West Virginia Division of Corrections (WV DOC) — Inmate Records & Recent Arrests

West Virginia DOC: Inmate Search, Visits, Money & Mail

This page holds the inmate records we have on file for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (WV DOCR). West Virginia runs a statewide system of prisons and regional jails, and the person you are looking for could be housed at any of them and may be transferred during their sentence. 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 WV DOCR

West Virginia provides an online inmate search where you complete an official form with the person's first, middle, and last names, and can narrow by location, offense, sex, and date of birth. On this page you can also browse the records we hold by last name (A–Z), gender, or age to find someone quickly, then confirm the current facility and OID number through the state search. Because people are transferred between West Virginia facilities as their classification changes, a record here can lag behind a recent move, so verify before you plan a visit or send anything. Note that West Virginia operates both state prisons and regional jails, so confirm which kind of facility holds your person.

Getting approved to visit

Visitation in West Virginia must be scheduled and approved by the facility, and there are eligibility rules to be aware of. Generally a visitor must not be a prior felon, must present a valid government-issued photo ID, and any child under 16 must be accompanied by a legal guardian. Each facility sets its own visiting days, hours, and procedures, so once your person is assigned, confirm that facility's specific schedule and requirements and get on the approved list. Arrive with valid identification and enough time for screening, and confirm the schedule before you travel in case it has changed for operational reasons.

Sending money

Cash is not permitted. You can put money into a person's commissary account by check or money order, and you should write the person's inmate ID and full name on the back so it is credited to the right account. Funds let a person buy commissary items — hygiene products, snacks, writing materials — and cover communication costs, and for many families this steady, practical support is the most useful thing they can offer between visits. Allow processing time before the balance is available, and keep your receipt or stub until you confirm the deposit posted.

Mail rules: no photos, and an off-site address

West Virginia has a couple of specific mail rules that trip families up. First, photographs are not allowed in letters — an envelope containing photos will be returned to the sender, so leave them out. Second, mail is processed off-site: address your letter using the incarcerated person's full name and OID number and the full facility name, and send it to P.O. Box 336, Phoenix, MD 21131 rather than the prison's street address. Keep the letter itself simple, with a clear return address, and skip stickers, glitter, or adhesive. Following these two rules — no photos, correct off-site address — is what keeps your mail from bouncing. Our letter service handles formatting and postage so your correspondence meets these requirements.

Phone calls and staying connected

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 make sure your number is approved so their calls connect. Because photographs cannot be mailed, families often lean more on phone calls and any available electronic-messaging options to share news and stay close. For families who talk frequently, lower-cost calling arrangements can meaningfully reduce the expense over a long sentence, and pairing calls with visits keeps the connection strong.

Prisons versus regional jails

An important feature of West Virginia's system is that it includes both state prisons and regional jails under the same division. Regional jails often hold people who are awaiting trial or serving shorter terms, while prisons hold those serving longer sentences, and the rules for visiting, mail handling, and phone service can differ between them. When you locate your person, note which type of facility holds them, and re-check the locator if they are transferred — a move from a regional jail to a state prison, for example, can change the visiting schedule and the practical steps for staying in touch.

Programs, parole, and reentry

Because the division holds sentenced people, many families are also navigating classification, earned time, and parole rather than a pending trial. West Virginia offers education, vocational, and treatment programming, and participation can matter both for a person's daily life and, in some cases, for their release timeline. Staying closely involved — encouraging participation and helping line up the practical pieces of reentry, such as housing and identification — is one of the most effective things a family can do, and consistent contact is associated with smoother transitions back to the community.

What the records here mean

The entries on this page are compiled from public data and reflect a point in time, not a live feed. Because West Virginia moves people between regional jails and prisons and 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 OID number and current facility through the state inmate search before you act.

Next steps

Confirm your loved one's OID number and current facility through the WV inmate search, then use this page to keep track and take the next step — get on the visiting list, send a check or money order to their commissary account, and open a steady line of mail to the Maryland processing address, remembering not to enclose photos. Verify anything time-sensitive with the facility before you travel or send anything.

Sources: westvirginiainmates.org/, penmateapp.com/guides/tag/wv/