Oklahoma Inmate Search

Oklahoma's prison system comprises a network of facilities designed to detain, manage, and rehabilitate individuals convicted of crimes or awaiting trial or sentencing. This system currently consists of 22 state prisons (two of these are women-only facilities), two federal facilities, two private prisons, and about 95 local jails across the state's 77 counties. Oklahoma has a relatively high incarceration rate of 563 per 100,000 Oklahomans, with an average of 23,000 offenders held in state prisons and 11,000 in local jails – federal prisons are also estimated to house about 2,500 inmates.

The Oklahoma Department of Corrections is responsible for administering the state's prisons and overseeing the private facilities, while county sheriffs and the Federal Bureau of Prisons operate the local jails and federal prisons, respectively. Note that, in addition to the federal, state, and local jails, Oklahoma also has about 11 detention centers and several other facilities designed specifically for juvenile offenders.

Oklahoma Inmate SearchPrison in Oklahoma
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According to the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, the state's correctional system includes 22 state prisons (including 2 women-only facilities), 2 federal facilities, 2 private prisons, and 95 local jails across 77 counties. The system houses approximately 23,000 state inmates, 11,000 county inmates, and 2,500 federal inmates, with an incarceration rate of 563 per 100,000 residents. The state also operates 11 juvenile detention centers.

Oklahoma Department of Corrections Inmate Search

The Oklahoma Department of Corrections (ODOC) oversees the state's prison system and is responsible for managing state correctional facilities, monitoring private prisons, and administering parole and community supervision programs. The ODOC keeps detailed records of all offenders under its custody and supervision and provides interested members of the public with access to some of this information through its OK Offender Search tool.

Interested parties can use this tool to search for inmates in ODOC custody by name or number and obtain basic information on the desired inmate. This usually includes their full name, known aliases, date of birth, physical description/identifying features, photos, offense details, and sentencing information.

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Find Inmate by Name

Running a name-based search is usually the easiest and most common way to find offenders in Oklahoma state prisons. Members of the public who wish to use this option to locate inmates simply have to input the offender's first and/or last name into the indicated fields on the DOC's OK Offender Search tool. The search will generate a list of all offenders in the state's prison system whose names match with the letters inputted in the search field, in the order that the letters were typed. For example, running a search for the name "John" will return a list of all inmates whose first or last name is John (depending on which field the name was inputted into), as well as inmates with names beginning with these four letters, such as "Johnny," "Johnson,", "Johnnie," and so on.

Users also have the option of including alias data and similar-sounding names in the generated results when running a name-based search on the OK Offender Search tool. Note that the returned list from all name-based searches will also include offenders whose status is "INACTIVE." This term is used to refer to individuals who are no longer under ODOC supervision. Available information on these offenders is somewhat limited compared to that of active offenders, and may not include certain details, like the person's photo and sentencing information.

User

Find Inmate by Number

When an offender is admitted into an Oklahoma state prison, they are issued a unique identification number, referred to as their OK DOC Number. This number is used to track the inmate within the prison system and manage information (related to the inmate). Interested parties can also use this number to locate inmates in an Oklahoma state prison by simply inputting the number into the indicated field on the OK Offender Search tool.

Number-based searches are considered a more efficient option for locating offenders in the Oklahoma prison system, as they eliminate the issue of long lists being generated, especially when searching for inmates with common names. However, given that OK DOC numbers are unique to each inmate, inputting a wrong number will either lead to no result being returned or return information on a different inmate.

Jail

Find Inmate by Jail Type

Members of the public cannot search for offenders in Oklahoma prisons by jail or facility type. However, results from searches conducted on the OK Offender Search (both name- and number-based) list the current facility where the offender is being incarcerated. Clicking on the facility listed (on the search result) leads to a webpage that provides details on the ODOC's facilities, including contact information and directions to these facilities.

What Information is Contained in an Oklahoma Inmate Record?

An Oklahoma inmate record typically contains general information on the offender and the offense(s) that led to their incarceration, such as:

  • The offender's full name and known aliases
  • The offender's date of birth
  • The offender's gender, race, photos, and other appearance and identifying details like their height, weight, hair and eye color
  • The offender's ID number, status, and current facility
  • The offender's sentencing information. This includes a list of the offenses they were convicted for, the court that handled the case, the date of the conviction, and the term imposed
  • The offender's admission and discharge dates. These are the dates they were admitted into prison and released, respectively. Note that, for inmates still in custody, the discharge date usually just reads "Active."

