Texas Inmate Search

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice, TDCJ, works closely with the public to avail information that assists in tracing inmates incarcerated within its jurisdiction. With over 90 facilities under its direction, the department contracts private operators due to the high number of offenders. 

From the TDCJs website, you'll find a search tool that requests that you input specific parameters to return your inmate's details. You can specify one or more of the following information, which include: 

• Inmate's last and first names 
• Offenders' TDCJ or State Identification, SID number 
• Their gender and race 

Racial identification choices include American Indian, Asian, South Pacific Islander, black, Hispanic, white, and unknown. If you're unsure of the inmate's specific gender or race, leave the input bar at 'ALL' after inputting their names and TDCJ number. 

Search results for your Texas offender lookup may display a number or similar surnames, and you can make a selection depending on the prisoner's ID. Once you've clicked on the inmate's details, you'll be directed to specific records that list their current custody status or whether they're incarcerated, paroled, or released. 

Another way to search for inmates currently incarcerated in Texas is through the popular third-party database provider VINELink. The Victim Information Notification Everyday system takes prisoner identification and status notification to another level. 

You'll find cumulative data on VINELink that conclusively pinpoints offenders at any TDCJ or private facilities designed to alert victims of their perpetrator's justice process. After setting up a free account, you'll be notified of upcoming court or parole board hearings, the inmate's discharge, or release into a work program. 

Inmate Roster 

Apart from the online search function of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and VINELink, you can look for an offender from a specific prison or jail. State penitentiaries and city or county jails keep an independent inmate roster maintained by the county's sheriff and state or city police departments. 

One advantage of using an inmate roster to search for an offender currently incarcerated in Texas is how detailed the reports are. You'll find the inmate's mugshot, along with their booking numbers, dates, charges, and bond, if any. 

The Orange County sheriff's department's jail roster lets you look into details of the arresting officer, inmate, and a booking memo of their offense by their Offense ID Number. If you click on the prisoner's profile, you're taken to a comprehensive page with a report detailing the offender's whereabouts and prior detainments. 

That scenario is replicated all over the state of Texas, where the 269 prisons and county jails offer searchable online records through their websites. In many facilities, inmate rosters are updated daily due to the quick turnover of offenders typical of county-level justice systems. 

Some of these inmates have been sent to units close to their counties of conviction. That's so they're in contact with community supervision or probation officers. 

If you don't know where to find the county jail websites of Texas sheriffs and police departments, visit the Sheriff's Association of Texas directory. You can access information through the can view offender information Public Information Act, giving you the right to copy or inspect details maintained by a government agency.  

About the State Department of Corrections 

Everything is big in Texas, and that's true for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, which ranks second in inmate population after California. Besides the apparent size of the state, Texan laws are famous for their hard stances on crime and justice as a progressive society. 

Texas has 15 state prisons and jails scattered throughout its 254 counties, with several in the more densely populated areas. There are also numerous release centers and pre-transfer facilities, plus a host of specialized units, including a school district that offers from GED, vocational to college classes. 

The TDC J's mission is to provide public safety and assist victims of crime while promoting positive offender behavior change and rehabilitation before reintegrating into society. It's an agency committed to openness, ethical accountability, and cooperation with private and public entities in providing consistent, continuum service. 

Besides running facilities in Texas, the TDCJ has incorporated programs that align with modern correction and rehabilitation standards. Together with several private companies contracted for the mandate, they can offer confinement, supervision, and treatment of offenders efficiently and cost-effectively.