Search New York Inmate Population
New York keeps inmate population records at the state and county level. The Department of Corrections and Community Supervision runs a public lookup tool for people held in state prisons. Each of the 62 counties runs its own jail and tracks who is in custody there. You can search for someone held in a state prison, a county jail, or a New York City facility. The NYS Commission of Correction also tracks inmate population counts for every jail in the state. This page covers the main ways to find inmate population data and look up a person in custody across New York.
New York Inmate Population Overview
New York Inmate Population Lookup Systems
New York has several public tools for finding people in custody. The main one is the DOCCS Incarcerated Lookup, which covers state prisons. It gives real-time data on anyone currently or formerly held in a DOCCS facility. You can search by name, birth year, or Department Identification Number. The system is up 24 hours a day, with a short break near midnight for maintenance. It covers people held in state prison since the early 1970s.
Some groups are not in the DOCCS lookup. Youthful offenders are left out under CPL §720.35, which keeps those records sealed. People whose convictions were reversed under CPL §160.50 have their info removed. Correction Law §9 also requires DOCCS to take down data on certain non-violent offenders three years after they finish their sentence and supervision. So the lookup is broad but not total.
The Parolee Lookup is a separate tool. It shows people under parole supervision or formerly under it. As of recent counts, about 25,081 parolees fall under DOCCS. You search by name and birth year. The system shows status and location for each person found.
For New York City, the NYC DOC Person in Custody Lookup covers the five boroughs. It shows who is in city jails, mostly on Rikers Island. It does not cover state or federal inmates. You search by name or booking number. The system is free and runs around the clock.
The NYS Commission of Correction publishes quarterly inmate population statistics for all county jails, NYC facilities, and state prisons.
These reports track how many people are in custody at the end of each quarter. Data goes back to 2016 for NYC jails and further for upstate counties.
How to Search Inmate Population Records
Start with the DOCCS lookup if you think the person is in state prison. Go to doccs.ny.gov/inmate-lookup and enter what you know. An exact last name with birth year works best. You can also try a partial last name if you are not sure of the full spelling. The system pulls from the main DOCCS database in real time. All convictions and sentences for current and past inmates are public under the Freedom of Information Law.
For county jails, you have a few paths. VINELink covers most county jails and state prisons in New York. It is free and runs all day, every day. You can search by name and register for alerts by email, text, or phone. VINE tells you when someone is released, moved, or escapes. The toll-free line is 1-866-277-7477. It is available in over 200 languages.
The OCA Criminal History Record Search is another option. It checks criminal case records across all 62 counties. The fee is $95 per search. You need the person's full name and date of birth. Results show open, pending, and conviction records from County, Supreme, City, Town, and Village courts. Sealed records do not show up. This is not an inmate locator, but it can tell you if someone has a case in the system.
Note: County sheriff's offices also run their own inmate rosters. Check the sheriff's website for the specific county. Some post daily jail rosters online. Others require a phone call or in-person visit.
County Jails and State Prisons in New York
New York runs a two-tier system. State prisons hold people with sentences over one year. County jails hold pre-trial detainees and those with sentences of one year or less. The state has 44 correctional facilities run by DOCCS. Since 2011, the state has closed 24 facilities and cut more than 13,000 beds. The prison population dropped 54.9% from a high of 72,649 in 1999 to 32,766 in early 2024. About 74% of the current state prison population are violent felony offenders. Only 9% are drug offenders, a 56% drop from 2013.
At the county level, there are 60 correctional facilities across the state. The Commission of Correction keeps a list of all of them. Each jail falls under minimum standards set by the Commission under Correction Law Article 3 (§§40-49). County sheriffs run these jails. They house people waiting for trial, serving short sentences, or held on bail. The Commission checks each jail for compliance with state rules on safety, health care, and living conditions.
The Commission of Correction meets monthly to discuss facility issues including capacity, construction, and changes in regulations.
The Commission does not run jails or prisons. It sets the rules and makes sure they are followed. It also investigates deaths in custody through its Medical Review Board.
New York City is different. The NYC Department of Correction runs its own jail system, mostly on Rikers Island. Facilities there include the Eric M. Taylor Center, George R. Vierno Center, Otis Bantum Correctional Center, Robert N. Davoren Center, and the Rose M. Singer Center for women. Two hospital prison wards also operate at Bellevue and Elmhurst. NYC DOC covers all five boroughs: Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, and Richmond counties.
New York Inmate Population Data and Reports
DOCCS puts out monthly reports on the inmate population in state prisons. These include Incarcerated Profile Reports, Fact Sheets, and data on releases and discharges. The research database has over 965 reports. Topics range from recidivism studies to unusual incident reports. DOCCS also posts data on the NYS Open-NY website for public use. You can find breakdowns by demographics, release data, and return-to-custody rates through DOCCS Research and Reports.
The Commission of Correction tracks jail populations by county. Their Monthly Jail Population report uses daily counts submitted by each jail. The data shows average daily census figures. Annual reports go back to 2016 for NYC and further for upstate counties. Counties outside NYC (57 of them, since the five boroughs report separately) submit daily counts that feed into these reports. This data helps track crowding and compliance with standards under Commission regulations.
The state also tracks inmate population through the HALT Act. Monthly HALT statistics come from all facilities. Segregated confinement data is reported as required by state law. The Commission publishes annual reports and mortality reports from its Medical Review Board. All of this is public information.
Records Access and FOIL Requests
Most inmate records in New York are public. The Freedom of Information Law, found in Public Officers Law Article 6 (§§84-90), gives the public a right to government records with some limits. You can file a FOIL request with DOCCS, county sheriff's offices, or city agencies. The Committee on Open Government can help if you have questions about what you can and cannot get.
To request records from DOCCS, mail your request to the Records Access Officer at Harriman State Campus, 1220 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12226-2050. You can also email foaborequests@doccs.ny.gov. DOCCS must respond within five business days. Copies cost 25 cents per page for standard sizes. If your request needs more than two hours of staff time, they can charge the hourly rate of the lowest-paid employee who can do the work. Records are available for viewing by appointment on business days from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Albany office.
County jails handle FOIL requests through the sheriff's office or county clerk. Each county follows the same state law but may have its own forms and contact info. Standard copy fees are 25 cents per page. Appeals must go in within 30 days of a denial. Criminal history records (rap sheets) go through the Division of Criminal Justice Services at DCJS, not through FOIL. Medical records from facilities are not handled through FOIL either.
New York Inmate Population Notification Services
VINELink is the main tool for getting alerts about changes in custody status. It covers all 60 county jails and state prisons in New York. You register for free and pick how you want to be told: email, text, or phone call. The system tells you when someone is released, transferred, or escapes. Call 1-866-277-7477 for help. The service runs in over 200 languages.
NYC has its own alert option. You can call 311 or 212-639-9675 to find out about a person who was arrested in the city. For state prisons, DOCCS also works with VINE to give victim notification.
The New York Correction Law sets out the legal framework for how inmate information is handled. Correction Law Article 4 (§§70-79-b) covers establishment of facilities and custody of inmates. Article 6 (§§112-149) deals with facility management. Article 20 (§§500-529) covers local correctional facilities. These laws work together with FOIL to determine what inmate population data the public can access.
Browse New York Inmate Population by County
Each of New York's 62 counties has a sheriff's office that runs the county jail. Pick a county below to find local inmate lookup tools, jail contact info, and records access details.
Inmate Population in Major New York Cities
City residents go through the county jail in their area. Pick a city to find where inmates from that area are held and how to look up someone in custody.