Are Missouri Inmate Records Public Information?
Yes. Missouri inmate records are public information per the Missouri Sunshine Law. Therefore, Missouri residents can obtain information about incarcerated individuals from correctional agencies like the Missouri Department of Corrections (MDOC) and county sheriff's offices. For example, the public may conduct a Missouri inmate search using the Missouri inmate locator provided on the MDOC website to retrieve information on who's in custody in the state prisons.
However, while the Missouri Sunshine Law enables access to inmate records, this information - though released to foster public safety and transparency in government - should not be used to intimidate or harass others.
Missouri Inmate Search
Missouri inmate records are official documents that detail information on individuals incarcerated in correctional and detention facilities in Missouri. These facilities include minimum, medium, and maximum state prisons and county jails. Prisons and jails in Missouri keep personal and administrative inmate records and make most of these available to interested persons upon request per the Missouri Sunshine Law. The idea behind the freedom of access to inmate records in Missouri is to allow citizens to know who's in custody or find someone in jail, as well as to promote public safety.
Persons who inspect or obtain Missouri inmate records can expect to see an inmate's personal information, including name, age, race, and recent mugshot. The administrative section of the inmate records in Missouri also describes the inmates' arrival, incarceration, transfer, and release from the correctional facility.
Inmate records are considered public in the United States and therefore are made available by both traditional governmental agencies as well as third-party websites and organizations. Third-party websites may offer an easier means to search, as these services do not face geographical limitations. However, because third-party sites are not government-sponsored, the information obtained through them may vary from official channels. To find inmate records using third-party aggregate sites, requesting parties must provide:
- The location of the sought-after record, including state, county, and city where the inmate resides.
- The name of the person listed in the record, unless it is a juvenile.
How to Find Someone in Jail in Missouri
The county sheriff's offices - the government agencies responsible for running the local jails in Missouri - provide information about inmates in their custody to the public. Thus, an individual can contact a local sheriff's office if looking for what jail someone is in or curious about why someone is in jail in Missouri. Suppose the jail where a person is incarcerated is not known. In that case, one can start their Missouri inmate search at the sheriff's office located where the inmate previously resided or was arraigned. The sheriff's offices in Missouri also provide inmate locators on their websites that can aid in a person's research. Generally, these inmate search tools help promote public safety and welfare while providing access to offender information per the Missouri Sunshine Law.
For example, the Cooper County Sheriff's Office maintains an inmate lookup tool online that individuals can use to find someone in jail. The tool can be accessed with an offender's last name. Missouri inmate search results reveal offenders' full names, jacket numbers, booking dates, release dates, mugshots, and charges. One can also contact this sheriff's office to learn how to find someone in the county jail.
Facilities Operated by the Missouri Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
The Missouri Department of Corrections (MDOC) operates state prisons and calls these Correctional Centers. It oversees the operation of 21 adult correctional centers, 59 probation and parole facilities, and 8 community supervision or release centers. Besides these state facilities, there are also county and city jails all over Missouri. Municipality jails are usually operated by local police departments and sheriff's offices.
The following are the addresses and contact information of state prisons and correctional facilities with Missouri:
Adair County - Bruce Normile Juvenile Justice Center
1400 South Boundary Street,
Kirksville, MO 63501-1704
Boone County MO Juvenile Justice Center
5665 Roger I. Wilson Memorial Drive,
Columbia, MO 65202-6522
Cass County MO Juvenile Detention Center
2501 West Mechanic Street,
Harrisonville, MO 64701
Good Samaritan Boys Ranch
5549 North Highway 13,
Brighton, MO 65617-8112
Greene County MO Juvenile Detention Center
1111 North Robberson Street,
Springfield, MO 65802
Hope Life Learning Center
601 Davis Boulevard,
Sikeston, MO 63801-1958
Jasper County MO Juvenile Detention Center
530 South Pearl Avenue,
Joplin, MO 64801
Jefferson County MO Juvenile Detention Center
400 Main Street,
Hillsboro, MO 63050
