Free Iowa Parole Search (Look Up Parolees & Absconders)

Run a free Iowa parole search to find desired information about offenders on supervised release.

Citizens can use an array of search tools or refer to the agency contact information and streamlined guidance offered in this resource. Facts and details related to any offender’s criminal activity, their release status, and which office they report to are considered public records and are accessible to all.

Keep in mind that parole and probation differ; individuals on probation typically went to jail rather than prison and now complete their sentences under supervision in society.

It’s vital that residents have information about parolees’ current locations and offenses, and this brief resource can help reveal these insights and empower searchers to feel safe and informed.

How To Perform a Free Iowa Parole Search & Find Released Prisoners

When trying to complete a parole search, citizens often look to the Board of Parole for information; in this state, however, the Board of Parole forwards those looking for offenders living under supervision to the Offender Search maintained by the Iowa Corrections Office.¹

The Iowa Offender Search contains information about all state offenders- including those currently incarcerated and those who’ve been conditionally released, on parole or probation.² It means that information about any offender in the state of Iowa is available through this free search tool.

Because the Offender Search contains so much information about so many people, narrowing the search is helpful and ensures that the searcher will get the results they expect.

Inquires on the Iowa Offender Search can be performed by name only, if that’s all the information that’s available. However, it’s possible to look at a list of inmate’s names by clicking on search without filling out the fields.

The full name of a potential inmate would yield a more accurate result, but having only an offender’s last name (or last name and partial first name) allows for a good start. It’s possible that the user would need to go through a bigger list of names, but it would still provide valuable information.

One way to narrow the search is by choosing the location where the inmate of interest is. Individuals on parole aren’t currently placed at any correctional facility and will appear under one of the eight Judicial Districts in the state. It’s not possible to search all of the Districts at once, and if the user doesn’t know which one of them the offender reports to, they’ll need to search one at a time until they find the inmate they’re interested in.

Limiting the search to certain parameters, such as a date range or a particular type of offense, is also possible. Users should take advantage of those tools when information about the parolee is available.

The search result will lead to a name (or a list of names, in some cases), and searchers can click on it to access more information about that offender. This page will show their status (if on parole or else), which county they’re committed to, and their offenses, among other details that may be of interest to the searcher.

When a parole search is unsuccessful or if the searcher has questions or needs more support, inquirers in Iowa can contact the Board of Parole directly:

Iowa Board of Parole
510 E 12th St. – Suite 3
Des Moines, IA 50319

Phone: 515.725.5757

Track Down Parole Violator & Absconder Details in Iowa

In some instances, an offender on parole may stop complying with the conditions of their release. Depending on the violation, they may lose their parole privileges and become absconders wanted by law enforcement.

The state of Iowa doesn’t provide an online search for parole violators currently at large. However, there are tools concerned citizens can use to try and find information about an offender or to provide law enforcement with information that may lead to the arrest of such individuals.

The Iowa Sex Offender Registry shares with the public information about individuals at large – including mugshots and the most recent known location.⁴ Although the scope of this registry is limited to sex offenders, some of those individuals are on parole or probation.

Another thing a concerned citizen can do is contact the Iowa Board of Parole, asking for information about an offender they might be interested in.⁵ It’s possible to do it using their online form or in person, using the following information:

Iowa Board of Parole
510 E 12th St. – Suite 3
Des Moines, IA 50319

Phone: 515.725.5757

How To Look Up Inmates in an Iowa State Prison

The Iowa Department of Corrections Offender Search allows the public to access information about every inmate in the state, including those who are incarcerated and on supervised release.

Users interested in finding more information about any individual in the system can look up names and narrow their searches by date range, type of offense, or correctional facility (among other things).

It’s also possible to reach out to the Iowa Department of Corrections; this is how they can be contacted:

Iowa Department of Corrections
510 E 12th St.
Des Moines, IA 50319

Phone: 515.725.5701
Email: doc.information@iowa.gov

To visit an offender who’s currently incarcerated in one of Iowa’s facilities, interested citizens must fill out an application for visitation and follow all instructions after their application is approved.⁶ It’s also possible to talk to the offender on the phone when visiting in person isn’t convenient.

To send money to an inmate, citizens can send a money order (including the inmate’s number) to the Commissary Office using the information below, or work online with Access Corrections if they prefer.⁷

Iowa Department of Corrections
Offender Fiduciary Account
1150 L Street – Suite B
Fort Dodge, IA 50501

How To Contact Parole Officers & Check Scheduled Hearings in Iowa

If an inquirer performs an Iowa parole lookup and can’t seem to find a particular offender, it may be that they’re still incarcerated. In that scenario, there may be interest in monitoring parole hearings in search of an update regarding this particular offender’s status.

Parole hearings in Iowa are usually virtual meetings open to the public. Citizens interested in participating can find a list of all scheduled hearings online and make arrangements to take part in them.⁸

There are clear instructions that everyone attending the hearing must follow, which include wearing proper attire, turning cameras and microphones off, and other things.⁹ Victims interested in obtaining support and being informed about any change in the status of their offender’s incarceration can use Vinelink.¹⁰

And last, but not least, people can always reach out to the Parole Board for information. Their website won’t provide detailed information regarding local field offices, but their central office is available to help the people, as follows:

Iowa Board of Parole
510 E 12th St. – Suite 3
Des Moines, IA 50319

Phone: 515.725.5757

How To See if Someone Is on Probation Throughout Iowa for Free

Probation and parole aren’t the same thing. Usually, an offender on parole has served part of their sentence at a correctional facility and has been released to complete their time on supervised freedom, while individuals on probation usually haven’t served time in jail — their offenses tend to be minor, and instead of serving time, they remain under supervision.

The same online tool that shows information about all the inmates in Iowa also shows information about individuals on probation. The Iowa Offender Search will provide any interested user with details about a probationer’s offense, who they report to, and how long they’ll remain under supervision.

There’s value in being able to access facts and information about individuals on parole (or probation, if that’s the case). Members of the public all want to live in a transparent society that supports good citizens maintaining respect for people’s privacy. Everyone should feel comfortable running an Iowa parole search if they believe that will make them feel safer and more informed.