The New Castle County, Delaware Inmate Roster is a public resource that allows citizens to find out who is currently in custody at the county's correctional facilities. NewCastleCourt.us helps locate publicly available information about current and recently released inmates. Additionally, information can be obtained through the Delaware Department of Correction's inmate locator system, by visiting the facility in person, or by phone. In Delaware, correctional facilities are managed by the Delaware Department of Correction (DOC) at the state level, not the county level. The roster is regularly updated and allows you to check the custody status, charges, and basic booking information of an individual.
Search Current Inmates in New Castle Jail
Since the New Castle County Sheriff's Office does not hold or transport inmates, searching for individuals detained in the county is done through the Delaware state system. Here are the main ways to search:
Online Search
- Visit NewCastleCourt.us to search for publicly available court and correctional information.
- Use the Locate an Inmate tool on the DOC website — it operates 24/7 and provides up-to-date custody status data.
- Enter the full legal name of the person or the booking number if known.
- Review the results: the system will show the holding facility, booking date, and charges.
To check court cases, use Delaware Court Connect — the state's court case database that allows searches by name or case number.
By Phone
Call the correctional facility where the person may be held. Main DOC facilities in New Castle County:
The operator can confirm if a specific person is in custody if you provide the full name and date of birth.
In Person
Visitors can contact the reception of the relevant correctional facility during business hours. Prepare a photo ID. Juvenile offenders are not displayed in the public adult registry — their information is kept separately at the New Castle County Detention Center for youth.
Find New Castle Jail Booking Records Online
A booking record is created at the time a detained person is officially registered at a correctional facility. It is the first document that records the fact of detention.
During booking, the following data is generated:
- Unique booking number
- Date and time of admission
- List of charges
- Arresting agency (e.g., New Castle County Police or Delaware State Police)
- Photo and biometric data
Access to booking records online can be obtained through the DOC inmate search tool. If you need an official document rather than just viewing it on a screen, submit a records request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The request form can be found on the New Castle City FOIA page. Note: according to Chapter 100, Title 29 of the Delaware Code, some criminal records and files are closed to public access.
Arrest archives conducted by the state police are published on the Arrest Archives page of the Delaware State Police.
Search the New Castle Jail Roster by Last Name or Booking Number
The DOC inmate search system supports two main methods.
Search by Last Name
- Enter the person's last name in Latin characters in the "Last Name" field.
- Optionally, add the first name to narrow down the results.
- Click "Search."
Practical tips:
- Check spelling — even one incorrect letter can yield no results.
- Try entering just the first few letters of the last name if the system supports partial search.
- For common last names, be sure to specify the first name.
Search by Booking Number
If you know the booking number, enter it in the appropriate field. This method is the most accurate and returns a single result.
If the Search Yields No Results
The absence of results does not always mean the person was not detained. Possible reasons:
- The person has already been released or transferred to another facility.
- The last name is misspelled or differs from the legal name.
- The booking has not yet been entered into the system — this can take several hours.
- The person is held by a federal agency, not the state.
In such cases, call the facility directly or check the status through the Delaware Criminal Justice Information System (DELJIS), where you can also check for active warrants.
Jail Roster Updates and Search Limitations in New Castle
The DOC inmate roster is updated regularly, usually during the business day. However, there can be a delay of several hours to a day between the actual booking and the appearance of the record in the online system.
Main limitations to be aware of:
- Display delay. A newly arrested person may not appear in the database immediately — the registration, fingerprinting, and data entry process takes time.
- Disappearance after release. When a person is released, their record is removed from the active roster. This is not an archive of all past bookings.
- Current custody only. The roster reflects those in custody at the time of the search. Historical records require a separate request through FOIA or contact with the DOC.
- Data entry errors. Occasionally, there are typographical errors in names or dates, complicating the search.
- Minors not included. Records of individuals under 18 are not displayed in the public adult registry.
To obtain a certified criminal history of a person, contact the Delaware State Police — the procedure involves fingerprinting and presenting a photo ID. If a person needs legal assistance, the Office of Defense Services provides free services to low-income clients in all three counties of the state, including New Castle County.