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Difference Between Delaware Prison and Federal Prison

What is the Difference Between Delaware Prison and Federal Prison?

Federal and state prisons serve similar functions, but there are differences in the management and operation of both kinds of facilities. Federal prisons house persons convicted or accused of violating federal crimes, including interstate crimes or crimes committed across state boundaries, crimes against government agencies, institutions, and officials. Additionally, federal prisons hold persons convicted of white-collar crimes such as money laundering, racketeering, and fraud. The federal criminal code defines federal offenses, including what constitutes a federal crime, the gravity or classification of offenses, and the applicable penalties, including prison sentences.

State prisons house persons convicted or accused of violating state crimes. In Delaware, state crimes range from riot to criminal solicitation, aggravated assault, and murder. The state criminal code defines offenses in the state and provides applicable penalties and sentencing guidelines. Because many offenses committed in the United States are state crimes, state prisons hold more people than federal prisons. Additionally, there are more state prisons than federal prisons. Persons incarcerated in federal prisons tend to serve longer sentences, as many federal crimes have minimum imprisonment terms.

Federal and state prisons also have different managing agencies. The Federal Bureau of Prisons manages federal prisons and incarceration facilities, while the Delaware Department of Correction oversees the Delaware state prison system.

Both federal and state prisons offer rehabilitation programs that help inmates safely rejoin society. Federal and state prison management also offers inmate locator tools, which enable interested parties to find up-to-date information about inmates' incarceration records and custody status. The Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator provides information about persons incarcerated from 1982 to date. The Delaware Inmate Locator tool also provides information about persons incarcerated in state facilities.

The Delaware Prison System

The Delaware prison system comprises state prisons, county jails, training academies, and community corrections centers. There are about 4,500 incarcerated persons in Delaware and about 13,000 persons on probation within the communities. The Bureau of Prisons, a division of the Delaware Department of Correction, oversees and operates state correctional facilities, including adult correctional facilities such as:

  • Howard R. Young Correctional Institution
  • Baylor Women's Correctional Institution
  • Sussex Correctional Institution
  • James T. Vaugh Correctional Center

The Bureau of Prisons also manages specialized units such as the Steven R. Floyd Sr. Training Academy, food services, facilities maintenance, Correctional Agency Response Team, Escapee Recovery Teams, and Quick Response Team.

Other divisions of the Delaware Department of Correction include:

  • Bureau of Administrative Services, which comprises the recruitment, offender records, human resources, and central business office units.
  • Bureau of Community Corrections supervises offenders in treatment centers, work release facilities, and offenders released from imprisonment. The Bureau of Community corrections also oversees house arrest, probation and parole, and community corrections units.
  • Bureau of Healthcare, Substance Abuse, and Mental Health which manages medical care, mental health treatment, and substance abuse treatment

How to Lookup Inmates in Delaware

To find incarcerated persons in Delaware, especially inmates in the Department of Correction (DOC) facilities, interested persons may use the Inmate Locator tool that the DOC provides on its website. The tool allows requesting parties to search for inmate information using criteria such as the offender's name or birth date and State Bureau of Investigation Number. However, requests for Delaware inmate records may be made to the prison facility where the inmate of interest is being held.

Persons interested in giving money to inmates may send money orders to the inmates by mail. The sender must include:

  • The offender's name.
  • State Bureau of Investigation Number.
  • Remitter's name.
  • The offender's assigned institution in the mail.

Typically, the Bureau of Prisons credits the offender's account within 24 hours of receiving the money order. Interested persons may also drop off money orders or cash during visits to the inmate's facility. The following are the locations and contact information of incarceration facilities in Delaware:

Baylor Women's Correctional Institution
660 Baylor Blvd
New Castle, DE 19720
+1 (302) 577-3004

Howard R. Young Correctional Institution
1301 E 12th St
Wilmington, DE 19802
+1 (302) 429-7700

James T. Vaughn Correctional Institution
1181 Paddock Rd
Smyrna, DE 19977
+1 (302) 653-9261

Sussex Correctional Institution
23203 Dupont Blvd
Georgetown, DE 19947
+1 (302) 856-5280

Delaware County Jails

Delaware county jails house persons convicted of misdemeanors or offenses punishable by no more than one (1) year in prison. Additionally, county jails hold persons awaiting trial or persons detained for short periods, such as 24 hours - 30 days. Jails are smaller in size and capacity than prisons, as jails are designed for short holding periods. While state agencies such as the Department of Correction (DOC) oversee and operate state prisons, local agencies, such as county sheriffs or local police departments, control and manage county jails. Like state prisons, some Delaware county jails offer online inmate locator tools. Some counties provide online inmate rosters. Persons interested in finding inmates may also visit the county sheriff or local law enforcement to make inmate location requests.

How Does the Federal Prison System Work?

The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) manages the federal prison system in the United States, which comprises incarceration facilities, correctional centers, treatment centers, workhouses, and privately-managed facilities. The BOP oversees the incarceration and probation of about 152,000 inmates throughout the country. The BOP ensures that inmates serve sentences in a conducive environment and are ready to rejoin society. The Inmate Locator tool helps interested persons find inmates held in BOP facilities. Requesting parties may use such criteria as:

  • Offender's names
  • Race
  • Age
  • Gender
  • BOP registration number
  • FBI number
  • DCDC number
  • INS number

The inmate locator contains information about any persons in BOP custody from 1982 to date. Interested persons may find older records by submitting requests to the National Archives Records Administration (NARA). The inmate locator may also contain information about accused persons, witnesses, or persons held for civil contempt of a federal court.