Search Minnesota Inmate Records
Minnesota's jail and prison systems are spread between federal, state, and county institutions. Unlike many other states, Minnesota does not host any for-profit prisons and has reported an incarcerated population of zero for more than a decade.
The state's only privately owned prison is the Prairie Correctional Facility, which closed its doors in 2010 and has remained vacant ever since.
Minnesota has four Federal-level prisons in Sandstone, Waseca, Duluth, and Rochester. These complexes house primarily low or minimum-security convicts, with one dedicated to female inmates.
Minnesota has eleven state prisons with a population of just over 8,100. The state budgets roughly $630 million per year toward these institutions. Additionally, despite being divided into 87 counties, Minnesota only maintains 82 county jails.
Minnesota has a relatively high incarceration rate at 323 per 100,00 people or roughly 17,500 total prison population. Federal, state, and county prisons house about 90 percent of incarcerated persons, with the rest split between juvenile detention and involuntary commitment.
The primary reasons for incarceration in Minnesota are the usual suspects, including drug-related offenses, violent crimes, and property damage. Minnesota also has strict probation and parole policies that lead to re-incarceration.
According to the Minnesota Department of Corrections, the state's correctional system includes 11 state prisons, 82 county jails, and 4 federal prisons. The system houses approximately 8,100 state inmates with a total prison population of 17,500, and an incarceration rate of 323 per 100,000 residents. The state has no for-profit prisons and maintains records for 15 years after sentence completion.
Minnesota Department Corrections Inmate Search
The Minnesota Department of Corrections oversees the state's correctional facilities and rehabilitation programs and supervises released offenders. These tasks require meticulous upkeep of inmate information, including time served, behavioral incidents, physical descriptions, and much more.
This data is available through the Department of Corrections, which allows searching for incarcerated people and individuals required to register publicly after release. These services allow citizens and victims to update themselves on a convict's status anytime.
Interested parties will find links for all search engines on the department's website. They contain information regarding any individual committed to the Commissioner of Corrections, whether they are currently incarcerated or under supervision.
Inmates can be found via their full name or the MNDOC Offender ID.
Find Inmate by Name
Searching by name is the most intuitive method for finding an inmate in the system. However, if the subject has a common name like John Smith, you may need to filter the results by including a middle name.
Searchers can also shorten the fields when unsure about the inmate's name's spelling. The results will return every entry that matches the search's criteria. This means that searches for the last name "Jacob" will also return results for "Jacobson."
Find Inmate by Number
The Minnesota Department of Corrections assigns Offender IDs to every individual. This is the most surefire method for locating an inmate in the system. You can find this ID by contacting the Department of Corrections or the holding facility.
How Many Inmates Are Currently Incarcerated in Minnesota?
Minnesota has an estimated total incarcerated population of about 17,300 people across state prisons, county jails, federal facilities, private prisons, juvenile facilities, and other detention categories.
Counts vary by reporting date and facility type, so figures below are approximate statewide estimates intended for general reference.
| Facility Type | Population | % of Total | Avg. Daily Cost | Capacity Utilization |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Prisons | ~8,600 | 49.7% | ~$160 | ~96% |
| County Jails | ~6,400 | 37.0% | ~$120 | ~78% |
| Federal Facilities | ~650 | 3.8% | ~$140 | ~85% |
| Private Prisons | ~0 | 0.0% | N/A | 0% |
| Juvenile Facilities | ~450 | 2.6% | ~$450 | ~70% |
| Other / Pre-Trial | ~1,200 | 6.9% | ~$105 | ~75% |
| Total | ~17,300 | 100.0% | ~$145 | ~86% |
State Correctional Facilities in Minnesota
Minnesota operates roughly 10 major state correctional institutions, with additional community-based and local correctional facilities supporting custody, treatment, and supervision needs.
The system includes prisons, specialty facilities, a women's institution, medical and aged-care units, and work-release or community corrections centers.
| Facility Name | Type | Location | Capacity | Population | Security Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCF-Faribault | State Prison / Medical / Aged Facility | Faribault | ~2,000 | ~1,900 | Medium |
| MCF-Stillwater | State Prison | Bayport | ~1,600 | ~1,450 | Close / Medium |
| MCF-Oak Park Heights | Specialty Facility | Oak Park Heights | ~500 | ~420 | Maximum |
| MCF-St. Cloud | State Prison / Intake | St. Cloud | ~1,000 | ~950 | Close / Medium |
| MCF-Lino Lakes | State Prison / Work Release Center | Lino Lakes | ~1,300 | ~1,150 | Medium / Minimum |
| MCF-Moose Lake | State Prison | Moose Lake | ~1,000 | ~900 | Medium |
| MCF-Shakopee | Women's Facility | Shakopee | ~650 | ~600 | All Custody Levels |
| MCF-Red Wing | Specialty Facility | Red Wing | ~200 | ~120 | Juvenile / Minimum |
| MCF-Togo | Specialty Facility | Togo | ~100 | ~80 | Minimum |
| Hennepin County Adult Corrections Facility | Community Corrections Facility | Plymouth | ~480 | ~360 | Minimum / Local |
Inmate Demographics & Population Trends in Minnesota
Minnesota's incarcerated population is largely male and concentrated among adults ages 25 to 44, with violent offenses making up the largest share of prison commitments.
