Are South Carolina Inmate Records Public Information?
Inmate records are considered public in the United States and, therefore, are made available by both traditional governmental agencies as well as third-party websites and organizations. Third-party websites may offer an easier means to search, as these services do not face geographical limitations. However, because third-party sites are not government-sponsored, the information obtained through them may vary from official channels. To find inmate records using third-party aggregate sites, requesting parties must provide:
- The location of the sought-after record, including state, county, and city where the inmate resides.
- The name of the person listed in the record, unless it is a juvenile.
Information contained in South Carolina inmate records are:
- Offender's full name
- Date of birth
- Physical description
- Inmate mugshot
- Inmate's offense
- Date of incarceration
- Expected date of release
South Carolina Inmate Search
South Carolina inmate records are documents that contain official data on offenders detained or incarcerated in county jails and state prisons across the state. The information from these public records typically includes general information such as the inmate's name, registration number, and birth date. Inmate records may also include details, such as the offense information, incarceration status, and the location of the facility of incarceration. Members of the public have access to these records per the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act.
How to Find Someone in Jail in South Carolina
To locate someone in a jail in South Carolina, record seekers can use the South Carolina Department of Corrections database to perform an inmate lookup. Individuals seeking to find a reason for the incarceration of an individual or an individual's custody status can input the person's full name and place of incarceration on the website and run a search. Record seekers can also call the jail to find out the offense the incarcerated individual committed. Individuals seeking to find out the location where an inmate has been incarcerated can input the name of the inmate and the crime committed to get this information.
How to Perform a South Carolina County Jail Inmate Search
County jails are facilities where persons are sentenced to less than one year's serving time. In South Carolina, each municipal jail maintains a jail roster or inmate list that is accessible to the public. Often, parties can perform a free inmate search by name or identification number. Where this online information is unavailable, the individual may visit the jail in person or call the sheriff's department to find a person in jail.
How to Find a County Inmate Roster in South Carolina
Every county in South Carolina has a roster managed by the county sheriff. These rosters are public records that contain information on individuals who have been incarcerated before, inmates currently serving jail time, and those who have life sentences. These rosters are updated regularly and can be accessed by the public. County inmate rosters can be found at the South Carolina Department of Corrections or the official Sheriff's Office website of each county.
How to Send Money to an Inmate in South Carolina Prison and Jail
According to the SCDC, all transactions between inmates and relatives must be cashless and sent to the inmate's individual Cooper Trust Fund account. Inmates in possession of cash may face disciplinary punishment from the state agency. Also, the department does not allow family members of inmates to send credit, debit, or Green dot cards to inmates.
Relatives and friends of inmates can send money into the Trust Fund account through GTL financial services. The private financial vendor accepts online, in-person, mail, or call-in deposits. To send money, the individual must create an account on GTL's ConnectNetwork.
Another way to send money to an inmate in South Carolina is by calling (888) 988-4768. Depositors must follow the voice prompts to complete the transaction successfully. Depositors can also deposit into an inmate's Trust Fund account at a retail location. To do this, the individual must create a PaySlip on ConnectNetwork by choosing "Walk-In Retail (Pay in Cash)". Then, the sender must bring the money and payslip to the nearest retail location.
Inmates in the SC Department of Corrections can also receive money into their Trust Fund through money orders mailed by their relatives. To mail a money order, a depositor should download, complete, and send a deposit slip to:
GTL Financial Services
10005 Technology Blvd West
Suite 130
Dallas, TX 75220
Generally, money orders payable to GTL are available after three working days. Depositors should not mail money orders to SCDC or state prison, as such transactions will not be successful. Keep in mind that all transactions except money orders often incur additional charges. The charges for online and phone deposits vary between $4 and $11, depending on the amount sent. Additional fees for in-person deposits are fixed at $4.95.
Sending money to inmates in state prisons is different from county jails. While some county jails use GTL's ConnectNetwork like the SCDC, others offer various vendors to deposit money for inmates online. Individuals should contact the local county jail or look up the website to find information on sending money to prisoners in detention centers.
How to Get Approved to Visit an Inmate in South Carolina Prisons and Jails
The SC Department of Corrections allows individuals to visit inmates in state prisons. The department also provides visiting rules and guidelines to ensure the safety of both the visiting parties and inmates.
Generally, a good rule of thumb is to use a prison lookup tool to confirm the incarceration facility using the inmate's name or SCDC identification number. Next, the visitor must obtain visiting application forms from the inmates they want to see. Inmates generally receive these forms upon incarceration and are advised to mail them out to persons they want to receive as visitors. Persons who receive these forms must complete and mail the application to:
Division of Visitation and Inmate Drug Testing
P.O. Box 212969
Columbia, SC 29221-2969
Phone: (803) 896-1838
The Division of Visitation processes all applications and then provides inmates with the updated visiting list once a week. Only approved visitors can use the GTL scheduling tool to schedule a visit. Family and relatives visiting inmates must bring along a valid picture identification. Besides in-person visits, remote video visits are also allowed in South Carolina prisons.
Meanwhile, visiting a state prison is different from visiting a county jail, as both facilities are under different jurisdictions. Local jails in South Carolina are supervised by county sheriffs or police department heads. So, each jail or detention center has a different visitation rule from the other, but the ID and dress code requirements remain the same.