MO DOC - Algoa Correctional Center
8501 No More Victims Road,
Jefferson City, MO 65101
MO DOC - Boonville Correctional Center
1216 East Morgan Street,
Boonville, MO 65233-1300
MO DOC - Chillicothe Correctional Center
3151 Litton Road,
Chillicothe, MO 64601
MO DOC - Cremer Therapeutic Community Center
Route O P.O. Box 70,
Fulton, MO 65251-0190
MO DOC - Crossroads Correctional Center
1115 East Pence Road,
Cameron, MO 64429
MO DOC - Eastern Reception & Diagnostic Correctional Center
2727 Highway K,
Bonne Terre, MO 63628
MO DOC - Farmington Correctional Center
1012 West Columbia Street,
Farmington, MO 63640
MO DOC - Fulton Reception and Diagnostic Center
1393 Highway O
P.O. Box 190,
Fulton, MO 65251
MO DOC - Jefferson City Correctional Center
8200 No More Victims Road,
Jefferson City, MO 65101
MO DOC - Kansas City Community Release Center
651 Mulberry,
Kansas City, MO 64101
MO DOC - Maryville Treatment Center
30227 US Highway 136,
Maryville, MO 64468
MO DOC - Missouri Eastern Correctional Center
18701 US Highway 66,
Pacific, MO 63069
MO DOC - Moberly Correctional Center
5201 South Morley,
Moberly, MO 65270
MO DOC - Northeast Correctional Center
13698 Airport Road,
Bowling Green, MO 63334
MO DOC - Ozark Correctional Center
929 Honor Camp Lane,
Fordland, MO 65652
MO DOC - Potosi Correctional Center
11593 State Highway O,
Mineral Point, MO 63660
MO DOC - South Central Correctional Center
255 Highway 32 West,
Licking, MO 65542
MO DOC - Southeast Correctional Center
300 East Pedro Simmons Drive,
Charleston, MO 63834
MO DOC - St. Louis Community Release Center
1621 North First Street,
St. Louis, MO 63102-1299
MO DOC - Tipton Correctional Center
619 North Osage Avenue,
Tipton, MO 65081
MO DOC - Western Missouri Correctional Center
609 East Pence Road,
Cameron, MO 64429
MO DOC - Western Reception & Diagnostic Correctional Center
3401 Faraon Street,
St. Joseph, MO 64506
MO DOC - Women's Eastern Reception & Diagnostic Correctional Center
1101 East Highway 54,
Vandalia, MO 63382
St. Louis MO Juvenile Detention Center
501 South Brentwood Boulevard,
St. Louis, MO 63105
Stoddard County MO Juvenile Detention Center
202 Salem Street,
Bloomfield, MO 63825
Wright County MO Juvenile Detention Center
1400 Industrial Park Road,
Mountain Grove, MO 65711-9453
How Do I Send Money to an Inmate in Missouri Prisons or Jails?
The Missouri Department of Corrections accepts money orders and cashier's checks deposited in inmates' accounts. It also accepts electronic transfers via JPay into inmates' accounts.
When sending money to an inmate in a Missouri state prison by cashier's check or money order, make the payment instrument payable to the Missouri Department of Corrections. The money order or check must also be accompanied by a completed deposit slip. Obtain this slip from the offender receiving the funds. Send both check/money order and deposit slip to:
Offender Finance Office
Missouri Department of Corrections
P.O. Box 1609
Jefferson City, MO 65102
JPay provides four options for sending money to inmates in Missouri. Individuals can:
- Deposit cash at a MoneyGram location using the receive code: 2439
- Make credit/debit card deposit online at JPay's website
- Call JPay's toll-free line, (800) 574-5729, to speak to a customer service agent
- Transfer money using JPay Mobile app for iPhones and Android phones
Missouri county jails also provide multiple ways to send money to inmates. Some also contract third-party payment processors to accept online and phone fund transfers on behalf of inmates. Most county jails have deposit kiosks. While some accept cash and credit/debit cards at such locations, others only accept card transactions at kiosks. For most county jails, sending a check or money order to an inmate by mail is permissible. Visit a county jail's website to find out the payment methods accepted at the facility.
How to Get Approved to Visit an Inmate in Missouri Prisons and Jails
The MDOC requires friends and family members to apply for visitation rights before visiting inmates. For starters, the visitor must complete an application online or request an application form from the facility where the inmate is serving time. Next, the individual must submit the paper application to the correctional facility housing the inmate.
Inmates in Missouri correctional facilities are only allowed to have 20 visitors in all. Visitations are scheduled, and adult visitors and minors aged 13 and above must present a valid photo ID when visiting. Adults need valid government-issued photo IDs, while minors can present school photo identification. The Missouri Department of Corrections provides more information on visitation rules, especially regarding dress code, physical contact, allowed items and restricted visiting privileges. Note that visitation schedules and rules are different for Missouri county and city jails. So, intending visitors must contact the jail administrative staff for specific visit rules and schedules.
