Idaho Inmate Records

Idaho has an estimated 460 persons in prison/jail per 100,000 residents. These include approximately 9,110 inmates held in state-run prisons and about 4,450 in local jails. The state's incarceration rate is higher than the national average of 355 per 100,000 total population. Idaho state-operated prisons admit around 3,632 inmates each year and release about 3,326 within the same period.

Idaho inmate records are a collection of information kept by relevant authorities about offenders who are incarcerated within the state's prison system. Each authority in charge of correctional facilities in the state maintains records of all individuals held in facilities under its supervision. In other words, government agencies in charge of the local and state correctional facilities are responsible for keeping up-to-date records of inmates housed in prisons or jails they manage.

Most inmate records in Idaho contain the following information:

• Personal Information - This includes an inmate's full name, age, sex, race, date of birth, and other identifying details like eye color, weight, height, hair color, scars, and tattoos.
• Court Details - These include case numbers, court dates, convictions, and trial details.
• Arrest Information - This includes the arrest warrant, the date and place of the arrest, charges, and details of the arresting law enforcement agency.
• Offense and Sentence Details - These include details of the offense committed, case number, inmate status, sentencing county, facility of incarceration, and the projected release date (sentence satisfaction date).
• Parole Information - This shows an inmate's eligibility for parole, parole conditions, and parole status.

Are Inmate Records Public in Idaho?

Inmate records are public records in Idaho under the state's Public Records Act. As a result, everyone has a right to inspect and make copies of an inmate's records in the state. However, state law expressly prohibits the public disclosure of certain inmate records and specific information contained in inmate records. Per Section 74-105 of the Idaho Statutes, juvenile inmate records and records that contain any information capable of identifying witnesses or victims are exempt from public disclosure. In addition, records of the financial status of any inmate, as well as health records, are typically redacted from inmate records.

What Agencies Are Responsible for Inmate Records in Idaho?

Inmate records in Idaho are maintained by multiple government agencies. Some of them are listed below:

• The Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) - The Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) operates various correctional facilities across the state, including 10 state prisons and 5 community reentry centers. State-operated prisons typically house offenders convicted of violating state laws and sentenced to at least one year of incarceration. The records of inmates incarcerated in state prisons and community reentry centers are maintained by the IDOC and made available to the public in multiple ways.
• County Sheriff's Offices - In Idaho, the county sheriff's offices are mostly responsible for the 37 local jails statewide. These local jails, although not under the IDOC's jurisdiction, are a broader part of the state's prison system. They provide safe housing for individuals convicted of non-grave offenses and sentenced to short-term incarceration, typically not exceeding one year. These facilities also hold inmates awaiting transfer to federal or state prisons and those awaiting trial. Records of inmates incarcerated in any local jail are kept by the county sheriff's office in charge of the facility's administration.
• Police Departments - Each police department in Idaho maintains records of arrests made within its locality as part of the criminal history information in its repository. While police departments do not technically house inmates, the arrest records in their files are included in inmate records kept by other relevant government agencies.
• Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) - The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is a federal government agency in charge of federal prisons in the United States. It is also responsible for maintaining accurate records and information about each inmate incarcerated in a federal correctional facility. Idaho does not have a federal prison currently. However, individuals convicted of federal crimes in the state are sentenced to federal prisons in other states, where the BOP maintains up-to-date information about them.

How To Search an Inmate's Information in Idaho

Anyone considering looking up an inmate's information in Idaho must first identify the correctional facility where the inmate is held and determine the prison or jail authority that has custody of their records.

Find an inmate in Idaho State Prisons

Information about individuals incarcerated in state-run prisons and currently under the jurisdiction of the Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) may be obtained through the IDOC Resident/Client Search tool. With this tool, anyone can search an inmate's records by name or IDOC number. The tool allows partial searches, but the partial search parameters must contain at least the first three characters of an inmate's number or name. Data obtained after searching for the Resident/Client Search tool contains an inmate's personal information. Offense data and sentencing details.

The IDOC Resident/Client Search tool is designed to provide only basic information regarding inmates in state-operated prisons. As a result, a person may have to visit the state prison where an inmate is physically held if they need a more detailed record of the inmate. Typically, they will need to provide the inmate's name, date of birth, date of admission in prison, and some other vital details to enable the custodian to narrow the search and locate the inmate's record.

Find an Inmate in Local Jail

To find any inmate in one of Idaho's local jails, look up the website of the sheriff's office in charge of the facility administration. Typically, county sheriff's offices have databases containing records of all inmates in their custody and allow public access to them through online inmate rosters or locators, which may be accessed on the county sheriff's websites. Interested persons may look up information regarding any inmate in a local jail using search parameters like the inmate's name, gender, race, booking date, and date of birth. The search criteria may vary by the local jail.

