Source: thehill.com

The Role Of Inmate Search In The Criminal Justice System: Importance And Limitations

Correctional facilities and the state department of criminal justice in almost all states of America have an inmate search system. The  search system of inmates is a useful resource from the point of view of both the inmate’s family and the public at large.

Getting data about an inmate at a jail or a correctional home is quite easy. And if you want more data about a person who is lodged at the Curran-fromhold correctional home in Philadelphia, you must go to inmate search curran-fromhold.

How Does An Inmate Search System Help The Criminal Justice System?

It Helps In Criminal Justice Research And Justice Delivery

Source: purdueglobal.edu

Most of the information exchanges that give details on inmates housed in their facility give out data in an easy-to-access online manner. Searching for the details of an inmate is quite easy. All a person has to do is give the last name and, if possible, the first name of the person they want to know more about.

At times thawing the state identification number also helps in the search process. The more information you provide, the easier the search. However, even with little information like the last name, you get a plethora of details about the inmates.

You can get information like the criminal charges that have been levied against a particular person, you get to know about their bond amount, and you can also get access to their photographs (mugshots).

Many non-governmental organizations (NGOs), pro bono lawyers and charitable organizations may make use of the information provided in these information exchanges to fight cases for the inmates or prepare case studies for their incarceration.

Thus, it will not be wrong to say that inmate searches help in furthering the goal of last-mile justice deliverance and also research related to the working of the criminal justice system.

It Helps The Family Of The Inmates

Source: txparolelaw.com

If the family of an inmate wants to visit them, then they must have information about the kind of facility that they are housed in. Also, they must have knowledge about the time during which visitors are allowed in a particular facility.

Also, the inmate information system is a great way for the family of the inmates to know when and how they can meet their family members in the jail or correctional home.

It Helps The Public At Large

The information on inmates is useful for the general public of a state. For instance, if you have given a witness against a dreaded criminal and you want to know whether he is out of jail or not, you can look up information in the information exchange.

If the public at large has information on inmates, it helps them take adequate protection to protect themselves and their families against a criminal who might be seeking retribution.

The Information Exchange Protects Your Privacy

Source: therealnews.com

Most of the inmate search systems that are available in the US do their best to protect the privacy of the person who searches for any data. So the site will not ask for any personal information about your browser.

Also, any cookies that you may receive during the process of searching will automatically expire when you close the browser. Thus when you want to get data from an inmate search, your own privacy does not get compromised in the process.

The Data Is Free Of Cost

The data that you obtain from an inmate search is absolutely free of cost in most cases. So you have to incur no extra expense for getting the information as most states think of such data as a public good.

Why Should Be Careful Before Using The Data From An Inmate Search?

The Data May Not Be Up-To-Date

Source: research.com

Most jails and correctional homes try to update the information about their inmates every twenty-four hours. However, at times there may be a few lapses and delays in updating the information.

So you cannot consider the information on the exchange to be updated in real-time, and hence if you need real-time data, you may have to depend on other options rather than searching the information exchange.

The Data May Not Be Accurate

Most prisons and correctional homes try their best to update authentic data in the information exchange. However, there may be some data that is not accurate. And in case that happens, you may be misled by the data.

So if you want some quick and easy-to-access data, then a simple online search is fine. But if the data and its authenticity are crucial, you must validate the information in some other manner.

Misusing The Data Can Have Legal Ramifications

Most of the correctional homes and prisons clearly state on their websites that the information that is available in an inmate search cannot be used for any legal purpose.

So if you use the data from an inmate search database for filing a case and appeal or for any other legal purpose, you are violating the law. And if you happen to violate the norms, there may be penal consequences that you may have to face.

Using The Data Without Proper Knowledge Can Have Consequences

A database on inmates in prison does not say anything about the conviction status of any person. So a person may be an inmate, but he may still not be proven guilty. So if you presume that any person whose name shows up in an inmate search is convicted, you will make faulty assumptions.

Conclusion

Most prisons and correctional homes put out the information about the inmates that they house to benefit the public and also honor their right to information. However, there are certain limitations that are inherent in such a system, like a delay in updating certain data or penalties for using the data in any legal proceedings. However, if you make cautious use of the information, you can gain a lot of useful things like the state of the criminal justice system etc.

About Leyla Kolbeus