Carry Out a Free Tennessee Probation Search (Resource)

Run a free Tennessee probation search to determine who’s under supervision in the state.

Courts may consider probation as a sentencing option for people convicted of less serious crimes, allowing them to spend their sentences in their local communities under the supervision of an officer. It differs from parole, which usually applies to more serious crimes and allows offenders to complete part of their sentences in the community following early release from incarceration.

Tennessee has various free resources enabling victims and other concerned citizens to check an offender’s release status. This resource explains how to perform a probation search, locate probation officers’ contact information and find offenders on other types of supervised release throughout the state.

How To Perform a Tennessee Probation Search for Residents’ Records

The Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) allows interested individuals to conduct a free probation search via its online Felony Offender Information database.¹

Anyone can use this search tool if they know the offender’s name, TDOC number or state ID number. Simply enter the number and hit search to find all matching felony records. Alternatively, enter the person’s first name and surname to access a list of offenders matching the search input if they only have limited information.

Checking the box to include aliases can also be helpful if the person goes by multiple names.

While the TDOC database enables anyone to conduct a probation search without knowing an individual’s ID number, users must scroll through multiple matches to find the correct person. Narrowing the search criteria by selecting the person’s race can make it easier to locate the right record.

The TDOC database doesn’t allow users to filter results to find probationers only. However, the list of record results includes each offender’s incarceration status under the “status” column, enabling searchers to see who’s on probation in Tennessee.

After locating the proper record, users can click on an offender’s TDOC ID number to see detailed information about their active sentences. This information includes records of their offense types, sentence length and assigned probation office.² Alternatively, contact the TDOC directly via the department’s online citizen inquiry form or the information below:³

Tennessee Department of Correction
500 Deaderick Street
Nashville, TN 37219

Phone: 615-741-1000

Victims of crime are entitled to know about changes to an offender’s status. For instance, victims have the right to be notified if a probationer returns to jail or moves to another jurisdiction.

County courts don’t typically manage victim notifications. Instead, state-specific and nationwide agencies provide probation information to victims and other interested parties. Crime victims within the state can receive updates on an offender’s status by calling the Tennessee Statewide Automated Victim Information & Notification Service (TN SAVIN) at 1-888-868-4631.⁴

Tennessee also allows residents to look up public cases via the court history database. Open the Tennessee Courts Public Case History search tool and select between four search methods.⁵ The tool enables users to search by:

• Case number
• Case style (using a party’s name or a fragment of the case style)
• Party name (the name of any person party to the case)
• Business/organization (the name of any business or organization party to the case)

Clicking ‘Search’ provides a list of all cases filed after September 1, 2003 matching the search terms. Reading the case files may provide information about their sentence, including whether they’re on probation.

Alternatively, residents can use the VINELink online database to find probationers. Users can search for criminal records by selecting “Tennessee” and entering the person’s name, ID number or case number. VINELink provides records for probationers, parolees and incarcerated individuals, including their custody status and reporting agency.

Creating a VINELink account enables victims to request automatic notifications for specific individuals via their record page.

Search Probationers’ Records via Municipal or County Agencies in Tennessee

Each Tennessee county has its own arrangements for providing probationer records to the public. Many counties provide a criminal background checking service, enabling members of the public to look up anyone’s criminal record. For example, the Knox County Criminal Court Clerk offers criminal background searches for $15.

These searches allow anyone to see information that is part of the Tennessee public record, including probation sentences. Concerned citizens can also inquire via the Knox County Criminal Court’s online contact form.⁶

Other counties allow concerned individuals to search the county criminal court records. For instance, the Hamilton County Criminal Court operates a searchable database with records of convictions and sentences, including probation sentences.⁷ Users can search the database for free by entering the person’s name, case number or filing date.

Davidson County consolidates its governance with the city of Nashville under the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. Therefore, citizens can obtain information about local probationers through the Probation Department of the General Sessions Court of Nashville-Davidson County.

The county operates an online search tool enabling individuals to locate probation cases, find a person’s named officer and view upcoming court dates. To search, users must know the person’s first name, last name and date of birth.

