South Carolina Department of Corrections

South Carolina Department of Corrections manages and operates all the state prison in South Carolina.
To search for an inmate in South Carolina Department of Corrections follow the steps given below:

Knowing that a loved one is in jail can sometimes be traumatic and worrisome. The situation can even be made worse if you don't know exactly where in South Carolina they have been incarcerated. There are over 50 jails and 21 prisons in this state that cater to over 19,000 state prisoners and over 10000 jail detainees. Therefore, visiting each detention center or calling them to find an inmate can be time-consuming. 

How to do an Inmate Search  

Fortunately, it is relatively easy to locate an inmate in South Carolina if you know where to search. The South Carolina Department of Corrections runs the prison system in this state and offers public prison information on the internet via its website. However, the state doesn't allow interested parties to access records with past inmate information. 

To locate an inmate in South Carolina, you first need to know the facility or at least the county or the prisoner was booked. If you cannot locate an inmate in state and county jail, then perhaps they may be incarcerated in a federal facility whose system is yet to be integrated into the state's prison database. 

• County Jail Inmate Search 

Ordinarily, the local county sheriffs operate and run county jails. These holding facilities mainly deal with short-term incarcerations of offenders in the state. Mostly the detainees in these facilities include brief sentences, new arrests, and court-summoned prisoners. Furthermore, individuals sentenced to less than a year are typically found here. 

So, if you suspect your loved one is held in a South Carolina county jail, you can check out the online inmate roster from the sheriff's website. This will help you find out if the inmate is on the list of confined offenders. Alternatively, you can contact the sheriff's office for more information. 

• State Prison Inmate Search 

The South Carolina Department of Corrections runs and manages state prisons in South Carolina. The department allows the public to perform an inmate search in the state via the internet and phone. You can find an inmate using an offender locator tool where you can use the offender's full name and SCDC number as search parameters. The results displayed will show the inmate's mugshot, age, race, aliases, prison number, conviction, release date, and the facility they are confined. 

• Federal Agency Prisoner Inmate Locator 

Federal prisons incarcerate offenders found guilty of violating federal laws in South Carolina. Most prisoners in these penitentiaries include fiscal criminals, drug dealers, and weapon-related offenders. To find a federal prison inmate, you can access their websites to carry out an inmate search. You can also contact the SCDC for assistance or alternatively, try VINElink. It may require registration but it is a free service that helps interested parties to locate inmates in South Carolina and other states.