The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR) manages Arizona’s state prison system, housing tens of thousands of individuals across more than a dozen major complexes. The ADCRR provides a free public inmate search tool — commonly referred to as the AZ DOC inmate search — that allows anyone to look up the status and location of a person incarcerated in an Arizona state prison.
How to Perform an AZ DOC Inmate Search
The official Arizona inmate search tool is hosted on the ADCRR website at corrections.az.gov. To search, you can enter the individual’s first name, last name, or their ADC number — a unique identifier assigned to every person admitted to the Arizona state prison system. The database is updated regularly and is accessible around the clock without requiring an account or registration.
What Information Will an AZ Inmate Search Return?
A successful AZ DOC inmate search will display the inmate’s full name, ADC number, date of birth, physical description, current facility assignment, the county where they were convicted, their offense or offenses, sentence length, and expected release date. For individuals who have been released and placed on community supervision, their status will reflect that accordingly.
Understanding the ADC Number
The ADC number is the most reliable search term when looking up an Arizona inmate. It is a unique numeric identifier that stays with an individual throughout their time in the ADCRR system, even across multiple incarcerations. If you have this number available, entering it into the search field will return an exact match without needing to sort through similar names. You can obtain the ADC number from court records, prior correspondence with the inmate, or by contacting the ADCRR directly.
Arizona County Jail Inmate Searches
The ADCRR inmate search only covers individuals in state-operated correctional facilities. People who have been recently arrested, are awaiting trial, or are serving short sentences for misdemeanor offenses are typically held in county jails rather than state prisons. Maricopa County, Pima County, and Pinal County all provide separate online inmate lookup tools through their sheriff’s offices. For other counties, contacting the local sheriff’s department directly is the recommended approach.
Visiting an Inmate at an Arizona State Prison
To visit an inmate at an ADCRR facility, you must first be approved as a visitor. The process involves submitting a visiting application, which will be reviewed and may include a background check. Approval can take several weeks. Once approved, visits are conducted according to the schedule of the specific facility. Most Arizona prison complexes offer both regular visiting days and special events such as family days throughout the year.
Sending Money to an Arizona State Prisoner
Approved family members and friends can add money to an Arizona inmate’s account through the ADCRR’s contracted third-party provider. Deposits can be made online, by phone, or at approved kiosk locations. These funds are credited to the inmate’s trust account and can be used to purchase items at the facility store, make phone calls, or cover co-payments for medical visits. Personal checks and cash sent directly to the facility are not accepted.
ADCRR Inmate Release and Community Supervision
When an Arizona state prisoner completes their sentence or is approved for early release, they may be placed on community supervision (the Arizona equivalent of parole). Released individuals under supervision continue to appear in the ADCRR system with a status reflecting their community supervision. Violations of supervision conditions can result in the person being returned to custody. The ADCRR’s online inmate search tool will reflect any such changes in status.