Arizona Inmate Records

Approximately 30,258 inmates are incarcerated in Arizona state-run prisons, while about 9,738 are held in local jails in the state annually. This indicates an incarceration rate of 446 per 100,000 residents, which is higher than the national average of 355 per 100,000 people. The correctional facilities in Arizona are managed by different government agencies/authorities at the state, local, and federal levels. In addition to managing the facilities under their purview, these agencies are responsible for keeping records of all inmates incarcerated in those correctional facilities.

Arizona inmate records are a collection of records containing information about individuals incarcerated within the state's prison system, and they include the following:

• Personal Information - An Inmate's personal information includes their full name, gender, date of birth, race, mugshot, and address. It may also include physical descriptors such as tattoos, scars, height, eye color, and hair color
• Court Information - This shows information about the court process and typically includes case numbers, trial details, fines, orders, and judges' decisions.
• Arrest Details - These largely include the name of the arresting agency, the date of the arrest, the location of the arrest, and the time of the arrest. Arrest information may also include the arrest warrant.
• Incarceration Information - This includes incarceration status, admission date, most recent location, and the last movement.
• Commitment and Sentence Records - These include the sentence length, offense date, sentence status, crime committed, and sentence county.
• Disciplinary Infractions - These include the infraction, violation date, verdict, and verdict date.
• Release Information - This shows the projected prison release date and release type.

Are Inmate Records Public in Arizona?

Yes, Arizona inmate records are public. Per Section 31-221(C) of the state's Revised Statutes (ARS), all records of prisoners are subject to public disclosure as stipulated in Title 39, Chapter 1, Article 2 of the ARS. These records are open to inspection and copying by anyone at all times during the custodian's working hours.

However, there are a few exemptions. Sealed Arizona inmate records are not publicly accessible. Similarly, any portion of an inmate's records that may jeopardize an ongoing criminal investigation, reveal the identity of a confidential informant, or endanger the physical safety or life of a person may not be disclosed to the public.

What Agencies Are Responsible for Inmate Records in Arizona?

The following agencies are some of the entities responsible for inmate records in Arizona:

• The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation, & Reentry (ADCRR) - The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry (ADCRR) oversees the state-operated prisons and keeps records of inmates incarcerated in them. The ADCRR enhances public safety across the state by housing public offenders in its nine correctional facilities, where it engages inmates through modern and effective correctional practices. About six privately managed prisons are also under contract with the ADCRR.
• The County Sheriff's Offices - Records of inmates held in county jails operating in Arizona are kept by the county sheriff's offices in charge of the local county jails. About 16 county jails operate across the state, where offenders awaiting trial or serving their sentences for misdemeanor offenses are housed.
• Police Departments - Although police departments in Arizona do not house inmates nor keep their records directly, they largely maintain records of arrests leading to inmates' convictions. These arrest records are usually included in inmate records maintained by other relevant prison or jail authorities in the state.
• Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) - The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has records of all inmates convicted of federal crimes and incarcerated in Arizona's four federal prisons from 1982 to the present. This agency is also responsible for managing the federal correctional facilities in the state.

How To Search an Inmate's Information in Arizona?

To search any inmate's record or information in Arizona, it is important to know whether the inmate is housed in a local jail, a state-run prison, or a federal prison in the state.

Find an inmate in Arizona State Prisons

Information about offenders incarcerated in Arizona state-run prisons is accessible online through the ADCRR Inmate Data Search portal. This portal allows users to find inmates by their name or ADC number. Name-based search is done using an inmate's last name and first name initial, while the ADC numbers involve searching an inmate by the unique number assigned by the ADCRR. A typical search result obtained from this portal contains an inmate's personal information, date admitted in prison, projected eligible release date, commitment details, sentencing information, and disciplinary infractions.

To obtain a more comprehensive record about any inmate held in an Arizona state prison, it is best to visit the correctional facility where the inmate is physically held. While requesters may be charged a small fee, the information obtained is usually more detailed than what a person can access online. To avoid delays, make sure to have some important details that will enable the custodian to locate the sought record easily.

