Search Alaska Jail Roster Records
The Alaska jail roster is the main way to find a person held in state prisons, community jails, and local holding cells across Alaska. You can search by name or offender ID. The Alaska Department of Corrections runs a central inmate system, and each local jail keeps its own booking list. This page walks you through the tools that make up the Alaska jail roster search. You will find the right links, phone numbers, and steps to check custody status, book a visit, or pull a record. Use the search tool below to start.
Alaska Jail Roster Overview
Where to Find the Alaska Jail Roster
The Alaska Department of Corrections is the main source for jail roster data at the state level. The department is led by Commissioner Jen Winkelman with offices in both Anchorage and Juneau. The Anchorage office can be reached at 907-334-2381 and the Juneau office at 907-465-8100. DOC runs 13 correctional facilities across Alaska and keeps a central inmate database the public can search. Alaska does not have county sheriffs in most areas, so state and city police handle arrests, and longer-term inmates move into the DOC system.
The Alaska jail roster also pulls from local jails run by cities and boroughs. The official court system document lists direct phone numbers for every state and community jail. You can view it on the Alaska Court System page along with other public records. The State of Alaska portal links to the main agencies that handle inmate records, arrests, and criminal history. Together these sites form the core of the Alaska jail roster search.
To put these tools in context, the Alaska state government site is the top-level entry point for public records work. The screenshot below shows the landing page.
From there you can jump to the Department of Corrections, Public Safety, and the court system. Each agency plays a role in the jail roster you are trying to search.
Note: For the fastest inmate lookup, start with VINE at 1-800-247-9763 before you call a specific jail.
Alaska VINE Inmate Search
VINE stands for Victim Information and Notification Everyday. It is the main public tool for the Alaska jail roster. Call 1-800-247-9763 or use the online version at VINELink. The service is free, and it is the only state approved vendor for inmate data. The Alaska Department of Public Safety lists it as the official inmate lookup. You can search by the offender's name or ID number, and you can use a partial name if you are not sure of the spelling.
When you search by ID, drop the first zero at the start of the number. You can also use just the first four characters and check the partial ID box. VINE shows current location and a tentative release date. You can register a phone or email to get alerts when a person moves, is released, or escapes. The system asks you to pick a four-digit PIN to confirm alerts. Keep the PIN in a safe place and do not share it.
VINE runs around the clock, so it may call you at odd hours when something changes. The service is confidential. The offender will not know you signed up. If you miss a call, VINE leaves a message and tries again for up to 24 hours until you enter your PIN. For guidance on how to reach someone in state or city custody, the court system's tips on locating people is a good second stop.
The tips page covers VINE, property tax listings, and DOC contact numbers in one place.
Alaska DOC Correctional Facilities
The Alaska Department of Corrections runs 13 facilities across the state. Each one holds inmates from nearby boroughs and cities. Spring Creek Correctional Center in Seward is the largest men's prison and opened in 1988 with a capacity of 500. Hiland Mountain Correctional Center in Eagle River is the largest women's prison and holds up to 415 inmates. The Alaska Department of Law Corrections Section provides legal support to DOC and handles lawsuits tied to inmate care, use of force, and conditions of confinement.
Direct phone numbers for each facility help when online tools do not show what you need. The Corrections Section page shows how DOC works with the Department of Law on policy and records issues.
These are the main DOC sites you will run into on any Alaska jail roster search.
- Anchorage Correctional Complex / Cook Inlet Pretrial: 907-269-4100
- Fairbanks Correctional Center: 907-458-6700
- Goose Creek Correctional Center, Wasilla: 907-864-8100
- Hiland Mountain Correctional Center, Eagle River: 907-694-9511
- Lemon Creek Correctional Center, Juneau: 907-465-6200
- Spring Creek Correctional Center, Seward: 907-224-8200
- Wildwood Correctional Complex, Kenai: 907-260-7200
Community jails fill in the gaps. Bristol Bay Borough can be reached at 907-246-4224, Cordova at 907-424-6100, Dillingham at 907-842-4613, Haines at 907-766-2121, Homer at 907-235-4158, Kodiak at 907-486-8000, Kotzebue at 907-442-3351, Petersburg at 907-772-3838, Unalaska at 907-581-1233, Valdez at 907-835-4560, and Wrangell at 907-874-3304. These smaller jails handle the first hold after an arrest, then move inmates to a DOC site if the case calls for it.
