What Are Virginia Inmate Records?

Virginia Inmate Records are documents maintained by the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC), which supervises all the correctional facilities in the state. These documents contain personal details, such as:

• The inmate’s name,
• Alias,
• Age,
• Race, and
• Sex.

The records also contain administrative details, including the inmate’s incarceration status and location. Inmate records are available to Virginia citizens in line with the Freedom of Information Act.

How To Find An Inmate In Virginia? 

The Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) provides an online platform that requestors may use to search for an inmate housed in any of the state’s facilities. The VADOC’s Offender Locator allows searches using the inmate’s last name or first name. The requestor may also use the first letter of the inmate’s first name if the full first name is unknown.

Alternatively, the search may also be conducted with the inmate’s offender I. D. Other options, to filter the search result, include the offender’s middle name, race, age range, and the expected date of release. The search result displays the inmate’s personal information such as gender, age, and race, as well as the inmate’s offender I. D., location, and release date.

To search for inmates in the state’s county jails, the requestor may check the county jail websites for online search tools. Where these tools are not available, contact the county jail through the provided contact details on the website. Alternatively, use the contact directory of Virginia county and regional jails, as provided by the Virginia Department of Education. 

How To Find A Federal Inmate In Virginia?

The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is the central repository for federal inmate records in Virginia. To locate a current or past federal inmate in any of Virginia’s federal penitentiaries, use the BOP’s inmate locator to search by name or by number.

The name search allows requestors to search for an inmate using the first name and last name. Other options to narrow the results for the name search include the middle name, race, age, and sex. As an alternative, the requestor may also search using any of the following numbers assigned to the inmate:

• Bureau of Prisons Register Number
• D.C. Department of Corrections Number
• Federal Bureau of Investigations Number
• Immigration and Naturalization Services Number

Note that the records provided by the BOP only go as far back as 1982. Federal inmate records before this time are available with the National Archives and Records Administration. To obtain these records, a requestor may order copies online or in person. The record request should include details about the inmate, including the middle name or initials, date of birth, approximate age at the time of incarceration, race, and approximate term dates.

How Do I Find Inmate Records In Virginia?

The Freedom of Information Act gives Virginia citizens the right to request and access inmate records across the state. Specifically, it provides citizens with the right to access these records either for inspection or to receive physical copies of such records.

Interested members of the public may find Virginia inmate records by querying law enforcement agencies in various jurisdictions. Requests can be made via mail, fax, email, in-person, or over the phone. Each request must contain the inmate’s name, I. D., and other details specific to the record requested. Requestors should also include personal information such as a full name, phone number, and email address. Note that requestors are not obligated to reveal the reason for making the request.

Requestors may choose to receive the records in person or by email. Regardless of the request method, the VADOC is required to respond within five working days from the date a request is received. Requests for inmate records cost varying fees depending on several factors. 

The requestor has a right to ask for an estimated cost of processing the required record before making an official request for the record. Where the cost of responding to the request is above $200, the VADOC will request an upfront payment of $200 before proceeding with processing. 

Upon receipt of the record, the requestor is required to pay the full cost of the request. Any requestor that delays payment for more than 30 days after receiving the record will no longer be allowed to make requests from the VADOC. 

To request inmate records, the requestor may contact the warden or superintendent of the facility where the inmate is housed. Alternatively, contact the VADOC headquarters using the information listed below:

Virginia Department of Corrections,

P. O. Box 26963

Richmond, VA 23261

Phone: (804) 674–3000

To get an inmate record from county jail, visit the county sheriff’s office’s website and follow the procedures laid down for requesting these records. Where there is no specified procedure, the requestor may contact the sheriff’s office, jail warden, or Freedom of Information Act officer.

Records that are considered public may be accessible from some third-party websites. These websites often make searching simpler, as they are not limited by geographic location, and search engines on these sites may help when starting a search for a specific or multiple records. To begin using such a search engine on a third-party or government website, interested parties usually must provide:

• The name of the person involved in the record, unless said person is a juvenile
• The location or assumed location of the record or person involved. This includes information such as the city, county, or state that the person resides in or was accused in

Third-party sites are independent of government sources and are not sponsored by these government agencies. Because of this, record availability on third-party sites may vary.

How To Put Money On Jail Inmates Book In Virginia?

The VADOC allows friends and family of the inmates to send money to the inmate accounts. To make deposits, interested persons should provide the inmate’s offender I. D. number to process the funds. These funds may be sent with JPay through several means including:

• Over the phone
• Online with a credit/debit card
• Through the JPay app
• Cash deposits
• Money orders

For cash deposits, friends and family may visit the nearest MoneyGram agent. Depositors are to provide information on the inmate such as the name and I. D. For payments over the phone, call JPay at 1 (800) 574–5729. 

Depositors must accompany all money orders with a deposit slip and mail them to:

JPay

P. O. Box 278170

Miramar, FL 33027

JPay makes the funds available to the inmate within three business days from receipt of the funds. Also, note that JPay charges additional fees on the transactions. These fees may vary based on the amount sent and the channel used. For example, for the transfer of funds between $200.01 and $300.00, the online channel costs $9.95, while payments over the phone cost $10.95. For walk-in deposits, interested persons would pay an additional $6.95. Note that JPay deposits may not exceed $300.