Run a Free Minnesota Probation Search: A Step-by-Step Resource

Conduct a free Minnesota probation search right away using this brief resource for guidance. Tracking down details of probationers throughout the state can be quick and stress-free with the right tools. In Minnesota, probation and parole records are available online at no cost.

Probation refers to a supervised sentence served in the community, usually without or replacing part of a convicted person’s jail time, while parole is an early release (also supervised) from prison. This resource provides steps for looking up probation records and explains how to verify probation violations, contact probation officers, and determine the status of parolees.

How To Verify Whether Someone Is a Probationer: Free Minnesota Probation Search

Minnesota offers a wide variety of public records available online for convenience, so verifying whether someone is on probation is conveniently accessible with a free probation search. This can be done via the Minnesota Department of Corrections (MNDOC) website, which allows searches by name or by MNDOC offender ID.¹

A simple search by name turns up the following information about the offender:

• Demographic information, including date of birth
• Current status in the Minnesota correctional system with those on probation or parole listed as “Under Supervision”
• Current supervising agent
• Highest-ranked criminal offense
• The court system and county or agency in charge of the offender

The search also provides links to the Minnesota Public Criminal History website and their Frequently Asked Questions for more information.² It requires an offender’s full name and birth date. This tool, however, offers further details about the offender, including

• Aliases
• Alternatively used birth dates
• A list of convictions and conviction levels (felony, misdemeanor, etc.)
• Details about crimes
• Prison bookings
• Predatory offender registrations
• Sentence terms and dates
• Fines

This tool will also help distinguish between probation and parole. If an offender has already served part of a jail sentence, he or she is likely on parole if listed as “Under Supervision.” Probation is a sentence in itself, and while it still requires strict supervision, offenders often do not serve jail time, or they serve a set period of time and then go on probation for another set period.

The case search feature at Minnesota Court Records Online allows searches by name, county, case category and case status. Results offer a detailed overview of each case, as well as a timeline of hearings, full rulings and a summary of penalties.

This may be an excellent source for more intricate searches and more thorough information about offenders, their sentences and their current status within the correctional system. Searchers should remember that these are court records rather than criminal records or distinct probation records, but they can still prove highly useful.

State fugitive lists are another way to know who is wanted on a larger scale. More information on those can be found in the county and city section below.

Find Probation Details via County & Municipal Agencies in MN

Counties and cities in this state do not typically offer independent search options for probation records. Instead, they point interested parties to the statewide Minnesota supervision search. This is available on the Minnesota Court Records Online website.³

Minnesota’s five most populous counties – Hennepin, Ramsey, Dakota, Anoka and Washington – all have separate probation offices that handle supervision of offenders and can provide further information about the county’s programs and procedures. Refer to their websites and phone numbers in the table below:

County probation office websites also offer helpful information about the nature of probation, details concerning the rights and responsibilities of offenders on probation and answers to frequently asked questions about correctional supervision. Interested parties can also find links to partner agencies, probation service center details and information about programs designed to help offenders reintegrate into the community.

Most county probation offices direct interested parties to the Minnesota Court Records Online database mentioned above for more information about offenders’ prison and probation sentences. City or county fugitive lists can also be a way to see who is wanted on a local level. Read on for more information.

How To Look Up Probation Violations & Reach Out To Someone’s Supervising Officer in Minnesota

Relatives, friends and acquaintances of offenders on probation may sometimes face a difficult decision when an offender violates probation or parole and becomes a fugitive. The Minnesota supervision search offers an option that will help interested parties verify violations and learn how to report them.

The Minnesota Department of Corrections offers an Active DOC Fugitives list online.⁴ This list shows pictures of Minnesota’s wanted fugitives. Searchers can click on each picture to receive detailed information about the fugitive, including

• Birth date
• Current status and date of fugitive status
• Sentence and release date
• Highest-ranked offense
• Name of probation or parole agent

The search system also provides a link for each agent’s name, directing the searcher to further information, including an email address and phone number, for easy communication. The main Active DOC Fugitives page offers reporting tips, a phone hotline and a link to the Crime Stoppers website, where people can submit tips about fugitives anonymously.

Individuals can also make violation reports through county probation offices, such as those listed in the section above. Ramsey County has a Most Wanted List through its sheriff’s office.⁵

Most offenders become fugitives through a failure to meet or check in with their supervision agents at the proper times. Such violations can lead to additional supervision time or even jail time, and this may make relatives and friends hesitant to report violations.

However, an offender must get back in touch with his or her probation officer as soon as possible to explain the situation, take the next steps and perhaps avoid harsh penalties. This is in everyone’s best interest to protect both the probationer and the concerned citizens.

How To Access Information on Minnesota Parolees

The process for finding details of Minnesota parolees is quite similar to the state probation search, but it involves an additional step.

As noted above, parole occurs after an offender has served part of his or her jail sentence. When at least ⅔ of the sentence is complete, a judge may review the case and recommend parole, which will place the offender back in the community under supervision.

To find parolees, interested individuals should visit the Minnesota Department of Corrections website and use the Offender Search tool.⁶ Searches can begin with either the offender’s first and last name or DOC ID. Results provide the full name, birthdate, ID and current status, whether incarcerated or under supervision.

Clicking on a name gives the location of their status along with their offense and their agent, as well as a sentence date and expiration.

Should any questions arise, the DOC can be reached at:

Minnesota Department of Corrections
1450 Energy Park Drive, Ste. 200
St. Paul, MN 55108

Phone: (651) 361-7200
Fax: (651) 642-0223
Central Records Unit: co-records.doc@state.mn.us

Determining parole or probation status can also be found on the Minnesota Court Records Online page maintained by the Judicial Branch. A case search by name and birth date will reveal further details about the case and sentence, including the length of jail terms and probation.

Technical support is available through the website, but to request certified copies of records or to inquire about a specific case, users should locate the respective court handling the case and direct their inquiries there.⁷

If the period of incarceration has not yet expired, then the offender is on parole to finish up his or her sentence. For instance, if an offender has been sentenced to 48 months in prison but was placed under supervision after 32 months, this is a clear indication of parole rather than probation.

Minnesota probation and parole are administered in similar ways. Finding probation and parole records in Minnesota isn’t difficult. In fact, the Minnesota Department of Corrections and Judicial Branch offer convenient search tools that let individuals search for offenders, determine their current status in the correctional system and even access detailed court records.

With a few clicks of a mouse, searchers can pull up the information they need to determine whether an offender is on probation or parole, learn about supervision violations and connect with an offender’s supervision agent.

The Minnesota probation search process is quite streamlined and efficient if searchers follow a few key steps as outlined in this resource; to dig deeper, citizens can also perform a MN criminal and arrest record search.