Released Inmates of Columbia County
Columbia County released inmate records are kept by the Columbia County Prison in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. The county seat is Bloomsburg, and the prison serves all residents of Columbia County. Searching released inmate records lets you confirm custody status, check booking history, and find information about individuals who were held at the county facility. Columbia County makes its inmate roster available online, and state systems supplement what the county provides. This guide covers every step of the search process for Columbia County released inmate records.
Columbia County Quick Facts
Columbia County Prison Records
The Columbia County Prison is located at 721 Iron Street in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. The facility has a long history, having first opened in 1877 with space for 50 inmates. It was renovated in 1995 to expand capacity to 150 inmates and has since grown to hold up to 250 people. The county seat of Bloomsburg is home to the facility, which serves all of Columbia County.
The prison runs a range of programs for inmates. Drug and alcohol counseling is available along with AA meetings, life skills training, parenting classes, GED education, and religious classes. These programs serve Columbia County inmates and are designed to reduce recidivism after release. The facility has a zero-tolerance policy on sexual harassment and assault under the Prison Rape Elimination Act. Concerns about PREA violations can be directed to smccabe@columbiapa.org.
The Columbia County Prison is reachable 24 hours a day at 570-784-4815. The fax number is 570-784-8837. Inquiries about current or recently released inmates can be directed to the facility by phone or through the official county website.
| Facility |
Columbia County Prison 721 Iron Street Bloomsburg, PA 17815 Phone: 570-784-4815 Fax: 570-784-8837 |
|---|---|
| Hours | 24 hours, 7 days a week |
| Website | columbiapa.org/prison |
Columbia County Inmate Roster Search
Columbia County provides an online inmate roster through the county's official portal. The roster at ccpa.net is one of the primary ways to look up current inmates and recently released individuals in Columbia County. The roster shows basic booking and custody data and is updated regularly by staff at the Columbia County Prison.
The county roster covers only people held at the Columbia County Prison. It does not include people serving sentences at a Pennsylvania state prison. For state inmates, use the PA DOC Inmate Locator at inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov. That system is updated daily and is free to search. You can use both the county roster and the state locator if you are unsure whether a person is in county or state custody in Pennsylvania.
Detailed booking records beyond what appears on the online roster may require a formal records request. The Criminal History Record Information Act, 18 Pa.C.S. § 9121 et seq., governs what portions of criminal history can be shared with the public. Some fields in inmate records may be withheld under this statute even for released inmates in Columbia County.
Note: The UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us shows court filings linked to charges and may help identify cases connected to a Columbia County inmate record.
Right-to-Know Requests in Columbia County
The Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104 (Act 3 of 2008), gives residents the right to request public records from Columbia County agencies including the prison. You can submit a written request for inmate records, booking logs, or other documents. The agency must respond within five business days. They can grant your request, deny it with a written explanation, or request a 30-day extension in complex cases.
Requests should be sent in writing to the Columbia County Prison Open Records Officer at 721 Iron Street, Bloomsburg, PA 17815. Standard copy fees are $0.25 per page for paper records. Electronic records may be available at lower or no cost. If your request is denied, you have the right to appeal to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records at openrecords.pa.gov, which can be reached by phone at 717-346-9903. Use the standard RTK form at openrecords.pa.gov/RTKL/StandardRTKForm.cfm to prepare your request.
Records that have been expunged under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122 or automatically sealed under the Clean Slate Act of 2018 (Act 56) are not subject to public disclosure. Columbia County must comply with these sealing requirements when responding to records requests about released inmates.
PA SAVIN in Columbia County
PA SAVIN, the Statewide Automated Victim Information and Notification system, gives victims and the public a way to monitor custody changes at Columbia County facilities. The service is free and runs 24 hours a day. You can sign up to receive automated alerts by phone, email, or text when a specific offender is released, transferred, or booked into Columbia County custody.
To use PA SAVIN for Columbia County, visit pavictimhelp.org or call 1-866-972-7284. No personal information is required to perform a basic search. Victims who want to receive ongoing notifications can register confidentially. PA SAVIN works alongside the Columbia County Prison's own records system and provides an additional layer of notification for people tracking released inmates in Columbia County.
State Inmate Resources for Columbia County
Pennsylvania offers several free and low-cost tools that supplement Columbia County released inmate records. Each tool covers a different part of the justice system, so using more than one often gives you the most complete picture.
The PA DOC Inmate Locator at inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov covers state prison inmates only and is updated daily at no charge. The PA DOC main site at cor.pa.gov provides information on programs, parole, and state corrections policy. The Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole at pbpp.pa.gov manages individuals released from state custody on parole, including those with ties to Columbia County. The UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us is free and shows criminal court filings across all Pennsylvania counties including Columbia County.
The PATCH system at epatch.state.pa.us provides official criminal history background checks for a $22 fee. PATCH reports include conviction data from across Pennsylvania and are commonly used for background screening. For questions about PATCH, call 1-888-783-7972. The Pennsylvania State Police at psp.pa.gov maintains additional law enforcement records and can answer questions about statewide criminal history in Pennsylvania.
Cities in Columbia County
Columbia County includes Bloomsburg as the county seat along with several boroughs and townships in central Pennsylvania. All released inmate records from Columbia County municipalities are processed through the Columbia County Prison.
Nearby Counties
Columbia County shares borders with several counties in northeastern and north-central Pennsylvania. Each neighboring county has its own jail and inmate records system.