South Dakota Inmate Search

The best methods for conducting an inmate search

There are multiple ways to get an inmate's information. In South Dakota, you can search for an inmate's records using the South Dakota Department of Corrections website. To look someone up, you will need at least their first and last name, and preferably also their DOC number (Department of Corrections number, or prison ID). Through this search, you can gain housing information, release dates and more details about a particular inmate. The Department of Corrections website also has an offender locator feature, allowing you to find the exact location of a registered or incarcerated offender.

Through other online databases, you can search South Dakota prisons by county. This is a longer, more exhausting way to find what you are looking for, but helpful if you do not know the inmate's full name or legal name.

Checkpeople is an easy resource for inmate searches. With just a person's name, city, and state, you can view all of their public records and inmate status.

What makes an inmate search possible

Thanks to the 1967 Freedom of Information Act, all public records are accessible by anyone in America. The nature of the criminal justice system is public; arrest records, criminal records, court cases, offender status, and incarceration status are all legally public information. Since the Freedom of Information Act was enacted, it has been possible for anyone to view the public records of any inmate or offender with just the right sources and knowhow.

Today, the internet has made public records more accessible than ever. Checkpeople is just one way of gaining access to all of an inmate's available public records with a quick search. We have compiled all of that information into one place for each individual person – making it easy to learn whatever you need to know about a particular inmate.

An inmate search is completely legal and an ordinary thing to do – especially for someone who has a relative or loved one incarcerated and has questions about their status. Checkpeople strives to make gaining that information quick and easy.

What to do with the information gained through an inmate search

So, you have found the inmate you were looking for using Checkpeople or another source. Now what?

Checkpeople is not a channel for reaching out to incarcerated inmates; it only provides the information. But, with an inmate's ID number, full name, and prison or jail address, you should be able to send them a letter to get in touch. You also might be able to set up a phone call or even an in-person visit. For a lot of people, initiating contact with someone is the very reason to do an inmate search in the first place.

If you plan on using the information you found on Checkpeople to reach out to an inmate, we advise you to use caution. Conduct a thorough search before you write your letter or attempt to make a phone call. Contact, even with strangers, can be great for someone who is incarcerated, but you need to make sure you are keeping yourself safe, too. A search on Checkpeople will tell you if someone is a sexual or violent offender.

If someone is no longer incarcerated

An inmate search in South Dakota will not give you the specific inmate details – housing, DOC number, etc. – of someone who has since been released from jail or prison. However, public records are always visible, so long as they are public. You can conduct a search on Checkpeople at any time to see if someone has previously been arrested or incarcerated and why. This makes it a great tool to give you some peace of mind about new people in your life.

Final considerations

An inmate search should be easy, and give you the answers you are looking for, whether you are searching for details about a friend or relative's incarceration or simply curious about a particular inmate.

You should make sure you are using a verified, fully valid source to gain information. Be suspicious of anything you find that does not look like certified public records – this is especially true if you are searching for a high-profile or well-known inmate.

For inmate searches in South Dakota, the Department of Corrections website can be a great legitimate resource, but you will need to know your inmate's legal first and last name, and preferably their Department of Corrections ID number as well, to gain detailed information. You can also search by county, but that can take painfully long, depending on what you are looking for.

Checkpeople is a quick and easy online resource to conduct your inmate search. All you need is the person's name and general location, and you can instantly access all of their public records. It is safe and completely legitimate.

Please remember to be responsible with the information you find on Checkpeople. Even though an inmate's records are public, the information can still be sensitive. If you choose to make contact with an inmate using what you have learned in your inmate search, make sure you use caution and know exactly who you are contacting.

We hope your inmate search on Checkpeople gets you the information you are looking for quickly and efficiently.