Find an Ohio Inmate or Offender

This page helps users handle an inmate search in Ohio by explaining how to use the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Offender Search and related official resources.

The ODRC search can help locate people who are incarcerated in an Ohio prison, under Department supervision, or judicially released. It also points users toward facility, visitation, mail, phone, and funds information when a record leads to a next step.

Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Offender Search

Use the ODRC Offender Search to look up eligible Ohio offender records. The tool supports several search fields, and ODRC notes that using fewer search terms can work better than entering too many details.

• Last name
• First name
• County of commitment
• Residential county
• Zip code
• Status
• Next Parole Board hearing date in YYYYMM format
• OR number

After choosing the search details, narrow the results only as needed.

• Enter a last name, or enter both first and last names for a narrower name search.
• Select a status if you want to limit results to incarcerated, released, APA supervision, or violators at large records.
• Use county, zip code, parole hearing date, or OR number only when those details are known.
• Review matching results and confirm details before using the information for mail, visitation, phone, or funds steps.

Search coverage and result limits

The ODRC Offender Search displays data for offenders who are currently incarcerated in an Ohio prison, currently under Department supervision, or judicially released.

Name searches may be done by last name alone or by first and last name. A last name search can include exact matches and names that begin with the same letters, including suffix variations.

A county of commitment search returns offenders sentenced from the selected county. That county is not necessarily the person’s residential county, and some people may have commitments from multiple counties.

Residential county and zip searches are limited. They apply only to offenders with APA Supervision or Violators at Large status, and the result reflects the last recorded address, not a current confirmed location.

Offender number and parole hearing searches

An offender number search should be used when the number is known. The search requires an A, R, or W prefix. W is used for female inmates, while A and R are used for male inmates.

Offender numbers use six digits with no spaces or hyphens. If a female offender number has five digits, add a leading zero before searching.

For parole hearing searches, enter the next Parole Board hearing date in YYYYMM format. For example, 202605 represents May 2026.

Facilities, visitation, mail, phone, and funds

After finding an offender record, users may need the institution name or offender number for related services. Ohio prison addresses can be found through the ODRC facilities and institutions page.

ODRC visitation rules state that each institution sets its own visiting hours, visit frequency, visit duration, and number of visitors allowed. Visitors are expected to follow ODRC general visiting instructions and any institution-specific rules. Use the official visitation guidelines before planning a visit.

For mail, ODRC states that personal correspondence from family and friends is sent to the ODRC Mail Processing Center, while business correspondence, legal mail, court mail, and visitation forms go to the parent institution. The incarcerated person’s number should be placed on the front of the envelope, and that number can be found through Offender Search. Review ODRC general mail and email rules before sending mail.

Phone calls and account funds

ODRC uses ViaPath Technologies, also known as Global Tel*Link, for telephone services. Incarcerated persons may call only people on an approved call list who have agreed to accept the calls. Payment options include standard collect calls, prepaid collect calls, and offender commissary calls.

Funds may be sent only by approved or tentatively approved visitors. ODRC lists a limit of up to $200 per transaction and a maximum of $400 per calendar month from an approved or tentatively approved visitor. Deposits can be made through ConnectNetwork ViaPath by website, automated phone system, retail locations, or mail.

Use the official ODRC pages for phone services and incarcerated population funds before setting up calls or sending money.

Ohio inmate search contacts

Use these contacts for offender search help or phone service support.

• Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Offender Search Contact, P.O. Box 430, Columbus, Ohio 43216
  Phone: (614) 752-1161
• ViaPath Technologies phone services Customer Call Center
  Phone: 1-877-650-4249