New Jersey Inmate Search

Before conducting an inmate search, you first need to know how the criminal justice system works in New Jersey. After the judge gives the final verdict, where do offenders go? In this section, we will look at the different types of correctional facilities in New Jersey and how they operate.

New Jersey houses its inmates in prisons and jails. Many people often think that prisons and jails are the same, but the two refer to different entities in the New Jersey criminal justice system. Prisons are bigger in size and house inmates serving long sentences. On the other hand, jails are short-term facilities that mainly house inmates with sentences of below one year and those awaiting trial or sentencing. They also differ in management. Local governments such as county and city administer jails, while the New Jersey Department of Corrections (NJDOC) and The Federal Bureau of Prisons administer prisons.

Now that everyone understands the New Jersey criminal justice system, keep reading to understand how to conduct an inmate search in county/city jails, state prisons, and federal prisons.

County/Municipal jails

After sentencing, county and municipal jails are likely the first places to search for an inmate in New Jersey serving a brief sentence. The county sheriffs manage county jails, and municipal jails are under the municipal police departments. The two law enforcement agencies are responsible for inmate records. To get the records, visit their offices or contact them via phone and request access to the inmate records. You can also search online to see if the county jail offers information. Most facilities have adopted online record-keeping systems and created online search tools that show jail registers. This makes it easier for the public to access the data. Before searching, ensure you have the inmate's name and date of birth.

State Prisons

If inmates are not in county jail, search them from the state prisons. State prisons house inmates serving longer sentences of one year or more. To locate an inmate in a state facility, use the New Jersey Department of Correction. The department gives access to inmate records online. Visit the department's website and look for an inmate search tool on the site's homepage. The inmate locator provides information on incarcerated inmates, those on parole and probation, and those in residential community programs. To search, you must input the inmate's name or the DOC number. You can use other details such as age, race, gender, height, weight, and hair color to filter the results.

Federal Prisons and Camps

The last place you can locate an inmate in New Jersey is one of the four federal facilities in the state. Federal prisons mainly house inmates convicted of a federal crime. The Federal Bureau of Prisons provides inmate information through an offender locator on its website. The locator has information on current and past inmates dating back to 1982. There are two ways to search for an inmate on the locator, one is by using the offender's BOP registration number, and the second is by using the offender's name.

How to Find Out An Inmate's Status in Real Time

The methods of searching an inmate discussed above have one limitation. Inmate data is subject to quick changes that may result from transfer, release, escape, changes in charges, and death. So, how can you keep up with the most current data?

www.vinelink.com is the most reliable source of data on the inmate's status. The website uses a notification system to notify registered members of the most current status of an inmate.