Minnesota Inmate Records

Minnesota has one of the lowest incarceration rates in the United States. About 151 out of 100,000 residents are incarcerated in the state, which is lower than the national average of 355 per 100,000 United States residents. According to the U.S Bureau of Justice Statistics, an estimated 8,636 individuals are incarcerated in Minnesota state-operated prisons every year In addition, the local jails in the state house about 5,900 inmates, while at least 1,900 others are held in federal correctional facilities. The majority of the people incarcerated in state-run prisons are those convicted of criminal sexual conduct, homicide, and drug offenses.

Minnesota's prison system has different authorities overseeing each level of prison/jail. Each agency in charge of the state prisons, local jails, and federal prisons is also responsible for keeping proper and up-to-date records of all the inmates under their jurisdiction. A typical Minnesota inmate record has the following information:

• Inmate's Personal Information - This includes name, date of birth, mugshot, aliases, and gender. It may also have physical descriptors like marks, eye color, and hair color.
• Arrest Record - This includes the date of the arrest, the time of the arrest, the charges filed, the arrest warrant, and the details of the arresting agency.
• Court Details - These include court dates, trial details, case numbers, the outcome of the case, and court orders.
• Current Offense Information - This shows the inmate's highest-ranked offense and the court file number for that offense.
• Sentence Information and Release Details - This includes the sentence length, current status of the inmate, sentence date, anticipated release date, caseworker details, DOC number, and MNDOC offender ID.

Are Inmate Records Public in Minnesota?

In Minnesota, inmate records are considered public records. According to the state's Government Data Practices Act, all government data created, collected, and maintained by government entities are public documents unless classified by state or federal law as protected or non-public. Hence, unless exempt from public disclosure, interested persons are permitted to inspect or make copies of Minnesota inmate records at reasonable places and times upon request to the relevant government agencies.

While most Minnesota inmate records are considered public, certain inmate records are exempt from public disclosure, and some information in arrest records is restricted from public access. For instance, private data like social security numbers and driver's license numbers are restricted from public access. Also, financial records and medical information in a Minnesota arrest record are not disclosable to the public, while sealed or expunged arrest records are equally exempt from public disclosure.

What Agencies Are Responsible for Inmate Records in Minnesota?

Some of the agencies that maintain Minnesota inmate records are listed below:

• The Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) - The Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) keeps the state safe by overseeing individuals convicted of felonies and sentenced to state-run prisons. It also keeps up-to-date records of all inmates incarcerated in the 11 state-owned correctional facilities. These facilities are categorized into four levels, namely close, minimum, medium, and maximum facilities.
• Police Departments - While the local police departments do not house inmates, they keep records of arrests for individuals who are currently held in state prisons or local jails for varying offenses. These records of arrests make up a part of the inmate records in Minnesota.
• County Sheriff's Offices - Minnesota has 87 county sheriff's offices, and each of them oversees inmates incarcerated in local county jails under their direct supervision. They also maintain the records of such inmates in both digital and physical forms. Generally, county jails hold both male and female offenders convicted of misdemeanor offenses and sentenced to serve short-term sentences, typically up to one year.
• Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) - The five federal prison facilities in Minnesota are managed by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), which is also responsible for keeping updated records of all inmates held in the facilities. These facilities generally house individuals convicted of violating federal laws or committing federal crimes in the state. They also hold individuals awaiting trial for violating federal laws.

How To Search an Inmate's Information in Minnesota

The first step anyone looking to search an inmate's information in Minnesota should take is to identify which of the correctional facilities in the state houses the inmate whose record is sought.

Find an inmate in Minnesota State Prisons

Public information about adults committed to the Commissioner of Corrections and incarcerated in state-run prisons in Minnesota may be retrieved through the Inmate Locator managed by the state's Department of Corrections. To begin the search, a person can opt to use the name (first and/or last name) or MNDOC Offender ID of the inmate whose record is sought as the search parameter. The search result usually includes an inmate's demographic information, sentence date, anticipated release date, and current offense details.

Generally, information retrieved from an inmate lookup conducted on the Minnesota DOC Inmate Locator is often limited. However, a person may visit the state correctional facility housing an inmate to obtain detailed information about them. Typically, the record custodian at the facility will require them to provide certain information, such as the inmate's name, MNDOC Offender ID, and date of birth, to enable them to narrow their search and locate the inmate's file or records.

