Louisiana Department of Corrections (LA DOC) — Inmate Records & Recent Arrests

Louisiana DOC: Locating an Imprisoned Person, Visits & Money

This page holds the inmate records we have on file for the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections (DPS&C). Louisiana, which increasingly refers to those in its custody as imprisoned people, runs a statewide system, and one thing that makes it distinctive is that many state-sentenced people are actually housed in local or parish facilities as well as state prisons. That means the person you are searching for could be in a number of settings across the state. The records below are a historical directory of custody entries we hold, a starting point for identifying the right person, not a live count. For more on this facility — history, programs, and what to expect — see our full facility profile.

How to locate someone in Louisiana

Family and friends can locate an imprisoned person through the Louisiana Automated Victim Notification System (LAVNS), which is updated every 24 hours and lets you search by location, name, and ID or case number. You can also call the Imprisoned Person Locator at (225) 383-4580; be ready with the person's DPS&C number, or their name and date of birth, and the line can provide housing assignment, facility address, contact phone number, and projected release date. On this page you can browse the records we hold by last name (A–Z), gender, or age to narrow a search, then confirm the current facility and DPS&C number through these official sources before you plan anything.

Visitation and what to expect

Visitation in Louisiana is governed by department regulation (OP-C-9), and each facility sets its own approved-list and scheduling requirements, so start by getting on the person's list and confirming that facility's rules. Louisiana permits contact visits at many facilities: an imprisoned person and visitor may hug and exchange a brief kiss at the beginning and end of a visit, and hold hands during it, but excessive displays of affection are prohibited. Visitation is a privilege that can be restricted or suspended if rules are broken, so follow the guidelines closely. Bring valid photo identification, confirm the schedule ahead of time, and arrive early for screening.

Sending money through JPay

All state correctional facilities use JPay for deposits, and you can send money by U.S. mail, online, by phone, at facility kiosks, and at MoneyGram locations; visitors cannot hand money directly to an imprisoned person. Kiosks in facility visiting areas take credit or debit cards or cash, with about a two-day turnaround for funds to become available. Note that cash deposits at kiosks carry a $4.00 fee for deposits up to $500, and deposits of $500 or more may be subject to review. Always include the DPS&C number so the deposit reaches the right person, and keep your receipt until the balance updates.

Writing to an imprisoned person

Imprisoned people in Louisiana can send and receive mail at all state facilities, though mail may be inspected and is subject to content restrictions. Address your letter with the person's committed name and DPS&C number, include a clear return address, and keep enclosures simple — no stickers, glitter, or adhesive that could get a letter rejected. Because a state-sentenced person may be housed in a parish or local facility, confirm the correct mailing address for their current location, since it can differ from a state prison's. Our letter service handles formatting and postage so your correspondence meets facility rules and reaches the right person.

Phone calls and staying connected

Calls are placed by the imprisoned person out to numbers on their approved list, so the practical task on your end is to set up and fund an account with the facility's phone provider and make sure your number is approved so their calls connect. For families who talk frequently, lower-cost calling arrangements can meaningfully reduce the expense over a long sentence. Because Louisiana houses people in a mix of state and local facilities, the phone provider and rules can vary by location, so confirm the setup for your person's specific facility.

Where state-sentenced people are held

A defining feature of Louisiana's system is that a large share of state-sentenced people are housed in local and parish jails rather than only in state penitentiaries. This matters for families in practical ways: visiting rules, mail addresses, phone providers, and commissary systems can all differ depending on whether your loved one is at a state prison or a parish facility. When you locate someone, note the exact facility, and re-check the locator if they are transferred, since a move between a parish jail and a state prison changes the logistics of nearly everything.

What the records here 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 Louisiana's system 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, an ID recorded differently, or an age tied to an earlier booking date. None of that reflects anything about the person; it reflects the limits of the public source. Use an entry as a strong lead, then confirm the current facility and status through LAVNS or the Imprisoned Person Locator. If someone you expect to find does not appear, they may still be in county custody, in transit, or newly received, so wait a day and check again or search by last name only.

Next steps

Confirm your loved one's DPS&C number and current facility through LAVNS or the locator line at (225) 383-4580, then use this page to keep track and take the next step — get on the visiting list, set up JPay so basics are covered, and open a steady line of mail to the correct address. If a person is still pre-trial rather than sentenced, bail through the court may be an option. Everyone listed here is presumed innocent or is serving a sentence after conviction; a listing here is not a judgment. Verify anything time-sensitive with the facility before you travel or send anything.

Sources: doc.la.gov/imprisoned-person-programs-resourc..., doc.louisiana.gov/offender-programs-resources...