Mississippi Inmate Search

A Mississippi inmate search helps the public find incarcerated offenders in correctional facilities across Mississippi, including city and county jails and private prisons, if there are any.

Since inmate records are public under the Mississippi Public Records Act, the public can request inmate records through appropriate government agencies or third-party websites that offer the same information. However, since third-party sites are not official government sites, their available information may vary from website to website.

What Are Mississippi Inmate Records?

Mississippi inmate records are considered public information which means that any interested parties can request them. Usually, a quick search or a record request of inmate records will contain any or all of the following information:

Name and alias
Date of birth
Gender
Nationality
Charges
Sentence
Inmate number
Custody status
Release dates
Mug shots

Aside from personal records, inmate records can also include the facility address where the inmate is incarcerated. While the Mississippi Department of Correction handles and manages inmate records, similar information may be available using third-party sites.

Note that while inmate records are public, health records and juvenile inmate records are not available for public inspection.

What Are Mississippi Prison and Jail Records?

Mississippi has a total of 89 jails across its 82 counties and six state prisons, including:

Mississippi State Penitentiary
Delta Correctional Facility
Central Mississippi Correctional Facility
Marshall County Correctional Facility
Walnut Grove Correctional Facility
South Mississippi Correctional Institution

Juvenile offenders are housed in the Youthful Offender Unit where a range of programs are available including vocational programs, academic classes, mental health counseling, social services, recreational and religious services, and also alcohol and drug treatment.

How To Perform Inmate Search in Mississippi

There are many ways to perform an inmate search in Mississippi. The easiest method is to perform an online search using the Mississippi Department of Corrections inmate search. Interested parties can search for an inmate using their name, including a first and last name, or their unique DOC number.

Parole searches are also available using the same search criteria like a first and last name and ID number with the addition of other search criteria like the city or county where the inmate may be incarcerated.

How To Contact an Inmate in Mississippi

The Mississippi DOC allows family and friends to contact an inmate in Mississippi via phone using the GTL network. Inmates can receive calls from a list of pre-approved numbers and get funds through their telephone account via GTL.

Another method is to send mail following this format:

Inmate’s name - MDOC number
Current Housing Unit
Name of institution or facility
Complete address of institution or facility, including the city, state, and ZIP code

Return address must include the sender’s complete name and current address following this format:

Sender’s Name & Inmate’s MDOC number
Current Housing Unit
Institution/Facility Address
City, State, ZIP

Note that the MDOC also prohibits the following items to be sent via mail:

Sexually explicit materials like nude or sexual photos
Copies or receipts of money orders and money orders themselves
Video tapes, cassettes, or CD’s
Food items
Hardbound books
Hygiene or medical items
Polaroid photos
Packages
Items made of hard plastics, wood, metal, or glass

As part of MDOC rules, all incoming and outgoing mail is censored and can be examined to ensure that no contraband is included in the mail.

How To Visit an Inmate in Mississippi

Inmates in Mississippi are the ones responsible for initiating an Application for Visiting Privileges to friends and family that they want to see. Since inmate visitation is a privilege in Mississippi and not a right, inmates must complete the application and fill the list with a maximum of 10 visitors.

Note that inmates in Mississippi are only allowed a maximum of five (5) visitors at one time, including babies, children, or minors. However, inmates can list down a maximum of 10 visitors on their visitation list. By default, immediate family will permanently remain on an inmate’s visitation list unless removed by the inmate. The rest of the visitors will have to be reviewed and will be automatically renewed with the inmate’s permission.

Once approved, visitors must provide valid identification and adhere to the rules of the MDOC like wearing the correct dress code, leaving personal and prohibited items like tobacco in the car, and avoiding inappropriate sexual contact. Otherwise, the MDOC has the right to deny, suspend, or totally terminate a friend or family member’s visitation rights.

Note that visitors aged 16 or older must have a valid ID displaying their date of birth. For children under 15 years, a legible birth certificate will be required.

Visitors with infants are only allowed to carry one diaper bag with the following items:

Two feeding bottles
Four diapers
Diaper wipes
Medication, if any
One pacifier
One change of baby clothes

Visitors who have prescriptions will only be allowed to bring the necessary dosage during their visiting hours and leave it with the Visitor Center Officer. The only time they can retrieve the medication is when they need to take it. Visitors who have serious medical problems must submit a written doctor’s statement and a written request to the Area Warden to bring their medication inside the visiting area.

How To Send Money to an Inmate in Mississippi

Inmates can also receive money from friends and family. The Mississippi DOC only allows sending money online using Premier Services or in-person through Western Union.

Note that when sending money, family and friends must provide the inmate’s complete information including their full name, MDOC number, and the state and facility where the inmate is incarcerated. If unsure, a quick Mississippi inmate search can provide the said details.

Premier Services, for example, also requires the inmate’s gender and date of birth. They also offer commissary orders for inmates.

Take note that the following fees apply when sending money online through Premier Services:

Send amount: $0.00-$25.00
Fees: $3.25 + 3% fee of the total transaction amount
Send amount: $25.00-$100.00
Fees: $4.50 + 3% fee of the total transaction amount
Send amount: $100.01-$200.00
Fees: $6.00 + 3% fee of the total transaction amount
Send amount: $200.01 and up
Fees: $4.50 + 3% fee of the total transaction amount

Premier Services also allows commissary orders for inmates from friends and family as long as the same details are provided.

To send funds through Western Union, interested parties need to use a blue QuickCollect form with the following information:

Code City: Mississippi Department of Corrections
MS Account Number: Inmate ID number and last name without any space

Attention: Inmate’s first and last name

Counties in Mississippi

List of Content

What Are Mississippi Inmate Records?
What Are Mississippi Prison and Jail Records?