Maryland Inmate Search

In Maryland, inmate records are maintained by the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) on persons held in any of the state’s correctional facilities. Maryland inmate records generally include identifying information such as:

• The inmate’s full name and aliases
• The arrest and conviction details
• Profile classification including gender, race, fingerprints, and mugshot
• The date the inmate was incarcerated, as well as the prospective release date
• The facility where the inmate is held, including the security level
• The inmate’s past convictions and information about all sentences
• Parole orders and placements
• Detainer/Warrant information.
• DPSCS’ State Identification Number (SID)

The local police department or sheriff’s office maintains records of inmates incarcerated at county or city jails.

Under the Public Information Act (PIA) provisions, inmate records in Maryland are considered public information. Hence, these records are accessible to anyone upon request. However, confidential information, such as juvenile and sealed records, is unavailable to the public.

Maryland State Prisons

The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) is responsible for 18 prisons and pre-release centers. These include the 3,400-capacity Eastern Correctional Institution (ECI), the 1,396-capacity maximum security North Branch Correctional Institution (NBCI), and the 1,793-capacity Western Correctional Institution (WCI). Established in 1987, the medium-security Eastern Correctional Institution (ECI) is Maryland's largest adult male correctional facility. It offers vocational training, workforce integration, and addiction treatment programs.

The Eastern Correctional Institution (ECI)
30420 Revells Neck Road
Westover, Somerset County, Maryland 21890
(410) 845-4000
Fax: (410) 651-9585

Established in 1941, the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women (MCI-W) is a state-run facility designed exclusively for incarcerated women. It operates multiple security levels and has a capacity of 812 inmates. The facility has reentry programs for women within a year of release. These programs help them with education and mental health/substance treatment, preparing them for successful integration into society.

The Maryland Correctional Institution for Women (MCI-W)
7943 Brock Bridge Road
Jessup, Howard County, Maryland 20794
(410) 379-3800
(877) 280-1185
Fax: (410) 799-6146

How To Find An Inmate In Maryland?

Requestors seeking information on an inmate in any Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) facility may search the agency’s website using the inmate locator tool. Details required for the search include:

• Inmate’s first and last names and middle initials (No aliases)
• DPSCS State Identification Number (SID)

Requestors with difficulty finding inmates through the inmate lookup tool may call DPSCS at (410) 339-5000.

Records about inmates committed to a state facility but housed at a Division of Pretrial and Detention Services facility may not be accessible using the inmate locator tool. Also, inmates who have been released are not listed by the locator.

Records of inmates sentenced to any county or city jails are maintained by the sheriff’s office or the police department where the arrest was made. To find local inmate records, requestors may visit or call the sheriff’s office or police department where the inmate is located.

Alternatively, requestors may find inmates using the inmate search tool on the county or city jail website. For example, Montgomery County residents may locate inmates by using the inmate locator tool on the county website. Interested persons may search using the inmate’s first and last names, or booking & case number.

How To Find A Federal Inmate In Maryland?

Federal inmate populations comprise persons convicted of federal crimes, persons awaiting trial for violations of federal laws, and felony offenders. There are three federal prisons in Maryland. To find an inmate in any of these facilities, use the inmate locator on the Federal Bureau of Prisons website.

Interested persons may search for federal inmates using personal identifying details such as:

• First and last names
• Middle name
• Age
• Gender
• Race

Searches may also be initiated using identification numbers. Acceptable identification numbers include:

• Bureau of Prisons (BOP) registered number
• The Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services' state identification number (SID)
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) number
• Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) number

The Federal Bureau of Prisons maintains information about persons incarcerated in federal facilities since 1982. Records of persons incarcerated or released before 1982 are held by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Interested persons may request NARA records in the following ways:

• Online through the NARA request website
• In-person at NARA Archive Facilities.
• By phone on (866) 272-6272, (212) 401-1620, or (866) 840-1752
• By mail to:

The National Archives and Records Administration
8601 Adelphi Road
College Park, MD 20740-6001

How Do I Obtain Inmate Records In Maryland?

The Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) maintains records of inmates incarcerated in state prisons. While copies of these records may be searched online via the inmate locator tool, interested persons may formally request the DPSCS. Requestors should provide the following information:

• The inmate’s last and first names
• Date of birth of the inmate
• DPSCS State Identification Number( SID)

Requests may be sent in person or by mail to the DPSCS at:

6776 Reisterstown Road
Baltimore, MD 21215

For further inquiry or assistance, contact the DPSCS by phone at (410) 585-3300.

