Iowa Department of Corrections (IA DOC) — Inmate Records & Recent Arrests

Iowa Department of Corrections: Offender Search, Visits & Money

This page holds the inmate records we have on file for the Iowa Department of Corrections (IDOC). Iowa runs a statewide system of correctional institutions, so the person you are looking for could be housed at any of them and may be transferred during their sentence. Under Iowa law, offender records are public information, which makes locating someone relatively straightforward. The records below are a historical directory of custody entries we hold — a starting point for identifying the right person and taking the next step — not a live count of any single facility, so confirm anything current against the state's official search. For more on this facility — history, programs, and what to expect — see our full facility profile.

How to find someone in Iowa DOC

Iowa provides an official Offender Search where you can look someone up by name or DOC number and apply filters such as date-of-birth range, sex, location, and county of commitment. On this page you can also browse the records we hold by last name (A–Z), gender, or age to narrow a common name, then confirm the current facility and DOC number through the state search. Because people are transferred between Iowa institutions as their classification and program needs change, a record here can lag behind a recent move, so verify before you plan anything. For help beyond the online database, the department can be reached at (515) 725-5701.

Free visits through the Ameelio app

Iowa stands out for offering both in-person and video visits at no cost to approved friends and family, and all visits are scheduled through the Ameelio app. That "no cost" detail is genuinely unusual — many systems charge for video visits — and it makes staying in touch more affordable, especially for families who live far from a facility. Before you can schedule, you must be approved: electronic applications are not accepted, so you print, sign, and mail your visitor application to Iowa's centralized records office at Mount Pleasant Correctional Facility, Attn: Central Records, 1200 E. Washington St., Mount Pleasant, IA 52641. For questions about the application, Centralized Visiting can be reached at (319) 385-9511.

Sending money for commissary

You can add money to a person's account through JPay, Iowa's approved vendor, typically online or by phone, with mailed options available as well. Funds let a person buy commissary items — hygiene products, snacks, writing materials — and cover phone and messaging costs, and for many families this steady, practical support is the most useful thing they can offer between visits. Always include the correct DOC number so the deposit reaches the right person, and allow processing time before the balance is available. A small, regular balance is usually more helpful than an occasional large deposit.

Writing to an Iowa inmate

Mail is a reliable way to stay connected, but every piece is inspected for contraband before delivery. Address your letter with the person's committed name and DOC number, include a clear return address, and follow the facility's current mail rules on photos, cards, and page limits. Avoid stickers, glitter, adhesive, or anything unusual that will get a letter rejected. Because mail procedures can vary and change, when in doubt keep it simple and check the current policy. Our letter service handles formatting and postage so your correspondence meets facility requirements and reaches the right person.

Phone calls and staying in touch

Phone contact is one of the most dependable ways to stay close over a sentence. Calls are placed by the incarcerated person out to numbers on their approved list, so set up and fund an account with the facility's phone provider in advance and confirm your number is approved. Combined with Iowa's free video visits, phone calls give families several affordable channels for regular contact. For those who talk often, lower-cost calling arrangements can further reduce the expense, and pairing calls with scheduled visits and steady mail keeps the connection strong.

What our records can and cannot tell you

A directory like this reflects custody entries captured from public data at a point in time, not a live feed from inside a facility. Because Iowa moves people between institutions as their classification and program needs change, a person may appear here after a transfer or release, and individual fields can be incomplete — a middle name dropped or an age tied to an earlier date. That reflects the limits of the source, not anything about the person. Use an entry as a strong lead, then confirm the current facility and DOC number through Iowa's official Offender Search, which is public by law and updated as the authoritative record. If someone you expect to find does not appear, they may still be in county custody or moving through intake, so check again after a day or search by last name only.

Programs, reentry, and staying involved

Iowa's corrections system emphasizes programming and reentry — education, treatment, and work opportunities meant to prepare people to return to the community. If your loved one is engaged in programs, encouraging that participation and helping line up the practical pieces of release, such as housing and identification, improves the odds of a stable transition. Families are central to reentry, and staying consistently involved is one of the most effective things you can do. If a person is still pre-trial in a county jail rather than in IDOC custody, bail through the court may be an option; once in state custody, the focus turns to communication, commissary, and preparing for release.

What the records mean, and next steps

The entries on this page are compiled from public data and reflect a point in time, not a live feed. Because Iowa moves people between facilities, a record can lag behind a transfer or release, and some fields may be incomplete — a limit of the source, not a statement about the person. Everyone listed is presumed innocent or is serving a sentence after conviction. Confirm the person's DOC number and current facility through Iowa's Offender Search, then use this page to keep track and take the next step — mail your visitor application to Central Records, set up JPay, or send a first letter. Verify anything time-sensitive with the facility before you travel or send anything.

Sources: doc-search.iowa.gov/, doc.iowa.gov/inmate-family-services/how-do-i-..., doc.iowa.gov/inmate-family-services