What Are Inmate Records?

Washington inmate records are documents that contain information about a person who is currently serving or has served a sentence in a correctional facility in the state. These records provide information such as the full name, age, gender, detention location, and offense committed. The Washington State Department of Corrections oversees all the state-owned prisons and grants access to inmate records.

Some basic information which the Department of Corrections provides are:

• Full name of the inmate
• The age and date of birth of the inmate
• Location and date of committal and release
• Parole date, mandatory release date and county jail credit time
• Supervision conditions and date of conditional discharge from supervision
• Date of execution
• Fines imposed 
• Race

How To Find An Inmate In Washington?

Persons interested in finding an inmate in a Washington State prison may do so using the inmate search function available on the Washington Department of Corrections’ website. Using the inmate search requires the requestor to provide the inmate’s first and last names or the six-digit Department of Corrections (DOC) identification number.

The search result displays the inmate’s Department of Corrections (DOC) number, full name, age, location held, and a Statewide Automated Victim Information and Notification (SAVIN) option. SAVIN allows interested persons to receive notifications on the inmate’s judicial process, including court, parole, and release dates.

Requestors seeking records on an inmate in a county jail may visit the county or sheriff’s office websites, to use online tools that may be available on these websites. Examples include the Pacific County Jail Roster and the Whitman County Inmate Listing. Some counties also have a daily jail register on their websites, which provides information including:

• Inmate name
• Booking date(s)
• Description of charge(s)
• Offense date(s)
• Bail bond information
• Arresting agency

On the other hand, a requestor may call or visit the county’s sheriff’s office or the county jail in-person to inquire about the desired inmate.

How To Find A Federal Inmate In Washington?

Persons who need to find a federal inmate in Washington may do so by using the find an inmate tab provided by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). The Bureau of Prisons inmate locator provides information on past and present inmates in Washington federal facilities. Interested persons may use the inmate locator to find records of inmates incarcerated from 1982 to date. To find these records, search using the inmate’s number or the inmate’s name.

Searching by number requires one of the following:

• Bureau of Prisons(BOP) register number
• DC Department of Corrections (DCDC) 
• Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) number 
• Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) number

To use the name search, the requestor should provide the inmate’s full name, race, sex, and age. Requestors may also contact The Seatac Federal Detention Center, Washington’s federal prison facility, using the following information:

2425 South 200th Street
Seattle, Washington 98198
Email: SET/ExecAssistant@bop.gov
Phone: 206–870–5700
Fax: 206–870–5717

How Do I Find Inmate Records In Washington?

Washington only allows public access to basic information on the state’s inmates. Interested persons may request this information from the Department of Corrections through any of the following means:

Via mail:
Department of Corrections
PO BOX 41100, Mail Stop 41100
Olympia, WA 98504–1100

In-Person:
Department of Corrections
7345 Linderson Way SW
Tumwater, WA 98501–6504 
By Phone - (360) 725–8213

A requestor may also access records online via the Electronic Request Portal provided by the Washington Department of Corrections. Alternatively, send an email to publicdisclosureunit@doc1.wa.gov  or DOCCorrespondenceUnit@doc.wa.gov  

A written request for records should contain:

• All available details on the records sought
• The requestor’s name and contact information 
• The date of the request 

Upon receiving a request, the Department of Corrections will respond within five business days. Note that printed copies of inmate records cost 15 cents per page, while electronic copies cost 10 cents per page. Persons requesting copies in an external storage device would pay the cost of the device.

Persons interested in physical copies of federal inmates may use the Freedom of Information Request Form available on the Bureau of Prisons website. Completing the form requires the requestor’s full name, email address, phone number, and other contact information. The requestor should also describe the records sought with as much information as possible. Note that a request fee may apply, and an additional cost may be incurred for an expedited request.

Alternatively, inquirers may find Washington inmate records by sending a written request to the Bureau of Prisons. The request should contain all relevant information on both the requestor and the inmate. Send the request by mail to:

FOIA/PA Section
Office of General Counsel, Room 924
Federal Bureau of Prisons
320 First Street, NW
Washington, DC 20534

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 Inmates Book In Washington?

Family and friends of inmates in Washington are allowed to deposit funds to an inmate’s trust account. Depositors may use the following means.

• JPay
• Western Union and 
• Cashier’s Check or Money Order

Depositors should note that funds paid into an inmate’s book are liable to certain deductions as stipulated by RCW 72.09.480. However, funds specifically sent for medical, educational, or postage expenses are exempt from deductions.

A depositor who wishes to send funds to more than one inmate must seek the superintendent’s approval. Multiple payments without this approval may be regarded as contraband funds and redirected to the state’s Offender Welfare Betterment Fund.

Depositors may also fund an inmate’s account via Western Union. Funds may be paid over the phone, in person, or online. To send money using Western Union, select the correct facility, and indicate the amount intended. The process requires the facility’s city code and the inmate’s account number. Note that the inmate’s account number is a combination of the inmate’s Department of Corrections number and the inmate’s last name. 

Family members and friends may also send money using a cashier’s check or money order. Personal checks will be rejected.

A cashier’s check or money order may be paid into any of the inmate’s sub-accounts. There are four sub-account classes which are:

• Spendable: An Unrestricted account available for inmate’s use
• Postage: Restricted for the use of postal charges 
• Medical: For use restricted to health care 
• Education: Used to pay for educational materials, tuition fees, and other similar educational charges

Persons interested in making payments for a specified purpose must mark the cashier’s check or money order with the sub-account class name.

Money order or cashier’s check can be sent via mail to the correctional facility where the inmate is held. The process requires that the outer envelope be properly addressed with the following information written:

• inmate’s full name
• The inmate’s DOC number
• The facility address where the inmate is held, and
•  A return address with the full name of the sender.

Money orders and cashier’s checks should be made out to the intended inmate with the inmate’s full name and DOC number written on the check or in the appropriate column of the money order.

Depositors may use the JPay platform to send money to an inmate. This can be done by opening a JPay account on the platform and following the prompts. To open an account, the depositor must provide the inmate’s Department of Corrections number.

For inquiries on payment options, contact JPay by calling customer support at (800) 574-JPAY (5729). Alternative, send a mail to:

JPay LLC
10981 Marks Way
Miramar, FL 33025 

The process to fund an inmate’s county jail account depends on the detention facility. General options include:

• Physical Drop Off

Depositors may visit the jail facility in-person to deposit funds in the inmate’s account via a payment kiosk or desk officer.

• Online Payment

County jails may have online platforms where depositors make pay into inmate accounts remotely. Online channels require the inmate’s name and ID, as well as an approved debit or credit card. Note that this usually attracts a transaction fee.

• Money Orders

Some county jails accept money orders directly, or via third-party platforms such as Western Union. Making a payment via a money order also requires the inmate’s name, ID, and other details to be clearly stated on the money order.

• Phone Deposits

Depositors may make use of a phone deposit option. The payer must be certain that the service vendor covers the county or facility in question. This process requires the inmate’s full name and ID, along with a credit or debit card to effect payment.

Note that the different payment channels may stipulate a maximum amount that may be deposited in an inmate’s book. This figure may also depend on the facility or the county. Depositors are advised to confirm this before going ahead with payment.