Finding Someone in NC Prisons: How to Use the NCDAC Offender Locator and NC SAVAN Alerts
Trying to find someone in the North Carolina prison system? Start with the NCDAC Offender Public Information Search. Once you pull up the right person, you can also sign up for NC SAVAN alerts to get notified about custody status changes.
The main tool is the NCDAC Offender Public Information Search (often called the Offender Locator). It's a free, public search tool with up-to-date records for people in North Carolina state prisons, as well as those on NCDAC-supervised probation or parole. You can access it through the NCDAC website. If you're starting from scratch, this is usually the fastest way to confirm whether someone is in state prison custody or being supervised in the community.
Tip: You can search the Offender Locator by name or by offender ID. If you have the offender ID, use it. It pulls up the correct record faster.
The NCDAC offender database does not include county jail records. If the person you're looking for was recently arrested or is awaiting trial, check the county jail system instead of the state prison locator.
Contact Inquiry
- ✓ Offender’s first name
- ✓ Offender’s last name
- ✓ Offender ID number (you can get this from the NCDAC Offender Public Information Search)
Don't have the offender ID number? Use the NCDAC Offender Public Information Search first and look the person up by name. The NCDAC contact process actually directs people to that same search tool so you can find the offender number before submitting a question about a specific person.
If you need ongoing custody status updates, NC SAVAN is the statewide notification system. It sends free, confidential alerts about an offender's custody status to victims, their families, and their support networks. NC SAVAN covers more ground than the state prison locator. It includes county jail inmates, state prisoners, probationers, parolees, and registered sex offenders, so it's useful even when someone isn't housed in an NCDAC prison facility.
- ✓ Phone call
- ✓ Text message
- ✓ TTY (for the hearing impaired)
Note: In-person visits to people in NCDAC prisons are by appointment only. Call or email the prison where the person is housed to schedule, then call again the day before your visit to confirm the facility's visitation status.
Before making travel plans, use the Offender Locator results to confirm the person's current facility assignment and status. Once you know which prison is listed, look up that facility's contact information and call to verify visitation details. Things can change quickly, so always double-check before you go.
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