How to Find a County Inmate Roster in Missouri
Each county sheriff's office in Missouri has an inmate roster (sometimes called an "inmate lookup") on its website. This roster helps individuals to find information on all incarcerated individuals in county jail. Typically, county inmate rosters reveal an inmate's full name, booking number, booking date, charges, and bond amount. Many rosters also carry Missouri inmate mugshots, and a typical Missouri inmate search will require the inquirer to provide information to facilitate the record search.
How Do I Contact Inmates in Missouri Prisons and Jails
Inmates in Missouri state prisons can be contacted by mail and email. The MDOC also allows inmates to send and receive letters and photos. However, written correspondence and photos must be sent in separate envelopes. When sending a mail to an inmate in a Missouri prison, include the following information on the envelope:
- A return address
- Facility address where the inmate is located
- Offender's name
- The offender's DOC number
Note that prison officials open and inspect all incoming and outgoing mail. MDOC contracts JPay to provide email services to offenders in Missouri state prisons. JPay is also the exclusive money transfer provider for MDOC facilities. To send an email to an inmate, set up an account with JPay, and then sign in to use the service.
Missouri county jails also allow inmates to receive and send letters. Send the correspondence to the facility address and include the inmate's name and ID number on the envelope. Visit the county page online for more details about contacting inmates.
How Do I Perform a Missouri Prison Inmate Search?
The MDOC provides a free inmate search by name on its website for anyone looking for individuals incarcerated in one of its facilities. To conduct a Missouri prison inmate search using this tool, simply enter the person's first and last name or DOC ID into the provided search fields. Search results include:
- An inmate's full name
- Date of birth
- DOC ID
- Sex
- Weight
- Height
- Race
Clicking on any inmate's DOC ID reveals further information like the inmate's Missouri inmate mugshot, aliases, assigned location, sentence summary (such as if they are serving a life sentence), and active offenses. Besides current inmates, the Missouri inmate lookup is also useful for finding parolees and probationers. However, it does not return results on discharged offenders, nor can it provide information on inmates in federal prisons.
To find an inmate in federal prison, one can conduct a federal inmate search using the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) inmate locator. This locator can be searched with an inmate's name or number. Like state inmate searches performed on the MDOC's website, there is no charge to conduct a federal inmate search on the BOP's website.
How to Perform a Missouri Jail Inmate Search
Some Missouri county jails also have an online inmate lookup with instructions on how to find out if someone is in jail. Interested persons can also visit the police department or sheriff's office's official website. Some local law enforcement have web pages dedicated to jails and publish lists of inmates currently held in these jails. If an inquirer cannot find a person in jail, the requester can look up the jail’s contact address and visit or call the jail administrative staff to enquire about current inmates. Information on how to find someone in jail may also be available on some law enforcement agencies' websites.
Missouri State Prisons and County Jails: Understanding the Difference
There are a total of 21 state prisons and 117 county jails in Missouri. Missouri state prisons and county jails are overseen by the state department of corrections and county sheriff's offices, respectively.
According to the Missouri DOC's FY 2021 report, the prison population in Missouri was 23,137 by year-end. About 80% of inmates in DOC correctional facilities were between 18 and 49 years of age. The offender age group with the highest incarceration numbers was 30-34 years ( 16.7 %), followed by the 35-39 age group (15.3%). More offenders were sent to state prison in 2021 for violent offenses (10,358 inmates or 44.8% of the prison total), and 2,805 of the total had life sentences. The average length of stay reported in 2021 was 14.6 years, with female offenders serving an average sentence of 10.4 years and male offenders serving an average of 15 years. The largest prison in Missouri is the Crossroads Correctional Center, which has a capacity of 2,176 inmates. The second-largest prison is the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic, and Correctional Center, which has a capacity of 1,936 inmates.
Missouri's county jails are operated by the sheriff's office of each county. The largest county jail in Missouri is the Jackson County Detention Center, which can hold up to 2,200 inmates. The total jail population in 2020 was 12,000 inmates. The majority of Missouri county jail inmates are incarcerated for non-violent offenses.
How Do I Find Out an Inmate Release Date?
Inmate release dates are generally public information available when a requester performs an inmate record search online. Often, the Missouri inmate search results will only display the month and year of release if the criminal justice system determines that releasing the specific release date exposes the inmate to danger. In such cases, only the inmate's immediate family members, crime victims, attorneys, and authorized law enforcement officers will have access to the exact release date. If an offender is serving a life sentence, no release date will be available after an online inmate search.