Like many states, Minnesota shows racial disparities in incarceration, while its overall incarceration rate remains below many national averages.
| Demographic Category | Breakdown | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | Male: ~92%; Female: ~8% | Women make up a smaller but steady share of Minnesota's prison and jail population. |
| Age Groups | 18–24: ~12%; 25–34: ~34%; 35–44: ~30%; 45–54: ~15%; 55+: ~9% | The largest share is between ages 25 and 44, consistent with national prison trends. |
| Race / Ethnicity | White: ~45%; Black: ~36%; Native American: ~9%; Hispanic / Latino: ~6%; Asian / Other: ~4% | Black and Native American residents are incarcerated at rates above their share of the state population. |
| Top Offense Types | Violent: ~45%; Drug: ~18%; Property: ~15%; DWI / Public Order: ~12%; Sex Offenses: ~10% | Violent offenses account for the largest prison category, while jails hold more pretrial and short-term cases. |
| Avg. Sentence Length | ~54 months overall | Average terms are longer for violent and sex offenses and shorter for drug, property, and supervision violations. |
| Recidivism Rate | ~31% return to prison within 3 years | Returns are often linked to new convictions or supervision violations after release. |
Parole, Release & Reentry Resources in Minnesota
Minnesota uses supervised release, conditional release, earned-release opportunities, and case-managed reentry planning to support people leaving custody.
Programs commonly include parole-style supervision, housing referrals, employment services, benefits access, and victim notification tools.
| Program / Resource | Description | Who It Serves | Contact / Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Parole Board | Minnesota generally uses supervised release through the Department of Corrections, with release decisions and hearings handled through DOC release authorities for eligible cases. | People eligible for parole-style review, supervised release, or special release consideration. | Minnesota Department of Corrections Hearings and Release Unit; mn.gov/doc |
| Good Time / Sentence Reduction | Eligible individuals may reduce time in custody through statutory supervised release, earned release credits, programming, and compliance-based incentives. | Incarcerated individuals meeting conduct, programming, and sentence eligibility requirements. | Facility case manager or Minnesota DOC records staff. |
| Parole Supervision | Community supervision monitors release conditions, treatment participation, employment, housing, and public safety requirements. | People released from prison to supervised release, conditional release, or intensive supervision. | Assigned Minnesota DOC or county community corrections agent. |
| Reentry Housing | Transitional housing, halfway house referrals, and community provider placements help stabilize people after release. | Individuals leaving prison or jail who need housing support or structured reentry placement. | DOC reentry staff, county corrections, and approved community providers. |
| Employment Assistance | Job readiness, vocational training, workforce referrals, and documentation support are available through correctional and community partners. | People preparing for release or recently released to the community. | Minnesota DOC reentry services, CareerForce, and local workforce centers. |
| Benefits Restoration | Assistance may include help applying for identification, health coverage, SNAP, veterans benefits, and other public supports. | People leaving custody who need benefits, documents, or health coverage reinstated. | County human services offices, MNsure, DOC case managers, and reentry nonprofits. |
| Victim Notification Program | Minnesota uses VINE and state victim notification services to provide custody status and release updates. | Victims, survivors, families, and registered community members seeking offender status notifications. | Minnesota VINE / victim notification services through vinelink.com or Minnesota DOC victim services. |
What Information is Contained in a Minnesota Inmate Record?
Minnesota inmate records provide personal information on incarcerated individuals, such as age, sex, race, and full name. However, they also cover when inmates finish their sentences or are released with supervision. This information tracks and monitors potential threats to society even after their release.
Additionally, inmate records provide data for criminal justice research. They include details on the inmate's name, age, race, sex, holding facility, and sentencing. These facts maintain transparency in the criminal justice system to check for biases and inform policy development.
For citizens, the most pertinent information in inmate records is when these people are reintegrated back into society. An inmate's release date is a projection for when their prison sentence ends. This date may change based on behavior or their eligibility for parole.
