Initiate a Free New Jersey Inmate Search: Resource

Carry out a free New Jersey inmate search in no time using this resource and the search tools within.

There are databases created by state, federal, and local level government agencies that provide the public with access to inmate information. Inmates are incarcerated in jail or prison, usually for crimes they’ve been charged with or convicted of. Anybody can find details on someone incarcerated when they know which agency to search and whether or not a person is located in jail or prison.

This resource reveals how to find an inmate in New Jersey, no matter which facility they are in.

What’s the Difference Between Prison & Jail Inmates?

When performing a state inmate search, it’s important to understand the distinction between jail and prison. Although the two are often used interchangeably, an inmate will be located in a jail or a prison for different reasons, and when you know them, it will make your search more streamlined.

In general, jails are holding facilities for those detained for allegedly committing crimes or violating a court order. Most jail inmates have been charged with committing state, federal, or local crimes. Those convicted of misdemeanor crimes with sentencing exposure of less than a year may also find themselves incarcerated in jail.

Most jails are operated by the county sheriff’s office or a similar agency. Some local municipalities also maintain their own independent jail, and typically the local police department is responsible for its operation. Jails are also holding facilities for inmates being transported between jails and prisons.

Prisons are also holding facilities, but only for those convicted of committing felony crimes. State prisons, which hold inmates convicted of committing state-level crimes, are usually run by the state department of corrections. States may also contract prison operations out to private corporations.

All federal prisons are under the control of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.¹ Federal prisons are responsible for the confinement of inmates convicted of federal crimes and sentenced to incarceration.

Learn how to find someone in jail or prison using the details below.

How To View Information on Someone Held in a New Jersey Jail

Counties in New Jersey have a department of corrections that operates the jails. In Essex County, the Department of Corrections operates its county jail.² People arrested in Essex County, either by the sheriff’s office or any of the local police departments, are placed in the county jail.

The Essex County Department of Corrections provides a free inmate lookup.³ This inmate search allows researchers to locate individuals currently held in the Essex County Jail. Inmate searches can be performed by name or by booking number, permanent number, state ID, county ID, FBI number, or ICE number.

Interested parties using this inmate lookup tool only need to input a person’s first or last name for the search to generate results. Initial results will show inmates with the same name as the person you input into the search. Along with their names, it will also show their booking number, permanent ID, and date of birth.

By clicking on an inmate’s name, additional information about the inmate will be revealed, including their full name, mugshot, sex, height, weight, physical characteristics, citizenship, jail location, commitment date, incarceration housing information, aliases, bond amount, charges, and next hearing date.

For more information about inmates in Essex County, contact the department of corrections.

Essex County Department of Corrections
354 Doremus Ave
Newark, New Jersey 07105

Phone: 973.274.7500
Fax: 973.274.6987

Although there are cities and towns around the country that have their jails independent of the county jail, New Jersey cities do not. For example, people arrested in Jersey City are booked into the Hudson County Correctional Center.

The correctional center is maintained by the Hudson County Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation.⁴ It detains individuals who are awaiting trial and have not posted bail, or arraignment.

The Hudson County Department of Corrections does not offer the public a method for viewing inmates located in its correctional facility. The jail does allow in-person visitation and phone visitation.

To find out if someone is located in the county jail, contact the department of corrections main line.

Hudson County Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation
30-35 S. Hackensack Avenue
Kearny, New Jersey 07032

Phone: 201.395.5600

In addition to the jails above, researchers can find every New Jersey jail’s contact information. This resource will also provide the link to inmate search tools if one is available.

How To Conduct a New Jersey Inmate Search (State Prisoner Lookup)

When performing an inmate search in New Jersey, you must also check with the prison system. The New Jersey Department of Corrections maintains the state prison system.⁵

The ‘Incarcerated Person Search Engine’ allows any member of the public to locate inmates in a New Jersey prison. This database shows all current prison inmates.

Inmates are removed from the database one year after they are released or their custodial period ends. Inmate information for those who are released on supervision for life or parole for life will not be purged from the database.

Anyone can input an inmate’s first or last name, or SBI number to locate the inmate. Interested parties may also search by aliases.

Results are limited to 250 inmates, so the search should be narrowly tailored. They can be tailored by sex, hair color, eye color, race, ethnicity, county of commitment, birth date, age, and current facility location.

The results that are generated will display a table that includes inmate names, mugshots, SBI numbers, birth dates, sex, race, county of commitment, admission date, and facility status.

Clicking on the SBI number additional details about the inmate will be revealed, including a larger photo of the mugshot, additional physical characteristics, admission date, max release date, parole eligibility date, charges, sentencing date, incarceration history, and aliases.

The New Jersey Department of Corrections also provides the public with a list of individuals who have escaped prison confinement. By clicking on the ‘Escapes’ link, this list will be revealed.

There are several resources related to New Jersey prisons and the inmates therein. Use the links below for assistance.

• New Jersey Office of Victim Services – provides timely resources and services to crime victims.
• New Jersey Prison Visitation Information – provides guidelines to relatives when visiting incarcerated individuals in prisons.

How To Perform a Federal Prisoner Lookup

Federal detention centers are run by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Researchers can lookup federal prisons by state, facility type, security level, and more.⁸

Researchers can also perform a federal prisoner lookup using the inmate locator. This online tool provides anyone with access to federal inmate information on people incarcerated from 1982 to the present.

If an interested party does not know the BOP number or FBI number for an inmate, the best way to look them up is by using their name. Researchers must input the first and last name of an inmate for the search to generate results.

The results will display a table that includes information on every inmate with the same name as the person input into the search. Under the ‘Location’ column, researchers will be able to see which facility an inmate is located in. If the inmate is no longer in federal custody, it will read “Released’ or “Not In BOP Custody’.

For any inquiries, the BOP can be reached at:

Federal Bureau of Prisons
320 First Street, NW
Washington, District of Columbia 20534

Phone: 202.307.3198

This database will not tell interested parties what charges the inmate was convicted for. For that, interested parties can create a Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) account to review an inmate’s criminal case records.⁹ Moreover, the National Archives provides information on prisoners from before 1982.¹⁰

There are many ways to get information on incarcerated individuals; use the guidance this resource offers to conduct your New Jersey inmate search today.