North Dakota Inmate Search

Inmate records in North Dakota contain information about persons arrested and held in any state detention facility. These records confirm that the individual was arrested and detained or convicted of a criminal offense. Inmate records are typically created by the facility where the inmate is held. Generally, North Dakota inmate records contain the following information on the inmate:

• Full name
• Date of birth
• Current location, including the address and contact information
• Estimated release date
• Booking photograph
• ID number
• Details of charges
• Sentence information
• Parole details

Anyone may request and obtain copies of inmate records under the North Dakota Public Records Law. Interested persons are not required to offer a reason for the inmate record request. However, sensitive or confidential records may be exempt from public disclosure.

Juvenile inmate records are also not accessible to the general public. Access to inmate records is strictly restricted to the following:

• The judge and staff of a juvenile court
• Parties to a juvenile court proceeding
• Parent or guardian of the juvenile inmate
• A private or public institution with supervisory or custody responsibilities over the juvenile
• An employee or agent of the North Dakota Department of Human Services who is investigating an individual working in a facility, home, or residence
• The staff of a juvenile advocacy center

North Dakota State Prisons

North Dakota is home to 4 state-run correctional facilities, each managed by the state’s Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. They include the North Dakota State Penitentiary, Missouri River Correctional Center, James River Correctional Center, and Heart River Correctional Center. The North Dakota State Penitentiary opened in 1885, making it its oldest correctional facility. It is also the largest male facility with up to 800 inmates. This historic prison accommodates offenders of various security levels, including death row offenders.

North Dakota State Penitentiary
3100 Railroad Avenue
P.O. Box 5521
Bismarck, ND 58506-5521
Phone: (701) 328-6100
Fax: (701) 328-6640

There is no specific facility for female offenders in North Dakota, as they are housed in other shared correctional facilities. However, some female offenders are held in the Dakota Women's Correctional and Rehabilitation Center in New England. This facility is managed by both the state of North Dakota and New England and houses female offenders of multiple security levels.

Dakota Women's Correctional and Rehabilitation Center
440 McKenzie Street,
New England, ND 58647
Phone: (701) 579-5100
Fax: (701) 579-5101

How To Find An Inmate In North Dakota?

The North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (NDDOCR) is responsible for the state’s detention facilities. The NDDOCR allows interested persons to find inmates in any state’s prisons through its Resident Lookup search function. Requestors may find records by entering the offender’s last name or the starting letters of the last name. The search result displays a list of records that match the queried name. Each record contains the inmate’s full name, date of birth, and expected release date. The record also displays the correctional facility, including contact details such as a phone number and an address.

Requestors may also locate inmates in the state’s county jails. Several counties in North Dakota provide online access to records of inmates currently incarcerated in their facilities. For example, requestors may find an online list of inmates in the Cass County Jail.

Each record shows the inmate’s name, date of birth, booking date and number, information about charges, and scheduled release date. Burleigh County also provides an online inmate search with the inmate’s full name and booking date.

How To Find A Federal Inmate In North Dakota?

There is no federal prison in North Dakota. However, interested persons may find North Dakota federal inmates if transferred by authorities to prisons outside the state. The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) allows public access to inmate records through its online inmate locator. Requestors may use this platform to search for federal inmates by number or name.

Finding a federal inmate by number requires entering at least one of the following identification numbers:

• BOP register number
• District of Columbia Department of Corrections (DCDC) number
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) number
• Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) number

Persons may also search through the inmate locator using the offender’s first and last names. Other optional queries available on the name search include the inmate’s age, sex, and race. The online platform also displays the inmate’s location and release date if available. The information available may be periodically reviewed under the First Step Act. Depending on several factors, including the inmate’s good conduct, estimated release dates may be reduced. Requestors are advised to constantly check the database for any changes.

