Forest County Inmate Population Records
Forest County inmate population records are available through the county jail and the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections online locator. Forest County is one of the least populated counties in Pennsylvania, and its jail in Tionesta handles both pre-trial detainees and individuals serving shorter local sentences. State-sentenced incarcerated individuals are tracked through the free PADOC locator. This guide explains how to search the Forest County inmate population, access official records, and use Pennsylvania's public tools to find people in local or state custody.
Forest County Quick Facts
Forest County Inmate Population Overview
Forest County is one of the smallest counties in Pennsylvania by population. It sits in the north-central part of the state and borders Clarion, Venango, Warren, and Jefferson counties. The county seat is Tionesta, a small borough along the Allegheny River. Because of its small size, Forest County maintains a limited-capacity jail and relies heavily on the Pennsylvania State Police for law enforcement coverage across its rural landscape. Most individuals arrested in Forest County are processed through the Tionesta facility.
The Forest County inmate population is small relative to most Pennsylvania counties. People held pre-trial or serving short sentences remain in the county jail at 526 Elm Street in Tionesta. Those sentenced to longer terms transfer to one of 24 Pennsylvania state correctional institutions and enter the PADOC system. The state DOC locator is free, available around the clock, and updated daily with custody status changes. It covers more than 36,000 men and women statewide on any given day. Forest County residents sentenced to state prison may be placed at any facility, not necessarily one near Tionesta.
Knowing which system applies is the first step in any search.
Forest County Jail and Sheriff Information
The Forest County Jail is located at 526 Elm Street, Tionesta, PA 16353. The jail phone number is 814-755-3525. The facility is a small county jail that houses pre-trial detainees and sentenced individuals serving shorter terms. For people given longer sentences, the jail handles intake and transfer to state institutions. Because of its limited bed capacity, the Forest County jail may at times transfer inmates to neighboring county facilities when space is constrained. Official information on visiting procedures and inmate services is available at co.forest.pa.us/prison.php.
The Forest County Sheriff's Office is also at 526 Elm Street and can be reached at 814-755-3521. Sheriff Douglas R. Plummer leads the office. The fax number is 814-755-1453. The sheriff's office handles warrant service, civil process, concealed carry permits, fingerprinting, and sheriff's sales. In a county where municipal police departments are few, the sheriff's deputies and the Pennsylvania State Police provide the primary law enforcement presence. The sheriff's office coordinates closely with state police on arrests, transport, and emergency response across Forest County's forested terrain.
Records requests submitted under the Right-to-Know Law are processed through the sheriff's office for jail-related records and through the county's open records office for other county documents. Staff are available during weekday business hours for in-person questions.
Searching Forest County Inmate Records Online
To search for someone in Forest County state custody, use the Pennsylvania Official Inmate and Parolee Locator. Enter the person's last name in the search box. For common surnames, adding a first name helps narrow the list. You can also enter an inmate number directly if you have one. Results show each person's full name, date of birth, inmate number, committing county, and current facility. Selecting Forest as the committing county filters results to show only incarcerated individuals whose cases originated in Forest County.
The locator also supports filters for gender, race, approximate age, date of birth, and projected release date. Clicking the inmate number opens a detailed profile with a photo, physical description, and any aliases on record. The system requires no login and is accessible at all hours. If you encounter technical issues, try a different browser or reach out at ra-contactdoc@pa.gov. For people held at the county jail rather than a state institution, call 814-755-3525 directly since county inmates do not appear in the state DOC database.
The following image shows the PADOC Inmate Locator, the primary state tool for finding Forest County inmates held in state correctional facilities.
This portal displays search fields and filter options that help you locate people from Forest County currently held in any of Pennsylvania's 24 state prisons.
