Where to Find Nebraska Inmate Records

Upon conviction, the Nebraska judiciary sentences offenders to serve time in a local prison or a state correctional facility in Nebraska. The Sheriff Department oversees inmates in county and city jails, while the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services (NDCS) is in charge of inmates in state prisons. Similarly, custody and information regarding federal offenders are under the jurisdiction of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. All of these custodians also maintain inmate records that are available to interested members of the public.

Are Incarceration Records Public Information in Nebraska?

Yes. Nebraska inmate records are public documents under Section 84–712 of the Nebraska Revised Statutes. Thus, interested persons may request non-sensitive non-confidential records from the agency that has custody of the inmate.

Records that are considered public may be accessible from some third-party websites. These websites often make searching more straightforward, as they are not limited by geographic location, and search engines on these sites may help when starting a search for specific or multiple records. To begin using such a search engine on a third-party or government website, interested parties usually must provide:

• The name of the person involved in the record, unless said person is a juvenile
• The location or assumed location of the document or person involved

Third-party sites are independent of government sources and are not sponsored by these government agencies. Because of this, record availability on third-party websites may vary.

What Information is Contained in a Nebraska Inmate Record?

A Nebraska inmate record will typically contain the following information:

• Mugshot
• Full legal name
• Date of birth
• Demographics
• Inmate ID number
• Offense Information
• Sentence information
• Facility of incarceration

Where do I Look Up an Inmate in Nebraska?

Finding an inmate in Nebraska is slightly complicated, but it is possible with reliable information and readiness to do due diligence. Generally, the three ways to find an inmate in Nebraska are viz:

• Online search
• In-person requests
• Mail request

How Do I Conduct an Inmate Search in Nebraska?

• In-person and telephone:

The first step is to identify the state correctional facility or the county jail where the inmate is incarcerated or detained. If the requester has identified the facility, he/she may contact the facility using the contact information on the county jail website or the NDCS directory of correctional facilities in the state. Some jails provide members of the public with telephone service to find an inmate but scheduling a visit with the jail administrator may be necessary to obtain physical copies of inmate records. Most jails have visitation policies, and an individual who violates a visitation policy may not gain entrance into the facility.

• Mail requests:

Prepare a written request citing the Nebraska Public Records Statutes (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 84–712). Most importantly, the record request must contain a detailed description of the records sought. Once the request contains the necessary details, the requester may send it by email or enclose it in a self-addressed stamped envelope. Send public records requests to:

Public Disclosure Unit

Nebraska Department of Correctional Services

P. O. Box 94661

Lincoln, NE 68509

Email: DCS.PublicRecords@nebraska.gov

The unit responsible for handling the request will typically respond to the request within four (4) business days of receipt. While the NDCS charges no fees for submitting a request, the Department may charge unusual requests or records requiring extensive research. In this case, the Department will provide an estimate of associated costs. It is noteworthy that the Department does not process requests if the requester does not approve the estimated costs.

Meanwhile, statutory provisions exempt individual records from public disclosure. It may also be useful to see if the courts have denied a request in the past. The NDCS maintains a collection of such denied record requests.

• Online search:

Online search helps to confirm the incarceration or detainment of an inmate. Still, these databases are useful resources for inmate records. For local jails, the inmate roster on the Sheriff’s website is the best resource. For example, the Douglas County Department of Corrections maintains an inmate locator, and the Sarpy County Jails regularly updates booking records. 

On the other hand, the NDCS Offender Search is an online resource for finding inmate information in state prisons. To query the database, the finder must know the inmate’s full name or I. D. Upon query, the database will display a list of possible matches, and the finder may click on the name for more information.

How Can I Find an Inmate for Free in Nebraska?

Apply for a fee waiver from the record custodian. An application for a fee waiver is more likely to be granted if the requester shows that the record is in the public best interests and for non-commercial purposes. Otherwise, the requester must bear the cost of searching, reproducing, and certifying the inmate record requested.

How to Find Old Inmate Records in Nebraska

Nebraska stores old inmate records, including parole or probation records, on the prisoner records database. Interested persons may contact reference staff for a complete Descriptive Record of Inmates. Send an email to hn.reference@nebraska.gov for procedures and costs for initiating a search.

How do I Find Inmate Death Records in Nebraska?

Send a written request to the Department of Corrections following the same instructions for requesting inmate records. If the death records are subject to public disclosure, the Department shall provide the requested documents. Interested persons may also submit a request to the Department of Health. Note that only surviving family members and authorized persons may request the death records. Other persons must produce a court order granting access to the requested documents. 

How do I Conduct a Federal Prison Inmate Search? 

Federal prisons are responsible for holding offenders convicted of federal crimes. Depending on the extremity of the crime, offenders serve time in minimum or maximum-security facilities. Federal prisons are under the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), and interested persons may find inmates using the BOP Inmate locator. BOP allows searchers to find information on inmates incarcerated as far back as 1982. To achieve this, the searcher may use the offender’s unique BOP number or full name.

Furthermore, providing additional information such as race, age, and sex helps narrow down the search from thousands of results. Bear in mind that records on inmates incarcerated before 1982 are only available on the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) website. There, the searcher will have access to a database of inmate information from 1870 to 1981.

How Long Does it Take For An Inmate’s Information to Be Published in Nebraska Inmate Locator?

It depends. Factors such as staff availability and technology integrated into the prison record management system affect how quickly information on newly incarcerated inmates is available on the inmate locator.