Wilmington Inmate Population
Wilmington inmate population records are maintained by the Delaware Department of Correction through the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution, which serves as the primary detention facility for people arrested in Wilmington. Wilmington is Delaware's largest city and is located in New Castle County. If you need to find someone currently incarcerated, check custody status, or request police and court records, this page covers the agencies and tools available for Wilmington's inmate population, arrest records, and public records requests.
Wilmington Overview
Where Wilmington Inmates Are Held
People arrested in Wilmington are processed and held at Howard R. Young Correctional Institution (HRYCI), located at 1301 East 12th Street, Wilmington, DE 19802, phone (302) 429-7700. HRYCI is a multi-security level facility that primarily houses pre-trial detainees and sentenced offenders from New Castle County, including all of Wilmington. The facility holds approximately 1,500 male inmates across minimum, medium, and maximum security classifications. Female detainees go to Baylor Women's Correctional Institution at 660 Baylor Boulevard, New Castle, DE 19720, phone (302) 577-3004.
Visitation at HRYCI runs 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. You must schedule at least one week in advance. Call the scheduling desk at (302) 575-0330 or visit in person from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Have the inmate's date of birth or SIB number ready when you call. Each visit allows a maximum of two adults and two children. All visitors must present valid photo ID.
To find the current location and custody status of someone in the Wilmington inmate population, use the DOC inmate locator through VINELink. The search is free, available 24 hours a day, and includes options to register for automatic custody status change notifications by phone, email, or text message.
Wilmington Police Department Records
The Wilmington Police Department is at 300 North Walnut Street, Wilmington, DE 19801. The main phone is (302) 576-3940. The Records Unit direct line is (302) 576-3607. Victims of crime can get copies of incident and crime reports in person at the police department at no charge. You must present a valid photo ID. Reports are not released to anyone other than the victim unless a court-issued subpoena directs otherwise.
Collision reports have a fee of $20.00, paid by check or money order payable to the Wilmington Police Department. Mail written requests with a self-addressed stamped envelope to the Records Unit at 300 North Walnut Street. Parties involved, their legal representatives, and insurance companies may request collision reports. Fingerprinting services are available at the Wilmington Police Department for pre-employment background checks, professional licensing, immigration applications, and firearm purchases.
Public records requests go through the GovQA FOIA portal accessible through the city website, or contact the City Clerk's Office for assistance. The Wilmington Police Department previously faced scrutiny over public records access. In October 2011, the ACLU of Delaware filed suit after the city refused to provide information about taser use policies and cell phone location records, a case that highlighted varying FOIA compliance across Delaware law enforcement agencies.
Wilmington Court Records and Criminal Cases
The Delaware Court of Common Pleas is the record custodian for Wilmington criminal documents. Records can be searched in person at the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center, formerly the New Castle County Courthouse, at 500 North King Street, Wilmington, DE 19801, phone (302) 255-0900. This courthouse houses the Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Family Court for New Castle County. Public counter hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Online court record searches are available through CourtConnect at courtconnect.courts.delaware.gov. Search options include case type, individual or business name, judgment search, and docket report. CourtConnect shows case status, party names, docket entries, and filing details. It is free to use and accessible around the clock. For Wilmington criminal cases tied to the inmate population, CourtConnect is often the fastest way to get basic case information without visiting the courthouse.
The Delaware Courts website provides access to CourtConnect, courthouse locations, and instructions for finding criminal case records tied to the Wilmington inmate population.
Wilmington Sex Offender Registry
Wilmington residents can search for sex offenders in the city through the Delaware Sex Offender Registry at sexoffender.dsp.delaware.gov, maintained by the Delaware State Police State Bureau of Identification. Search options include offender name search, neighborhood search using a map interface, and a search for all homeless offenders registered in the state. The registry covers moderate and high-risk offenders sentenced after 1994.
Each record in the registry includes the offender's full name and aliases, mugshot and physical description, date of birth, convictions and sentencing history, incarceration status, risk assessment level, and current address. When a sex offender is released from the Wilmington inmate population, they must register with the registry before leaving the facility. The DOC also notifies victims by phone when a registered sex offender is released.
The Delaware Sex Offender Registry allows Wilmington residents to search for registered offenders by name or by neighborhood, with complete details on each offender's conviction and current status.
Note: The Sex Offender Registry reflects offenders who have completed registration requirements. Use VINELink for current incarceration status of individuals still in the Wilmington inmate population.
FOIA Requests for Wilmington Inmate Population Records
Requests for records held by the Delaware Department of Correction go to DOC_FOIA_Request@delaware.gov or by mail to 245 McKee Road, Dover, DE 19904. The DOC must respond within 15 business days under 29 Del. C. ยง 1000 et seq. The first 20 pages are free. Additional pages cost $0.10 each. Victims are entitled by statute to receive the charge, sentence details, and current housing location of their offender without a formal FOIA request.
For police records from the Wilmington Police Department, contact the Records Unit at (302) 576-3607. FOIA requests for city records go through the GovQA portal on the Wilmington city website or through the City Clerk's Office. The City Clerk can assist with navigating the public records request process. Some criminal investigation records may be exempt from disclosure under Delaware FOIA law.
New Castle County Inmate Population Records
Wilmington is in New Castle County. All inmate population records for the county, including facility contacts and county-level resources, are on the New Castle County page.
Nearby Cities
These cities are also in New Castle County. Each has its own police department and FOIA process, but all feed into the same state correctional system.