What Are Inmate Records In New Hampshire?

In New Hampshire, inmate records contain information about a person who has been convicted of an offense and incarcerated in the state. These records are maintained by the New Hampshire Department of Corrections (NHDOC). An inmate’s record would typically contain identifying information such as: 

• Full name
• Date of Birth, gender, race
• Fingerprints, mug shots
• Booking photos
• Previous offenses, outstanding warrants, indictments, and convictions 
• All charges and the counties where sentences took place
• Date of Incarceration
• Anticipated date of release

The  New Hampshire Right to Know Law R. S. A. Ch. 91-A  grants access to inmate records, making such information available upon request. The NHDOC maintains records about inmates incarcerated in state-owned detention facilities, while the sheriff’s offices or police departments maintain records for inmates in city, township, or county jails. Information about inmates in any of these facilities may be accessed in different ways. 

How To Find An Inmate In New Hampshire?

For inmates incarcerated in state facilities, records are maintained by the NHDOC and accessed via the inmate locator tool on the department’s website. Details required to search on the NHDOC database include the offender’s first and last names. 

Information about inmates in county or city jails may be available on several county databases in the state. To find information about an inmate in a county or city jail, interested persons may call or visit the sheriff’s office or city police department. Interested persons may also send in a formal request with information on the desired record and the requestor’s contact details. These details should include the inmate’s full name, gender, race, and may also include information about the incarceration, such as booking date and sentence details.

Alternatively, information on inmates may be available on the sheriff’s office or police department’s websites. For example, Belknap County provides an online inmate search service that allows interested persons to find inmate records. Requestors would need to provide the inmate’s name, gender, inmate number, age range, etc. to look up these records. The platform also features a “booked today” button, which allows requestors to search for inmates booked on the search date.

How To Find A Federal Inmate In New Hampshire?

Federal inmates are persons convicted of federal crimes or any person awaiting trial for violations of federal laws. The Federal Correctional Institution, Berlin (FCI Berlin), is the only federal prison in New Hampshire. The Federal Bureau of Prisons maintains inmate records for persons held in this facility. To find an inmate in the New Hampshire federal facility, use the inmate locator on the Federal Bureau of Prisons website. A search requires the following details:

• First, middle and last names
• Age 
• Gender
• Race

Alternatively, a requestor may search using the inmate’s identification number. Acceptable identification numbers are:

• Bureau of Prisons (BOP) registration number
• New Hampshire Department of Corrections (NHDOC) number
• DC Department of Corrections number
• The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) number
• The Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) number assigned to the inmate upon incarceration

Note: The BOP’s inmate management system does not hold information on individuals who were incarcerated before 1982. Records older than 1982 are maintained and issued by the National Archives Records Administration (NARA). Note that archives may not contain inmate information for all years before 1982. Below are details for federal prisons and the years available for each one:

• Fort Smith, Arkansas (1866 - 1900)
• Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, California (1934 - 1963)
• United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth, Kansas (1895—1931)
• Atlanta Federal Penitentiary (1902—1921)
• McNeil Island, Washington

Persons interested in records for the above prisons may obtain them from the NARA via its contact page. Alternatively, send a written request by mail to the NARA. Ensure that the request contains all available information about the records sought, including the inmate’s full name, charge details, sentencing details, and other information. Send the request to:

The National Archives and Records Administration
8601 Adelphi Road
College Park, MD 20740–6001

How Do I Find Inmate Records In New Hampshire?

While the information on inmates may be available online via the New Hampshire Department of Corrections’ inmate lookup, certified inmate records are only accessible by making a formal request in writing. The written request should contain the following information:

• The inmate’s last and first names
• Known aliases
• The nature of the crime(s)
• Date of birth 
• Booking or release dates
• NHDOC identification number

Requests may be sent to NHDOC in person or by mail to:

New Hampshire Department of Corrections
105 Pleasant Street
P. O. Box 1806
Concord NH 03302–1806
Phone: (603) 271–5600

Written requests should be submitted along with all relevant details describing the requested records. Requests may also be made by email via feedback@doc.nh.gov.

Certified inmate records for persons in county or city jails may be obtained directly from the sheriff’s office or the police department in charge of the county or city jail. To obtain a certified record on a federal inmate held in a New Hampshire facility, send a request to the Federal Bureau of Prisons at:

320 First Street, NW
Washington, DC 20534
(202) 307–3198

Note: NHDOC records only date back to 1982. Records older than 1982 may be obtained by contacting the New Hampshire Archives via telephone at 603–271–2236

Records that are considered public may be accessible from some third-party websites. These websites often make searching simpler, as they are not limited by geographic location, and search engines on these sites may help when starting a search for a specific or multiple records. To begin using such a search engine on a third-party or government website, interested parties usually must provide:

• The name of the person involved in the record, unless said person is a juvenile
• The location or assumed location of the record or person involved. This includes information such as the city, county, or state that the person resides in or was accused in

Third-party sites are independent of government sources and are not sponsored by these government agencies. Because of this, record availability on third-party sites may vary.

How To Put Money On Jail Inmates Book In New Hampshire?

Inmates may not carry cash while incarcerated. However, family and friends may deposit money into an inmate’s commissary accounts. To send money to an inmate in a New Hampshire facility, depositors must provide the following information:

• The Inmates NHDOC Identification Number
• Inmate’s Name
• Location of the Inmate

The New Hampshire Department of Corrections uses a third-party vendor to accept funds on behalf of the inmates. Through the ConnectNetwork service, persons may deposit funds into an inmate’s commissary using the following methods:

Internet Deposit

Funds may be paid online with a debit/credit card to the inmate through the ConnectNetwork Deposit funds tool. This method requires the depositor first to create an account. Creating an account involves providing the requestor’s first name, last name, address line, city, zip code, email, phone number, and a password. Note that ConnectNetwork will charge an additional fee on each transaction.  

After creating a ConnectNetwork account, requesters may select the state of New Hampshire and the facility where the inmate is located. All funds appear on the inmate’s account within 24 hours of deposit.  

By Phone

Requesters may make a deposit by calling the ConnectNetwork Trust Fund Automated Payment System: (888) 9988–4768. Alternatively, call ConnectNetwork’s Customer Service: (877) 650–4249 for assistance with phone payments.  

By Mail

Requesters may deposit money into an inmate’s commissary by sending money orders or personal checks through the mail. The NHDOC only accepts money order payments via mail. To fund an account by mail, send a money order through the United States Postal Service to the address of the facility.

Note that the inmate’s name and ID number should be included in the memo field. Also, the money order should carry the depositor’s name and address. 

There is a 30-day hold on personal checks to ensure the check is cleared before the funds are deposited in the inmate’s account. However, there is no hold on money orders. 

Inmates are entitled to a maximum of $1000 in their accounts. Any excess must be returned.

Walk-In

A depositor may also put money on an inmate’s account by visiting the NHDOC facility where the inmate is located. Make deposits at the designated kiosk in the facility. Note: There will be a charge on each transaction.