Find an Inmate in Local Jail

To find information regarding any inmate held in a local jail in Minnesota, identify the jail where the inmate is incarcerated and check the website of the supervising county sheriff's office. Usually, many of the county sheriff's offices feature inmate search tools or resources (with varying names) on their websites that allow members of the public to find information about inmates held in their custody. With an inmate's name or date of birth, anyone should be able to locate the record of the person whose record they seek.

Oftentimes, records maintained on county jails' inmate locators are basic and may not serve some purposes. In that case, anyone who wishes to obtain comprehensive records regarding someone held in a local jail should submit a written request to the jail's local authority in person or by mail. The written request must contain basic information that will help facilitate the search.

Find an Inmate in Federal Prison

Interested persons may find information regarding inmates incarcerated in any of the following Minnesota federal prisons through the BOP Inmate Locator:

• Minneapolis RRM
• Waseca FCI
• Duluth FPC
• Sandstone FCI
• Rochester FMC

The Inmate Locator permits inmate search by BOP register number and an inmate's name, and generally has records of all inmates incarcerated in federal prisons, including those in Minnesota, from 1982 to date. Search results usually include inmates' full names, race, gender, registration numbers, and release dates.

How Can I Access Old Inmate Records?

Online inmate search resources maintained by different prison authorities in Minnesota generally do not have records of old or former inmates in the state. To start with, a person may want to check the Minnesota State Archives (a part of the state's Historical Society) to find out if they have records of the state's old inmates. Interested persons may use the Archive's Gale Family Library to start their search. Similarly, a person may search the National Archives for records of former inmates incarcerated in Minnesota federal prisons.

Alternatively, anyone can submit a public records request to obtain detailed records of old inmates who served prison/jail terms in any of Minnesota's state or federal prisons. For instance, an interested party may request old inmate records from the state's Department of Corrections by contacting Records Management at (651) 361-7330 or by email. Likewise, submitting a FOIA request to the BOP may help retrieve records of former inmates who were incarcerated in Minnesota's federal prisons.

Furthermore, interested persons may consider visiting the jails or prisons where previously incarcerated inmates were held in Minnesota to obtain information about them. While this may require paying a small fee, obtaining detailed records about such inmates is usually guaranteed. Also, with a nominal fee, anyone may retrieve old inmate information in the state through credible sites like Minnesotapublicrecords.us. These websites are known for collating records from reliable sources and uploading them to their databases, where they can be accessed at any time.

Can I Find a Minnesota Inmate Record for Free?

Yes. Prison/jail authorities in Minnesota offer free inmate lookups and allow members of the public to retrieve information regarding individuals incarcerated in their facilities through various inmate search tools. There is, however, a limitation. None of these tools or resources can provide information on inmates housed in correctional facilities outside their jurisdiction.

With third-party websites like Minnesotapublicrecords.us, any individual can find records of any inmate in the state, whether held in a local, state, or federal prison/jail. These sites offer centralized access to all inmate records in the state, although at a small fee. They are considered one-stop databases for inmate records because they have records of inmates from all jurisdictions.

Jails and Prisons in Minnesota

Minnesota correctional facilities are primarily classified by how they are run and which authority manages them. They are broadly categorized as state prisons, local jails, and federal prisons:

• State Prisons - The 11 state prisons in Minnesota are managed by the Department of Corrections.
• Local Jails - There are about local jails in the state, each managed by a county sheriff's office.
• Federal Prisons - Minnesota has 5 federal prisons, all managed by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).

State Prisons in Minnesota

Below is a table listing some state-run correctional facilities in Minnesota:

Private Prisons in Minnesota

Minnesota has no private-run prisons.

Minnesota Inmate Statistics

• Minnesota Incarceration Rate - 151 per 100,000 residents
• Male Incarceration Rate - 281 per 100,000 males
• Female Incarceration Rate - 20 per 100,000 females
• Youth Custody Rate - 62 per 100,000 youths
• Number of Prisoners in Private Prisons - 0
• Black/White Imprisonment Disparity - 9.9:1
• Latino/White Imprisonment Disparity - 1.9:1
• Number of offenders under community supervision: 2,092 per 100,000 people
• Number on probation - 1,927 per 100,000 people
• Number on parole - 153 per 100,000 people
• Felony Disenfranchisement Rate - 0.2%

* Source: United States Bureau of Justice Statistics