Delaware Inmate Population

Delaware inmate population records are maintained by the state Department of Correction, which runs a unified correctional system covering all three counties. If you need to locate a current inmate, check custody status, or get information about someone held in a Delaware facility, the DOC inmate locator is your first stop. The state holds between 4,500 and 5,000 incarcerated individuals at any given time across four major secure facilities and several community corrections centers. This page covers how to search Delaware inmate population data, which agencies hold records, and how to use official state tools to find what you need.

Delaware Department of Correction

The Delaware Department of Correction is the second largest executive branch agency in the state and the largest law enforcement agency in Delaware. It employs more than 2,500 people and supervises between 4,500 and 5,000 inmates inside correctional facilities, along with roughly 13,000 probationers in the community. Delaware runs a unified system. That means the state controls all correctional facilities. There are no county jails. Every person arrested in Delaware who is held in custody goes into a state-run facility regardless of which county the arrest happened in.

The department is organized into several bureaus. The Bureau of Prisons runs four secure facilities. The Bureau of Community Corrections supervises people after release. The Bureau of Healthcare, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services provides medical and behavioral health programs. Central Offender Records within the Bureau of Administrative Services manages inmate files and handles records requests. The Office of the Commissioner oversees Internal Affairs, Victim Services, Family Services, and Planning Research and Re-Entry. Each bureau plays a direct role in how Delaware inmate population data is generated, stored, and shared with the public.

The DOC recently deployed handheld tablets to every incarcerated person to improve communication with families and expand programming. The Plummer Community Corrections Center in Wilmington was scheduled to close by March 2026 due to declining populations and high maintenance costs.

The DOC website at doc.delaware.gov is the central source for Delaware inmate population information, facility news, offender search tools, visitation rules, and records request procedures.

Search Delaware Inmate Population with VINELink

The DOC links directly to VINELink, the National Victim Notification Network, for inmate lookups. The Delaware inmate locator page takes you there. VINELink lets you search for any person currently in a Delaware correctional facility and check their custody status. You can also sign up for automatic alerts by phone, email, text message, or TTY device if that person's custody status changes. The service runs 24 hours a day.

The DOC notes that release dates shown may shift. The department can adjust dates through forfeiture of good time under Delaware statute. Inmates may also owe additional sentence levels such as work release or probation after finishing their Level V prison term. The DOC may also hold someone past their release date if another jurisdiction has a detainer or active warrant on file. These are important caveats when checking an inmate's projected release date in the system.

Victims can also register through the state's participating toll-free line. The Victim Services Unit at DOC can be reached at (302) 857-5440 during business hours. For 24-hour automated registration and inmate population lookups, use VINELink directly online.

The Delaware inmate locator page at the DOC website connects users to VINELink, where you can search the current inmate population by name and register for custody status notifications.

Delaware Correctional Facilities and the Incarcerated Population

Delaware's Bureau of Prisons operates four secure facilities. Each serves a different region and security level. Knowing which facility holds inmates from a specific area helps narrow your search when you use the inmate locator or contact the DOC directly.

Howard R. Young Correctional Institution (HRYCI) is at 1301 East 12th Street in Wilmington, phone (302) 429-7700. It primarily holds pre-trial detainees and sentenced offenders from New Castle County. The facility houses about 1,500 male inmates across minimum, medium, and maximum security classifications. Visitation runs seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Schedule visits at least one week in advance by calling (302) 575-0330. Visitors must provide the inmate's date of birth or SIB number when scheduling.

James T. Vaughn Correctional Center (JTVCC) at 1181 Paddock Road in Smyrna, phone (302) 653-9261, is Delaware's largest facility. It holds about 2,500 minimum, medium, and maximum security male inmates and serves as the primary location for the Kent County pre-trial population. Sussex Correctional Institution (SCI) is at 23203 DuPont Boulevard in Georgetown, phone (302) 856-5280, holding about 1,200 male inmates. SCI serves the Sussex County inmate population. Weekend visitation runs Saturday and Sunday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. All visitors must present valid government-issued photo ID and be on the inmate's approved list.

Baylor Women's Correctional Institution is at 660 Baylor Boulevard in New Castle, phone (302) 577-3004. It is the only all-female prison in Delaware, housing pre-trial and sentenced women from all three counties. Community corrections facilities include the Sussex Community Corrections Center at 23207 DuPont Boulevard in Georgetown and the Community Corrections Treatment Center in Kent County.

The DOC bureaus and divisions page lists all correctional facilities, community corrections centers, and specialized units that make up the Delaware inmate population housing system.

