Search Louisiana Released Inmates
Louisiana released inmates records are managed by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections and by parish sheriff offices across all 64 parishes. You can search for released inmates through the Louisiana Automated Victim Notification System, also called LAVNS, or by checking individual parish sheriff websites that post jail rosters. Each parish runs its own detention center and keeps track of who is in custody and who has been let go. This page covers the tools, links, and steps you need to look up released inmates in Louisiana.
Louisiana Released Inmates Quick Facts
Louisiana Released Inmates Records
The Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections handles released inmates records at the state level. The DPS&C website is where to start for state-level inmate data. It is free to use. The department has three divisions. Corrections Services manages adults in prison, including people on probation or parole. Public Safety Services runs the Louisiana State Police. The Office of Juvenile Justice covers youth in detention. For released inmates, Corrections Services is the key division. The Secretary of DPS&C oversees all Corrections Services operations and reports to the Governor.
The DPS&C site offers several tools for finding released inmates in Louisiana. You can use the Locate Imprisoned Person feature, browse the facility directory, or access victim services and reentry program details. The site also links to annual statistics and the sex offender registry. You can reach DPS&C at (225) 342-6578 for general questions, or call (225) 342-6744 for public records.
Under R.S. 15:574.12, most inmate records held by DPS&C stay confidential. The law blocks the department from sharing files directly or indirectly. But some facts are public. Age is available. So is the offense, date of conviction, sentence length, and any misconduct while in custody. These are the only data points the state releases from its own records. For more detail about a released inmate, you will need to check with the parish sheriff's office that handled the booking.
Search Released Inmates in Louisiana
The Louisiana Automated Victim Notification System is the main tool for looking up released inmates in Louisiana. Most people call it LAVNS or VINE. It covers every parish jail and all state prisons. Jail data refreshes every 15 minutes. State prison data updates twice a day. You can search by name, ID number, case number, or location. The system is free and runs around the clock.
LAVNS lets you register for alerts too. Pick an inmate you want to track. The system will call or text you when that person gets released, moved, or escapes. This notification service costs nothing. Call the toll-free line at 1-866-528-6748 to check status by phone if you prefer not to use the website.
Each parish posts a live jail roster through the VINE system. These rosters show who is in custody right now. Some parishes go a step further. The Washington Parish Sheriff's Office publishes a page showing inmates released in the past 48 hours. The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff runs a detailed inmate roster with booking data, charges, and bond amounts. The Orleans Parish Sheriff has its own detainee search tool that covers the Orleans Justice Center. Lafayette Parish recently switched to a new 365Labs Community Portal that replaced their old JADES system and now shows recent bookings from the past 72 hours.
You can also call the Imprisoned Person Locator at (225) 383-4580. Give them a name and date of birth or a DPS&C number. They can tell you the facility, a projected release date if one has been calculated, and contact info for that location. If no release date shows up in the system, the time calculation may not be done yet. Call back later in that case. This phone line is a good backup when the online tools do not have what you need for finding released inmates in Louisiana.
Louisiana Offender Information Access
The DPS&C offender information page explains what you can and cannot get from the state about released inmates. Family and friends can find someone assigned to state custody by searching LAVNS. The system shows basic details. Name, facility, and projected release date are included when that data is available. LAVNS also covers people under probation or parole supervision, not just those in prison.
Released inmates records at the parish level tend to show more detail than what the state provides. A typical parish jail roster includes the person's full name, age, and gender. Booking date and time are standard on most rosters. Charges and bond amounts show up for nearly all parishes. Some include mugshots. Others add next court dates or housing assignments. The exact fields vary because each sheriff runs a different jail management system. Caddo Parish lists last name, first name, middle name, booking date, age, and sex. Ascension Parish shows booking photos, charges, custody status, bond amount, booking number, and subject number. East Carroll Parish posts full inmate rosters on a dedicated page at their sheriff's website.
VINE does not always have charge information. It depends on what each facility sends. If charges are missing, call the jail. VINE also does not track warrants. It only shows custody status for people who have been booked.
Note: Under R.S. 14:405, inmates in Louisiana are barred from using social media or cell phones while in custody.
Public Records for Released Inmates
To make a formal public records request for released inmates data in Louisiana, you write to the DPS&C. Send your request to the Deputy Secretary's Office at P.O. Box 94304, Baton Rouge, LA 70804. You can also email docpublicrecords@la.gov. The public information page on the DPS&C site has the full process. Only requests that fall under the Louisiana Public Records Act at R.S. 44:1 will be processed through this channel.
The state will only release limited data from inmate files. Age, offense, conviction date, sentence length, and misconduct in custody are the exceptions under R.S. 15:574.12. Everything else stays confidential. The department states plainly that it cannot accommodate data sharing requests beyond what the law allows, on any terms.
Parish sheriff offices follow different rules for released inmates records. Under R.S. 44:3, arrest records are generally exempt from public access until a case is resolved. But booking records, police log books, and initial investigative reports are public from the moment they are created. That means parish jails can often share more about released inmates than the state can. Most parishes accept record requests in person, by mail, or by phone. Fees vary by parish. Standard copy rates run from $0.25 per page in places like Calcasieu and Lincoln to $1.00 per page in Bienville and Claiborne. Documents that need redaction can cost $3.00 per page. Some parishes like Bossier charge $0.50 for black and white copies and $1.00 for color. Grant Parish charges $35.00 for the first 10 pages and $1.00 per page after that. Always check with your specific parish before you submit a request to confirm fees for released inmates records.
Released Inmates Search by Parish
Each of Louisiana's 64 parishes has a sheriff's office that manages jail records and released inmates data. Some parishes have online rosters you can check right now. Others need a phone call or visit in person. Pick a parish below to find specific search tools and contact details for released inmates in that area.
Released Inmates in Louisiana Cities
Residents in major Louisiana cities can search for released inmates through their local parish sheriff's office. Each city falls within a parish that keeps jail records and tracks custody status. Pick a city below to find which office handles released inmates for that area and how to look them up.