Search New Haven Released Inmates
Released inmates records in New Haven come from the New Haven Correctional Center and the New Haven Police Department. New Haven is the second largest city in Connecticut with about 137,500 residents and sits in New Haven County. The city has its own state DOC facility on Whalley Avenue that holds both sentenced and accused inmates. The New Haven Police Department also keeps arrest records that are tied to bookings and releases. You can search for released inmates through the city's online arrest lookup tool, the state DOC inmate search, or through court records at the New Haven Judicial District courthouse on Elm Street.
New Haven Quick Facts
New Haven Correctional Center Records
The New Haven Correctional Center is a state facility run by the Connecticut Department of Correction. It sits at 245 Whalley Avenue in New Haven, CT 06511. Call 203-974-4111 to reach the facility. Like all state prisons in Connecticut, this site holds both sentenced inmates and people on accused status who are waiting for court dates. County jails have not existed in Connecticut since 1968. The state took over all jail functions that year. Every person held in New Haven goes through this DOC facility, and the records stay with the state system for released inmates.
The Connecticut DOC website is the main source for records on anyone held at the New Haven Correctional Center. Under C.G.S. § 54-142g, criminal history record information includes arrests, charges, sentences, and release dates. The DOC tracks all of this for each person who passes through the New Haven facility. When someone is released from the New Haven Correctional Center, their record moves to the released inmates file in the state system.
Note: The New Haven Correctional Center serves as a hub for the New Haven Judicial District, so many inmates from surrounding towns pass through this facility before and after court hearings.
Search New Haven Released Inmates Online
New Haven has more online tools for searching released inmates than most cities in Connecticut. The city runs its own arrest lookup page, and the state provides two more search options. Each tool shows different data. Using all three gives you the most complete picture of a person's record in New Haven.
The New Haven Arrest Lookup is a city-run tool that shows recent arrest data. Each entry has the person's name, age, arrest date and time, incident number, charges, and the arresting unit. These records are created at booking when the police bring someone in. This is a fast way to check if someone was arrested and later released in New Haven. The tool is free to use and does not need an account.
The New Haven arrest lookup page is shown here.
The city updates this tool with new arrest data on a regular basis.
The CT DOC inmate search covers all state facilities. You can look up current and past inmates by name or inmate number. The state tips say to use just a few letters of the last name for the best results. This search covers anyone who was held at the New Haven Correctional Center. If the person has left the system, you may need to call the DOC Public Information Office at (860) 692-7480 to ask about released inmates from the New Haven facility.
The New Haven Police to Citizen portal is a third search tool. It lets you look up police calls, incidents, and case reports in New Haven.
The P2C portal gives a different view of police activity than the arrest lookup page. Both are free.
New Haven Court Records for Released Inmates
The New Haven Judicial District courthouse is at 121 Elm Street, New Haven, CT 06510. Criminal cases from New Haven go through this court. The CT Judicial Branch case lookup shows criminal convictions from the past 10 years. You can search by name or case number. Court records show the charges filed, plea, trial outcome, and sentence for released inmates who had cases in New Haven.
Under C.G.S. § 1-215, arrest records are public documents in Connecticut. They include the name, address, and date of arrest. Court records build on this with more detail about each case. For released inmates in New Haven, the court file shows what happened after the arrest, including bond, hearings, and the final outcome. The clerk at 121 Elm Street can pull case files if you visit in person.
The state DOC FAQ page has more details on how court records and inmate records connect in Connecticut.
The CT DOC FAQ page covers questions about inmate search, records access, and release information.
Note: Youthful offender and juvenile records do not show up in the public case lookup. These are sealed under Connecticut law and are not part of the released inmates search results.
New Haven Police Department Records
The New Haven Police Department is at 1 Union Avenue, New Haven, CT 06519. Call 203-946-6257 to reach the main line. The department handles all local arrests in the city, and each arrest creates a record that stays on file. When the police book someone, the data goes into the arrest lookup system. Released inmates who were arrested by New Haven PD will have records in the city's files as well as in the state system.
Under C.G.S. § 1-210, most police records in Connecticut are public. You can file a Freedom of Information Act request with the New Haven PD to get copies of arrest reports, incident reports, and other records. The law has some limits. Records tied to active cases may be held back. Names of informants and minor witnesses can be kept from the public. But basic arrest data for released inmates in New Haven is available through the FOIA process.