How to Perform a South Carolina Prison Inmate Search
Inmate search in South Carolina is available to the public online or over the phone. Interested persons can find information on a person in prison using the inmate lookup tool. This tool can be searched with the inmate's full name or SCDC number. Alternatively, the individual may use the phonetic match option or call (866) 727-2846.
South Carolina State Prisons and County Jails: Understanding the Difference
South Carolina's state prisons and county jails are operated by the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC). The SCDC is responsible for the custody and care of inmates in all state prisons and county jails. In South Carolina prisons, hardened criminals with high-level offenses and jail time, like life sentences, are incarcerated, while low-level offenders are incarcerated in jails.
The SCDC operates 21 state prisons and 50 jails across South Carolina. These facilities house a total of more than 20,000 inmates. In addition to these state-operated facilities, there are also 9 privately operated prisons in South Carolina that house nearly 5,000 inmates.
The vast majority of inmates in South Carolina are housed in county jails. There are 50 county jails across the state, which collectively house more than 13,000 inmates. Inmates in South Carolina have access to various programs and services designed to help them successfully reintegrate into society upon release. These programs include education, job training, substance abuse treatment, and more.
How to Find an Inmate Release Date
Inmate records typically contain an inmate's release date unless this information is private for safety reasons. In such cases, only the inmate's immediate family members, crime victims, attorneys, and authorized criminal justice officials will have access to the exact release date. At best, the public can only know the month and year of release.
Facilities Operated by the South Carolina Department of Corrections
The South Carolina Department of Corrections is tasked with overseeing 21,000 inmates spread across 21 correctional facilities. The list below is a directory of the physical addresses and contact information of these facilities, along with the security level.
Livesay Correctional Institution (L1)
104 Broadcast Drive
P.O. Box 580
Una, SC 29378
Phone: (803) 734-1375
Call (864) 594-4915 to schedule a visit.
Allendale Correctional Institution (L2)
1057 Revolutionary Trail
P.O. Box 1151
Fairfax, SC 29827
Phone: (803) 632-2561
Call (803) 734-0653 to schedule a visit.
MacDougall Correctional Institution (L2)
1516 Old Gilliard Road
Ridgeville, SC 29472
Phone: (843) 688-5251
Call (843) 875-0880 to schedule a visit.
Broad River Correctional Institution (L3)
4460 Broad River Road
Columbia, SC 29210
Phone: (803) 896-2234
Manning Reentry/Work Release Center (L1-B)
502 Beckman Drive
Columbia, SC 29203
Phone: (803) 935-6000
Evans Correctional Institution (L2)
610 Highway 9 West
Bennettsville, SC 29512
Phone: (843) 479-4181
Call (803) 896-4900 to schedule a visit.
McCormick Correctional Institution (L3)
386 Redemption Way
McCormick, SC 29899
Phone: (864) 443-2114
Call (803) 734-0330 to schedule a visit.
Goodman Correctional Institution (L1-B)
4556 Broad River Road
Columbia, SC 29210
Phone: (803) 896-8565
Palmer Pre-Release Center (L1-A)
2012 Pisgah Road
Florence, SC 29501
Phone: (843) 661-4770
Call (803) 734-9487 to schedule a visit.
Graham (Camille Griffin) Correctional Institution (Women L2)
4450 Broad River Road
Columbia, SC 29210
Phone: (803) 896-8590
Perry Correctional Institution (L3)
430 Oaklawn Road
Pelzer, SC 29669
Phone: (864) 243-4700
Call (803) 737-1752 to schedule a visit.
Kershaw Correctional Institution (L2)
4848 Goldmine Hwy
Kershaw, SC 29067
Phone: (803) 896-3300
Ridgeland Correctional Institution (L2)
5 Correctional Road
P.O. Box 2039
Ridgeland, SC 29936
Phone: (803) 896-3200
Call (843) 726-6888 to schedule a visit.
Kirkland Reception and Evaluation Center (L3)
4344 Broad River Road
Columbia, SC 29210
Phone: (803) 896-1521
Trenton Correctional Institution (L2)
84 Greenhouse Road
Trenton, SC 29847
Phone: (803) 896-3000
Call (803) 275-3301 to schedule a visit.
Leath Correctional Institution
2809 Airport Road
Greenwood, SC 29649
Phone: (803) 896-1000
Call (864) 229-5709 to schedule a visit.
Turbeville Correctional Institution (L2)
1578 Clarence Coker Highway
Turbeville, SC 29162
Phone: (843) 659-4800
Call (803) 896-3100 to schedule a visit.
Lee Correctional Institution (L3)
990 Wisacky Highway
Bishopville, SC 29010
Phone: (803) 428-2800
Call (803) 896-2400 to schedule a visit.
Tyger River Correctional Institution (L2)
100-200 Prison Road
Enoree, SC 29335
Phone: (803) 896-3501
Call (864) 583-6056 to schedule a visit.
Lieber Correctional Institution (L3)
136 Wilborn Avenue
P.O. Box 205
Ridgeville, SC 29472
Phone: (843) 875-3332
Call (803) 896-3700 to schedule a visit.
Wateree River Correctional
Highway 261
Rembert, SC 29128
P.O. Box 189
Phone: (803) 432-6191
Call (803) 896-3400 to schedule a visit.
