Start a Free Rhode Island Probation Search & Request Records

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Free Rhode Island Probation Search

Find out if someone you know or love is on probation in Rhode Island, free of charge.

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Run a free Rhode Island probation search to find details on anyone in the state.

This resource reveals useful options available for tracking down information on probationers, but understanding the difference between probation and parole before initiating a search can be useful.

Probation refers to the time spent under community supervision that’s often sentenced for minor crimes or those without extensive criminal records instead of serving time in jail. Parole refers to the early release of a prisoner to serve the rest of their sentence under community supervision, often because they are open to reforming and aren’t likely to re-offend.

Learn more about official avenues that assist the public in accessing probation records and relevant information via the guidance and aggregate links in this streamlined article.

How To Verify Whether Someone Is Under Supervision: Free Rhode Island Probation Search

In Rhode Island, individuals have the right to retrieve open records thanks to the Access Public Records Act.¹ According to state law, all records created by a public body (such as a court, police officer or public official) are considered public records; this information can be useful during a probation search in Rhode Island.

Most public records are also considered open records, with exceptions defined by law. Exemptions exist to protect privacy and to prevent interference with law enforcement.²

In some cases, it may be necessary to submit a formal request to receive records. In many others, however, it’s possible to receive these records, including criminal records, freely from digital databases.

A good starting point is the Department of Corrections Probation & Parole.³ This branch supervises adults allowed back into the community on probation or parole. It’s possible to contact this department for information about a probationer or parolee at:

DOC Probation & Parole
40 Howard Avenue
Cranston, RI 02920

General information phone line: 401-462-1000
Records & ID phone line: 401-462-3900

The Rhode Island Judiciary Public Portal allows individuals to review court case information under limited circumstances. In particular, the general public has remote access to the docket but may not be able to review other electronic case information.⁴

Attorneys and state and federal agencies have more freedom to review documents than the public, but there’s still plenty of information individuals can glean from a search with this system.

To begin a search, select Smart Search and put in a partial name, full name or case number. If you only have a partial name, results may be numerous. The court records will include information about the case, including the crimes, the court jurisdiction of the case, sentencing information and the dispositions, or results, of the case.

This will include information about probation, including the length of time to be served and when service began. It will also list a timeline of the case and whether an individual has a balance due for fines, as well as a payment history. It’s an extensive tool that, if you have a name, will reveal whether an individual is currently on probation.

Another useful tool endorsed by the state is VINELink. This free program allows searches for individuals who may be incarcerated, on probation or have been released from their sentence.

To use this tool, select the state of Rhode Island and then choose whether a search will be completed by name or ID number. Names can be provided as a partial search with as few as two characters for both the first and last names.

Probationers will be identified as such under the Custody Detail section. It’s also possible to sign up for notifications when the individual’s custody status changes, which can be useful for those concerned about safety.

Find Rhode Island Probation Details or Statuses via County & Municipal Agencies

Across the state, probation details from all five counties can be verified using the same tools as above.

The Rhode Island Judiciary Public Portal will be your most valuable resource when attempting to complete a state probation search, regardless of location within the state. However, records can also be requested at the county and city level.

For all five counties within the state, it’s possible to request general criminal records, which may include details about probation services, through the Rhode Island Division of Sheriffs Department.⁶ As the state is so small, the sheriff’s departments are consolidated into one rather than each county having its own.

To request records from the Division of Sheriffs, individuals must provide a written request with details about the records they wish to receive.⁷ These records may be accessed in person or via mail, fax or email at:

RI Department of Public Safety Legal Office
311 Danielson Pike
North Scituate, RI 02857

Fax: 401-444-1105
Email: records@risp.gov

The sheriff’s office can be contacted directly for more questions at:

Rhode Island Division of Sheriffs
670 New London Avenue

Phone: 401-275-2900
Fax: 401-275-2914

The city of Providence offers an Open Records portal, which includes public information individuals can request online.⁸ This tool allows users to review previous records requests, as well as retrieve documents online. Likewise, requests can be made to the 6th Division District Court Clerk.