Requesting Delaware Inmate Population Records

Delaware's Freedom of Information Act is at 29 Del. C. § 1000 et seq (Title 29, Chapter 100). It requires all public bodies to open records to inspection during regular business hours. The DOC processes its own FOIA requests separately from county or municipal governments. Each public body must designate a FOIA coordinator and publish that contact information on their website.

To request inmate population records or other DOC documents, submit through the State of Delaware's Online FOIA Request Form or fill out the PDF version and send it to DOC_FOIA_Request@delaware.gov. You can also mail it to the DOC Administration Building, Attn: Tim Martin, Legal Services Administrator, 245 McKee Road, Dover, DE 19904, or submit in person at the same address. The DOC must respond within 15 business days of receiving your request. The response either provides access to the records, denies the request with an explanation, or states that more time is needed due to volume or legal complexity.

Some inmate records carry exemptions. Records sought by the inmate themselves may be withheld. Criminal investigation files and intelligence records compiled for law enforcement purposes are also exempt from public disclosure. By statute, the DOC must tell victims the charge, sentence length, sentence level, sentencing court, judge's name, and current housing location. Medical information and disciplinary files are confidential under Delaware law and are not subject to public disclosure. Under Title 11 § 4322, presentence reports, parole reports, and supervision history are privileged and not generally disclosed.

FOIA fee rules give the first 20 standard pages free. Additional pages run $0.10 each for black and white. Color copies add $1.00 per standard page. Oversized copies range from $2.00 to $3.00 per sheet. Administrative fees apply for requests that take more than one hour of staff time to process.

The DOC FOIA page provides submission methods, the FOIA coordinator's contact information, and instructions for requesting Department of Correction records including inmate population data.

Delaware's public records law is codified at Title 29, Chapter 100, which sets the full legal framework for FOIA requests, response timelines, fee structures, and exemptions across all state agencies.

Victim Notification and Inmate Release Information

The DOC Victim Services Unit provides notifications to crime victims about changes in the incarcerated population. Victims receive a written notice 30 days before an inmate is scheduled for release. Addresses and phone numbers should be kept current by contacting the Department of Justice at 800-870-1790 and the DOC Victim Services Unit at (302) 857-5440. Email contact is doc_victimservices@state.de.us.

Delaware's SENTAC system, the Sentencing Accountability Commission, makes sentence information available to the public. Victims can ask for and get the supervision level ordered for any offender. By statute, the DOC must share the charge, sentence length, sentence level, sentencing court, judge, and current housing location with any victim who asks. The Victim Services FAQ covers notification rights, probation and parole office contacts, and what information the department is legally required to share.

Probation and parole office contacts: New Castle County (302) 323-6050, Wilmington (302) 577-3443, Kent County (302) 739-5387, Sussex County (302) 856-5243. When an inmate moves to work release, the DOC sends a separate notification letter to the victim. Work release facility changes are also published in the newspaper every Thursday. If a sex offender is released, they must register with the Delaware Sex Offender Registry. Victims receive a phone call from the DOC as soon as possible when an offender escapes or walks away from any facility.

The Victim Services FAQ at the DOC explains notification rights, release procedures, and how victims can stay informed about changes to an offender's custody status in the Delaware inmate population.

Delaware State Police and Criminal History Records

The Delaware State Police State Bureau of Identification (SBI) handles criminal history record checks statewide. A state criminal history check costs $52. A combined state and federal check runs $65 and must be required by law to qualify. Photo ID is required. The SBI uses fingerprint-based searches and processes results as soon as possible, though same-day returns are not guaranteed. Contact the SBI at 302-739-5871 for location hours and scheduling details.

SBI locations are in Wilmington, Newark (two locations), Middletown, Dover (two locations), Milford, Georgetown, and Seaford. To complete a check, submit a Criminal History Record Check Authorization Form at any SBI location. The Delaware State Police also maintains an arrest archive at dsp.delaware.gov/category/arrest/ with press releases on significant arrests made by state troopers. The archive is searchable and updated regularly. The DSP FOIA Coordinator is Angie von Bank, reachable at angie.vonbank@delaware.gov or at 1441 N. DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901.

The Delaware State Police SBI services page outlines how to request criminal history records, fee schedules, and available fingerprinting locations linked to the Delaware inmate population system.

The DSP arrest archive is a searchable public database of press releases covering arrests made by Delaware State Police across all three counties.

Delaware Court Records and Case Dockets

Court records in Delaware are accessible through CourtConnect, the Delaware Judiciary's online case database at courtconnect.courts.delaware.gov. You can search by person name, business name, or case type to access civil, criminal, and family court case records. The system shows docket entries, case status, filing details, and party information. It is available around the clock and provides free basic public searches.