A past release date indicates the inmate has left the facility on full release or parole. Some results may show an "Unknown" release date. This designation is reserved for people going through processes with an indeterminate end date, such as an ongoing criminal trial.
Minnesota Inmate Records by Counties
County jails serve a separate purpose from state or federal prisons. They are responsible for holding individuals awaiting trial or inmates with brief sentences of less than a year. These lower-level offenders are not processed through the Department of Corrections, nor are their records centrally managed.
Most Minnesota county Sherrif Departments maintain an online search system, frequently called a "Jail Roster Search." These are searchable based on criteria like received date, released date, arresting officer, custody status, and the inmate's name.
- Aitkin County
- Anoka County
- Becker County
- Beltrami County
- Benton County
- Big Stone County
- Blue Earth County
- Brown County
- Carlton County
- Carver County
- Cass County
- Chippewa County
- Chisago County
- Clay County
- Clearwater County
- Cook County
- Cottonwood County
- Crow Wing County
- Dakota County
- Dodge County
- Douglas County
- Faribault County
- Fillmore County
- Freeborn County
- Goodhue County
- Grant County
- Hennepin County
- Houston County
- Hubbard County
- Isanti County
- Itasca County
- Jackson County
- Kanabec County
- Kandiyohi County
- Kittson County
- Koochiching County
- Lac Qui Parle County
- Lake County
- Lake Of The Woods County
- Le Sueur County
- Lincoln County
- Lyon County
- Mahnomen County
- Marshall County
- Martin County
- Mcleod County
- Meeker County
- Mille Lacs County
- Morrison County
- Mower County
- Murray County
- Nicollet County
- Nobles County
- Norman County
- Olmsted County
- Otter Tail County
- Pennington County
- Pine County
- Pipestone County
- Polk County
- Pope County
- Ramsey County
- Red Lake County
- Redwood County
- Renville County
- Rice County
- Rock County
- Roseau County
- Saint Louis County
- Scott County
- Sherburne County
- Sibley County
- Stearns County
- Steele County
- Stevens County
- Swift County
- Todd County
- Traverse County
- Wabasha County
- Wadena County
- Waseca County
- Washington County
- Watonwan County
- Wilkin County
- Winona County
- Wright County
- Yellow Medicine County
Are Incarceration Records Public Information in Minnesota?
Minnesota prison and incarceration records are part of public records and are accessible to anyone willing to search. The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA) is a state-specific public information act.
Minnesota maintains the records for fifteen years after the inmate serves their sentence. All information regarding the conviction, sentence, and probation placement is available through public searches for this period.
Some information, such as medical and psychological records, may be under restricted access. These records typically appear during the trial process and are federally protected under HIPAA privacy laws.
Federal Prisons in Minnesota
Federal prisons in Minnesota are not managed by the state's Department of Corrections but are overseen by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).
Federal prisons hold offenders who've explicitly violated federal law rather than state law. These offenses typically involve extensive white-collar crimes like large-scale embezzlement or international drug trafficking.
Minnesota has four federal incarceration complexes. Three are prisons, and the last is designated as a prison camp.
The federal prisons in Minnesota are either low or minimum-security, meaning there is a relatively low guard-to-inmate ratio and fewer security functions than in other federal institutions.
The table below lists the federal prisons in Minnesota alongside their capacity, security level, and location:
| Location | Security Level | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Sandstone | Low | 1,175 inmates |
| Waseca | Low | 819 inmates |
| Duluth | Minimum | 726 inmates |
| Rochester | Administrative - Medical | 784 inmates |
Frequently Asked Questions about Inmate Records
Interested parties can send a formal public records request to the Minnesota Department of Corrections via their website or mail. The request must include the inmate's full name or MNDOC Offender ID.
You can find state inmate information on the Minnesota Department of Corrections' website using the inmate's full name or MNDOC Offender ID. There are links for currently incarcerated people and those required to register publicly after serving time.
County inmate records can be found by calling the arresting sheriff's office. However, many counties provide searchable databases on their websites for this information.
Minnesota maintains inmate records for up to fifteen years after the completion of their sentence. To locate older inmate records, contact the Department of Corrections or search through the state archives.
Prisons will typically inform family members of an inmate's death, but the Minnesota Vital Records Department holds the records. Paper death certificates can be obtained through the offices of the inmate's last registered county or verified via the state health department's website .
Changes in inmate records are typically published within a few days of an event, such as a release or transfer. However, these updates may take longer due to administrative delays or problems with the inmate's condition.
Non-incarcerated people can send inmates money through the JPAY service. Money must be sent as money orders or cashier's checks and sent with this form .