Montana Inmate Search

With an incarceration rate of 758 per 100,000 people, the prison system in Montana is hard at work to rehabilitate inmates and keep dangerous criminals off the streets. The Treasure State is home to four state-owned correctional facilities maintained by the Montana Department of Corrections, one of which is a women's prison. Montana also has around 37 county jails run by various sheriff's departments and jail administrators serving its 56 counties.

There are no federal prisons in the state. Montana has 10 juvenile correctional facilities, 4 of which are publicly owned. As for private correctional facilities, there is one private correctional facility in Montana where a percentage of the state's inmate population is being held.

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According to the Montana Department of Corrections, the state's correctional system includes 4 state prisons (including 1 women's prison), 37 county jails, and 1 private facility. The system also includes 10 juvenile facilities (4 public, 6 private). Montana has an incarceration rate of 758 per 100,000 residents, with no federal prisons in the state.

Montana Department of Corrections Inmate Search

The third largest department in the state, the Montana Department of Corrections is responsible for keeping Montana safe through the rehabilitation and empowerment of inmates in the state. The department provides support for offenders under its supervision and prepares them for re-entry into the community.

They also offer help to victims of crimes and oversee the Montana Board of Pardons and Parole, which grants inmates a second chance at life outside the prison walls. Through its various programs and facilities spread across Montana, the Montana DOC is up to the task of handling over 10,500 offenders under its supervision.

The Montana Department of Corrections provides an Offenders Search tool for the benefit of anyone who wants to find an offender under its supervision. This tool gives users the option to search by either the offender's DOC ID number or their first and last name.

User

Find Inmate by Name

Users have the option of searching for an offender by their name. Typically, you need to provide both the first and last name of the inmate to get results. Searching only the last name will yield results, except when it is a common name like "Brown," in which case, it will notify the user to provide a first name to narrow down the search. It is also possible to search by first names only, provided it is not a common first name like "Daniel", "Michael" or "Kevin". Note that searching using a name (especially in cases where you only search a first or last name) may bring up numerous results. Such results will provide the first, middle, and last name of the offender, as well as their date of birth, and status.

User

Find Inmate by Number

Users may also search by an offender's DOC ID number, which is a six-digit number assigned to each offender under the supervision of the Montana Department of Corrections. If you input a DOC ID number as well as a name, the result will correspond to the DOC ID number, not the name. For example, if the DOC ID number "123456" belongs to an offender named "John Peter," your search using that DOC ID number will bring up John Peter's record, even if you did not enter the correct name.

What Information is Contained in a Montana Inmate Record?

The Offender Search tool provides individual records of offenders under the Montana DOC. Users can find the name, DOC ID number, current status, and the last time their status was changed. A Montana DOC offender may have the following statuses: "conditional discharge from supervision", "probation", "parole", "conditional release", "alt secure", and "secure".

However, this method will not get you to the individual records of these offenders as you will be denied access. To get the records, you will need to provide the specific first and last name of the offender.

It will also provide the physical and demographic characteristics of the offender, including their hair and eye color, height, weight, build, race, skin tone, handedness (right or left-handed), year of birth, birthplace, citizenship, and whether they are a Montana resident. It provides you with a description of their scars, marks, tattoos, and their aliases if applicable.

The individual records also give the user access to their legal record. This includes each offense they are convicted for. It shows the docket number, county, judge, count, legal type, sentence type, code, offense date, sentence pronouncement date, and sentence (in months). The record also shows you how current the information in the record is.

Montana Inmate Records by Counties

In Montana, the inmate records for offenders held in county jails are kept separately from those of inmates in state correctional facilities. You may find inmate records provided by the respective sheriff's office online. To get an inmate record by county, search for the county jail where the inmate is being held and find their inmate records. This may be provided as an inmate roster or inmate search tool. For example, the Cascade County Sheriff's Office provides an Inmate Roster while the Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office provides an Inmate Search Page. In cases where the County Jail does not have a way to view its inmate records online, visit the Sheriff's Office in person or send a public record request.

Are Incarceration Records Public Information in Montana?

Yes, inmate records in Montana are public information and can be obtained by anyone who sends in a request as stipulated in Montana Public Records Law. However, public officers may restrict public access to certain records like health records, academic records, and any information that could negatively impact an inmate's public safety or privacy. The public can get information about inmates such as their names, physical and demographic description, status, and details about their offenses and sentences.

Montana Prisons

Montana Prisons

The Montana Department of Corrections currently has four facilities, namely:

  • Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge
  • Montana Women's Prison in Billings
  • Pine Hills Correctional Facility in Miles City
  • Riverside Special Needs Unit in Boulder

Frequently Asked Questions about Inmate Records

To request physical copies of public records from the Department of Corrections, you can send a request to the DOC, making sure to include sufficient details about the inmate whose records they are searching. You may also do this online using the DOC contact form . However, not all records requested will be granted - any records or documents that could jeopardize the inmate's safety or infringe on their privacy rights will likely not be granted.

Requesters can use the Montana Department of Corrections Offenders Search platform to search for inmates housed in any of the state-run facilities in Montana. This platform provides the names, DOC ID numbers, physical and demographic characteristics, offenses, and sentences of the inmates. For inmates in county jails, you may use the online inmate platform provided by the county sheriff's office.

To get old inmate records in Montana, contact the Montana Department of Corrections if you are looking for records concerning a state offender. You may contact the appropriate local law enforcement agency like the county sheriff's office or city police departments for inmates held in county jails.

Under Montana Law (Title 46, Ch. 4, Pts. 1, 2, MCA), inmate death records are considered public records and can be obtained by sending a request to the Montana Department of Corrections. You may also use the Death In Custody data page to find incarcerated persons who have died. When an inmate dies, a county coroner is called in to determine the cause, manner, and circumstance of their death. These findings are sent to the county attorney and a death certificate (a public record) listing the details of the death is issued.

The Montana Offender Search tool provides an "Information Current As Of" date which is typically the day the record is being viewed. This means that the information on the platform is updated daily. However, it is also important that you contact the Montana Department of Corrections before making any assumptions regarding the information provided on the website.

Only approved individuals are allowed to send money to inmates in Montana. Such people can send money not exceeding $250 using the Inmate Trust Account Deposit Service or via mail (cashier's check or US Postal Service money order). These individuals must provide their legal name as stated in their IDs. For inmates in county jails, contact the jail management to get information on how to send money to them.