Note: Each certified copy of an inmate record costs 50 cents per page plus postage. Charge may not apply if the total amount is one dollar or less. Requestors are typically notified within 30 days if requests are denied.

Available DPSCS records date back to the 1970s. For inmate records before 1970, requestors may visit the Maryland State Archives at:

350 Rowe Boulevard
Annapolis, MD 21401
Phone: (410) 260-6400
Toll-Free: (800) 235-4045
Fax: (410) 974-3895
Email: msa.helpdesk@maryland.gov

Certified inmate records for persons sentenced to county or city jails may be obtained by calling or visiting the local law enforcement agency holding the inmate. To obtain a certified record on a federal inmate held in a Maryland facility, contact the Federal Bureau of Prisons headquarters at:

320 First Street, NW
Washington, DC 20534
(202) 307-3198

Records that are considered public may be accessible from some third-party websites. Operating independently of any federal, state, or local agency, such websites may simplify the search process as they are not limited by geographic location. In addition, third-party sites typically have search engines that can be used for filtering specific or multiple records. To use third-party or government websites, interested parties may need to 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

However, third-party sites are independent of government sources and are not sponsored by these government agencies. Because of this, record availability cannot be guaranteed.

How To Put Money in Inmates' Books in Maryland?

Inmates are not allowed to carry cash while in detention. However, a commissary account may hold money from friends, family, and jobs. Inmates can send money to loved ones from their accounts or buy things at the commissary. A statement of account is provided to the inmate every month.

The Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) uses a Lockbox system for friends and family members to send funds to inmates. The lockbox is a bank service that receives money orders at an appointed P.O. Box.

The DPSCS ONLY allows deposits into inmate accounts through money orders. Cashier’s checks, personal checks, official checks, bill paychecks, bank checks, non-electronic transfers, and non-US currency checks/money orders are not accepted.

Money orders are generally addressed to the inmate using:

• The inmate’s full name.
• SID # (State Identification Number).

The money order should also include the sender’s name and address. Note that only black or blue ink is allowed on a money order.

Requestors may send a money order using any of the following:

• United States Postal Service.
• Western Union
• Money Gram
• Global Express
• Wells Fargo.

Each provider determines the fees associated with these deposits. The Lockbox address is:

P.O. Box 17111
Baltimore, MD 21297-1111

While the DPSCS only uses a lockbox system to deposit money into an inmate’s account, not all prison facilities use the lockbox. The lockbox feature is available in the following institutions:

• Baltimore City Correctional Center.
• Patuxent Institution.
• Baltimore Pre-Release Unit
• Central Maryland Correctional Facility
• Metropolitan Transition Center
• Maryland Reception, Diagnostic and Classification Center
• Chesapeake Detention Facility
• Dorsey Run Correctional Facility
• Eastern Pre-Release Unit
• Brockbridge Correctional Facility
• Southern Maryland
• Maryland Correctional Institution for Women
• Maryland Correctional Institution-Jessup
• Jessup Correctional Institution

For other institutions, depositors may send the money order directly to the facility where the inmate is located. For example, family and friends may send money to inmates in the Western Correctional Institution, using the following details:

Western Correctional Institution
13800 McMullen Highway, SW.
Cumberland, MD 21502
Phone: (301) 729-7000, (877) 286-3965

For money order inquiries, email CRF.Inmateaccounts@maryland.gov with Lockbox as the subject. Depositors are generally required to provide the following information:

• Money Order number.
• Amount on the Money Order.
• Inmate’s Name.
• Inmate’s SID number.
• Inmate’s Institution.
• The date the money order was cashed. (Kindly contact the money order company for this information.)

When making deposits for inmates held at county or city jails, requestors may contact the administering prison to determine the preferred means of funding an inmate’s account. The inmate’s credentials (name, case number, or jail ID) may be required to complete such deposits.

Does Maryland Use JPay for Inmates?

The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) provides a general banking service known as Lockbox for processing money orders. Money deposits are channeled through the state Lockbox system, while telephone payments are handled through ConnectNetwork AdvancePay.

However, some facilities, such as the Washington County Detention Center, managed at the local level, use JPay to pay inmates and enable inmates to send and receive emails and video messages. Alternative ways to send money to inmates in Maryland DPSCS facilities may include U.S. money orders or certified checks, phone payments, lobby kiosks, or MoneyGram. Personal checks are not accepted. Each method has fees attached, so the overall cost of sending funds varies. However, the most affordable method is kiosk payment with cash or credit and debit cards.