Adams County Inmate Records
Adams County released inmate records are maintained by the Adams County Adult Correctional Complex and the Adams County Sheriff's Office in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The facility holds people charged with crimes in Adams County, and inmate records include booking information, charges, bond amounts, and release dates. You can search the Adams County inmate roster online or call the jail directly to find a person in custody or look up released inmate records. This guide explains the tools available to you and how the process works.
Adams County Jail Quick Facts
About the Adams County Adult Correctional Complex
The Adams County Adult Correctional Complex sits at 45 Major Bell Lane in Gettysburg, PA 17325. This facility serves as the primary jail for Adams County residents who have been arrested and charged with misdemeanor or felony offenses. Some inmates are waiting for trial. Others are serving short sentences. The Adams County Sheriff's Office operates the complex and handles inmate records requests.
The facility is open for administrative inquiries Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. If you need to reach someone after hours, contact Adams County through the county dispatch line. The main phone number for the correctional complex is 717-334-7671. Staff can confirm basic custody status during business hours. For written inquiries or Right-to-Know requests, mail to the facility address at 45 Major Bell Lane, Gettysburg, PA 17325.
Adams County inmate records can include booking photographs, charges with statute citations, bond amounts and type, housing unit assignments, court dates, and projected release dates. Social Security numbers are restricted from public release. Physical descriptions, arresting agency, and case numbers are typically part of the publicly available booking record.
| Facility | Adams County Adult Correctional Complex |
|---|---|
| Address | 45 Major Bell Lane, Gettysburg, PA 17325 |
| Phone | 717-334-7671 |
| Website | adamscountypa.gov |
The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections website at cor.pa.gov covers state prison matters but does not track county jail inmates. For people held at the Adams County Adult Correctional Complex, the county jail itself is your primary source for current and released inmate records.
Inmate Search in Adams County
The Adams County Sheriff's Office provides public access to inmate records for people currently held at the Adams County Adult Correctional Complex. You can search online, call the jail, or visit in person. Each method gives you access to booking details for Adams County inmates. Released inmate records may require a written request depending on how far back you need to search.
The online search portal is available through the Adams County Sheriff's Office website at adamscountypa.gov/sheriffs-office/. No login is required. You can search by last name, first name, or booking number. Results show current custody status, charges, and bond amount. The roster is updated regularly so it reflects recent bookings and releases in Adams County.
To search by phone, call 717-334-7671 during business hours. Staff will need the person's full legal name and date of birth. They can confirm custody status and provide basic booking information. In-person visits to the facility at 45 Major Bell Lane require a valid government-issued photo ID. Staff can review complete booking records with you on site.
The Pennsylvania DOC Inmate Locator at inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov is updated daily and lets you search state prisoners by name or DIN number. It does not include people held in county jails like the Adams County Adult Correctional Complex. Use the county jail for Adams County inmate searches. If someone was transferred to a state facility after sentencing, the PADOC locator will show their current location.
The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us lets you search court case records for Adams County. You can look up docket sheets, charges, and court dates for free. This is useful for finding released inmate records when the jail roster no longer shows a particular person.Note: Adams County inmate records for people released more than a few years ago may not appear in the online roster and will require a formal records request to the Sheriff's Office or a Right-to-Know submission.
Right-to-Know Requests in Adams County
Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104, passed as Act 3 of 2008, gives the public the right to access government records including inmate records held by Adams County. Records are presumed to be public unless a specific exemption applies. Adams County processes these requests through its Open Records Officer.
To submit a Right-to-Know request for Adams County released inmate records, visit the county's open records page at adamscountypa.gov/open-records/. You can also mail a written request to the Adams County Open Records Officer at 45 Major Bell Lane, Gettysburg, PA 17325. The state's standard RTK form is available at openrecords.pa.gov and is accepted by all Pennsylvania agencies.
Include the inmate's full name, date of birth, date range of incarceration, and the specific records you want. Adams County has 5 business days to respond. The agency may extend that period by up to 30 additional days for complex requests. If your request is denied, you can appeal within 15 business days to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records. Copy fees are $0.25 per page under RTKL. Certified copies cost more and must be specifically requested.
Criminal history records fall under a separate law. The Criminal History Record Information Act, 18 Pa.C.S. § 9121 et seq., governs how criminal records are released and who may receive them. Some details in an inmate record may be redacted if they fall under CHRIA protections. However, basic booking and charge information for arrests is generally public under the RTKL in Adams County.
Note: Pennsylvania's Clean Slate Law, Act 56 of 2018, automatically seals records for certain non-violent misdemeanors after 10 years. Sealed records will not appear in public searches for Adams County released inmates.
PA SAVIN and Adams County
PA SAVIN is Pennsylvania's victim notification service. It covers state prisons and most county jails across the state, including the Adams County Adult Correctional Complex. The service alerts registered users when an inmate's custody status changes. This includes releases, transfers, escapes, and returns to custody in Adams County.
To register for notifications, call PA SAVIN at 1-866-972-7284. The line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Registration is free. You can also register online at pavictimhelp.org. When you register, you provide the name or ID of the person you want to track and your contact information. SAVIN will call, text, or email you when a custody change occurs at the Adams County jail or at any covered state facility.
SAVIN is especially useful for victims of crimes committed in Adams County who want to stay informed about the person who harmed them. The service does not require you to explain why you are registering. It is open to anyone who wants to monitor an inmate's status. Adams County residents can use SAVIN alongside the jail roster to track both current and released inmates.
State Resources for Adams County Residents
The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records at openrecords.pa.gov handles appeals when an agency denies a Right-to-Know request. You can reach them at 717-346-9903. Their office is at 555 Walnut Street, Suite 605, Harrisburg, PA 17101. If Adams County denies your request for released inmate records, the Office of Open Records can review that decision.
The Pennsylvania State Police PATCH system at epatch.state.pa.us provides background checks that include conviction history for Pennsylvania residents. There is a $22 fee per search. Call 1-888-783-7972 for help with PATCH requests. PATCH results reflect statewide criminal conviction data, not just Adams County records.
The Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole at pbpp.pa.gov tracks individuals on state parole. If someone released from Adams County later went to state prison and is now on parole, the PBPP may have records. The UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us shows court case records for all Pennsylvania counties and is free to use for basic searches.
Expungement of Adams County records is possible under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122 in certain cases. A petition must be filed with the Adams County Court of Common Pleas. If a record is expunged, it will no longer appear in public searches for Adams County released inmate records.
The Pennsylvania DOC's publicly available inmate locator covers all state correctional institutions. Visit inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov to search by name or DIN for state inmates from Adams County who were transferred after sentencing.The image below is from the Pennsylvania DOC Inmate Locator, a free state tool for tracking people in state custody. The site at inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov is updated daily and covers all 25 state correctional institutions in Pennsylvania.
This tool is separate from the Adams County jail system but is useful when an Adams County inmate was sentenced to state prison and transferred out of the local facility.
The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records standard RTK form makes it easy to request released inmate records from Adams County and any other Pennsylvania agency. The image below shows the standard form available at openrecords.pa.gov.
Using the standard form ensures your Adams County RTK request includes all required fields and is processed without unnecessary delays.
Note: PATCH results and RTK responses reflect records as they exist at the time of the request. If a record has been sealed under the Clean Slate Law or expunged under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122, it will not appear even if incarceration occurred in Adams County.
Nearby Counties
Adams County borders several other Pennsylvania counties. Released inmate records in each county are handled by that county's jail or correctional facility. If you are unsure which county has the records you need, check where the arrest took place.