KOOL - Frequently Asked Questions
Below is a list of the frequently asked questions regarding the Kentucky Offender Online Lookup system. For questions that may not be addressed on this page, please send an email to the Department of Corrections with your question.
Q: Is every inmate photo available on the KOOL system?
A: Most inmate photos are available now, but there is no guarantee that every photo will be available for viewing. It can take several days after in-processing at an institution before we receive the photo for the KOOL system.
Q: How do I view the inmate photos on the KOOL system?
A: When the results page is displayed, each result with a photo in the database is indicated by a picture of a camera and is numbered at the extreme left side of the page. Click on that number to open a page with detailed information about the inmate, including the picture (if available).
Q: How often are the inmate photos updated on the KOOL system?
A: At a minimum, inmate photos are updated by the institutions annually, or whenever a significant appearance change takes place.
Q: Is it possible to send email to inmates?
A: Inmates in Kentucky institutions have no access to the internet, and therefore have no email addresses.
Q: How can I get information about an inmate, especially when he's going to get out, or if he's on parole somewhere?
A: Currently, that information cannot be found on the Kentucky Department of Corrections website. Only those inmates who are currently housed in a state institution (or Class D felons housed for the state in County Jails), are contained in our inmate database.
Q: I tried entering as much information as possible in the KOOL page, but I keep getting the no results found message. Why?
A: The more information you enter, the more likely the chance of error. If one piece of information is incorrect, none of it will yield a result. The best way to use the KOOL search page is to enter only the LASTNAME and maybe the first initial. If too many results are found this way, also select the name of the institution in which he/she is incarcerated.
Q: Can I search for inmates in specific counties or cities?
A: No. Since the KOOL system only lists those inmates currently incarcerated, their counties of residence would be determined by the institution in which they are incarcerated, and you can search by institution.
Q: Who would I contact when asking for consideration of an incarcerated inmate for parole?A: Prisoners who have served enough time to be eligible for parole are automatically brought before the Parole Board. There is no need to make a request for such consideration. If you would like to supply the Board with information about an inmate send it to: Kentucky Parole Board 275 E. Main St. Frankfort, Ky. 40601.
Q: How would I look up someone who might have been incarcerated years ago?
A: Information about former inmates can be requested from the following address:
Kentucky Department of Corrections
Offender Information Services
PO Box 2400
Frankfort, KY 40602-2400
Q: I heard that you could get pen pals or talk to inmates on the computer. How do you do that?
A: Inmates in Kentuckys institutions have no access to the internet, and therefore have no email addresses. To correspond with an inmate, contact the institution at the address/phone number listed for that institution on the Adult Institution page of the website.
Q: I am having trouble getting information from the KOOL site. I am entering all the information I know but I keep getting the no results message. What am I doing wrong?
A: The more information you enter, the more likely the chance of error. If one piece of information is incorrect, none of it will yield a result. The best way to use the KOOL search page is to enter only the LASTNAME and maybe the first initial. If too many results are found this way, also select the name of the institution in which he/she is incarcerated.
Q: I found the person I was looking for on the KOOL site, but it only lists 10 convictions and says that there are more. How can I see the other convictions?
A: The KOOL system only lists the last 10 convictions. For additional information you must contact the following address: Offender Information Services, PO Box 2400, Frankfort, KY 40602-2400.
Q: How are you suppose to be able to use this thing? Do you really expect people to know the conviction number, age & etc. of the criminal?
A: No. Although you can search with data in any of the fields, the more information you enter, the more likely the chance of error. If one piece of information is incorrect, none of it will yield a result. The best way to use the KOOL search page is to enter only the LASTNAME and maybe the first initial. If too many results are found this way, also select the name of the institution in which he/she is incarcerated.
Q: I keep getting a message saying "Page cannot be displayed". Is the website down?
A: This error message can mean that the website is down. However, there seems to be a problem with displaying some pages in AOL. If you are using America OnLine, minimize all AOL windows and open Internet Explorer from your desktop, and try accessing the page that way.
Q: How often is the information on the website updated?
A: The website is updated as needed, as far as the structure and appearance are concerned. This is indicated by the date at the bottom of each page. The information contained on the pages, especially the KOOL system pages, is updated 4 times each day, and is indicated by the date in the upper portion of the information screen.
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