St. Louis County Inmate Search
St. Louis County inmate search is a means by which a person can gather information about an inmate held at any correctional facility. This could be due to arrest, detention, or incarceration, depending on the charges filed against the individual.
Per Missouri Revised Statutes § 610.100, an arrest is the restraint of a person or the submission of the person to the custody of a law enforcement officer. The police can arrest if they have reasons to believe that an individual may have committed a crime, be committing a crime, or have intentions to commit a crime. The arrested person will be taken to the St. Louis County Intake Service Center (ISC).
The formal arrest of an offender is the first of many steps leading up to the person's final sentencing. For cases classified as felonies, there will be a preliminary hearing. This is a mini-trial in which testimony is taken under oath. A preliminary hearing may be waived at the defendant's request, meaning the case will be taken directly to a circuit court.
During the preliminary hearing, the prosecutor provides evidence to show that the defendant may have committed the crime. If this evidence is proven to be factual, the defendant will be remanded, and the case will be transferred to a circuit court. However, if the prosecutor is not able to provide enough evidence to show that the individual may have committed the crime, they will be released.
A grand jury may hold in place of a preliminary hearing. A grand jury does not determine whether a person is guilty or innocent; instead, they are used to determine whether or not the prosecutor should pursue the charges. Grand jury proceedings are usually done in private, with even the defendant being absent.
An arraignment is the first formal presentation of the charges before the defendant, who must either plead “guilty” or “not guilty”. If the defendant does not make a plea, the judge makes a “not guilty” plea on their behalf.
At the trial, the prosecutor and defense attorney will both present their argument, and evidence to back up their claims. These arguments are presented before a jury, who make a unanimous decision, whether or not the defendant is guilty. If the defendant is found not guilty, the state cannot retry them on that same charge. However, if the defendant is found guilty, the prosecutor and defense attorney will then present additional evidence as regards the sentencing. The sentencing can range from payment of fines to serving jail terms.
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.
St. Louis County Crime and Incarceration Statistics
The 2021 Annual Report released by the St. Louis County Department of Justice Services shows that approximately 11,400 arrestees were processed in the Intake Service Center. The inmates were booked for the following charge level:
- Felony: 8,982
- Misdemeanor: 846
- Fed Hold: 75
- Muni Hold: 391
- Writs: 68
- Infractions: 10
- Citations: 768
St. Louis County Prison System
The Department of Justice Services is responsible for the overall management operation and security of the St. Louis County jail system. The Department specifically supervises the St Louis County Jail and Intake Service Center and provides 1,232 beds for the inmates. The inmates in the county jail are housed on floors four through seven of the Justice Center. Each floor has four housing units with 48 cells in each pod. One-third of the cells are double-bunked, with 64 inmates per pod and 256 inmates per floor. About 11,140 arrested persons were brought to the Intake Service Center in 2021. About 35% (3,976) of these arrestees were admitted from the Intake Service Center to the County Jail.
In 2021, the total average daily population for the St Louis County Jail was 921 inmates, and the Pre-Trial Release had an average daily population of 196 inmates. the Non-Support Re-Entry program had an average daily population of 52.
How to Find an Inmate in St. Louis County
Requesters can retrieve information on St. Louis County inmates online or in person at the Department of Justice Services Office. Online requests can be made via the Department’s Inmate Locator. The requester must provide the inmate’s first and last name. Upon conducting the search, the requester can expect to find the inmate's name, year of birth, race, sex, and facility they are held. In-person requests can be made by visiting the Department at:
St. Louis County Department of Justice Services
100 South Central
Clayton, MO 63105
Phone: (314) 615-5245
Email: JSocial@stlouiscountymo.gov
Alternatively, an inquirer can find inmates by calling the St. Louis Police Department Prisoner Processing Department at (314)241-8339. Before an individual can search for an inmate via these means, they must have some details about the inmate. For example, the inmate’s name or booking number will help aid the search.
How Does a St. Louis County Inmate Search Work?
Per Missouri Open Records Act, all governmental records, including inmate records, are open to the public for inspection and copying. However, some inmate records are considered closed records in St. Louis County. These include records where the accused is found not guilty, charges are dismissed, arrests where the prosecutor finds no evidence after 30 days, and suspended imposition of sentence after probation is completed. When an inmate search is conducted, requesters will be open to a plethora of information on the desired. This includes:
- Inmate last, first, and other names
- Inmate's date of birth
- Inmate age, race, and sex
- Inmate photograph
- Bail status
- The projected release date
- The facility where the inmate is held
- The charges against the offender, alongside their respective offense level and order type
- Inmate booking date and time
- Inmate booking number
- The arresting agency
Where to Find a St. Louis Inmate Locator
A St. Louis inmate locator can be found across various levels of government. At the county level, the St. Louis Department of Justice Services provides an inmate locator for searching inmates confined in county jails. Locating an inmate via this means will require the provision of the inmate’s first and last name.
The Missouri Department of Corrections also provides an electronic method for searching an offender. The Inmate Locator allows access to information about inmates housed in state prisons. The search criteria are by inmate’s Doc ID or their first and last name.
A requester can also find an Inmate Locator on the Federal Bureau of Prisons website. This search can be done by two methods:
- By Name: This will require the requester to provide the inmate’s first, middle, and last names, alongside the person’s race, age, and sex.
- By Number: This will require the provision of the inmate’s BOP register number, FBI number, DCDC number, or INS number.
There are also third-party websites that provide inmate search access to individuals. While most of these websites require a fee for individuals to gain access, a few provide access to public records at no cost. However, in a similar manner as with official governmental agencies, at least the first and last names of the inmate will be required.
