Franklin County Inmate Population Records
Franklin County inmate population records are available through the county jail, the online inmate roster, and the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections state locator. The Franklin County Jail in Chambersburg holds pre-trial detainees and people serving shorter local sentences. State-sentenced incarcerated individuals are tracked through the free PADOC locator, updated daily across all 24 state prisons. This guide covers how to search the Franklin County inmate population, access the online jail roster, and use Pennsylvania's public records tools to find people in local or state custody.
Franklin County Quick Facts
Franklin County Inmate Population Overview
Franklin County is located in south-central Pennsylvania near the Maryland border. The county seat is Chambersburg, which serves as the hub of county government and law enforcement operations. Franklin County borders Adams, Cumberland, Bedford, and Fulton counties. The Franklin County Jail holds the local inmate population for the county, covering both pre-trial detainees who have not yet been convicted and individuals serving sentences of less than two years under state sentencing guidelines.
People convicted of more serious felonies and given longer prison terms are transferred to one of the 24 Pennsylvania State Correctional Institutions operated by the DOC. Once transferred, they become part of the state inmate population and appear in the PADOC locator rather than local jail records. The DOC locator is free to use, requires no registration, and is updated daily to reflect transfers, new admissions, and releases. Statewide, the DOC oversees more than 36,000 incarcerated individuals on any given day.
Franklin County offers something many counties do not: an online inmate roster through the county jail's website.
Franklin County Jail Roster Online Access
Franklin County provides an online inmate roster that lists current jail detainees. The roster is accessible at franklincountypa.gov and is updated on a regular basis. The listing includes current inmates with basic booking information and charge data. No login is required to view the roster, and it is accessible from any device. Search by name to find a specific individual. The roster shows only current inmates, not historical records. For older records or cases that have been released, contact the jail directly or submit a Right-to-Know request.
The Franklin County Jail is located at 1804 Opportunity Avenue, Chambersburg, PA 17201. The main phone number is 717-261-3895 and the fax is 717-261-3840. Warden Carrie Cannon oversees daily operations. Email inquiries can be directed to fcjail@franklincountypa.gov. The facility provides visiting services, inmate mail, commissary access, medical and mental health care, educational programming, reentry support, and work release options for eligible individuals. An inmate handbook covering rules and procedures is available through the jail's official page at franklincountypa.gov.
If a name does not appear on the online roster and you believe the person may be in county custody, call the jail at 717-261-3895 for a direct status check. New bookings may take a few hours to appear in the online listing.
Franklin County Sheriff's Office Details
The Franklin County Sheriff's Office is at 15 N. Main Street, Chambersburg, PA 17201. Sheriff Dane Anthony leads the office. The phone number is 717-261-3877 and the fax is 717-261-3869. Email inquiries can be sent to sheriffsoffice@franklincountypa.gov. The sheriff's office handles warrant service, civil process, concealed carry permits, court security, prisoner transport, and fingerprinting. Deputies also support emergency response operations across Franklin County.
The sheriff's office manages jail transport for individuals moving between the county jail and state or federal facilities. This transport function is important for understanding why a person may no longer appear in county jail records even if they have not been formally released. Once transferred to a state facility, a person is removed from county custody and added to the DOC system. Confirm current location by checking both the county jail roster and the PADOC locator if you are unsure where someone is held.
The sheriff's office official page is at franklincountypa.gov. Staff are available during weekday business hours for in-person visits, fingerprinting appointments, and record inquiries.
The following image shows the Pennsylvania DOC official website, which provides access to the statewide inmate locator used to find Franklin County inmates held at state correctional institutions.
The DOC site links to the inmate locator, all facility pages, visitation rules, and statewide statistical reports covering the Franklin County prison population alongside the rest of the state.
Searching Franklin County Inmate Records Statewide
For individuals who may be in state custody rather than the county jail, use the Pennsylvania Official Inmate and Parolee Locator. Enter the person's last name in the search field. Adding a first name helps narrow results when a surname is common. You can also search by inmate number directly. Results show full name, date of birth, inmate number, current facility, and committing county. Use the committing county filter and select Franklin to limit the list to incarcerated individuals whose cases originated in this county.
