As of 2022, the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision is the department that maintains the state prisons and parole system. There are 44 prisons funded by New York and about 28,200 parolees at seven regional offices. New York does not contract with private prisons at this time.

Inmate Record Check

Arrests, Mugshot, Recent Bookings


New York City and every county in the state operate local jails to house individuals sentenced to no more than one year of incarceration, whose cases are pending, and those waiting to transfer to a state prison. In 2020, the number of prisoners under the jurisdiction of New York correctional authorities was approximately 13,600 incarcerated in local jails. Most jails are located in New York counties, and there are 62 counties with jails, five of which coexist within New York City’s five boroughs.

Inmate and Jail Roster Search

To find an inmate in custody in New York City (Riker’s Island, the largest facility) is very easy. You need to follow the instructions on the NYC Department of Correction website. Type in the full name of the inmate, and the following information populates:

  • No Mugshot
  • Name:
  • NYSDID:
  • Year of Birth:
  • Sex:
  • Race:
  • Height:
  • Weight:
  • Hair Color:
  • Eye Color:
  • Nativity:
  • Book & Case Number
  • Arrest Date:
  • Arrest Number:
  • Release Date:
  • Discharge Reason:
  • Warrants:

To find an inmate in a county jail, locate the county’s name, go to that county’s website, and information will be available. For example, the Albany County, New York jail is located on Albany Shaker Road in Colonie, NY. This facility is one of the largest county correctional facilities in New York and has a maximum of 1043 beds. The current staff is 420, who maintain the facility’s day-to-day operations.

To deposit money into an inmate’s account, use the kiosk in the lobby. The kiosk accepts cash, Mastercard, or Visa.
Online: Visit accesscorrections.com or call 1-866-345-1884 to deposit money.
You can find an inmate in any county in New York by using VINE on their New York website. You must create an account to see the date of birth, full ID number, and other arrest and release information.

The basic information that populates is:

  • Mugshot:
  • Full name:
  • Age:
  • Gender:
  • Race:
  • ID Number:
  • Custody Status:
  • County:
  • Book Date:

VINE strives for accuracy but cannot guarantee correctness.

Visiting Guidelines and Hours

In-person visits in the New York Rikers Island facility only operate on a walk-in basis. You do not need to register.

Visits are allowed on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. To do an in-person visit, you must arrive at Rikers Islan Central Visits or VCBC during the hours listed below:
Wednesday and Thursday registration hours are 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday registration hours are 8:00 am to 12:00 pm

  • Visitors must arrive during these registration hours to be processed for a visit.
  • Televises operate on Fridays.
  • Visitors need to check the visitation schedule to be sure their friend or family member is eligible for a visit. You can visit the Visit Schedule page for more information (on the Family

Visits Website of www.nyc.gov/site/doc/inmate).
No packages are accepted during in-person visits.

Televisits can be accessed from your home. You need an electronic device with a camera, an internet connection, and an active email account. Three individuals can participate in one televisit at one time.

To schedule a televisit, fill out the information requested on the web form. Once you have been confirmed, you will receive a confirmation email including the date and time of the televisit. An access link will also be provided.

Note that not every televisit will be approved.

Visit the Televisit page for more information.

Direct Inmate Communications

Phone Calls

Upon transfer or return to a facility, inmates can make one collect telephone call to his/her family. Calls from inmates need to be collect calls to their approved list.
Emailing an Inmate

The Inmate Tablet Program is being implemented. A secure vendor provides each inmate access to a tablet containing educational materials. Inmates can purchase music, videos (approved), and e-books, plus communicate with family and friends as approved by the Department. Tablets do not have access to the internet.
Secure messaging to and from family and friends must have established an account with the kiosk service provider and registered the inmate to their account. Incoming emails or attachments will not be printed. Incoming and outgoing messages are subject to screening.

Outgoing Mail

Outgoing mail must be well-marked with the inmate’s DIN and correctional facility address. There must be clear indications that the letter is from a correctional facility.

Incoming Mail

Incoming mail to all counties is to be addressed to:

  • Inmates Full Names
  • CO Corrections Mail
  • PO Box
  • 11 New Karner Road
  • Guilderland, NY 12084

You will need the following information to send a letter or package to an inmate. Use the required postage.

