Search Arrest, Mugshot & Inmate Records by Name
Search by name and state for arrest, booking, mugshot, inmate, jail roster, prison, criminal and court-record search categories.
Independent records-search resource. This website is not a government agency, police department, sheriff's office, jail, prison or courthouse. Search coverage varies by source and jurisdiction. Some links may lead to third-party services, and compensation may be received when a partner service is used.
Find IDOC inmate records, current photos and custody details
If you are searching for “IDOC arrest mugshots,” the official Illinois Department of Corrections Individual in Custody Search is the primary state-level source for people currently incarcerated or otherwise publicly searchable through IDOC. It can help you confirm an IDOC number, facility or custody status, sentencing information and an available current identification photo.
It is not the same thing as a county sheriff’s daily arrest or booking roster. Someone arrested today may still be in a county jail, may not yet have entered Illinois Department of Corrections custody, or may never be transferred to IDOC at all.
Start with the official Illinois IDOC search
Use the state search first when you are looking for a person who may be serving an Illinois state prison sentence or appearing in IDOC’s public custody data. Keep the person’s full legal name, approximate date of birth and IDOC number available if you know them.
Use identifiers to confirm the person first; use court records separately when you need the legal outcome.
How to search Illinois IDOC inmate records
The safest route is to begin with the official Individual in Custody Search instead of a third-party mugshot database. IDOC’s public tools are the authoritative state source for the correctional information the department makes available online.
What information can an Illinois IDOC record show?
IDOC states that public information concerning a current individual in custody or parolee can include identifying, institutional and sentencing information. The exact fields displayed can vary according to the person’s record and status.
| Record detail | Why it matters | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Name and IDOC number | Helps distinguish people with similar names. | Prefer the IDOC number for later record checks. |
| Current location or status | Shows where IDOC reports the person within its system or the person’s current public status. | Use the facility information before mailing, planning a visit or contacting the institution. |
| Parent institution | Can differ from assumptions based on where a person was arrested or prosecuted. | Verify facility-specific rules separately. |
| Admission and release information | Provides correctional timeline context. | Do not interpret projected or correctional dates as a substitute for a complete court docket. |
| Sentencing information | Helps connect the correctional record with the underlying criminal case. | Use the sentencing county and case details to locate the relevant court record when needed. |
| Identification photo | Can help distinguish records when used with other identifiers. | Never use appearance alone to identify a person. |
Does Illinois IDOC show mugshots?
IDOC states that photos of current individuals in custody are available through its Individual in Custody Search. In everyday searches these images may be called mugshots, but they should be understood as correctional identification photos associated with the IDOC record.
Current IDOC photo
When a public IDOC record includes an identification photo, use it only as one matching element. Confirm the IDOC number and other record details before concluding that two records refer to the same person.
Former individual in custody
IDOC’s media guidance states that photos of former individuals in custody are confidential under Illinois law. A photo that once appeared while a person was in custody should not be assumed to remain publicly obtainable later.
Looking for today’s bookings? IDOC may be the wrong database
A same-day arrest usually begins at the local level. Police departments make arrests, and county sheriffs or other local detention agencies commonly maintain jail booking information. Illinois IDOC manages the state correctional system, so a person booked into a county jail today may not appear in an IDOC state-prison search.
Check the sheriff or jail for the county where the arrest occurred. Look for an official current-inmate, detainee, custody or booking search.
Use the Illinois IDOC Individual in Custody Search once the person is within the state correctional system and the public record is available.
Check the court or circuit clerk record for the criminal case. Jail and IDOC records answer custody questions; court records answer disposition questions.
Use the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator when the person is serving a federal sentence rather than an Illinois state sentence.
Why an IDOC inmate search may return no result
A missing result can have several explanations. IDOC’s search guidance notes that a person may have completed the sentence, may be incarcerated under another name, may still be in a county jail awaiting trial or sentencing, or may be imprisoned in another state.
Try a different name format
Check spelling, former names and aliases you can independently verify. Avoid broad assumptions when several people have similar names.
Check the county jail
If the arrest or court case is recent, the person may still be under county jurisdiction rather than IDOC custody.
Check another jurisdiction
A conviction in Illinois does not automatically mean Illinois IDOC currently houses the person. Federal or out-of-state custody requires a different locator.
Check for an older record
IDOC says people who have completed their sentence do not remain displayed in the same way as current searchable custody/parole records. Older public information may require a records route.
How to find older IDOC information
IDOC’s public FAQ explains that its online individual-in-custody search is aimed at information the department may disclose for people currently incarcerated or on parole. When a sentence has been completed, the person may no longer appear in that public search even though IDOC may retain historical records.
If you need older correctional information, first identify exactly what you are requesting: an incarceration date, facility history, sentencing information, a specific document or another public record. A narrowly described request is easier for the agency to evaluate than asking for “everything” connected to a name.
- Use the person’s full legal name.
- Add the IDOC number if known.
- Specify an approximate date range.
- Describe the exact record or information sought.
- Explain enough identifying information to reduce mistaken identity.
Requesting Illinois IDOC public records through FOIA
For public records not available through the online custody search, the Illinois Department of Corrections provides a Freedom of Information Act route. IDOC instructs requesters to clearly describe the information sought and include their contact information.
What to include
- State that the request is made under the Freedom of Information Act.
- Clearly identify the records you want.
- Include useful identifying information for the person or record.
- Provide the requester contact information required by IDOC.
Current IDOC FOIA contact
Illinois Department of Corrections FOIA Officer
1301 Concordia Court
P.O. Box 19277
Springfield, IL 62794-9277
Phone: 217-558-2200 ext. 4166
Fax: 217-558-5612
Email: DOC.FOIARequest@illinois.gov
IDOC states that the agency generally responds to FOIA requests within five working days, with a permitted five-day extension when written notice is provided. Some records or portions of records can be exempt from disclosure, so a FOIA request does not guarantee that every requested item will be released.
Custody and release notifications through Illinois VINE
If your goal is to be notified when a person’s custody status changes, repeatedly checking a mugshot or inmate-search page is not the most reliable approach. Illinois IDOC directs victims and other eligible or concerned users to Illinois VINE for automated custody and case-status notifications.
Illinois VINE can provide notifications about
- Changes in custody status.
- Transfers between IDOC facilities.
- Available criminal case information.
- Notifications by phone, text, email or the VINE mobile application.
Illinois IDOC lists VINE support at (866) 566-8439, available 24/7, and its Victim Services Unit at (877) 776-0755 for assistance.
How to verify an IDOC mugshot record before using it
Correctional records involve real people and can have serious consequences when misidentified. Treat a name match as a lead, not proof. Verify the identity and the legal context before repeating the information elsewhere.
1. Confirm the person
Compare the IDOC number, date of birth or age information, physical identifiers and other available details. Do not identify someone solely from a photograph.
2. Confirm current status
Check whether the record says the person is incarcerated, on parole, discharged or otherwise listed. Older screenshots and copied mugshot pages can become stale.
3. Confirm the case outcome
Use the appropriate court record when the distinction between arrest, charge, conviction, dismissal and sentence matters.
Official Illinois record routes
idoc.illinois.gov/offender/inmatesearch.html
IDOC Media Requests
IDOC FOIA Information
IDOC Victim Services
IDOC Frequently Asked Questions