Kentucky Inmate Search

Kentucky inmate records contain personal and incarceration details of persons in prisons and correctional facilities. Kentucky inmate records are maintained by the state’s Department of Corrections and the sheriff’s offices across the state. Records managed by the Kentucky Department of Corrections (KYDOC) are for inmates in state correctional institutions, while the sheriff’s offices maintain inmate records for inmates in the county jail. Typical Kentucky inmate records include:

• Inmate’s full name and known aliases
• Inmate’s demographics such as race, gender, and date of birth
• Physical descriptors such as tattoos, height, weight, and hair color
• Mugshot
• Arrest and booking details
• Primary and secondary charges
• Bail and bond amounts
• Incarceration date
• Court information

Under the Kentucky Open Records Act, individuals are permitted to inspect or copy inmate records upon request, except where the record is exempted by law or court order. Examples of exempted information on inmate records may include sealed arrest records and juvenile records.

Kentucky State Prisons

Under the Kentucky Department of Corrections, the Division of Adult Institutions oversees 14 prisons, including Blackburn Correctional Complex, Eastern KY Correctional Complex, the Luther Luckett Correctional Complex (LLCC), and Kentucky State Penitentiary. The Luther Luckett Correctional Complex is the state's largest prison. Opened in 1981, the LC is a Medium-Maximum facility with a capacity of 1200 and consists of five living units.

Luther Luckett Correctional Complex,
1612 Dawkins Road,
P.O. Box 6,
LaGrange, Kentucky 40031,
(502) 222-0363,
(502) 222-0365,
Fax: (502) 222-8112

Kentucky also has two state-run correctional facilities for women: the Western Kentucky Correctional Complex, a medium-security facility that houses up to 693 offenders, and the Kentucky Correctional Institution for Women (KCIW), a multi-custody prison that houses first offenders as well as offenders serving life or death row.

Western Kentucky Correctional Complex,
374 New Bethel Church Road,
Fredonia, KY 42411,
(Lyon County),
Phone: (270) 388-9781,
Fax: (270) 388-0031

How To Find An Inmate In Kentucky?

Persons interested in finding inmates in these institutions may visit the facility or use the Kentucky Online Offender Lookup tool (KOOL) on the DOC website.

The KOOL tool allows users to find inmates with as little known inmate information as possible. Users may provide an inmate’s last name, first name, or middle name to perform a search. The tool allows users to include inmates with matching aliases or inmates with mugshots in the search results. An advanced feature on the tool search may be used to obtain a more accurate search result. The advanced feature includes filter options such as:

• Offender type;
• DOC number;
• PID number;
• supervision status;
• Location type;
• Race;
• Gender;
• Crime type and date;
• Conviction date and county;
• Kentucky Revised Statutes Code (KRS);
• Escape or abscond date;
• The projected release date.

Users may search for inmates who have served their time, escaped inmates, death row inmates, inmates undergoing a pre-trial diversion program, inmates out on probation, parole, and under community supervision.

Upon providing a known inmate date, the lookup tool returns a list of inmates matching the information provided by the requester, along with the inmate’s current location, PID/DOC number, and offense counts. To view a more comprehensive record of the inmate, select the name matching the inmate in question. Additional information may be viewed on the personalized inmate pages, such as:

• Mugshots
• Expected time to serve
• Good time release date
• Inmate status
• Age
• Race
• Gender
• Aliases and physical descriptors.

Residents can contact the local arresting agency for inmate records to find inmates incarcerated in county jails. Most local jail administrators provide inmate information on their website for easy public access.

How To Find A Federal Inmate In Kentucky?

Kentucky has five federal correctional facilities: Ashland Federal Correctional Institution, Big Sandy U.S. Penitentiary, Lexington Federal Medical Center, Manchester Federal Correctional Institution, and McCreary U.S. Penitentiary. Interested persons may find inmates in any of these federal prisons through the Federal Bureau of Prisons website. Of these prisons, the largest federal penitentiary in Kentucky is the United States Penitentiary, Big Sandy, which houses a population of up to 1,441 offenders. Additionally, the Federal Medical Center (FMC) Lexington is the only facility that houses female federal offenders in the state.

