How to Locate an Inmate in a Federal Prision

In the United States, those convicted of violating federal law or awaiting trial for federal crimes are imprisoned in federal correctional facilities. As of November 2010, there are 115 federal institutions that house approximately 209,000 inmates. In order to assist persons who wish to locate a person incarcerated in a federal prison, the Federal Bureau of Prisons provides an inmate locator. Using basic information, the locator performs a search that reveals the inmate's location.

• 1

  Access the Federal Bureau of Prisons website at www.bop.gov. Select "Inmate Locator" under the "BOP Quick Links" panel.

• 2

  Enter the inmate's first and last name under the "Search By Name" option. Enter the inmate's middle name, race, sex and age, if you have access to this information. Select "Search" to continue.

• 3

  Review the list of inmates that match your search criteria. This includes the full name, register number, age, race, sex, release date and location.

• 4

  Find the name of the inmate you are seeking. Click on the location link to see complete information about where the inmate is housed.