Clicking an inmate number opens a detailed profile showing a photo, physical description, and any known aliases. The system is accessible 24 hours a day with no login required. For parolees from Franklin County cases still under DOC supervision, the parolee locator is available through the same platform. Individuals released on parole remain in the DOC system until their supervision period ends. The PADOC direct locator at cor.pa.gov also supports searches by parole number in addition to inmate name and number.
Some middle names and dates of birth in the locator are self-reported by inmates and may not match official documents exactly. If a search returns no results, try alternate spellings or a broader name search before concluding the person is not in state custody.
Franklin County Court Records and Criminal History
Criminal court records for Franklin County cases are publicly available through the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System. The UJS Case Search portal covers all 67 counties including Franklin. Search by participant name, docket number, or date of birth to pull up criminal case records. Results include charges, case status, disposition, sentencing information, and upcoming court dates. Filtering by Franklin County limits results to cases handled in Chambersburg courts. No registration is required. Updates to the portal may lag behind court filings by up to 72 hours.
The Franklin County Court of Common Pleas handles felony cases and major criminal matters. Magisterial District Judge courts process preliminary hearings, summary offenses, and minor traffic violations. Certified copies of court records are available at the Chambersburg courthouse for a per-page fee set by the county. The Pennsylvania Courts website provides forms, self-help resources, and guidance on requesting court documents. Criminal records in Franklin County are governed by CHRIA, the Criminal History Record Information Act at 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91, which sets rules on who can access records and under what conditions.
Records sealed under the Clean Slate Act will not appear in public searches. Act 56 of 2018 automatically seals certain misdemeanor convictions after ten years and summary offenses after five years of crime-free behavior. Official background checks through the PATCH system at epatch.pa.gov cost $22 per check and cover Franklin County criminal history. The PATCH helpline at 1-888-783-7972 provides assistance for technical issues.
Franklin County Open Records and RTK Law
Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law at 65 P.S. sections 67.101 through 67.3104 gives the public the right to request records from any government agency. Franklin County's Open Records Officer accepts requests at 218 N. 2nd Street, Chambersburg, PA 17201. Requests can also be submitted online through the county's records portal at franklincountypa.gov. The standard copy fee is $0.25 per page. Agencies must respond within five business days and may extend by up to 30 days for complex requests.
If Franklin County denies a request or fails to respond in time, you may appeal to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records. The OOR is in Harrisburg and handles appeals without charge. Appeals must be filed within 15 business days of the agency's final response or the deadline. The OOR publishes all final determinations in a searchable online database. For DOC-held records, the department's Right-to-Know Law Office at 1920 Technology Parkway, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050, handles requests at (717) 728-7763 or RA-docrighttoknow@pa.gov.
The Pennsylvania Justice Network links Franklin County law enforcement to statewide data on warrants, court records, inmate status, and criminal history. JNET is not publicly accessible but supports the systems that residents can use through official portals.
Federal and Parole Records for Franklin County
Some individuals with Franklin County ties are held in federal custody. Federal inmates do not appear in the PADOC locator or the county jail roster. Use the Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator to search for people held in federal facilities. The BOP database covers records going back to 1982. Search by name or by a BOP register number. Results show current facility, age, sex, race, and projected release date. Federal facilities in Pennsylvania that may hold individuals with Franklin County connections include FCI Schuylkill in Minersville and USP Canaan in Wayne County.
The Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole supervises people released from state prison on parole. PBPP maintains records on parolees with Franklin County cases and can be searched through the DOC parolee locator for those still under active supervision. County-level probation is administered by Franklin County probation staff and does not appear in state DOC records. The DOC Reports and Dashboards page tracks state prison population trends and release data by county, including Franklin County.
The following image shows the Pennsylvania UJS Case Search portal, where Franklin County court records and criminal case dispositions can be searched for free.
This portal gives free public access to criminal case records for Franklin County and all other Pennsylvania counties, including charges, sentences, and case status information.
Nearby Counties
Franklin County borders several south-central Pennsylvania counties. If you are unsure which county holds the records you need, the links below connect you to nearby inmate population data and jail rosters.