Alaska Court System and CourtView
The Alaska Court System runs a public portal called CourtView. It is the case management system for the state courts. You can search by party name, case number, or hearing date. Once you click on a case, you see details, upcoming court dates, and any available documents. Not every paper in a file is online. Some records have limited access for privacy or legal reasons.
CourtView matters for jail roster work because booking charges often point to an open court case. If you find the case number, you can see bail details and the next hearing. That helps when someone has just been booked and you want to know when they might be released. The court system home page has the link.
From the home page you can reach CourtView, forms, and guidance for people who do not have a lawyer.
Alaska Public Records Act and Jail Records
The Alaska Public Records Act at AS 40.25.110 through AS 40.25.125 governs access to jail roster data and other state records. Agencies must respond within 10 business days. The law is run by the Alaska Department of Law at 907-269-5100. The act does not limit access based on who you are or why you want the records. That rule is key when you request arrest reports or inmate records from a local police force.
Criminal records held by the Department of Public Safety have a different rule. Under Alaska Statute 12.62.160 most of that data is confidential and not released to the public. But the subject of the record can get a copy, and some uses like court orders, background research, and agency-to-agency sharing are allowed. The Alaska Public Records Act page at the Department of Law explains how the act works.
It sets out how to ask for records, how long an agency has to reply, and what the cost rules are.
For an outside view of how the act works in practice, the Reporters Committee Alaska guide is a good resource.
It covers exemptions, fees, and the Alaska Sex Offender Registration Act.
Alaska DPS Records and Background Checks
The Alaska Department of Public Safety runs the state criminal history system. A name-based criminal history report costs $20 for the first copy and $5 for each extra copy. A fingerprint-based search is $35. You can send your request by mail, fax, or phone at 907-269-5767. Mail goes to the Criminal Records and Identification Bureau, 5700 E. Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99507. You need a social security number and a state driver's license or state ID number to verify who you are.
The DPS portal at backgroundcheck.dps.alaska.gov handles online requests. You can also walk into an approved site with two forms of ID. Most locations take cash, check, and money orders. The report shows arrests, charges, and court outcomes if they are in the state system.
The same portal routes users to the fingerprint and name-based options.
DPS also runs a records request portal at dpsalaska.justfoia.com. Use it to ask for state trooper reports, incident files, and other agency records. You can submit a new request or track one you already sent.
This is a good stop after VINE when you need the full police file.
What Alaska Inmate Records Show
Arrest records in Alaska are generally public under AS 40.25.110. They list the charges, the date and time of the arrest, the arresting agency, and a unique booking number. Mugshots are rare. Alaska only releases booking photos in two narrow cases: when police want other victims to come forward, or when they need public help to find a suspect. There is no public mugshot database for the state.
Federal BOP Inmate Locator
For federal inmates, the Alaska jail roster ends and the Bureau of Prisons system begins. The BOP inmate locator shows people in federal custody from 1982 to the present. You can search by BOP register number, FBI number, or by first and last name. Race, age, and sex fields help narrow the results. Due to the First Step Act, some release dates are still being recalculated, so you may want to check back.
Older federal records before 1982 are kept at the National Archives and Records Administration.
Alaska Jail Roster by Borough and Census Area
Alaska has 30 boroughs and census areas in place of counties. Each one uses a mix of Alaska State Troopers, city police, and community jails for bookings. Pick a borough below to find the jail roster tools, DOC sites, and phone numbers for that area.
Jail Roster Records in Alaska Cities
City jails and local police departments handle the first stages of booking. Pick a city below for its jail roster tools and local contacts.