Find Delaware Released Inmates
Delaware released inmates records show when an inmate leaves state custody and where they head next. You can look up a Delaware inmate by name or ID through the Delaware DOC Inmate Locator or the national VINELink inmate network. Both inmate tools are free. Both are open around the clock. This page walks you through every way to search Delaware released inmates, from the state offender locator to court portals and local police records on each inmate. It also points out the Delaware agencies that keep release data and shows how to set up inmate alerts so you get a ping when a custody status changes.
Delaware Released Inmates Overview
Where to Find Delaware Released Inmates
The Delaware Department of Correction keeps inmate records on every person who leaves state custody. It is the main source for Delaware released inmates data. The Delaware DOC sits at 245 McKee Road in Dover and handles the full span of inmate release work, from exit paperwork to victim alerts. Delaware DOC runs inmate facilities in all three Delaware counties and ships each inmate's release data to the State Bureau of Identification within 48 hours of the inmate's release.
For a quick online inmate lookup, the go-to in Delaware is the DOC Inmate Locator. It is powered by the VINELink inmate engine and pulls fresh inmate data from the state prison system every 30 minutes. You see the inmate's facility, custody status, and in many cases the projected release date.
Get started with the Delaware DOC Inmate Locator page to run an inmate name search.
The Delaware inmate page shows each adult inmate held in a Level IV or Level V facility and flags when inmate release prep is under way. You can also call the DOC Victim Services Unit at (302) 857-5440 for help with a Delaware inmate lookup.
Note: The Delaware DOC may hold a person past the listed release date if another state or federal agency has an active hold or detainer.
How to Search Delaware Released Inmates
There are three fast ways to look up Delaware released inmates. Each inmate search fits a different need. Pick the one that matches the Delaware inmate info you have on hand.
- Online via the Delaware DOC Inmate Locator
- National search through VINELink
- Court docket lookup via CourtConnect
- Phone call to Victim Services at (302) 857-5440
- Written request to Central Offender Records in Dover
The Delaware Department of Correction main site is a hub for all Delaware inmate paths. It has links to the inmate locator, victim services, inmate facility lists, and Delaware DOC news.
The Delaware DOC site also lists each state prison, work release center, and field office. Each unit plays a part in the release process for Delaware inmates.
For national reach, the VINELink national network lets you set up alerts for any inmate held in U.S. jails or prisons. It is free and runs in many languages. You can opt in for phone, email, or text updates on a Delaware inmate.
Pick an inmate notice type such as general release, parole, escape, or transfer, and VINE pings you when that event happens for a Delaware inmate.
Delaware Released Inmates Through CourtConnect
CourtConnect is the Delaware Judiciary's public portal for court records. It pairs well with the DOC inmate locator when you want the full story on a released Delaware inmate. You get the inmate custody record from Delaware DOC and the case record from the courts. Search by inmate name, business name, or case type.
Visit the CourtConnect public access portal to search Delaware dockets statewide. Under Delaware Code Title 11, Chapter 65 (§ 6535 through § 6541), the Department of Correction must keep detailed inmate records on each sentenced Delaware inmate, which feed into the court files you see on the portal.
Inmate results show filing dates, docket entries, sentencing details, and motion history. Older Delaware inmate files may not be in the system. For those, you need to visit the Delaware courthouse in person.
You can also drill deeper into civil actions and judgments tied to a Delaware inmate. The Delaware Courts docket search pulls from all court levels, including Superior, Common Pleas, and Family Court.
Use the Delaware civil docket when you need to trace a restitution order or a civil matter tied to a released Delaware inmate.
Delaware Released Inmates Records and Information
The Central Offender Records Unit at the Delaware DOC is where the inmate paper trail lives. The inmate records unit has an active side and an inactive side. The active side handles inmate intake, sentence math, and the release of a Delaware inmate to probation or to the street. The inactive side takes over for inmate subpoena requests, inmate file retention, and felony transmittal research on past Delaware inmates.
Visit the Central Offender Records Unit page for the full list of what the Delaware inmate records unit does.
Toby Davis is the current director of the Delaware inmate records unit. The office works out of Delaware DOC headquarters in Dover.
A typical Delaware released inmates file can include:
- Full name, aliases, and date of birth
- State Identification Number (SID) and FBI number when on file
- Charge codes and sentence length
- Sentencing court and judge
- Current or last housing location
- Release type and projected date
- Parole, probation, or work release status
Per Delaware statute, medical and disciplinary records are not public. Inmate health info stays sealed. The same goes for internal DOC discipline files.
Delaware Released Inmates Laws and Statutes
Most of the law on Delaware released inmates sits in Title 11, Chapter 65 of the Delaware Code. Subchapter VII covers inmate discipline, inmate visits, inmate discharge pay, and the duty to publish names of inmates placed on work release. Under § 6540, an inmate who is broke when released may get clothes and transport to a point inside the state.
