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.
TDCJ Inmate Mugshots, Prison Records & Texas Custody Search
If you are looking for a person in the Texas state prison system, start with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice inmate search. It can help confirm a TDCJ inmate’s identity, current unit, conviction information and parole or release-related status.
The phrase “TDCJ mugshots today” can be misleading. TDCJ is the Texas state corrections agency, not a statewide county-jail booking gallery, and its public inmate-information email service says photographs are not provided to the public. For a recent arrest or county jail booking photo, the correct source is usually the sheriff or detention agency for the county where the arrest occurred.
Search the official Texas inmate database first
Use the TDCJ search when you are trying to locate someone in Texas state prison or confirm a TDCJ number, unit assignment, conviction or parole-related information.
TDCJ Search: What You Can and Cannot Expect
The correct record system depends on whether the person is in state prison, a county jail, on supervision or already released.
Choose What You Need to Find
How to Search for a TDCJ Inmate
The official TDCJ inmate search is the best first stop for a person believed to be in Texas state custody. Using a TDCJ or SID number is especially useful when people have similar names.
Does TDCJ Show Inmate Mugshots or Booking Photos?
Do not assume that “TDCJ inmate mugshots” means TDCJ maintains a public daily mugshot gallery. TDCJ’s official email inmate-information page states that photographs are not provided to the public through that service.
If your real goal is to find a photograph connected with a recent arrest, start with the arresting county’s sheriff, jail or detention center. County booking systems are separate from TDCJ and may have different rules about whether photographs are displayed online.
Use TDCJ
Choose TDCJ when the person is serving a Texas state sentence, has a TDCJ number, is assigned to a TDCJ unit or you need state-prison custody and parole information.
Use the county jail
Choose the relevant county sheriff or jail when the person was recently arrested, is awaiting court, was booked locally or you need a county booking record that may include a photo.
TDCJ Prison Records vs. Texas County Jail Bookings
| Situation | Best place to start | Typical information |
|---|---|---|
| Serving a Texas state prison sentence | TDCJ inmate search | State custody, unit, conviction and parole/release-related information |
| Arrested recently and held locally | County sheriff or county jail | Booking, local charges, bond and sometimes booking photo |
| Need case outcome or court filings | Court or clerk record system | Case number, filings, disposition, sentence and hearings |
| Need parole-review status | TDCJ/BPP offender search | Review status, decision information and next review where available |
What TDCJ Inmate Information Can Help You Verify?
TDCJ describes its inmate search as a way to find housing, conviction and parole-status information. Its separate email inmate-information route can provide the TDCJ number, inmate location, offense of conviction, incarceration history, current conviction information and projected release date.
Identity
- TDCJ number
- SID number where available
- Name and identifying record details
Custody
- Current TDCJ location
- Unit assignment
- State-prison status
Case & release
- Offense of conviction
- Conviction jurisdiction
- Projected release or parole information
How to Check TDCJ Release and Parole Information
For an incarcerated TDCJ offender, the state inmate search can provide parole-related information. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles also directs the public to the TDCJ offender search for parole-review status and provides an offender status line.
TDCJ Inmate Search — start here for the current state record and available parole-related information.
Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles — use Board resources when the question concerns parole review, decisions or supervision.
Use the court that handled the conviction when you need the judgment, sentence, docket activity or other case-file information.
TDCJ Visitation: Verify the Unit Before You Travel
TDCJ offers in-person and video visitation, but visitors should confirm the inmate’s current unit assignment, visitation eligibility and the unit’s current schedule before traveling. TDCJ specifically advises visitors to check whether visitation has been cancelled.
Victim Notifications and Offender Status
TDCJ’s Integrated Victim Services System can provide notifications for people who want updates about an offender in prison or on parole supervision. TDCJ says victims, family members, witnesses and concerned citizens may request notifications through IVSS.
TDCJ / IVSS
Use IVSS for Texas state-prison or parole-related victim notifications and offender-status information.
County jail notification
TDCJ’s victim-services guidance distinguishes its state system from county jail notification. For a person in a county jail, check the county’s own notification resources or the applicable VINE service.
Need More Than the Online TDCJ Search?
TDCJ provides an email route for certain inmate information and also accepts Texas Public Information Act requests. These are different tools: the general inmate-information option is useful for specific readily available details, while a formal public-information request may be appropriate for other releasable agency records.
TDCJ says you may request details such as an inmate’s TDCJ number, location, conviction information, incarceration history and projected release date. The agency instructs requesters to include the inmate’s full name and TDCJ number when known.
Formal Public Information Act requests may be submitted through TDCJ’s Office of the General Counsel by the available online, email, mail or hand-delivery routes.
TDCJ’s inmate-information-by-email page expressly says photographs and Social Security numbers of inmates will not be provided to the public through that service.
Why You May Not Find the Person in TDCJ
The person may still be in a city or county jail. Search the arresting jurisdiction rather than assuming the record has moved to TDCJ.
Check spelling and use a TDCJ or SID number when available. Do not assume a missing result means the person has never been incarcerated.
Check the county booking system or contact the record-holding agency. TDCJ’s general email inmate-information service does not provide photographs.
Recheck the official TDCJ search and then verify the underlying court or parole record. Custody locations and legal status can change.
The current inmate search may not answer every historical question. Court records, parole information or a properly directed records request may be needed.
How to Use Arrest and Inmate Records Carefully
Public custody records can contain serious allegations and sensitive personal information. Confirm that you have the correct person before sharing or relying on a record, especially when names are common.
- Match more than a name whenever possible.
- Distinguish an arrest from a conviction.
- Distinguish county jail custody from TDCJ state custody.
- Check the court record when you need the final case outcome.
- Recheck current custody instead of assuming an old record is still current.
- Do not use this site as a substitute for an authorized consumer report.