# How do you find out what prison a person is in?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-find-out-what-prison-a-person-is-in/685915>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 12, 2014, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-find-out-what-prison-a-person-is-in/685915 "2014-04-12T03:28:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2014, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-find-out-what-prison-a-person-is-in/685915/1 "2014-04-12T03:28:43Z")

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If I wanted to find out what prison someone was in, is that possible? And if I wanted to contact them through the mail, would I be able to get their address from an on-line or public source?

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**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2014, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-find-out-what-prison-a-person-is-in/685915/2 "2014-04-12T03:38:17Z")

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If you know the state where they were convicted, contact the Department of Corrections. If serving time in the federal system, contact the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

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**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2014, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-find-out-what-prison-a-person-is-in/685915/3 "2014-04-12T03:44:20Z")

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There are several listed here:  
[http://www.corrections.com/links/show?Cat=20](http://www.corrections.com/links/show?Cat=20)

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**Author:** ![Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kansas_Beekeeper)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2014, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-find-out-what-prison-a-person-is-in/685915/4 "2014-04-12T03:46:31Z")

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If federal, go here:

[http://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/](http://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/)

Many states have similar websites, like this:

[http://www.dc.state.ks.us/kasper/index\_html?YesNo=Please+Wait](http://www.dc.state.ks.us/kasper/index_html?YesNo=Please+Wait)…

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**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2014, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-find-out-what-prison-a-person-is-in/685915/5 "2014-04-12T03:54:47Z")

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Here might be a better list:  
[http://www.corrections.com/links/link/36538](http://www.corrections.com/links/link/36538)

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**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2014, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-find-out-what-prison-a-person-is-in/685915/6 "2014-04-12T04:27:55Z")

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> [@Kansas\_Beekeeper](#):
>
> If federal, go here:
> 
> [Inmate Locator](http://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/)
> 
> Many states have similar websites, like this:
> 
> [http://www.dc.state.ks.us/kasper/index\_html?YesNo=Please+Wait](http://www.dc.state.ks.us/kasper/index_html?YesNo=Please+Wait)…

Well, thank you all for the quick responses!  
The federal link you provided gave me the answer to the person I was searching. All of two seconds.

Amazing. I love this board!

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**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2014, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-find-out-what-prison-a-person-is-in/685915/7 "2014-04-12T07:12:44Z")

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Ignorance defeated!

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**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2014, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-find-out-what-prison-a-person-is-in/685915/8 "2014-04-12T22:33:21Z")

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Vinelink covers most states, plus you can sign up for alerts when their status changes.