Rutherford County allows individuals to access their own probation case information by setting up an online account, but this service isn’t available for members of the public. Instead, citizens can contact the county’s probation department to request information. Similarly, the Shelby County Probation Section doesn’t operate a generally-available database but can assist with mail, telephone or in-person requests.

The table below shows contact information for the probation departments of Tennessee’s five most populous counties:

Tennessee county agencies share information with the VINELink database. This means that when a person is sentenced to probation, the sentencing court updates their VINELink record to keep victims informed of the offender’s status. Therefore, searching through VINELink is often the easiest way to find probation records from a particular county.

VINELink results show a person’s custody status in the search results list, enabling users to quickly determine who’s on probation.

How To Look Up Probation Violations & Supervising Officer Contact Details in TN

Users can find details about offenders who flee while on probation or violate their release conditions by conducting a free probation search via the Tennessee Department of Correction Felony Offender Information database. Most jurisdictions update the custody status of offenders when they abscond or return to jail after a violation.

Sometimes, members of the public may need to contact a probation officer to report concerns about a Tennessee probationer. For example, they may need to report a probation violation or make the officer aware of a potential safety issue. Online records don’t usually include a named probation officer for each offender.

However, concerned individuals can contact the agency named on the offender’s TDOC Felony Offender Information record to get in touch with the person’s named officer. The Tennessee Department of Corrections Field Office Directory provides contact information for local probation offices.

Alternatively, they can search for the offenders using their name or ID number on the VINELink database. Constantly checking an offender’s status using online databases can be time-consuming for victims of crime. Therefore, signing up for automatic notifications via VINELink can help affected individuals keep track of offenders without regular checks.⁸

Generally, victims are entitled to receive an automatic notification when an offender violates their probation or the court changes their incarceration status.

How To Determine Who Is a Parolee in Tennessee

The difference between parole and probation can cause confusion when performing a probation search, especially as some agencies use the terms interchangeably. Probation and parole are both types of supervised release, but probation is normally reserved for less serious crimes.

People on probation complete their sentences in the community. Meanwhile, parole allows people jailed for more serious crimes to complete the latter part of their sentences in the community under strict supervision.

Performing a parolee lookup in Tennessee is similar to a probation search, and several agencies provide this information for free. Members of the public wanting to check whether a person is on parole can:

• Check the individual’s status via the TDOC Felony Offender Information network
• Search for case reports on their local courthouse’s website
• Search for the person’s record on VINELink
• Sign up for automatic offender status notifications via VINELink

Most of the online databases don’t allow users to filter search results for parolees, which means that the results include incarcerated individuals and people on parole and other types of supervised release. However, most TDOC and VINELink records update when a person receives parole, allowing concerned individuals to monitor their custody status.

Alternatively, citizens can check for upcoming parole hearings for advanced notice of potential early releases. The Tennessee Board of parole releases both state prison hearings and county jail hearing schedules online to enable victims and family members to keep track of an offender’s release status. Schedules list parole hearings for multiple institutions, so knowing the offender’s location can help searchers locate the correct inmate.

Hearing arrangements can change at short notice, so confirming the date, time and location with the Parole Hearings Division is wise. Contact the division at:

Tennessee Department of Correction Parole Hearings Division
500 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, TN 47243-0850

Phone: 615-741-1150

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation allows members of the public to conduct a criminal background check on any adult.⁹ This service enables citizens to obtain the criminal record of any individual, which may include sentencing information. The TBI charges $29 per check payable by credit card.

Request a criminal background check online via the FlexCheck website or download a paper request form in English or Spanish.¹⁰ Concerned individuals can also contact the TBI at:

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
901 R.S. Gass Boulevard
Nashville, TN 37216

Phone: 615-744-4057

Tennessee’s online databases let anyone determine whether a person is on probation. Anyone can conduct a Tennessee probation search for free using the TDOC Felony Offender Information database to find information on an offender’s release status and supervising officer.

For additional insights into residents throughout the state, refer to the Tennessee arrest and criminal record lookup tutorial and the overview of accessing all free TN public information (for background checks, vital records, court case details, and much more).