Mississippi Inmate Records

Mississippi has one of the highest incarceration rates in the United States at 661 per 100,000 residents. This is extremely higher than the national average of 355. Over 1% of male residents of all ages in the state are serving prison sentences of more than 1 year in state-run correctional facilities. An estimated 19,802 inmates are confined in Mississippi state-operated prisons, while about 6,510 are held in local jails. Similarly, the private prisons in the state house approximately 2,252 inmates, and about 1,900 federal offenders are incarcerated in federal prisons.

Each of the inmates incarcerated in the Mississippi prison system has their records maintained by the authority or agency in charge of the correctional facility in which they are confined. In other words, the local, state, and federal agencies responsible for running the correctional facilities at all levels in the state keep accurate and up-to-date information about all inmates in their custody.

Inmate records maintained by each prison authority in Mississippi contain varying information, but a typical record will have the following details:

• Inmate Personal Information - This includes the inmate's name, date of birth, gender, race, mugshot, hair color, complexion, eye color, height, build, and weight.
• Court Case Details - These include trial details, case numbers, court orders, and judgment.
• Arrest Information - This includes the arrest location, the arrest date, arrest charges, details of the arresting agency, the arrest warrant, and the time of the arrest.
• Offense and Sentence Details - These include the number of sentences, offense type, sentence length for each offense, total length of combined sentences, sentence date (for each offense), and the county of conviction.
• Parole and Release Information - This shows an inmate's eligibility for parole, parole status, and the tentative release date.

Are Inmate Records Public in Mississippi?

Inmate records generated and maintained by relevant public agencies in Mississippi are considered public information under the state's Public Records Act. As a result, any individual has the right to inspect or obtain a copy of an inmate's record, subject to certain procedures regarding time, cost, and method of access.

Although most inmate records in Mississippi are subject to public inspection and copying, certain ones, like sealed, expunged, and juvenile inmate records, are exempt from public disclosure. Also, certain details like medical information, financial records, mental health records, hospital records, and investigative records in any inmate record in the state are considered confidential. Such details are often redacted from an inmate's record before making the record accessible to the public.

What Agencies Are Responsible for Inmate Records in Mississippi?

The following are some of the agencies responsible for inmate records in Mississippi:

• The Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) - The Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) prioritizes protecting and promoting public safety by confining offenders who are convicted of violating state laws in state-run prisons. It is largely responsible for keeping records of such inmates. Inmates housed in MDOC's 7 state-operated correctional institutions are mostly individuals sentenced for violent crimes and some non-violent offenses. The state equally has several other correctional facilities under the supervision of the MDOC, including 15 regional correctional facilities, 7 community work centers, 3 restitution centers, and 2 technical violation centers, as well as various probation and parole offices statewide.
• Police Departments - The local police departments in Mississippi are the primary custodians of arrest records for all arrests executed within their jurisdiction. Similarly, the state's Department of Public Safety (DPS) maintains the state's criminal records, which typically include arrest records and may be accessed through the Criminal Information Center (CIC). While police departments do not provide custody for convicted offenders, the records of arrests leading to their convictions are a part of inmate records.
• County Sheriff's Offices - The sheriff's office in each county is tasked with running the local jails in their localities, managing the facilities, and maintaining up-to-date and accurate records of inmates in the custody of such jails. The state has about 77 county jails where convicted offenders serve short sentences for misdemeanor crimes, and persons awaiting trial are kept. Those awaiting transfer to state-run correctional institutions are also temporarily held in local jails.
• Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) - The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) operates one federal prison in Mississippi and ensures the maintenance of accurate records of all inmates held in the prison facility. Typically, only individuals convicted of federal crimes in the state are housed in the federal prison located in the state, where such persons serve the prison terms handed down to them. However, individuals awaiting trial for violating federal laws in Mississippi may also be confined in a federal prison in the state.

How To Search an Inmate's Information in Mississippi

Individuals sentenced to incarceration in Mississippi are held in state, local, private, or federal correctional facilities, depending on the type of offense committed. Hence, it is vital to know where an inmate is housed to find their records or obtain certain information regarding them.

Find an inmate in the Mississippi State Prisons

If the inmate whose record is sought is incarcerated in any of Mississippi's state-operated correctional facilities, use the MDOC's Inmate Search system. To conduct an inmate search through this system, select the name or MDOC ID number of the inmate as the search criterion and enter the correct parameter in the appropriate field before clicking the "Search" button. The search result typically displays the inmate's personal information, offense details, sentence information, and tentative release date.

Although an inmate search conducted on the MDOC's Inmate Search System often reveals good information, it is possible to access more detailed and comprehensive records of inmates by visiting the state-run facility where they are held. Typically, the custodian will be required to provide certain information to enable them to initiate the search and locate the file of the inmate whose detailed information is sought. However, this service may come at a small fee.