Find an Inmate in Local Jail

Most county sheriff's offices in charge of Arizona county jails offer public online resources that allow inmate searches for individuals held in their correctional facilities. These resources are typically accessible through the official websites of each county sheriff's office. Interested persons will largely be able to search these resources using inmates' names, booking IDs, dates of birth, or unique ID numbers assigned to offenders by local jails.

Alternatively, anyone looking to obtain detailed information about an inmate serving a jail term in any of the local jails in Arizona may visit the jail where the inmate is physically held. However, it is important to check if a local jail requires scheduling an appointment for such service before heading to the facility for an in-person inmate information search. To be able to conduct any search, the record custodian will request the inquirer to provide any information that can help facilitate it.

Find an Inmate in Federal Prison

Interested persons may find an inmate in a federal prison located in Arizona using the BOP Inmate Locator. With the inmate's name or BOP register number as the search parameter, the BOP locator can return information about any inmate incarcerated in any of the following federal prisons in the state from 1982 to date:

• Phoenix RRM
• Tucson FCC
• Safford FCI
• Phoenix FCI

How Can I Access Old Inmate Records?

Old inmate records are generally not available through the various online inmate search resources provided by prison and jail authorities in Arizona. Those resources solely have information on individuals currently serving time in correctional facilities operating in the state.

Usually, the first place to consider initiating a search for old inmate records on individuals incarcerated in Arizona state prisons is the State Archives. Similarly, interested individuals may find records of former inmates housed in any of the federal prisons located in the state on the National Archives. Also, reliable third-party websites like Arizonapublicrecords periodically collate public records, including inmate records, on their database, where they are permanently stored. Interested persons may search such sites for old records of former inmates in the state for a nominal fee.

Alternatively, detailed records of old inmates in Arizona may be accessed by submitting a search request in person to the correctional facility where the inmate was held while serving a prison or jail sentence. Another option is to submit a public information and records request to the state's Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry. If the former inmate whose record is being sought was incarcerated in a federal prison in Arizona, submitting a FOIA request with a clear description of the old inmate to the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) may help retrieve the sought record.

Can I Find an Arizona Inmate Record for Free?

Yes. The following online resources offer free access to Arizona inmate records:

• The ADCRR Inmate Data Search portal - For inmates housed in state prisons
• Inmate locators maintained by county sheriff's offices - For offenders held in county jails
• The BOP Inmate Locator - For individuals incarcerated in federal prisons operating in the state

However, each of these resources can only provide information on inmates held in correctional facilities managed by the relevant government agency. Nevertheless, using third-party sites like Arizonapublicrecords.us, and at a small fee, interested persons may find records of inmates incarcerated in the state, regardless of which government agency oversees their facility housing such inmates. These sites are a centralized repository for all inmates held in state, local, private, or federal correctional facilities in Arizona.

Jails and Prisons in Arizona

Based on their administrative structure and management authority, Arizona correctional facilities are categorized as follows:

• State Prisons - There are 9 state prisons in Arizona, and they are all managed by the state's Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry (ADCRR).
• Local Jails - Arizona has about 16 county jails, all managed by different county sheriff's offices.
• Federal Prisons - The BOP has four federal prisons operating in Arizona.
• Private Prisons - Six private prisons operate in Arizona under contract with the state's Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry (ADCRR).

State Prisons in Arizona

The table below includes a list of all state-run prisons in Arizona:

Private Prisons in Arizona

The following private prisons provide inmate correctional services in Arizona:

• Central Arizona Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility
• Phoenix West Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility
• Red Rock Correctional Center
• La Palma Correctional Center
• Kingman Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility
• Florence West Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility

Arizona Inmate Statistics

• Arizona Incarceration Rate - 446 per 100,000 residents
• Male Incarceration Rate - 812 per 100,000 males
• Female Incarceration Rate - 79 per 100,000 females
• Youth Custody Rate - 46 per 100,000 youths
• Number of Prisoners in Private Prisons - 9,738
• Black/White Imprisonment Disparity - 4.9:1
• Latino/White Imprisonment Disparity - 1.7:1
• Number of offenders under community supervision - 1,369 per 100,000 people
• Number on probation - 1,191 per 100,000 people
• Number on parole - 114 per 100,000 people
• Felony Disenfranchisement Rate - 4.2%

* Source: United States Bureau of Justice Statistics