Pennsylvania DOC Data and Forest County Prison Population
The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections is the largest agency in the state. On any given day, it oversees more than 36,000 inmates across 24 State Correctional Institutions and a network of Community Corrections Centers. Forest County residents who receive state sentences may be placed at any facility based on security level, programming needs, and space availability. The DOC's direct portal at cor.pa.gov provides access to the locator, facility pages, visitation guidelines, mail rules, and statistical reports.
The DOC publishes inmate population statistics and research data through its Bureau of Planning, Research and Statistics. The DOC Reports and Dashboards page includes an interactive map of inmate releases by county and year. This data covers Forest County releases alongside every other Pennsylvania county and can be useful for understanding broader trends in the local correctional population. The department also tracks recidivism rates, sentence lengths, and demographic information through its Spotlight Dashboard, which is produced in partnership with Recidiviz.
The Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole manages supervision for Forest County residents released from state prison on parole. Probation for county-level offenses is handled separately by local probation staff and does not appear in state DOC records.
Forest County Court Records and Case Search
Court records tied to Forest County cases are available through the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System. The UJS Case Search portal covers all 67 counties. Search by participant name or docket number to find criminal case records. Results include charges, case status, dispositions, sentencing information, and upcoming court dates. Filtering by Forest County limits results to cases handled by the Tionesta courthouse. Access is free and requires no account. Allow up to 24 to 72 hours for recent filings to appear, as the courts note that entries may not update instantly.
The Court of Common Pleas in Forest County handles felony cases. A Magisterial District Judge court processes preliminary hearings and summary offenses. The Pennsylvania Courts website provides self-help resources and forms for people requesting certified copies of court documents. Criminal records are public in Pennsylvania under the Right-to-Know Law at 65 P.S. sections 67.101 through 67.3104. Certain records sealed under the Clean Slate Act will not appear in public searches after the applicable waiting period. The Clean Slate Act, also known as Act 56 of 2018, automatically seals qualifying misdemeanor convictions after ten years of crime-free behavior and summary offenses after five years.
For criminal history background checks covering Forest County, the PATCH system at the Pennsylvania State Police provides official results for $22 per search.
Open Records Requests in Forest County
Forest County processes public records requests under Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law. The county Open Records Officer accepts requests by phone, mail, or in person at the county office in Tionesta. Because Forest County is a small office with limited staff, it is advisable to call ahead to confirm availability before visiting in person. Information on the request process is available at co.forest.pa.us/open-records.php. The standard copy fee is $0.25 per page. Agencies must respond within five business days and may extend that period by up to 30 days for complex or voluminous requests.
If Forest County denies a request or does not respond in time, you can appeal to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records. The OOR is in Harrisburg and handles appeals at no cost to the requester. For DOC records specifically, contact the department's Right-to-Know Law Office at 1920 Technology Parkway, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050, by phone at (717) 728-7763, or by email at RA-docrighttoknow@pa.gov. The Pennsylvania Justice Network connects Forest County law enforcement to statewide criminal justice data systems, though public access to JNET is not available.
Federal Inmate Lookup for Forest County
Some individuals with Forest County ties are held in federal facilities rather than state or county custody. The Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator is the correct tool for these searches. The BOP database covers federal inmates back to 1982. Search by first and last name or by a BOP register number. Results show the person's name, age, sex, race, current facility phone number, and projected release date. Federal inmates do not appear in the PADOC locator or any local Forest County jail records.
Federal sentences are governed by federal guidelines and differ from Pennsylvania state sentences in how good-time credits, supervised release, and time served are calculated. Pennsylvania federal facilities that might hold people with Forest County connections include FCI McKean in Lewis Run, USP Canaan in Wayne County, and FCI Schuylkill in Minersville. The Pennsylvania State Police website at psp.pa.gov also provides access to the Megan's Law sex offender registry and additional criminal history resources for Forest County and all other Pennsylvania jurisdictions.
Nearby Counties
Forest County borders several counties in north-central and northwestern Pennsylvania. If you are unsure which county holds the records you need, the links below connect you to nearby inmate population data and jail rosters.