Find an Inmate in Local Jail

To find an inmate in any of Mississippi's local jails and obtain information regarding them, use the online inmate search tool provided by the county sheriff's office in charge of the facility where the inmate is held. Most of the local jails in the state have their inmate locators or rosters maintained on the sheriff's website, where they are publicly accessible. Interested persons will largely be able to conduct inmate searches using information such as the name, ID number, admission date, gender, and offense of inmates as the search criteria.

When looking to access or find more detailed information about any inmate held in a local jail in Mississippi, visiting the facility where the inmate is physically held is often advised. To avoid a long waiting time, contact the custodian in advance to determine if scheduling an appointment is required for walk-in services. Generally, the custodian will need basic information that can help facilitate the search and locate the sought inmate's records.

Find an Inmate in Federal Prison

The first place to look when finding information regarding an inmate housed in Yazoo City FCC, Mississippi's only federal correctional facility, is the BOP Inmate Locator. This Inmate Locator has records of all inmates incarcerated in federal prisons across the United States from 1982 to the present and allows name-based and BOP register number-based searches. Information obtained from an inmate lookup conducted with the BOP Inmate Locator includes an inmate's full name, release date, location, gender, BOP registration number, and status.

How Can I Access Old Inmate Records?

Inmate lookup conducted through online inmate search tools provided by the MDOC, BOP, and county sheriff's offices in Mississippi can only return information regarding inmates who are currently housed in prisons/jails. Depending on where a former inmate whose record is sought was incarcerated during their prison term, the first place to look when trying to access information about them is the Archives.

Records of old inmates incarcerated in state-run prisons in Mississippi but already released from the prison system may be available through the state's Department of Archives and History. Otherwise, interested persons may submit a public records request to the MDOC online. Similarly, records of former inmates who were incarcerated in the federal prison operating in Mississippi may be accessed from the National Archives or by submitting a FOIA request to the BOP. The BOP accepts FOIA requests submitted by email and mail. Inmate records obtained by submitting public records requests to any agency are usually detailed.

Alternatively, anyone looking to obtain detailed records of inmates who were previously incarcerated in Mississippi may consider visiting the correctional facility where such inmates served their prison or jail terms. Each prison or jail facility in the state has a record custodian whose responsibilities include disseminating inmate records upon request.

Furthermore, with credible third-party websites like Mississippipublicrecords.us, members of the public may access records of former inmates who were previously incarcerated within the state's prison system, although at a small fee. These sites are independently run and typically collate public records and upload them to their databases, where they remain accessible anytime.

Can I Find a Mississippi Inmate Record for Free?

Yes. Each prison or jail authority in Mississippi offers members of the public an online inmate search system that fosters free public access to certain information regarding the inmates in prisons or jail facilities. However, the BOP Inmate Locator will not provide information about offenders in correctional facilities overseen by the state's Department of Corrections and county sheriff's offices. The same applies to the MDOC's Inmate Search System and the inmate search resources offered by county sheriff's offices.

While they are not free, third-party sites like Mississippipublicrecords.us provide centralized access to records of all inmates housed in local, state, and federal correctional facilities in the state. In other words, regardless of where an inmate is held in the state, these sites are like one-stop databases of information for all inmates serving time within the Mississippi prison system.

Jails and Prisons in Mississippi

The Mississippi prison system has varying correctional facilities, which are categorized as follows based on how they are being managed:

• State Prisons - Mississippi state-owned prisons are run by the state's Department of Corrections (MDOC), which oversees 7 prisons, as well as 15 regional correctional facilities, 7 community work centers, 2 technical violation centers, and 3 restitution centers.
• Local Jails - The county sheriff's offices are responsible for the inmates housed in about 77 local jails across the state.
• Federal Prisons - There is only one federal prison in Mississippi, and it is managed by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).
• Private Prisons - Mississippi has 2 privately run prisons. These facilities are under contract with the MDOC but are managed by the Management and Training Corporation (MTC).

State Prisons in Mississippi

Some of the state-run correctional institutions in Mississippi are listed in the table below:

Private Prisons in Mississippi

The two privately operated prisons in Mississippi are listed below:

• Wilkinson County Correctional Facility
• East Mississippi Correctional Facility

Mississippi Inmate Statistics

• Mississippi Incarceration Rate - 661 per 100,000 residents
• Male Incarceration Rate - 1,256 per 100,000 males
• Female Incarceration Rate - 100 per 100,000 females
• Youth Custody Rate - 56 per 100,000 youths
• Number of Prisoners in Private Prisons - 2,252
• Black/White Imprisonment Disparity - 2.6:1
• Latino/White Imprisonment Disparity - 0.5:1
• Number of offenders under community supervision - 1,751 per 100,000 people
• Number on probation - 1,295 per 100,000 people
• Number on parole - 411 per 100,000 people
• Felony Disenfranchisement Rate - 3.1%

* Source: United States Bureau of Justice Statistics