West Virginia Inmate Search

Though the West Virginia Department of Corrections was set up in 2018, its origins go back to when the state was founded in 1863. The state initially had one penitentiary, which expanded over time and evolved under the Board of Control and the Department of Public Institutions. Currently, there are 13 state-run correctional facilities: prisons and work camps. West Virginia also has ten regional jails with the same modular design serving the 55 counties.

The Lakin Correctional Center and Jail is the only all-female state-run facility operating in the state. It is a maximum security correctional facility with several custody levels and a maximum of 584 women. The Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation also considers the significance of juvenile agencies separate from adults. Hence, the Bureau of Juvenile Services is separate from the Prisons and Jails. At present, ten juvenile facilities are operating in West Virginia.

West Virginia Inmate SearchPrison in West Virginia
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According to the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the state's correctional system includes 13 state-run facilities, 10 regional jails, and 12 federal sites. The system houses approximately 6,044 state inmates and 7,814 federal inmates, with an incarceration rate of 340 per 100,000 residents. The state operates 1 women-only facility (Lakin Correctional Center) and 10 juvenile facilities.

West Virginia Department of Corrections Inmate Search

The West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation is the main authority that oversees state correctional facilities. As a part of the Department of Homeland Facility, this agency oversees policies and the daily administration of the prisons, jails, and juvenile centers. They are also responsible for the care and feeding of all inmates housed in all facilities. The Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation also presides over inmate records accessible from its designated Offender Search tool. Parties may use this platform to search for daily incarcerations, prison or jail offenders, and escapees.

User

Find Inmate by Name

Interested parties may search for inmate information by name by first navigating the Division of Corrections offender portal. Parties can choose from four categories: Daily incarcerations, Offender search at the jail level, offender search at the prison level, and escapees. The Offender Search at the jail or prison category allows requesters to obtain information according to names. Parties will be required to provide the subject's first and last names on these searches.

Similarly, the daily incarcerations option also provides a list of recently incarcerated inmates that one could look through. The lists are sorted according to county, so the interested party would have to select the appropriate one and look through the list by name to see if the subject is on it. The list depicts the inmate's full name, date of birth, charges, case number, case status, and booking date.

User

Find Inmate by Number

The offender search for jails and prisons on the inmate locator page does not provide options for searching via their offender number. However, the Escapees section of the page has this provision. Parties can look up absconders and escapees on the list according to their Offender ID. Similarly, one can look up inmate information according to their case number or booking date on the daily incarcerations. The escapee's page will only show the person's first, middle, and last name.

Jail

Find Inmate by Jail Type

Parties may conduct inmate searches according to jail by navigating to the Daily Incarcerations option on the Offender search page. Counties generally update a list of recently apprehended individuals according to the regional jail in that jurisdiction. These search results will illustrate the subject's name, Date of Birth, and gender. Interested parties may also view the subject's mugshot by clicking on 'View Details'.

What Information is Contained in a West Virginia Inmate Record?

Requesters can access basic inmate information from these record searches. The approach to the inmate search depends, though. Searches via jail will provide details on names, Dates of Birth, Gender, mugshot, and time of admission. Searches done via the Daily Incarcerations page will show the party's name, Date of Birth, criminal charges, case number, status of the inmate, and the booking date. Searches do not provide information on release dates or parole statuses.

West Virginia Inmate Records by Counties

County-level inmate records are distinct from state facilities because of the type of information involved at both levels. At the county level, arrests and jail sentences below a year are included. They are also processed by local sheriff's offices and police departments in coordination with the regional jails. State prisons may provide information on inmates who have been incarcerated for mid-level misdemeanors up to severe felonies.

They are processed from court convictions and sentences. Fortunately, the West Virginia Division of Corrections has combined county and state platforms to create a database where interested parties can search inmate records from any correctional facility. If the requester cannot access the individual's records, they can reach out to the correctional facility where the person is housed and ask for the records directly.

Are Incarceration Records Public Information in West Virginia?

West Virginia Code §29B-1-3 indicates that any interested party has a right to copy or inspect a public record in the state except if provided by the statute's exemptions. This state is also among 41 that do not require individuals requesting the records to be residents of the state. Hence, West Virginia inmate records are accessible to parties within and outside the state. They also do not have to provide a reason for access.

There are restrictions, though, as covered in section four of the Freedom of Information Act. If the disclosure of the information is an unreasonable invasion of privacy, it may be redacted. Records of law enforcement agencies that handle the detection and investigation of crime are also restricted. Information concerning juveniles and mentally ill individuals will also be kept from the wider public.

Federal Prisons in West Virginia

The Federal Prison system is managed by the Bureau of Prisons, which oversees facilities in most states. It comprises different security levels to house inmates according to risk level and previous criminal actions: minimal, low, medium, and maximum security. In West Virginia, six stand-alone and six federal prison camps housing 7,814 inmates. These prisons are managed by the Mid-Atlantic Regional Office. They are categorized below according to security levels.

Prison NameLocationTotal Inmate PopulationSecurity Level
USP HazeltonBruceton Mills1,471High Security
FCI BeckleyBeaver1,722Medium Security
FCI HazeltonBruceton Mills2,085Medium Security Facility
FCI McDowellWelch1,642Medium Security Facility
FPC AldersonAlderson760Minimum Security Facility
FCI Gilmer CampGlenville51Minimum Security Facility
FCI Hazelton CampBruceton Mills57Minimum Security Facility
FCI McDowell CampWelch38Minimum Security Facility
FCI MorgantownMorgantown507Minimum Security Facility

Frequently Asked Questions about Inmate Records

To request a public record from the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation in West Virginia, contact them via telephone at (304)558-2036 or visit their offices in person at 1409 Greenbrier Street, Charleston. They may require information to assist with the search, including the party's name, number, and relevant locations. No fee is required for the record request.

Inmate information from the West Virginia Division of Corrections offender search can be sourced online. The platform offers four search options: Daily Incarcerations, Offender Search by Jail, Offender Search by Prisons, and Escapees. These searches offer basic information such as the person's full name, charges filed, booking date, and mugshot.

Using the Offender Search platform, one can search old inmate records in West Virginia. Parties can either use Offender Search by jails or prisons and input the full names of the subjects to get the desired result. Alternatively, requesters may visit the West Virginia State Police's Criminal Identification Bureau. The agency will require one to bring a valid ID and select a name-based search. The fee for searches is $32.50.

Parties may send a Freedom of Information Act request to the WV Department of Corrections to the record custodian. The request should also detail the record seeker's information and a detailed description of the needed details. The DOC will only issue copies of non-confidential records. Eligible parties, such as spouses or next of kin, may alternatively request a death record from the West Virginia Department of Health.

Inmate information is published almost immediately in the state's inmate locator platform as soon as jail or prison personnel book the inmate into the system. A separate log of new inmates in West Virginia is updated daily under Daily Incarcerations.

Family and well-wishers may send money to inmates in West Virginia through a mobile application, Phone, or online. The fastest way to send money is online via a credit or debit card through JPAY. Cash deposits can also be made at a MoneyGram agent location, such as Walmart.