Perform a Free Arkansas Inmate Search (Look Up Prisoners)

Conduct a free Arkansas inmate search today. Looking up details of incarcerated individuals throughout the state empowers citizens to access public information provided under the Freedom of Information Act.

Inmates are held in either jails or prisons, depending on their offenses. This resource covers how to access online databases, no matter what kind of holding facility an inmate is in. Using this article, citizens can gain insight on inmates throughout Arkansas.

Being Incarcerated in a Jail vs Prison

Inmates go to jails or prisons based on several factors, many of which are on the public record.

Those entering the legal system after being accused of a crime may be arrested and held in jail until they can be arraigned and have the legal process begin. They may also be in jail serving a relatively short sentence after being convicted. Those in prison have already been convicted of an offense and must serve a lengthier sentence, often linked to more serious infractions.

Different levels of government oversee jails and prisons. A city police department may oversee a municipal or city jail, while the county sheriff’s office has jurisdiction over the county jail. County jails can house inmates from anywhere within their county, and in many cases, cities route all of their inmates to these facilities.

The Arkansas Department of Correction (DOC) oversees prisons across the state.¹ The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) presides over federal prisons.² Federal prisons only house those convicted of a federal crime, meaning they tend to have fewer inmates than jails or prisons at the state, county or city level. During an inmate search, most inmates are found in jails across the state.

How To Run an Arkansas Inmate Search on Any Jailed Person

Arkansas primarily holds inmates in county-level jails rather than city jails across the state. Typically, city police departments redirect their inmates to their county jail and provide databases on their website or link to the correct one.

For example, in Little Rock and surrounding areas, inmates go to the Pulaski County Regional Detention Facility.³ The same is true whether they’re arrested by the city or county law enforcement. This facility houses around 1,200 people daily.

Pulaski County Regional Detention Facility
3201 W. Roosevelt Rd.
Little Rock, AR 72204

Phone: 501-340-7001

To identify a specific inmate at this facility, use their online inmate search tool.⁴ This tool displays all inmates without performing a search, allowing users to browse through everyone currently incarcerated. However, you can search by name (or partial name), race, sex and arrest date.

Results reveal:

• Mugshot
• Legal Name
• Race
• Sex
• Date of Birth
• Arrest Date
• Which Agency Arrested the Individual

Details about charges, including a code, the arrest date and bond for the charge, also appear underneath identifying information.

Another useful tool when performing an inmate search is access to a database of all county-level jails within the state. This resource provides this, as well as an inmate search link, access to arrest and criminal records and contact information as applicable.

How To Look Up State Prisoners in Arkansas

The Arkansas Department of Corrections (DOC) provides a handy inmate search tool online, which makes locating those held in prison a quick task.⁵ It pulls results from across the state rather than being limited by city or county. Several fields can help narrow down the search process, including:

• ADC Number
• Last & First Names
• County
• Facility
• Offense Category
• Age (Exact & Approximate)
• Race
• Photos (With or Without)

Fill in as much information as possible, then agree to the disclaimer and search. At a minimum, one category must be filled, though a partial name is enough to generate matches.

Results include:

• Mugshot
• Full Name
• DC Number
• Race
• Gender
• Estimated Release Date
• Facility
• Birthday

This database also allows users to transfer money to inmates, though the DOC cautions that these funds may be used to pay inmate fees rather than going directly to them.

Selecting an inmate reveals more information about them, including a larger photo, identifying features, the day they arrived at the facility, the facility’s address and mailing address and how many times they’ve been incarcerated at the state level. It also shows information about their current prison sentence, including the charges and their risk level.

Interestingly, the DOC results also reveal program achievements, showing rehabilitative programs and classes the inmate has completed and the date these were finished. It’s also possible to find their probation and prior probation history on this page, if applicable, and the county or counties where these occurred.

For other inquiries, interested individuals may contact the relevant department of the Arkansas DOC.

During the completion of an inmate search, other tools may assist, including:

• Arkansas DOC Facilities List & Interactive Map
• Arkansas DOC Absconder Search
• Parole Hearing Decision Search Tool
• Information on Visiting Inmates & State Facilities
• Arkansas DOC Frequently Asked Questions
• Victim Services
• Arkansas VINELink Notification Subscription

How To Execute a Federal Prisoner Search

The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) makes completing a federal prisoner search relatively seamless with the right information. It also provides a database of locations where inmates are housed across the country.⁷ However, exact information is required to generate results.

The bureau’s Find an Inmate Tool requires, at a bare minimum, a first initial and a complete last name or an exact match to an identifying number to locate the correct individual.⁸ It does not offer partial matches.

When searching with the find-by-number option, four different numbers can be used: a BOP register number, a District of Columbia Department of Corrections (DCDC) register number, a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) number or an Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) number. Enter whichever search criteria you have to review results.

Results go back to 1982, listing anyone who has ever been or is currently incarcerated by the BOP. Upon completing the search, information includes:

• Name
• Register Number (This will always be the Federal Bureau of Prisons Register Number, even if a different ID is entered)
• Age
• Race
• Sex
• Release Date (This may be a projected release date or the date an inmate was released from custody in the past)
• Location (This shows which facility they are at or that they have been released)

The BOP has not archived records from before 1982, so this data will not populate, even when entering the correct identifying information.⁹

In cases where results from before 1982 are needed, the BOP recommends requesting it from the National Archives & Records Administration (NARA). Requesters should include an inmate’s full name, birthday or age when incarcerated, the inmate’s race and the dates when they were imprisoned.

Complete the form to order criminal case archives and submit applicable fees and completed form or order them online.

Another option is to find court case information on the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER). This may provide quicker access to the requested information, as it’s entirely available online. However, it also comes with a fee schedule, though there are some exemptions and times when these fees are waived.¹⁰

Using these tools can help the general public remain informed about government actions by successfully completing Arkansas inmate searches.