Superior Court locations across Delaware handle felony criminal cases. New Castle County Superior Court is at the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center, 500 N. King Street, Wilmington, phone (302) 255-0800. Kent County Superior Court is at 414 Federal Street, Dover, phone (302) 735-1900. Sussex County Superior Court is at 1 The Circle, Suite 2, Georgetown, phone (302) 855-7055. All county courts operate public counters Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Court of Common Pleas in each county handles misdemeanor cases, traffic violations, and civil matters under $75,000. In-person records access is available at each courthouse during business hours or through CourtConnect online.

CourtConnect at courtconnect.courts.delaware.gov gives public access to Delaware court case records including criminal dockets tied to the state's inmate population.

Sex Offender Registry and Wanted Persons Database

The Delaware Sex Offender Registry is managed by the Delaware State Police State Bureau of Identification at sexoffender.dsp.delaware.gov. The registry covers moderate and high-risk offenders and includes full name and aliases, mugshot, date of birth, conviction details, incarceration status, risk level, and address. You can search by offender name or by geographic area using a street address, city, county, or zip code. The registry covers offenders sentenced after 1994. This is a key tool for anyone checking the status of a released inmate from the Delaware population.

The Delaware Criminal Justice Information System (DELJIS) at deljis.delaware.gov maintains the statewide wanted persons database. Public users can check whether someone has an active warrant in Delaware. DELJIS also provides the technical infrastructure that allows law enforcement agencies across all three counties to share criminal justice data in real time. It is a central part of how Delaware tracks active warrants and wanted individuals alongside the incarcerated population.

The Delaware Sex Offender Registry allows searches by name or location, with full details on each registered offender's offense history and current status within or outside the inmate population.

DELJIS at deljis.delaware.gov provides public access to Delaware's wanted persons database and supports real-time information sharing between law enforcement agencies statewide.

Delaware Corrections Law and Inmate Population Statutes

Title 11 of the Delaware Code governs the Department of Correction and the state's prison system. Chapter 65 of Title 11 contains the core statutes on corrections operations. Section 6501 establishes the DOC with a stated purpose of treatment, rehabilitation, and restoration of offenders. Section 4322 protects presentence reports, parole reports, supervision history, and case records, limiting access to courts, the Board of Parole, the Board of Pardons, and the Attorney General. Inmates cannot access their own case records under this provision.

Section 4381 governs good time credits. People serving sentences can earn good time, but no more than 180 days may be earned in any one year. Good time is how many inmates earn early release from Delaware facilities. The DOC can also forfeit earned good time for disciplinary violations, which is why published release dates sometimes shift. Section 6537 authorizes inmate visits and correspondence with family under reasonable conditions set by the department. Section 6536 sets health and medical care standards and allows the DOC to charge reasonable fees for inmate-initiated medical visits. Section 6535 requires the DOC to maintain rules for discipline within each facility, including procedures for handling violations by incarcerated people.

Delaware's corrections statutes at Title 11, Chapter 65 set the legal framework for the state's inmate population, covering good time, medical care, inmate contact rights, and disciplinary procedures.

Escapees, Historical Records, and Family Resources

The DOC publishes a current list of walkaways and escapees from Delaware facilities. The walkaways and escapees page includes photos when available, physical descriptions, and last known information. Anyone with information about an escapee can report it to the DOC. Victims are contacted by phone as soon as possible after an escape is confirmed.

For families of incarcerated individuals, the Friends and Family Handbook on the DOC website explains how to locate an inmate, send money, write letters, make calls, schedule visits, and find out what programs are available. It is one of the most practical resources for anyone trying to maintain contact with someone in the Delaware inmate population.

For historical inmate records that have been transferred out of active facilities, the Delaware Public Archives is the right place to start. Requests require the record type, county, individual's name, date of record, volume, and page number. Fees depend on volume and format. The archives hold records dating back to Delaware's earliest correctional institutions.

The Delaware Public Archives holds historical records transferred from correctional facilities across the state, available by specific written request with identifying details.

Browse Delaware Inmate Population by County

Delaware has three counties. Each is served by specific state correctional facilities under the DOC system. Select a county below to find local inmate population resources, facility contacts, and records access information.

View All Delaware Counties

Delaware Inmate Population by City

Major Delaware cities are served by state correctional facilities based on the county where an arrest occurred. Pick a city below to find local inmate population resources and records information for that area.

View Major Delaware Cities