Official Links Policy
We prioritise official government and agency links so users can verify inmate search information directly with the record holder.
Why official links matter
Inmate search information can be time-sensitive and legally sensitive. A wrong link can send a user to an outdated roster, an unofficial advertising page, a paid data broker, a fake payment page or an unrelated facility. Our official links policy is designed to reduce that risk.
Whenever possible, our pages point users to the official sheriff office, jail, detention center, county government, clerk of court, state corrections department, federal agency or officially linked service provider. If an agency uses a vendor for rosters, payments, visitation or phone services, we prefer vendor links that are referenced from the official agency page.
How we evaluate a link
| Check | What we look for |
|---|---|
| Agency identity | The page should clearly belong to a sheriff, county, court, corrections department, federal agency or official partner. |
| Relevance | The link should match the state, county, facility or record type described on the page. |
| User safety | We avoid links that appear misleading, unsafe, unrelated or designed to imitate government services. |
| Current access | Editors check whether the link opens and appears useful at the time of review. |
Third-party platforms
Many jails use third-party systems for inmate lookup, video visitation, phone calls, commissary or payments. We may mention those platforms when they appear to be officially used by the facility or agency. Mentioning a platform does not mean we endorse it, operate it or control its fees, service quality, privacy practices or support process.
Broken links and changes
Government websites change. Jail roster vendors change. Court portals move. Agencies merge, rename pages or redesign websites. If a link is broken or appears wrong, contact us with the page URL and official replacement link. We will review it under our corrections policy.