Access Yakima County Inmate Population Data

Yakima County inmate population records are available through two separate online lookup systems maintained by the Yakima County Department of Corrections, located at 111 North Front Street in Yakima. The public roster updates multiple times each day and can be searched by name, booking number, or alphabetically by last name. Most detailed inmate records beyond the basic roster, including booking photos, are confidential under state law and require a signed release or court order to access. This page explains both lookup tools, the legal framework for record access, and how to use state tools for inmates who may have moved to DOC custody.

Yakima County Department of Corrections

The Yakima County Department of Corrections operates the county jail at 111 North Front Street in Yakima. The main phone number is 509-574-2070. The County Clerk's office is at 128 North 2nd Street, Yakima, WA 98901, with a phone number of 509-574-1430. The Sheriff's Office maintains a web presence at yakimacounty.us/departments/sheriff.

Yakima County is one of the larger counties in central Washington and has a well-developed corrections system with multiple digital tools for the public. The county provides two separate online inmate lookup systems. Both are updated multiple times daily, though they present information in slightly different formats. Knowing which system works better for your search can save time.

Two Ways to Search the Yakima County Inmate Roster

Yakima County gives the public two different online systems to look up who is in custody. The first is the general public inmate lookup at yakimacounty.us/2240/Inmate-Lookup. This is the county's main corrections page and is accessible through the official county government website. It shows current inmates and updates multiple times per day.

The second system is at yakimaco.us/inmatelookup/YcDocPublicIncarcerated.aspx. This version displays inmates in alphabetical order by last name, first name, and middle name. The fields shown include booking number, last name, first name, date of birth, and projected release date. This alphabetical format can be easier to scan when you know the last name but are not sure of other details. It also refreshes multiple times each day, so the data is reasonably current.

The screenshot below shows the main Yakima County inmate lookup page available through the county government website.

The alphabetical lookup system at yakimaco.us provides a name-based search that includes date of birth and projected release date. The screenshot below shows that interface.

Requesting Yakima County Jail Records

In Yakima County, most inmate records beyond the basic public roster are confidential under RCW 70.48.100. This includes booking photos. Under this statute, detailed inmate records may only be provided to the inmate directly, to a third party who presents a signed release from the inmate, or pursuant to a court order. This is a more restrictive access model than some other Washington counties use.

If you need to request non-medical inmate records from the Yakima County jail, the county requires you to complete an Authorization for Release of Inmate Records form. This form is available through the jail records page at yakimacounty.us/1891/Jail-Records. Medical records are handled separately and require a HIPAA-compliant authorization form, not the standard inmate records release. If you are the inmate yourself, you can request your own records directly without a third-party release. These requirements are specific to Yakima County's local process and may differ from how other Washington counties handle similar requests.

The screenshot below shows the Yakima County jail records page where the records request forms and instructions are located.

Public Records Law in Yakima County

Washington's Public Records Act at RCW 42.56 applies to the Yakima County Sheriff's Office and Department of Corrections. Government agencies must respond to records requests within five business days. That response can be a fulfillment of the request, a timeline for when records will be ready, or a request for more information. Broad categories of records are accessible under this law.

Yakima County's application of RCW 70.48.100 means the jail treats most detailed records beyond the roster as confidential. The public roster itself is available under the statute's requirement that jails publish custody information. But if you need booking photos, incident reports, or other records, expect to go through the formal release process described on the jail records page. This is a local policy decision that is consistent with how the statute allows jails to protect certain inmate information.

For court records, the County Clerk at 128 North 2nd Street in Yakima handles case files, dockets, and certified copies. The Washington Courts portal at courts.wa.gov provides free statewide case searches by name or case number. Yakima County Superior Court and District Court records are both accessible through that system.

VINE Victim Notification for Yakima County

VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) provides free, anonymous custody alerts for victims and concerned parties. Register at VINELink.com to receive automatic notifications by phone, text, or email when an inmate is released, transferred, or has a court date change. The service covers both the Yakima County jail and state DOC facilities, so you will receive alerts even if the person moves to state custody after sentencing.

Because Yakima County's detailed inmate records require a signed release, VINE is a practical way to track custody changes without needing to request records or call the facility. You just register once and the system handles notifications automatically. This is particularly useful in cases where custody status changes frequently or where you need to be alerted quickly.

State-Level Inmate Search Resources

For individuals not found in the Yakima County roster, the Washington State Department of Corrections maintains a free incarcerated person search at doc.wa.gov. This covers all state prisons and DOC facilities. If someone was sentenced in Yakima County Superior Court and transferred to state custody, the DOC search will show their current facility, sentence, and projected release date.

The WATCH system at watch.wsp.wa.gov provides access to Washington criminal history records for a fee. WATCH is useful for checking a broader record of arrests and convictions beyond current custody. For court case records specific to Yakima County, the courts portal at courts.wa.gov gives free access to case filings, hearing dates, and case outcomes statewide. Using the county roster, the DOC search, and the courts portal together covers most custody and case status questions.

Cities in Yakima County

Yakima County is a large central Washington county in the Yakima Valley. Yakima is the county seat and largest city, qualifying for its own page on this site. Other communities in the county include Selah, Sunnyside, Grandview, Moxee, Union Gap, and Wapato. All county jail bookings are processed through the Yakima County Department of Corrections in Yakima.

Nearby Counties

Yakima County borders several counties in central and southern Washington. If a person is not in the Yakima County system, they may be held in one of these neighboring counties.