Understanding Fairbanks County Jail vs. Fairbanks Correctional Center: Where Is Your Loved One?

Fairbanks Correctional Center is a state prison facility, not the county jail. It’s an adult, medium-security Alaska State correctional facility that falls under the Alaska Department of Corrections (ADOC). That ADOC connection matters: if your loved one is in state custody, you’ll typically be dealing with state systems (state inmate search, state facility phone lines, and state mail and money procedures), not the county’s.

One reason these two places get mixed up is that they’re both in Fairbanks and the numbers sound similar. Fairbanks Correctional Center houses approximately 165 offenders. Fairbanks County Jail is also listed with a maximum capacity of 165 offenders. Capacity doesn’t tell you where someone is being held - jurisdiction does - so it helps to focus on whether you’re looking for a county booking or a state facility placement.

If you’re trying to figure out where to start, think about what’s happening in the case. For someone held locally, the Fairbanks County Jail roster is often the first place families check - especially right after an arrest or during a short-term hold. If the person is in state custody at Fairbanks Correctional Center, you’ll want the ADOC online inmate search tool instead, since that’s the system used to search for prisoners housed at the state facility.

Another clue: communication services. For Fairbanks County Jail, the jail’s information notes that people can use Securus Technologies services to contact detainees. If you’re setting up contact and you’re being directed to Securus for a county detainee, that points you back toward the county jail side rather than the state correctional center.

1. If you think they’re in state custody, use the ADOC inmate search - To search for prisoners housed at Fairbanks Correctional Center, use the Alaska Department of Corrections online Inmate Search tool at http://www.correct.state.ak.us/ (available 24/7).
2. If you think they’re in county custody, use the jail roster - You can search the Fairbanks County Jail roster online by going to the facility website and navigating to the “Jail Roster” section.

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• ✓ Fairbanks Correctional Center (state/ADOC): 1931 Egan Avenue, Fairbanks, AK 99701 - 907-458-6700
• ✓ Fairbanks County Jail (county): 911 Cushman Street, Fairbanks, AK 99701 - (907) 450-6500

Mail procedures are another place where families lose time, so match your letter to the right facility before you send anything. For Fairbanks County Jail, mail should be addressed to the inmate’s name at 911 Cushman Street, Fairbanks, AK 99701, and incoming mail is inspected for prohibited items. For Fairbanks Correctional Center, inmates can receive mail as well, but incoming mail is opened and inspected for contraband. If you’re trying to help with basics while someone is at the state facility, Fairbanks Correctional Center also offers commissary, and funds can be added to an inmate’s account online, via money orders, or by cashier’s checks.