USP Big Sandy,
1197 Airport Road,
Inez, KY 41224
Phone: (606) 433-2400,
Fax: (606) 433-2577

FMC Lexington
3301 Leestown Road,
Lexington, KY 40511,
Phone: (859) 255-6812,
Fax: (859) 253-8821

The BOP inmate locator tool allows anyone to locate a federal inmate incarcerated from 1982 to the present. BOP advises persons interested in finding release dates for federal inmates via the tool to check back on the site for changes. Due to the First Step Act, inmate sentences are sometimes reviewed and recalculated in line with good conduct time changes. Hence, current release date information on the BOP website may not reflect the most recent information available for an inmate.

Users may find federal inmates with the inmate locator tool by providing an inmate’s name or number. The BOP allows users to provide any of the four known inmate numbers:

• Bureau of Prison Registration (BOP) register number
• D.C. Department of Corrections (DCDC) number
• The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) number
• The Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) number assigned to the inmate upon incarceration

The BOP does not have records for all inmates released from federal prisons before 1982. Therefore, persons interested in obtaining records for federal inmates released before 1982 are advised to forward their requests directly to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). A federal inmate record request to NARA typically includes:

• Inmate’s last and first names, and a middle name or initial
• Inmate’s date of birth
• Inmate’s ethnicity or race
• Approximate dates in prison

How Do I Find Inmate Records In Kentucky?

Persons interested in securing a Kentucky inmate record may print a copy of the information provided on the KOOL tool's result page. The result page offers basic information on the inmate in question. However, this photocopy may not suffice for legal representation as it is not a certified copy.

Interested persons may also contact the Kentucky DOC to obtain an inmate record. Under the Kentucky Open Records Act, the DOC makes inmate records open for inspection or copy, except in cases where records have been exempted in line with Kentucky statutes. To obtain an inmate record, send an email to correctionsopenrecords@ky.gov. Requesters are advised to include a mailing address on their requests for any further correspondence.

Similarly, requesters may provide the full name of the inmate, birth date, and any other relevant inmate information by mail or fax to:

Department of Corrections
Offender Information Services
RE: Open Records Request
P.O. Box 2400
Frankfort, KY 40202
Fax: (502) 564–9836

The Kentucky DOC charges 10 cents per page. Electronic records placed on a compact disc cost $1 plus postage, while electronic records placed on a USB drive cost approximately $2.50, plus postage. Requesters typically receive a payment request letter from the DOC before the release of inmate records.

Inmate records may also be obtained by visiting the state prisons. Federal inmates may be found at the federal prisons at Ashland Federal Correctional Institution, Big Sandy U.S. Penitentiary, Lexington Federal Medical Center, Manchester Federal Correctional Institution, and the McCreary U.S. Penitentiary. To obtain an inmate record for persons held in the county or police jails, contact the sheriff’s office or the police department in the county or city where the inmate is held.

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 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 Jail Inmates Books in Kentucky?

Family and friends may transfer funds into a KYDOC inmate’s account. Deposits may be made online or by phone, or in person at any MoneyGram location, including any Consumer Value Store (CVS) or Walmart.

Does Kentucky Use JPay for Inmates?

Yes. The Department of Corrections in Kentucky uses JPay for inmates. Generally, friends and family of offenders incarcerated in institutions maintained by the KYDOC can send funds using different options. Payers can send funds online using a credit or debit card. Alternatively, money can be sent using the JPay mobile app on multiple platforms, including iOS and Android. In-person lobby payments may be offered at some facilities.

Other options for sending money to an inmate include calling a live JPay agent or sending cash via services such as MoneyGram. However, the rates for sending money to a KYDOC inmate vary, depending on the deposit amount and the medium. In-person kiosk payments generally cost the lowest, while walk-in payments attract the highest fee.

The standard rate for deposits with JPay is listed below:

For $0.01 - $50.00

• Online: $2.75
• Phone: $3.75
• Walk-in: $3.95
• Lobby Kiosk (Cash): $2.00
• Lobby Kiosk (Credit/Debit Cards): $2.75

For $50.01 - $100.00

• Online: $5.75
• Phone: $6.75
• Walk-in: $3.95
• Lobby Kiosk (Cash): $2.00
• Lobby Kiosk (Credit/Debit Cards): $5.75

For $100.01 - $200.00

• Online: $5.75
• Phone: $8.75
• Walk-in: $3.95
• Lobby Kiosk (Cash): $2.00
• Lobby Kiosk (Credit/Debit Cards): $7.75

For $200.01 and Over

• Online: $9.75
• Phone: $10.75
• Walk-in: $3.95
• Lobby Kiosk (Cash): $2.00
• Lobby Kiosk (Credit/Debit Cards): $9.75

Note that this is only available in select locations. Call JPay ahead at (800) 574–5729 for availability.