Oklahoma Inmate Records by Counties

Local jails in Oklahoma are typically run by the county sheriff's office in the jurisdiction where the jail is located. These county sheriff's offices maintain records of offenders under their custody and provide interested parties with access to these records, which typically contain details like the offender's full name, offense details, and booking information.

Interested parties looking to access local inmate records in Oklahoma may do so by contacting the jail where the offender in question was or is being held. The process for obtaining copies of these records generally involves submitting a written request and paying a fee; however, some jurisdictions may have additional requirements. Many county sheriff's offices also offer online search portals/inmate locator tools (usually hosted on their official websites) that can be used to access information on offenders in their respective jurisdictions. Be aware that county sheriffs typically only maintain and provide access to records of offenders arrested and jailed in their respective jurisdictions.

Are Incarceration Records Public Information in Oklahoma?

Per the Oklahoma Open Records Act, any record generated or received by a government agency (in the state) as part of its official functions, is generally considered public information. As such, most records held by the state's Department of Corrections and local jails are publicly accessible.

However, while information like an offender's appearance and identifiers, status, sentence details, and location can be readily accessed by interested parties, certain incarceration records are restricted from public disclosure. These include an inmate's medical records and juvenile offender records. The discharge/release date for inmates still in custody is also usually restricted to parties with a legitimate need for this information.

Federal Prisons in Oklahoma

The U.S. federal prison system, which was formally established in 1891 and is administered by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP), comprises a network of facilities with varying security levels that hold individuals convicted of federal offenses. Below is a list of the federal prisons currently operating in Oklahoma:

Prison NameLocationTotal Inmate PopulationSecurity LevelNotes
Federal Correctional Institution (FCI), El RenoEl Reno1,161Medium SecurityFCI El Reno is an all-male facility with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp housing approximately 12% of its total inmate population.
Federal Transfer Center (FTC), Oklahoma CityOklahoma City1,453N/AFTC Oklahoma City is an administrative facility capable of holding inmates in all security categories. This facility houses male and female inmates and serves as the BOP's primary transfer hub. To this end, offenders are typically only held here for a few days or weeks before being transferred to their final incarceration facility.

The BOP provides an online inmate locator tool that can be used to find inmates in the federal prisons located in Oklahoma. Searches can be done on this tool by name or various ID numbers (a BOP Register Number, DCDC Number, FBI Number, or an INS Number); name-based searches can also be filtered by race, age, and sex. Note that information on federal inmates incarcerated before 1982 cannot be accessed via this tool.

Frequently Asked Questions about Inmate Records

You can request copies of public records from the Oklahoma Department of Corrections by completing and submitting an Open Records Request Form to the department online. Be aware that fees may apply. If the required records are for an inmate no longer in custody, then a Closed Records Request Form may have to be submitted instead.

You can look up information on offenders in Oklahoma online via the ODOC's OK Offender Search tool. Note that this tool only offers details on inmates in a state prison. Nonetheless, many county sheriffs offer online portals to look up inmates in their local jails; you can also find federal inmates online using the BOP's inmate locator tool.

You can access old inmate records by contacting the ODOC or the appropriate county sheriff's office (for local inmate records). Note that, for ODOC records, you may need to submit a Closed Records Request Form (if the record is required for personal use) or an Open Records Request Form (if it is needed for legal purposes). You may also be able to access old inmate records via the Oklahoma Department of Libraries' State Archives and other public databases.

Interested parties may obtain copies of an inmate's death records by contacting the ODOC or county jail where the inmate was incarcerated. Copies of an inmate's death certificate may also be obtained from the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

Note that, per Oklahoma law , death records less than 50 years old are considered confidential and may only be accessed by specific parties. These include the decedent's immediate family, a legal representative of their estate, and individuals who can establish a familial relationship with them. Nevertheless, the Department of Health maintains a free searchable index ( OK2Explore ) that can be used to get limited information on deaths that occurred at least five years ago (from the search date).

Inmate information is typically published/updated on local and state search portals and locator databases within 24 hours.

The ODOC partners with JPay to facilitate payments into inmates' accounts. This company offers several options for depositing these funds, such as online payments, mobile apps, and telephone deposits, cash deposits at MoneyGram locations, or by mailing a money order or cashier's check.

On the other hand, local jails often have varying procedures for sending money to offenders in their custody. As such, it is a good idea to contact the jail where inmates of interest are being held to find out their available options for funding inmates' accounts.