Section 6541 adds a rule that is unique to Delaware. When an inmate is placed on supervised custody, work release, or furlough, the DOC must publish the inmate name and the crimes in a paper with general run in each of the three Delaware counties. The rule keeps the public in the loop on inmate movement between custody levels.
Title 11, Chapter 85 lays out the role of the State Bureau of Identification for Delaware inmates. Under § 8510, the Delaware DOC has 48 hours to send inmate names, prints, photos, and other data on each released inmate to SBI.
Public access to state records runs through the Delaware FOIA statutes in Title 29, Chapter 100. The law sets a 15 business day window for a public body to respond to a request. The first 20 pages of black and white copies are free.
FOIA carves out some files. Records held by DOC are not open to the person held in custody. Pure criminal files and active investigatory files are also off limits.
Victim Services for Delaware Released Inmates
The Delaware DOC Victim Services Unit gives notice to victims before an inmate is released. By law, the unit mails a written inmate release notice 30 days before the inmate release date. Victims must keep their address and phone on file with the unit for this inmate notice to work.
Read the Victim Services FAQ page for the full scope of what the Delaware inmate unit can share with you.
Per Delaware statute, the inmate victim unit can give out the charge, sentence length, sentencing judge, and current inmate housing unit. It cannot share inmate medical or inmate discipline records.
For funds to help with crime costs, the Attorney General runs the Victims' Compensation Assistance Program. VCAP can pay for medical bills, mental health care, lost wages, funerals, and relocation.
Call VCAP at 1-800-870-1790 to start a claim. The office sits inside the Delaware Department of Justice.
Delaware Background Checks and Criminal History
The State Bureau of Identification is the central hub for criminal history data in Delaware. SBI sits under the Delaware State Police at 1407 N. Dupont Highway in Dover. To get a state background check, you need to give prints and a photo ID.
See the Delaware State Police SBI services page for fees and hours.
A state only check runs $52.50. A state plus federal check runs $69.00. The SBI takes cash, debit or credit cards, bank checks, and money orders.
For crimes that require lifetime tracking, the Delaware Sex Offender Registry runs a public database. You can search by name or by neighborhood.
The registry covers people sentenced after 1994. It flags tier level, mugshots, and known aliases.
Released Inmates Data in Delaware
For big-picture numbers on Delaware released inmates, two sources do the heavy lifting. The DOC's own planning unit posts monthly reports. The statewide Open Data Portal hosts the raw data in tables you can filter and chart.
Check the Research and Statistics page at the DOC for current monthly snapshots.
The page pulls from DOC's own counts and covers inmate population and probationer totals by month.
For deeper slicing, the Delaware Open Data Portal lets you break numbers down by county, gender, ethnicity, sentence type, and facility.
The portal runs on Socrata and lets you build charts or pull a CSV file. State law bars any data that would name a specific person.
Delaware FOIA Request Process
For any record not on a public portal, a FOIA request is the way in. The Delaware Criminal Justice Council FOIA page walks through the basics and lists the CJC FOIA coordinator.
Scott McLaren is the CJC FOIA coordinator. Send a request by email, fax to (302) 577-3440, or mail to 820 N. French Street, 10th Floor, Wilmington, DE 19801.
Each agency has its own FOIA contact. For DOC-held files, the request goes to Tim Martin, Legal Services Administrator, at DOC headquarters in Dover. FOIA does not override the bar on criminal history and active investigation files, but it does cover most release stats, policy manuals, and general records.
Note: Public bodies in Delaware have up to 15 business days to respond to a FOIA request. Fees beyond the first 20 pages run $0.10 per sheet.
Probation and Parole in Delaware
A large share of Delaware released inmates step down to probation or parole before they finish their term. The Bureau of Community Corrections runs these offices. Each county has its own probation and parole office.
Here are the direct phone lines for each office:
- New Castle County: (302) 323-6050
- Wilmington: (302) 577-3443
- Kent County: (302) 739-5387
- Sussex County: (302) 856-5243
Community corrections centers sit in Wilmington and Dover. The Plummer Community Corrections Center serves the north end. The Kent County center at 150 MLK Jr. Blvd South in Dover serves the middle of the state. The DOC uses these sites for work release and reentry prep.
Browse Delaware Released Inmates by County
Delaware has three counties. Each one has its own set of police departments, jail intake points, and court offices that feed into the state release system. Pick a county below to see the local inmate data, detention facility, and contact numbers.
Released Inmates Records in Major Delaware Cities
Most arrests in Delaware route through a handful of state prisons and community corrections centers. The city where the arrest took place shapes which police agency builds the file. Pick a city below to see local contacts and booking flow.