  • Inmate’s full name
  • Inmate’s book and case number
  • Full name and address of the facility where the inmate is housed.

A listing for the Correction Facilities is located at the https://wwwnyc.gov/site. Here, you will find a listing of all the Rikers Island Facilities. If you are looking for an inmate in another facility, you can find the address and location on each county’s website or use the address listed above.
For all counties: All prisoner correspondence will be processed, opened, and inspected to ensure the absence of contraband. It is then scanned and made available to the individual prisoner it was intended for, accessible by an individual account created by the prisoner.

Sending Money to Inmates

While in custody, prisoners must use their inmate accounts for all transactions. Inmates cannot possess cash, which is considered contraband. The DOCs has the following ways to receive cash:

  • By phone – call the toll-free numbers listed on the website for the participating money transfer agents.
  • Use a credit or debit card.
  • By Internet – log on to the website of one of the money transfer agents. You can use a credit or debit card to pay.
  • Access money transfer agent websites through DOC’s inmate lookup system available on DOC’s public website.
  • Walk In – go to one of the offices participating in money transfers.
  • Kiosk – at the DOC cashier office, there are kiosks where you can deposit money for an inmate. Check out the types of ways you can deposit money. One of the money transfer agent’s kiosks only accepts cash.

All ways to transfer money by a money transfer agent will require fees. The fee does vary among agents. DOC does not receive any of the fees.
There is no fee if you deposit money directly at a DOC cashier’s window.
To transfer money to an inmate, you must supply the inmate’s full name, booking, and case number.
Some of the money transfer agents include:

JPay, 800-574-JPAY. You can use this agent to transfer money by phone, internet, walk-in, and kiosks (cash only).
Western Union – 800-325-6000. Transfers can be made by phone, internet, and walk-in. The City Code required by Western Union is NYCITYDOC, and the State Code is NY. You need these codes to make a deposit.

Use the Inmate Lookup System to send money:

  • Go to www.nyc.gov/doc
  • Find the inmate lookup box.
  • Click Look up Inmate.
  • Enter the inmate’s NYSID or Booking and Case Number or the inmate’s full name and date of birth. Age also works. You will be taken to a listing for the inmate.
  • On the page for the inmate, click the Send Money button.
  • You will find an instruction page. Click on the logo for the money transfer agent, and this takes you to the money transfer agent’s website.
  • Follow the directions on the agent’s website.

Inmate Records

In Public Criminal Records, you will find criminal records, criminal history, historical records, criminal information, public records, background history, and federal records.
To search for inmate records, you must know the inmate’s full name, the facility where they are incarcerated, the admission date, or identification number. Census data will not work. You can also use the date of conviction if you have it. Summary information about inmates can be released to the public under law. However, access to information, including probate, parole medical, and criminal history, is restricted. Access to that information in inmate records is determined by Archives staff on a case-by-case basis. You can call the sheriff’s department in each county for permission for records.

Booking Procedures

After an arrest, they are usually searched, transported to the precinct, and fingerprinted. Mugshots are taken at the precinct. The arrestee may not be brought directly to court from the precinct for certain offenses. If eligible, a Desk Appearance Ticket may require the individual to appear in court at a future date.

Mug Shots

Mugshots are generally taken of all arrestees, but these mugshots may be withheld from general distribution. New York also has a complete ban on releasing almost all arrest and booking information, including mugshots. This was a “push” by NY Governor Andrew Cuomo to include a mugshot ban.
Information about New York

New York is located in the northeastern United States. It is a mid-Atlantic state and has an international border with Canada. There are 19.7 million residents in New York, and the state is the fourth most populated area in the Nation. New York was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that formed the United States. Originally, the area was inhabited by tribes of the Algonquians and the Iroquois, but the Dutch established a colony in 1621 that contributed to driving the Indians out.

New York boasts 22 national parks and four national heritage areas. Twenty-seven national natural landmarks, 262 historical landmarks, and 5,379 lists on the National Register of Historic Places. New York is worth a visit to see the Statue of Liberty National Monument, the 911 Visitors Center, and the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area.

If you visit New York State, you will find ten economic regions, including Western New York, Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, Central New York, North Country, Mohawk Valley, Capital District Hudson Valley, New York City, and Long Island. Each area contains a rich history that would be well worth a visit.


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Inmate Record Check

Arrests, Mugshot, Recent Bookings