Kentucky Inmate Search

Use this website for informational purposes only.

Similar to other US states, Kentucky has state, federal and county jails. Law enforcement agencies use 124 county jails to detain suspects caught committing a crime and those with active warrants. Offenders serving short-term sentences are also held in jail. In addition to the jails, there are numerous prisons, including 16 state prisons, 2 private prisons, 5 federal prisons, and a single juvenile detention center. There is also a training facility and even a death row inmate facility ( Kentucky State Penitentiary). There are at least 19 re-entry centers for inmates at the end of their sentences. 

The federal prison handles inmates who have committed federal crimes, while the state prison handles the state crimes. State jails are classified into three minimum-security prisons, 3 minimum/medium-security prisons, 3 medium-security prisons, 2 medium/maximum-security prisons, 1 maximum/supermax prison, and 1 women's facility(all security). Apart from the county jails and federal Prisons, all the rest of the detention facilities are managed by the Kentucky Department of Corrections (DOC). 

Inmate Records 

In accordance with the law, Kentucky keeps a list of inmate records. Inmate records are diverse and may include arrest warrants, police reports, jail records, court paperwork, sentencing, charges, and correctional records. All records contain the personal details of the inmates, such as their name, age, and race. They may also contain the crimes, lockup facility, court details, and biometric details such as fingerprints and DNA. 

 Kentucky Open Records Act designates all inmate records as public information apart from juvenile records. The information on those records can be obtained from the DOC, sheriff's office, and other data custodians by performing inmate searches or requesting the inmate roster. 

Performing an Inmate Search 

Inmate searches are often the first step for families to locate an inmate for the purpose of visiting, calling, or sending care packages. Luckily the process has been simplified by the Kentucky Online Offender Lookup (KOOL) service provided by the Kentucky Department of Corrections. The tool requires you to provide the inmate's name or PID number to get matches. 

Unfortunately, you cannot find inmate details for inmates in county jails or federal prisons from KOOL. You can contact the sheriff or use the BOP search tool for federal inmates. The data provided on the official website is accurate as it is updated promptly to reflect transfers, releases, and new bookings. Some third-party sites complement the official sites, but they may not be accurate. 

This site is not owned or operated by any state government agency, read more.