New Castle Inmate Population

New Castle inmate population records are maintained by the Delaware Department of Correction. New Castle is a city in New Castle County and serves as the county seat. The city is home to New Castle County government offices and is near several state correctional and legal facilities. People arrested in New Castle are held at the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington. This page covers how to find someone in the New Castle inmate population, where to request public records, and how to access court records for New Castle criminal cases.

Where New Castle Inmates Are Held

People arrested in New Castle city are processed and held at Howard R. Young Correctional Institution (HRYCI) at 1301 East 12th Street, Wilmington, DE 19802, phone (302) 429-7700. HRYCI is the primary detention facility for New Castle County and handles intake for all arrests in the county, including the city of New Castle. The facility holds approximately 1,500 male inmates across minimum, medium, and maximum security levels. Female detainees go to Baylor Women's Correctional Institution at 660 Baylor Boulevard, New Castle, DE 19720, phone (302) 577-3004. The Baylor facility is notably in New Castle city itself.

To find someone from a New Castle arrest in the current inmate population, use the DOC inmate locator through VINELink. The search is free, available 24 hours a day, and shows current custody status, facility, and projected release date. Register for automatic alerts by phone, email, or text message when custody status changes. Under Title 11 § 4381, release dates can shift because of earned or forfeited good time credits. Detainers from other jurisdictions may also delay release.

Visitation at HRYCI is available seven days a week at scheduled times: 8:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. Schedule at least one week in advance by calling (302) 575-0330. Have the inmate's date of birth or SIB number ready. Maximum of two adults and two children per visit. Valid photo ID is required for all visitors.

New Castle Police Department Records

The New Castle Police Department is at 1 Municipal Boulevard, New Castle, DE 19720, phone (302) 322-9800. The department provides law enforcement services for the city and maintains arrest records for incidents within city limits. The department works in coordination with the New Castle County Police Department at 3601 N. DuPont Highway, New Castle, (302) 395-8171, which patrols unincorporated county areas and coordinates on larger cases.

Two Attorney General opinions shape how New Castle handles police-related public records. Opinion 99-IB02 (April 16, 1999) addressed a request for a consultant's report on police department management. The Attorney General found that while the report did not qualify as a personnel file, the common law right of privacy outweighed the public's right to know because the report contained candid interviews with officers whose anonymity needed protection. Opinion 25-IB64 (December 16, 2025) addressed City Council meeting notice requirements. These precedents help define what records the city treats as exempt from public disclosure.

The New Castle County Sheriff's Office is at 87 Reads Way, New Castle, DE 19720, phone (302) 395-8450, hours Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Sheriff's Office does not operate a jail. It provides civil process service, court security, prisoner transport, and warrant service for the county. All inmate custody information should be sought through the DOC.

FOIA Requests for New Castle Records

The City of New Castle provides a FOIA request form at newcastlecity.delaware.gov/foia/. Required information includes the name of the public body, your name, the request date, your address, email, phone, and a specific description of the records being requested. Describe the record type, relevant dates, parties involved, and subject matter. The public body will make every reasonable effort to assist in identifying the records based on the description provided.

Delaware's FOIA framework under Title 29, Chapter 100 requires a response within 15 business days of receipt: either providing access, denying the request, or stating that additional time is needed. Costs may be involved. Requesters may set a maximum cost limit. Original records must be examined at the city office. Requests for voluminous records may be delayed beyond the 15-day window with notice. Under Delaware FOIA law, a request or petition, along with any information or documents it contains, may itself be deemed a public record.

For DOC inmate population records, submit requests separately to DOC_FOIA_Request@delaware.gov rather than through the city. The first 20 pages of a DOC FOIA response are free under the fee schedule at Title 29, Chapter 100. Additional pages cost $0.10 each.

The City of New Castle FOIA page provides the online form and submission instructions for requesting public records from city departments, separate from DOC inmate population records handled by the state agency.

New Castle Court Records and Case Access

Court records for New Castle criminal cases are held at the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center, 500 N. King Street, Wilmington, DE 19801, phone (302) 255-0900. This is the main courthouse for New Castle County. It houses the Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Family Court. Public counter hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Superior Court handles felony criminal cases. The Court of Common Pleas handles misdemeanors and smaller civil matters.

Online court records are available through CourtConnect at courtconnect.courts.delaware.gov. CourtConnect provides free public access to case status, docket entries, and party names across all Delaware courts. Search by person name or case type to find criminal cases tied to the New Castle inmate population. The system is available 24 hours a day. Full case files and certified documents require in-person review or a written request to the courthouse Prothonotary's office.

Victims in New Castle can register with VINELink for automatic custody notifications through the DOC inmate locator page. The DOC Victim Services Unit is at (302) 857-5440, email doc_victimservices@state.de.us. New Castle County probation and parole is at (302) 323-6050. Released sex offenders must register with the Delaware Sex Offender Registry, which covers all offenders sentenced after 1994 and can be searched by name or New Castle County geographic area.

New Castle County Inmate Population Records

New Castle city is the county seat of New Castle County. HRYCI facility details, the New Castle County Sheriff's Office, and county-level FOIA resources are on the county page.

View New Castle County Inmate Population Records

Nearby Cities

These cities are in New Castle County. All share the same state correctional system through HRYCI in Wilmington.