About Missouri Department of Corrections
The Missouri Department of Corrections is a massive subdivision of the Missouri state-operated government. This massive division is a huge deal. This Department deals with the state’s biggest issue, correctional services.
It is the role of the Missouri Department of Corrections agency to make and execute strategic plans. These plans have to do with any and everything; correctional services. Every year, the Missouri Department of Corrections will sit down and look at their operating procedures, protocols, and numbers for the last year and see where they can improve upon, what they can get rid of, and what they can add-in for the next operating year.
The Missouri Department of corrections focuses on housing these inmates, but they focus on improving their lives so they don’t have to come back to the same place repeatedly. The Missouri Department of Corrections will always focus on adding new behavior systems, programs, and rewards for these inmates.
The Department of Corrections in Missouri is responsible for 25 facilities. They also have over 10,000 employees that run the Department daily. This department never sleeps. It runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
How do I locate a Missouri Inmate?
If you are looking for an inmate in Missouri, the chances are that they are in any of the state-operated jail facilities. This makes locating them very challenging. Here's what you need to know when locating an inmate in Missouri.
Missouri Inmate Records
Inmate records are official documents of the inmates and information on their incarceration. The state has detailed records of all inmates in state correctional facilities and county jails. This includes the minimum, medium, and maximum state prisons and county jails.
According to the Missouri Sunshine Law, an inmate's personal and administrative records are available to any interested individual upon request. This means anyone can have access to an inmate's name, recent mugshot, race, sex, and age.
You will also get to know when they arrived in the prison, transfer information, incarceration, or their release dates.
How to Locate an Inmate Using a Third-Party Website
Since the U.S government considers inmate records as public, they can be made available by any relevant organization, third-party websites, and government agencies.
Third-party sites do not have any geographical limitations. They are one of the easiest and fastest ways of getting inmate information. However, since these websites are not sponsored by the government, the information you get will vary from one website to another.
In some cases, the website may fail to update administrative information, such as inmate transfers or releases, and you may fail to get the latest information. Also, to locate an inmate or get their information through a third-party website, you need to have the inmate's official name and residence information, including the state, county, and city.
Without this information, it may be impossible to locate the inmate through a third-party website.
How to Perform a Missouri Prison Inmate Search
Suppose you want to find an inmate in a state correctional facility. In that case, you can visit the MDOC website and conduct a free inmate search. This way, you will know the exact facility they are being held in.
To locate an inmate in a state-operated facility, all you need to have is the first and last name of their DOC ID. The website contains a record of all current inmates, probationers, parolees, and discharged offenders.
How to Locate an Inmate in a Missouri Jail
Apart from federal correctional facilities, you can also look for an inmate in the county jails. The state allows anyone to look up inmates online. To do this, visit the sheriff's office or the police department's official website.
There are local law enforcements in Missouri that have web pages solely dedicated to publishing the names of inmates currently held in their jails. If you cannot find the inmate in the online register, you can visit the jail or call the local jail administrative staff and make an enquiry.
How to Find an Arrestee
Finding someone who has been recently arrested can be more challenging. In some cases, local courthouses and police stations use county jails to house recently arrested individuals who are waiting for bond/bail hearings and arraignment.
Suppose you are looking for someone who has been recently arrested. In that case, you need to start with your local police department or the sheriff's office that made the arrest. Note that since recent arrestees have not been officially jailed, federal facilities and local prisons will not include them in their registers.
The Difference between Missouri County Jail and State Prison
The average daily population of Missouri county jails and state prisons is 5,192 and 12,717, respectively. The county jails and state prisons and overseen by the state department of corrections.
However, the county jails are operated by the sheriff's office of each county, which then reports to the state department. This also means that, while the state department can have a list of inmates in the state and county prisons, the local department only has a record of inmates in a particular county.
At least 70% of the state prisons are for violent offenses and 30% house non-violent offenses. On the other hand, county jails are mainly made up of non-violent offenses. When looking for an inmate, knowing their charges can also help you narrow down the search.
Once you find the inmate, you can learn how to visit or contact them from the prison's administration.