Individuals who wish to get comprehensive records about an offender incarcerated in a local jail in Idaho must do more than look up the inmate online. They should consider visiting the custodian of the sought record in person and providing information that can help facilitate the search. However, this service may come at a fee, depending on the county.

Find an Inmate in Federal Prison

Records of inmates housed in federal prisons are publicly accessible through the BOP Inmate Locator, a database containing information regarding inmates incarcerated in federal correctional facilities from 1982 to the present. Individuals looking to find information about offenders convicted for violating federal laws in Idaho but housed in out-of-state federal prisons may do so through the BOP Inmate Locator. They can use the name and/or BOP register number of the inmate whose record they seek as the search criteria. Information retrieved from this search usually includes an inmate's full name, custody status, BOP register number, race, age, location, and sex.

How Can I Access Old Inmate Records?

Old inmate records in Idaho cannot be accessed through the inmate search tools offered by each prison or jail authority in the state, as such tools primarily hold information regarding inmates who are currently in custody. While the names of persons who have served time and completed their sentences may appear, their conviction records will not.

The Idaho State Historical Society has searchable, indexed catalogs containing a comprehensive list of old inmates in the state that include their names, register numbers, aliases, crime, and year of birth. The catalogs also have information about the year of incarceration, the county or jurisdiction of incarceration, and release information.

Interested persons may access some old inmate records by looking up the Idaho Inmate Catalog 1864 - 1947 and Idaho Inmate Index 1948 - 1975 provided by the state's Historical Society. Similarly, the National Archives has records of former inmates convicted of federal crimes in the state and sentenced to federal prisons. Furthermore, third-party sites like Idahopublicrecords.us collate inmate records and make them available to the public, although at a small fee.

Detailed records of inmates who served prison terms in Idaho but have been released may be accessed by contacting the agencies in charge of the prison or jail facilities where they were incarcerated. For instance, anyone looking to obtain such records may visit the state-operated prisons or local jails where the former inmates whose records they seek served their prison/jail terms. Alternatively, if a former inmate served their term in a state-operated facility, anyone may submit a public records request to the IDOC to retrieve a detailed record about the inmate. Information regarding old inmates who served their prison terms in federal prisons may be accessed by sending a FOIA request to the BOP.

Can I Find an Idaho Inmate Record for Free?

Yes, a free inmate lookup is possible using the online inmate search tool offered by each government agency overseeing a prison or local jail facility in the state. However, the online inmate database managed by each prison/jail authority in Idaho only has records of inmates in correctional facilities operated by the authority in charge.

If a person intends to find information about any inmate incarcerated within the state's prison system but has no hint where the inmate is housed, they should consider using the services of third-party sites like Idahopublicrecords.us. While these services are not free, such websites are reliable and generally provide access to records of all inmates in the state, including those incarcerated in local, state, or federal correctional facilities. Most people consider these sites as one-stop shops for inmate information in Idaho.

Jails and Prisons in Idaho

Each correctional facility that operates in Idaho falls under one of the following categories:

• State Prisons - These correctional facilities are overseen by the Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC), and they include 10 state prisons and about 5 community reentry centers. The IDOC also manages 7 district probation and parole offices across the state.
• Local Jails - Idaho has about 37 local jail facilities, and each is managed by a county sheriff's office.
• Private Prisons - There is only one privately run prison in Idaho. It is managed by CoreCivic Corporation.

State Prisons in Idaho

These are the state-operated prisons in Idaho:

Private Prisons in Idaho

The only privately run prison that houses Idaho inmates is the Saguaro Correctional Center (SCC). It is located outside the state and can hold 2,000 inmates.

Idaho Inmate Statistics

• Idaho Incarceration Rate - 460 per 100,000 residents
• Male Incarceration Rate - 782 per 100,000 males
• Female Incarceration Rate - 132 per 100,000 females
• Youth Custody Rate - 117 per 100,000 youths
• Number of Prisoners in Private Prisons - 861
• Black/White Imprisonment Disparity - 4.4:1
• Latino/White Imprisonment Disparity - 1.4:1
• Number of offenders under community supervision: 2,213 per 100,000 people
• Number on probation - 1,921 per 100,000 people
• Number on parole - 444 per 100,000 people
• Felony Disenfranchisement Rate - 2.2%

* Source: United States Bureau of Justice Statistics