All state and district courts operate under the Rhode Island Judiciary, with six courthouses across the state. Criminal matters go through one of the four district courts and therefore, these house any active records that have not yet been archived. The process for requesting records from these districts remains the same regardless of location: Contact the district clerk to file the request.

2nd Division District Court
45 Washington Square
Newport, RI 02840

Phone: 401-841-8350

3rd Division District Court
222 Quaker Lane
Warwick, RI 02886

Phone: 401-822-6753

4th Division District Court
4800 Tower Hill Road
Wakefield, RI 02879

Phone: 401-782-4131

6th Division District Court
1 Dorrance Plaza
Providence, RI 02903

Phone: 401-458-5400

To determine which court serves which cities or towns, review the Rhode Island Judiciary District Home Divisions & Contacts sheet. For example, if you want information about someone in Jamestown, you’d seek out records from the 2nd Division District Court. If the suspected probationer lives in Coventry, however, court records would be housed in the 3rd Division District Court.

In the city of Warwick, public record requests can be made at the City Clerk’s Office in person or via email at Public.Records@warwickri.gov by submitting a Public Records Request Form.⁹ It takes up to 10 business days to receive a response or a denial stating why the records will not be provided.

Fees accrue at $0.15 per page, or the city may estimate how much it will cost to provide the records. However, there is no charge for viewing records online.

Warwick City Clerk’s Office
3275 Post Road
Warwick, RI 02886

Phone: 401-738-2006

Pawtucket is home to the Judicial Records Center, the most comprehensive archive of court records in the state. While it serves the whole state, residents of Pawtucket can also seek records here in person. It houses semi-active, inactive and archived court records.

If someone has completed probation, their records may be available here. Be sure to confirm that any records you seek, regardless of court, are available with the Judicial Records Center List of Records.¹⁰

Judicial Records Center
5 Hill Street
Pawtucket, RI 02860

Phone: 401-721-2641

How To Look Up Probation Violations & Supervision Officer Contact Details in Rhode Island

In Rhode Island, both probation and parole are managed by the Department of Corrections Adult Probation & Parole.³ These offices are located statewide, overseeing individuals and ensuring probationers follow the terms of their supervision. Across the state, there are 15 offices serving small regions.

If someone is revealed to be actively under community supervision during a probation search in Rhode Island, they will be overseen by one of these 15 offices.

The administrative office can be contacted at:

Adult Probation & Parole
Dix Building
18 Wilma Schesler Lane
Cranston, RI 02920

Phone: (401)462-0832

Other offices can be located online on the DOC Office Locations & Phone Numbers page.

Typically, if someone needs to contact a probation officer, it’s because they wish to report information about a violation committed by the probationer or they’re concerned about safety. The best starting point is to determine the office overseeing the individual probationer.

From there, contact the office and provide the report or information. The office will look up the probation officer and either pass on a message or provide you with contact information so you can provide the report directly.

It’s also possible to identify reporting agencies by returning to the VINELink tool introduced previously. When an individual is shown as being on probation, clicking on Record Details will provide the date they were placed on probation as well as the reporting agency overseeing them. This will include an address and phone number.

How To Track Down Information About Someone on Parole in Rhode Island

Parolees are those who have been released from prison because they’ve proven to the Rhode Island Parole Board that they’re amenable to reform.

They’re allowed to reenter the community with supervision for the remainder of their term so long as they continue to follow all the regulations. However, being able to identify who in the community may be on parole is an important part of public safety.

The same tools that facilitate a probation search prove useful here, with some results revealing information about parole status. The easiest way to identify those on parole in Rhode Island is by using the state’s Judiciary Public Portal.

For those who may be released from prison soon, information is posted on the Parole Board website monthly in accordance with the Parole Board’s adherence to access to public records.^{11, 12} VINELink can be used to ensure those concerned about someone being released soon will be notified if their custody status changes.

If this fails, contacting the individual’s parole office directly may yield some results, but they’re likely to be limited. However, it can also be useful to have parole office contact information on hand in case a report needs to be made.

Public records, including criminal records, ensure individuals understand what the government does for accountability purposes and help those who may have been victims of a crime know what’s happening to the offender. Being able to perform a Rhode Island probation search helps with this process.