The BOP’s database only includes inmate records dating back to 1982. People interested in older records may request this information directly from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). The NARA archive for inmate records contains information from the following federal facilities:

• Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, California (1934 - 1963)
• McNeil Island
• Fort Smith, Arkansas (1866—1900)
• United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth, Kansas (1895—1931)
• Atlanta Federal Penitentiary (1902—1921)

To request an inmate record from the NARA, fill out the contact form available on its website. Interested persons may also send a written request to the NARA by mail. Regardless of the contact method, requests must contain information about the desired record, including the following:

• Inmate’s full name, initials, and aliases
• Inmate’s ethnicity or race
• Inmate’s birth date or approximate age during sentence
• Sentence date or approximate date for the period the inmate was in custody

Send the above details and all other available information to:

The National Archives and Records Administration
8601 Adelphi Road
College Park, MD 20740–6001
Phone: (866) 272–6272

How Do I Find Inmate Records In North Dakota?

Physical copies of inmate records are generally obtainable from the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (NDDOCR). Interested persons may contact the NDDOCR with a written request for the record. Ensure that the request includes complete details of the inmate to assist the NDDOCR with finding the desired record. Note that requestors may be charged a copy fee.

Send the written request by mail to:

North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
Central Office
P.O. Box 1898
Bismarck, ND 58502–1898
Phone: (701) 328–6390
Fax: (701) 328–6651

If certain about the inmate’s location, send a written request directly to any of the following institutions:

North Dakota State Penitentiary
3100 Railroad Avenue
P.O. Box 5521
Bismarck, ND 58506–5521
Phone: (701) 328–6100
Fax: (701) 328–6640

Missouri River Correctional Center
1800 48th Avenue Southwest
P.O. Box 5521
Bismarck, ND 58506
Phone: (701) 328–9696
Fax: (701) 328–9690

James River Correctional Center
2521 Circle Drive
Jamestown, ND 58401
Phone: (701) 253–3660
Fax: (701) 253–3735

Dakota Women’s Correctional and Rehabilitation Center
440 McKenzie Street
New England, ND 58647
Phone: (701) 579–5100
Fax: (701) 579–5101

Contact the relevant North Dakota sheriff’s office for records of inmates in county jails. Note that the sheriff’s offices in the county jails may also charge a fee to make these copies available.

Records that are considered public may be accessible from some third-party websites. Operating independently of any federal, state, or local agency, such websites may simplify the search process as they are not limited by geographic location. In addition, third-party sites typically have search engines that can be used to filter specific or multiple records. To use third-party or government websites, interested parties may need to 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

However, third-party sites are independent of government sources and are not sponsored by these government agencies. Because of this, record availability cannot be guaranteed.

How to Put Money on Inmates' Books In North Dakota?

The North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (NDDOCR) allows family and friends to fund an inmate’s commissary account. Depositors may send money to the inmate online, by phone, or via money order. Regardless of the chosen method, depositors are required to provide some information on the inmate, such as a full name, inmate number, and all other available information. Note that none of the state prisons accept cash deposits.

Does North Dakota Use JPay for Inmates?

Yes. The North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation uses JPay for inmates. However, some county facilities offer other options. For example, persons may send funds to Cass County inmates online via a third-party payment platform. Interested persons are advised to contact the county jails directly for information on deposits.

Making deposits through JPay requires creating an account and posting the funds via a credit or debit card. Note that JPay may charge an additional transaction fee. Phone deposits are also possible by speaking with a live JPay agent who is available 24/7. Interested persons may call (800) 574-5729.

Depositors may also walk into any MoneyGram location to send funds to the inmate using cash. Visit a location and use 1304 as the receive code.

Inmates may also receive funds via money orders through JPay. To use this method, fill out the Money Order Deposit Form, which is also available in Spanish. Completing the money order involves providing the inmate’s full name, ID number, and current institution. The form also requires the depositor’s full name, address, phone number, email address, and birth date. Note that all fields are required. Money orders with omitted or improperly completed fields are generally returned to the depositor. The maximum amount for money order deposits is $999.99.