to the public. However, most of them are open to the public in compliance with Louisiana’s title 44:33 public record law. Thus, citizens retain the right to request for available records from the state’s Department of Public Safety and Corrections.

How To Find An Inmate In Louisiana?

Persons interested in locating an inmate in Louisiana may contact the Louisiana DPS&C for prisoners in any of the state facilities. Requesters may find inmates through the imprisoned person locator service by calling (225)–383–4580. This requires the inmate’s DOC number or name and date of birth. Louisiana’s DPS&C inmate locator system is updated every 24 hours and excludes information about people under probation or pre-trial. The information available on inmate locator includes:

• Housing assignment 
• Address of the facility where the inmate is incarcerated
• A contact phone number 
• The projected release date.

To find an inmate in Parish jails or City prisons, interested persons may search the parish sheriff’s online portal. For instance, the Baton Rouge’s Sheriff’s Office maintains a parish prison inmate list, and users are to provide the inmate’s full name to complete the search. For jails that do not have online search tools, interested persons are advised to visit the Sheriff’s office in person.

How To Find A Federal Inmate In Louisiana?

Members of the public may use the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ BOP online portal to locate inmates in a federal facility within Louisiana. To do this, requesters may use personal details like full name, gender, sex, and race. Alternatively, users may search for inmates using any of the following identification numbers:

• Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Identification Number
• District of Columbia Department of Corrections (DCDC) number
• Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) number
• Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) number

The Federal Bureau of Prisons holds records for inmates incarcerated in federal facilities since 1982. For records of prisoners before 1982, contact the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). This database contains information about inmates incarcerated from 1870 to 1981.

Louisiana does not have any NARA facility. Nevertheless, interested persons may visit NARA Archive Facilities to obtain these records. The NARA facility in Texas holds records created by federal agencies in Louisiana. On arrival, the facility management provides visitors with identification research cards.

Note, the facility requires visitors to submit a valid ID such as a driver’s license, a school ID, and a photograph. Visitors must also complete a short form to document the visit. For further Inquiries, go to the NARA website, or call any of these phone lines: 1–866–272–6272, 212–401–1620, or 1–866–840–1752.

How Do I Find Inmates Record In Louisiana?

Family and Friends may obtain information on inmates by signing up with the Louisiana Victim Notification System (LAVNS). This system is an online resource provided by the office of the Governor through the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Criminal Justice. 

Users may subscribe to the system to stay informed about an offender’s current custody and case study. LAVNS currently offers access to this information by calling (866–528–6748). LAVNS also provides interested persons with Louisiana inmate records through text messages, email, or telephone calls when available. This service is unavailable for prisoners in jails and prisons managed by the Parish or City Government.

Victims and persons affected by a crime may also obtain inmate records by registering with the Louisiana Crime Victims Service Bureau (CVSB). The information available on this platform include:

• Initial housing location and projected release date
• Court ruling affecting sentence length
• Scheduled hearing before the Board of pardons or committee on parole
• Escape from institutional custody and apprehension
• Assignment to transitional work programs
• Release from prison by any means, including death.

In Louisiana, most Parish jails or prisons provide web platforms where the public may obtain general inmate information. For instance, Jefferson Parish provides an online inmate search portal that facilitates searches by name, sex, or race. Also, the Orleans Parish sheriff’s office renders a similar service through its inmate master search. Requesters may contact the Sheriff’s office in the relevant Parish for information unavailable on these online platforms.

Records that are considered public may be accessible from some third-party websites. These websites often make searching simpler, as they are not limited by geographic location, and search engines on these sites may help when starting a search for a specific or multiple records. To begin using such a search engine on a third-party or government website, interested parties usually must provide:

• The name of the person involved in the record, unless said person is a juvenile
• The location or assumed location of the record or person involved. This includes information such as the city, county, or state that the person resides in or was accused in

Third-party sites are independent of government sources and are not sponsored by these government agencies. Because of this, record availability on third-party sites may vary.

How To Send Money To An Inmate In Louisiana?

Family and friends may send money to an inmate using any of the options offered by the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections. These include:

• Electronic funds transfer (JPay)
• Walk-up locations for MoneyGram
• Mail
• Telephone
• Lobby kiosks

For payment via electronic transfer, the DPS&C allows JPay and MoneyGram transfers to an inmate’s trust account. Interested parties may make payments through JPay, using debit or credit cards from Visa or MasterCard. JPay transfers usually take two days before it reflects in the inmate’s accounts. Note that the daily cut-off time to make a payment is 10 P.M CST. 

JPay charges a fee on each transfer based on the amount a depositor intends to send. The maximum amount allowed via this method is $300. JPay charges include:

• $0.00 - $20.00 attracts $3.50 fee
• 20.01 - $100.00 attracts $6.50 fee
• 100.01 - $200.00 attracts $8.50 fee
• 200.01- $300.00 attracts $10.50 fee

To deposit money via MoneyGram, visit walk-up locations like Walmart, CVS Pharmacy locations, or any place that displays the MoneyGram logo. Depositors must provide the inmate’s name and ID number. Also, provide the sender’s details as well as the cash to be deposited. These deposits may take up to 48 hours to appear in the inmate’s account. Note, deposits of $500 and above may be subject to investigation.

Family and friends may also deposit funds to an inmate by sending a money order via mail. Send the money order with a completed deposit slip that contains the inmate’s full name, ID, and the amount. This option is free of charge and takes up to two days to process. Interested persons may also mail the money order with a JPay deposit slip. However, these orders are first mailed to JPay’s Miami Office and may take longer to reflect in an inmate’s account. 

Deposits may also be made by calling 1–800–574–5729. Note, transferring funds by phone requires a debit or credit card from Visa or MasterCard. Phone payments are not free, and are charged according to the following:

• $0.00 - $20 attracts $4.50 fee
• $20.01 - $100 attracts $7.50 fee
• $100.01 - $200 attracts $9.50 fee
• $200.01 - $300 attracts $11.50 fee

Payment by telephone also takes up to 48 hours to reflect in the inmate’s account. Note that the maximum payment amount is $300, and payments are not allowed from 10 P.M CST. 

The DPS&C makes payment lobby kiosks available in the visiting areas of all state correctional facilities. Interested persons may deposit funds using a credit card, debit card, or cash. All credit or debit card transactions attract the same fees as internet transactions. Alternatively, a cash deposit between $0.1 and $500 incurs a fee of $4. The DPS&C will also investigate all deposits above $500.

Most Parish jails and city prisons also facilitate deposits into inmate accounts through lobby kiosks, mail, and online. For instance, Jefferson Parish Correctional Centers (JPPC) uses a third-party payment scheme for online transfers.