Philadelphia Released Inmates
Philadelphia released inmate records are managed by the Philadelphia Department of Prisons and the Philadelphia Police Department. Philadelphia is Pennsylvania's largest city, home to about 1.6 million people, and operates its own prison system separate from state custody. The city maintains an online Incarcerated Person Locator that lets you search for individuals currently in city custody. Released inmate information may also appear through state systems, court records, and Right-to-Know requests filed with city agencies. This guide explains where to look and how to search Philadelphia inmate records.
Philadelphia Quick Facts
Philadelphia Inmate Records and Custody Information
Philadelphia operates its own Department of Prisons, which is separate from the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. The city runs several facilities including the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility, the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center, and the Riverside Correctional Facility. People arrested in Philadelphia are processed through the city's booking system. Their records remain in city custody databases as long as they are held in a city facility.
The Philadelphia Police Department handles arrests and generates initial booking records. The Records Investigation Unit at Philadelphia Police headquarters processes requests for those records. The unit is at 750 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. You can reach the Philadelphia Police Department at (215) 686-3277 for records questions. A standard police report costs $25 per copy. Video requests must be made within 60 days of the incident.
| Department | Philadelphia Department of Prisons |
|---|---|
| Prisons Phone | (215) 685-7711 |
| Prisons Website | phila.gov |
| Police Dept | Philadelphia Police Department |
| Police Address | 750 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106 |
| Police Records | (215) 686-3277 |
Booking records from Philadelphia contain the individual's name, date of birth, arrest date, charges filed, and housing assignment within the facility. Case status, bond information, and court dates are also included. Some information may be redacted if the case is under active investigation or involves a juvenile. Philadelphia follows Pennsylvania's Criminal History Record Information Act (CHRIA), 18 Pa.C.S. § 9121 et seq., which governs what parts of criminal history records the public may access.
Note: Juvenile records are confidential under Pennsylvania law and are not available through standard inmate search tools or Right-to-Know requests.
How to Search Released Inmate Records in Philadelphia
The Philadelphia Incarcerated Person Locator is the primary online tool for finding people in city custody. You can search by name at incarceratedperson-locator.phila.gov. The locator shows current custody status. Released individuals may no longer appear once they have left city custody. For people who were released some time ago, other systems may have more complete information.
The Pennsylvania DOC Inmate Locator covers state prisoners. If someone was sentenced to state prison, they will appear in the PADOC system at inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov. This database is updated daily and is free to use. It covers individuals in state correctional institutions, not those held in city or county facilities.
Court records from the Unified Judicial System (UJS) can help trace someone's path through the criminal justice system. Go to ujsportal.pacourts.us and search by name to find docket sheets, charge information, and disposition records. This is especially useful for finding records of people who have already been released. The UJS Portal is free and covers all Pennsylvania courts.
PA SAVIN (Statewide Automated Victim Information and Notification) lets victims and others register for automated alerts when an offender's custody status changes. Register at pavictimhelp.org or call 1-866-972-7284. The service is free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It covers both state and county facilities in Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia County Jail and City Residents
Philadelphia is a consolidated city-county, meaning the city and county are the same government. The Philadelphia Department of Prisons functions as both the city and county detention system. People awaiting trial on Philadelphia charges are held in city prison facilities. Sentenced individuals serving shorter terms also remain in city custody. Those with longer state sentences are transferred to a Pennsylvania DOC institution.
The main intake facility for Philadelphia arrests is the Detention Center. From there, individuals may be transferred to other city facilities based on housing needs and security classification. The Department of Prisons manages several sites across the city. Contact the department at (215) 685-7711 or visit their page at phila.gov for current facility locations.
Philadelphia participates in PA SAVIN, which provides custody notifications to registered users. Victims of crime can sign up to receive alerts when a person is released from a Philadelphia facility. The program connects city prison data with the statewide notification system. This is one of the most reliable ways to track release information for Philadelphia inmates.
Note: Individuals transferred from Philadelphia city custody to state prison will appear in the PADOC system, not the city's Incarcerated Person Locator.
Right-to-Know Requests in Philadelphia
Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104 (Act 3 of 2008), gives the public access to government records including certain inmate and arrest records. In Philadelphia, Right-to-Know requests go to the city agency that holds the records. For police records, the Open Records Officer is at the Philadelphia Police Department. For prison records, submit requests to the Department of Prisons.
The Open Records Officer for the Philadelphia Police Department can be reached through the main records line at (215) 686-3277. Requests go to 400 N. Broad Street, 4W-72, Philadelphia, PA 19130. You can also submit through the city's open records portal at phila.gov/open-records. Under the RTKL, agencies have 5 business days to respond to a request, with extensions of up to 30 days for complex matters.
Copies of public records cost $0.25 per page under the RTKL standard fee schedule. Some records such as police reports have flat fees. A standard police report costs $25 per copy from the Philadelphia Police Records Investigation Unit. Certified copies cost an additional $5 per document. Video recordings cost $125 per recording, and redaction labor runs $200 per hour when required.
If your request is denied, you may appeal to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records within 15 business days. The OOR is at openrecords.pa.gov and can be reached at 717-346-9903. You must include a copy of the original request and the denial notice when filing your appeal. The OOR assigns an appeals officer who issues a binding decision.
State Resources for Philadelphia Residents
Several state-level tools can help you find released inmate information for Philadelphia residents. These systems cover people who have moved into state custody or who have prior state convictions.
The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Inmate Locator at inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov searches state prisoners by name. It is free and updated daily. The PA DOC main website at cor.pa.gov has additional information about facilities, programs, and the release process.
PATCH (Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History) is the official state criminal background check service. It is available at epatch.state.pa.us and costs $22 per search. You can also call 1-888-783-7972 for assistance. PATCH records are managed by the Pennsylvania State Police and cover convictions statewide. The Clean Slate Act (Act 56 of 2018) allows some records to be sealed automatically, so some convictions may not appear in standard searches.
Expungement under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122 can remove certain criminal records from public databases. Philadelphia residents who qualify may petition the court to have records expunged. Once expunged, those records will not appear in PATCH or other public systems. The Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole at pbpp.pa.gov supervises individuals released on parole from state custody.
Note: PA SAVIN and PATCH serve different purposes. SAVIN provides custody change notifications, while PATCH gives criminal history background check results.
Philadelphia County Released Inmates
Philadelphia is a consolidated city-county. All inmate records, court records, and criminal history for Philadelphia are managed within the combined city-county system. For more detail on county-level inmate records, jail information, and related resources, visit the Philadelphia County released inmates page.