Frequently asked questions
Who is included and not included?
KOOL covers adults in Kentucky state custody or under probation & parole supervision. It does not include people in county jails, juveniles, or federal inmates.
Why can’t I find someone?
There are a few common reasons a real record won’t show up here:
- In a county jail? KOOL covers state custody and supervision only. Local county jails are not included.
- A juvenile? Juvenile records are not published on KOOL.
- A federal inmate?Federal custody is handled by the federal Bureau of Prisons, not the Commonwealth, and isn’t included here.
- Already released? Records leave KOOL when supervision ends. You can request an open record for older history.
Is this a background check?
No. This site is not a consumer report and must not be used for employment, tenancy, insurance, or credit decisions under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Data is public record and may be incomplete or out of date.
Where is the sex offender registry?
The sex offender registry is a separate system kept by the Kentucky State Police, not KOOL. You can search the registry on the Kentucky State Police site, or contact them directly with questions about it.
How do I find a facility or P&P district?
The Kentucky Department of Corrections publishes a page for each of its 14 adult institutions and each probation & parole district, with addresses and phone numbers. District pages also list the satellite offices in that district.
County jails are a different matter. They are run by elected county jailers rather than the Commonwealth, and no statewide directory of them is published — the Department of Corrections sets jail standards but does not list individual jails, their addresses, or their contact details. For a county jail, contact the county directly.
How do I send money to an inmate?
Each Kentucky Department of Corrections facility uses an approved payment service for inmate accounts, and the approved service can vary by facility. Contact the specific facility directly to confirm which service it uses before sending money.
How do I request an open record?
Records that have left KOOL, or details not shown here, can be requested through the Kentucky Department of Corrections’ open records process under the Kentucky Open Records Act. Submit your request in writing to the Department of Corrections, describing the specific record you’re looking for.
How do I report an error in a record?
Since records here mirror the Commonwealth’s public data, corrections to the underlying record must go through the Kentucky Department of Corrections. If you spot a discrepancy, you can also request an open record to compare against, or reach out about accessibility or site issues so we can look into it.