How to Send Money to a St. Louis County Inmate
A person can either send money to an inmate through US mail or by funding the inmate’s commissary account. These commissary accounts are opened for every new inmate during their booking process, and the account is initially funded with any cash found on them at the time of the arrest. Below are the available options for depositing additional funds into an inmate’s commissary account:
- Online: Create an account to enable them to send money through an approved third-party website.
- By phone: Call Access Secure Deposits at (866) 345-1884 to deposit into the inmate’s account.
- In-person: One can visit the Access Secure Deposit Kiosk in the center’s lobby. This must be done before or after the person’s visit to deposit funds into an account. Deposits through the Access Secure Deposit kiosks attract a fee of $3. The depositor can also visit their local Western Union Quick Collect.
When depositing money into an inmate’s commissary account, the total digits must be 8, so the depositor must precede the inmate master number (IMN) with zero(s). For example, to deposit into the account of a person with IMN 25467, the depositor will enter 00025467.
To send the money via the US mail, one must note that only cashier’s checks, money orders, and traveler’s checks are accepted for deposit. Personal checks and cash will not be accepted. The mail should be addressed to the Department of Justice Services as follows:
Inmate's Name/Inmate Master Number
100 South Central Ave
3rd Floor Mail Room
Clayton, MO 63105
To fund an inmate’s phone and tablet account, loved ones can call (800) 844-6591 or visit the recognized third-party website.
How to Visit a St. Louis County Inmate
Inmates in St. Louis County can be visited by their loved ones in person or via a video call. Video visitations will require visitors to register on an approved third-party website or call (800) 844-6591.
However, all intending visitors must first be pre approved by the St. Louis Department of Justice Services and the inmate, before they can visit the inmate.
To apply for a visit, an individual needs to send a properly filled Visitor Request Form to the City Justice Center at:
City Justice Center
200 S. Tucker Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63102
Every inmate is given five copies of this form during their orientation, then they mail them to any five chosen family or friends.
This application will be cross examined and will only be approved if the intended visitor has no active warrants, has not been recently released from a penal institution within the last 180 days, and is not on parole or probation.
To confirm if the application has been approved, the person will have to call the assigned case worker. The case worker is determined by calling the CJC (314) 621-5848, or MSI (314) 389.4790. The individual will only be required to give the inmate’s name, to be told the case worker in charge.
When the status of this application is confirmed, the individual can then call the facility to formally schedule a visit.
Inmate visitation is open every day of the week, between 8:00 a.m and 4:00 p.m. However, every inmate is entitled to only a maximum of two visits per week, and a maximum of one visit per day. Each visitation lasts for a period of 40 minutes, and they begin promptly on the hour.
Also, only a maximum of three people are permitted to visit per time, and this can consist of either two adults, two adults and one child, or one adult and two children.
Being approved is not the only factor that grants a loved one access to an inmate, the visit is also subject to the conduct of the visitor. For adequate preparation, visitors should note the following:
- Every visitor must be with a valid means of identification. The acceptable forms of identification include:
- Valid driver’s license
- Missouri State ID
- Military ID
- Passport
- Every visitor must dress appropriately. Cleavage revealing dresses, clothes without sleeves, mini skirts, or transparent clothes are not permitted.
- No item is allowed to be brought for an inmate. This includes clothing materials, food items, or any other property.
- Cellphones are not permitted.
- Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
- Smoking, drinking of any form, and eating is not permitted.
Anyone that is adjudged not to have conducted themselves properly will either not be granted entry, or be asked to leave if they had already been granted entry.
For video visitation, visitors need to register on an approved third-party website or call (800) 844-6591.
How to Send Jail Mail in St. Louis County
Mail sent to the St. Louis County Department of Justice Services are delivered once a day on weekdays (excluding holidays). All mail sent to the jail are opened and inspected for contraband but legal mail are usually opened and inspected in the presence of the inmate.
A legal mail is a mail between an inmate and their attorney, judges, officials, and generally anyone associated with their case. Examples of contraband items are food, writing materials, clothing, sexually explicit materials, and anything made with metal or battery.
Inmates are also permitted to receive short videos, pictures, and emails from their loved ones, but this can only be sent and received through a third-party vendor.
Generally, there are no restrictions on the number of mail an inmate is allowed to send or receive. There are only restrictions on the number of mail in a cell at a time.
St. Louis County Jails and Prisons
Listed below are the county, city, state, and federal prisons in St. Louis County.
The St. Louis County Jails
St. Louis County City Justice Center
200 South Tucker Boulevard
St. Louis, MO 63102
Phone: (314) 621-5848
Fax: (314) 588-0273
St. Louis County Juvenile Detention Center
105 South Central
Clayton, MO 63105
Phone: (314) 615-2996
St. Louis Juvenile Detention
3847 Enright Ave
St. Louis, MO 63108
Phone: (314) 552-2194
City Prisons in St. Louis County
St. Louis County Jail
100 South Central,
Clayton, MO 63105
Phone: (314) 615-5245
State Prisons in St. Louis County
Transition Center of St. Louis
1621 N. 1st Street
St. Louis, MO 63102
Phone: (314) 877-0300
St. Louis County Medium Security Institute
7600 North Hall Street
St. Louis, MO 63147
Phone: (314) 389-4790
RRM St. Louis
1222 Spruce Street, Suite 6.101
St. Louis, MO 63103
Phone: (314) 539-2376
Fax: (314) 539-2465
Email: CST-CCM@bop.gov