To request records from the New Haven Police Department, you can:
- Visit the Records Division at 1 Union Avenue in person
- Call the main line at 203-946-6257 and ask for the Records Division
- Submit a written FOIA request by mail or email
- Use the online arrest lookup for recent bookings
Each method has a different turnaround time. The online arrest lookup is the fastest way to check for recent released inmates in New Haven. Written FOIA requests may take a few days or weeks. In-person visits can sometimes get you copies the same day, depending on what you ask for.
Criminal Record Erasure in New Haven
Connecticut has a Clean Slate law that can erase some criminal records. This matters for released inmates searches in New Haven. Under C.G.S. § 54-142a, records may be erased if charges are dismissed, nolled after 13 months, or end in acquittal. Some misdemeanor convictions can be erased after 7 years. Certain felonies qualify after 10 years. If a person's record has been erased, they will not show up in a search for released inmates in New Haven.
The erasure process is not instant. It takes time for all systems to update. A person whose record was recently erased might still appear in the New Haven arrest lookup or the state DOC search for a short time. The court and the state police bureau both have to process the erasure. Once done, the record is gone from public view. This is why some released inmates from New Haven may not appear in any search tool even though they were once in the system.
Note: Record erasure under C.G.S. § 54-142a applies to both arrests and convictions that meet the criteria, so released inmates with qualifying records can have their full history removed from public access.
Victim Alerts for New Haven Released Inmates
Crime victims in New Haven can sign up for alerts when an inmate's status changes. The DOC Victim Services Unit tracks these changes for all state facilities, including the New Haven Correctional Center. Call 888-869-7057 or email doc.victimservices@ct.gov to sign up. CT SAVIN sends automated alerts by phone. The toll-free SAVIN line is 1-866-277-7477.
VINELink also provides victim notification for New Haven through the Connecticut system. Victims can get alerts for bond releases, escapes, parole hearings, and end-of-sentence dates. This is one of the fastest ways to know when someone is released from the New Haven Correctional Center. You can sign up for phone calls, emails, or text alerts. The service is free and covers all released inmates in the state.
The Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles makes parole decisions for inmates in New Haven. Their main office is at 55 West Main Street in Waterbury. Parolees from New Haven are supervised by DOC staff. The board holds public hearings that victims can attend or watch by video feed. If an inmate from the New Haven Correctional Center is up for parole, victims who are registered with SAVIN or VINELink get advance notice of the hearing date.
Legal Resources in New Haven
New Haven has a number of legal aid groups that can help with questions about released inmates records, record erasure, and criminal cases. These are not law enforcement agencies. They help people understand their rights and work through the court system.
New Haven Legal Assistance Association is one of the largest legal aid providers in the city. They help low-income residents with a range of legal issues, including criminal record questions. The Connecticut Legal Services office also serves the New Haven area. For people who need help understanding their own released inmates record or want to get a record erased under C.G.S. § 54-142a, these groups can walk them through the process step by step.
The New Haven Free Public Library has computers you can use to search the state DOC inmate tool, the city arrest lookup, and the court case lookup at no cost. Library staff can help you find the right websites. The law section of the library also has copies of the Connecticut General Statutes, including C.G.S. § 1-210 and § 1-215, which spell out what records are public in New Haven and the rest of the state.
State Resources for New Haven Records
Several state-level tools apply to released inmates in New Haven. The Connecticut Department of Correction runs the central inmate database. The CT inmate search covers everyone who has been through a state facility, including the New Haven Correctional Center. The CT Judicial Branch case lookup covers criminal court records from the New Haven Judicial District.
The State Police Bureau of Identification in Middletown processes criminal history checks. A state check costs $75. A federal check costs $13.25. Fingerprinting costs $15. Under C.G.S. § 29-11, the bureau keeps a central file of criminal records for everyone age 16 or older who has been charged with a crime in Connecticut. New Haven residents can mail a request using form DPS-0846-C to 1111 Country Club Road, Middletown, CT 06457. These checks show a broader view of a person's criminal history than the free online tools.
For released inmates who have left the state DOC system, some records may only be available through the Bureau of Identification or through a direct request to the New Haven Correctional Center. The free online search tools are a good start, but they do not always show older records. A formal criminal history check from the state fills in those gaps for released inmates in New Haven.
New Haven County Released Inmates
New Haven is the county seat of New Haven County, and all state DOC and court records for the city fall under the county system. New Haven County covers over 30 towns and cities. For more on county-level search tools, court info, and released inmates resources across the full county, visit the New Haven County released inmates page.
Nearby Cities
These cities are near New Haven and share the same county court system. If you need released inmates records from a person arrested in a nearby area, check the city where the arrest or booking took place.