Authority: Alabama Department of Corrections
Website: http://www.doc.state.al.us/
Address: 301 South Ripley Street, Montgomery, AL 36130
Phone: 1-855-WE-R-ADOC

Having a friend of family member in jail can be overwhelming. The desire to write to or speak to this person can cause you to wonder where to even begin. This is where we can help. First, you need certain information to be able to get addresses and send appropriate items. This starts with the state and facility in which the inmate is housed.

This information can usually be found through a name search on a given facility site or this may be information you already know. The next step is knowing of finding the DOC INFORMATION that is pertinent to your family member or friend. DOC INFORMATION includes things like an inmate number, how to send items, and what items can be sent to a given facility. This information is important as some items are not allowed in some facilities, but are appropriate for others. If you know and follow the rules, your friend or loved one will receive their letters, money on the books, or special items much faster.

The most important thing to include, other than allowable items, is the DOC number for the inmate. When an inmate is booked into a facility, each is given specific DOC information that includes a mugshot, a list of charges, and a DOC number, which is often called an inmate number or ID number. This number is needed for all items sent to and from the jail. This serves as a type of tracking and identification system. This number is sometimes available when searching an inmate’s name on a specific facility site.

VINELink, a third-party company, allows you to search for inmates 24 hours a day, every day of the year and learn further information about the case, charges, and what the person looks like in a mugshot. This information can be found using a full name or the inmate ID number. This will also help you to discover which facility the inmate is housed in if you are uncertain. So, if you are unable to locate an inmate in Alabama, this is a great resource to use that is easy and always available. This is available for inmates being held on all type of charges and requires a full, legal name or an inmate number.

It can be overwhelming when you have a loved one in jail, but you are unable to locate an inmate in a specific facility. VINELink can help. Once you know where your loved one or friend is located then you can get an address and list of approved ways to contact the person or what items can be sent directly to the inmate. Someone you know going to jail can be scary and overwhelming, but keeping contact is important. We can help you locate and potentially contact the person in the appropriate way.

The information you need is just a few short clicks away, so find a few minutes to let your fingers do all the work as you locate your loved one using the site. A jail term does not mean a person has disappeared, just that they are temporarily changing course. Help out by reaching out to your loved one and reminding them that people still care.