Delaware County, Pennsylvania Inmate Search
In Delaware County, there are holding cells, a centralized county jail, and a state-run prison. Holding cells are mostly cells in police departments, but are not really jails. Persons may stay in these places for a few hours for temporary processing before release or transportation into a correctional institution, usually the county jail. George W. Hill Correctional Facility is the county’s central jail serving its municipalities. The Delaware County Council and its appointed warden oversee this jail. Lastly, SCI Chester is the prison run by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (DOC).
However, only the DOC provides online search tools to locate state inmates. To find persons in the county jail, record seekers may make phone inquiries or direct requests to the Central Records Department. To find persons in holding cells, contact the appropriate arresting agency.
How to Find an Inmate in Delaware County Jail
Persons may locate inmates at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility (or Delaware County Prison) by directing phone inquiries to (610) 361-3200 ext 300. Use extension 316 or 317 if seeking information on inmate release, or email the Central Records Department.
Alternatively, persons may use the external VINELink site or other third-party resources to perform online inmate searches. Record seekers may also direct requests to the facility at:
George W. Hill Correctional Facility
500 Cheyney Road
P.O. Box 23
Thornton, PA 19373
Phone: (610) 361-3200
Fax: (610) 361-9689.
How to Use the Delaware County Jail Roster
The Delaware County Jail/Prison does not provide an online jail roster or inmate locator. Instead, individuals can conduct phone inquiries by calling (610) 361-3200 ext 300. Persons may also contact the Central Records Department or call (610) 361-3200 ext. 316 or 317 to obtain an inmate’s release details.
When making phone inquiries, individuals may provide the inmate’s name, date of birth, arrest date, or other known details to locate the inmate (if in custody). Persons may also provide these details to third-party inmate search portals to find inmates online.
In summary, persons should:
- Call the appropriate number for phone inquiries
- Provide names, dates, or other known details to check if an individual is incarcerated
- Obtain relevant inmate, booking, case, or release information.
What Information is Included in the Delaware County Inmate Roster
Apart from the phone inquiry lines, the Delaware County Prison and its operators do not directly provide other online resources to view inmate rosters or perform searches. Persons who contact the Central Records Department may obtain the following information:
- Inmate’s full name
- Inmate’s sex, race, and date of birth/age
- Inmate’s booking number
- Arrest or booking date and time
- Charge description
- Current custody and case status
- Next court date (if any)
- Bail or bond amount (if any)
- Release details.
As per Pennsylvania’s Right to Know Law, medical details, information on youthful offenders remanded to the county jail, expunged records, and information that may jeopardise ongoing investigations shall be unavailable to the public.
Contact Details for Delaware County Jail or Sheriff’s Office
The Delaware Sheriff’s Office does not operate the county jail but may transport prisoners to and from the facility. Persons seeking information on the George W. Hill Correctional Facility or persons within its custody should contact the prison or its Central Records Department at:
George W. Hill Correctional Facility
500 Cheyney Road
P.O. Box 23
Thornton, PA 19373
Phone: (610) 361-3200
Fax: (610) 361-9689.
Jail Facility Overview in Delaware County
In Delaware County, although there are several holding cells in police departments, there are only two correctional facilities within the county. The George W. Hill Correctional Facility is the central jail where persons arrested by local law enforcement agencies are booked. Formerly a private facility until April 2022, this county-operated jail also houses persons serving short sentences, usually under one year. Additionally, this facility can house up to 1,800 inmates, including adult males and females, as well as youthful offenders.
On the other hand, the SCI Chester facility is a medium-security facility run by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. This state-run prison has a maximum capacity of 1,288 beds and holds adult male convicts serving medium to long-term sentences, but focuses on inmate rehabilitation and reentry.
As of early 2026, Delaware County is also planning to reestablish a Youth Detention Center after the last one closed in March 2021.
Facility | Capacity | Population | Address | Phone Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
George W. Hill Correctional Facility | 1,800 | Male and female (adults and youthful offenders) | 500 Cheyney Road P.O. Box 23 Thornton, PA 19373. | (610) 361-3200 |
SCI Chester | 1,288 | Adult male | 500 E. 4th Street, Chester, PA 19013. | (610) 490-5412 |
How to Send Money to an Inmate in George W. Hill Correctional Facility?
Family and friends may send funds into an inmate’s commissary account in several ways: in person, online, via phone call, or by mail. Most of these channels are provided by the facility’s approved vendor (ConnectNetwork, aka OffenderConnect).
For in-person deposits, visitors may make cash or debit/credit card deposits through the kiosk at the facility’s lobby. Alternatively, online deposits are available through the vendor’s website. Interested persons must create an account before finding an inmate and making deposits with a valid debit or credit card. This shall attract a fee.
Similarly, loved ones may call the vendor’s automated phone system and follow the prompts to make deposits with valid credit/debit cards. Depositors using this channel shall need the facility’s site ID (93), the inmate’s name, and date of birth.
Lastly, persons may mail money orders to:
George W. Hill Correctional Facility
Inmate’s first and last name, inmate’s #ID number
P.O. Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131.
Persons using this method may contact the facility at (610) 361-3200 to receive full instructions on whom to make out the money order to.
Inmate Search by Jail Facility
There are two jail facilities in Delaware County: the county-operated George W. Hill Correctional Facility and the state-run SCI Chester. To find persons in the county jail, persons may direct phone inquiries to the facility at (610) 361-3200 ext. 300. Otherwise, persons may conduct online inmate searches by using third-party sites.
On the other hand, persons can find inmates in the SCI Chester facility by using the inmate locator tool provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. Users can perform searches using known details like name, inmate number, date of birth, gender, and location/county.
Delaware County Visitation Rules and Schedules
Family and friends may visit an inmate in the George W. Hill Correctional Facility in the following steps:
- Inmates fill out and submit a visitors list
- List gets approved
- Inmates inform approved persons
- Approved visitors begin online registration through the authorized visitation vendor (GTL)
- Visitors receive email confirmation upon approval.
- Visitors schedule visits online by logging in and selecting an available time slot
Authorized persons may visit inmates in person or remotely through the video visit vendor. An inmate’s visiting schedule depends on the housing unit, but the facility accepts visits from Mondays to Fridays at the following hours:
- 8:45 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (in person)
- 9:00 a.m. to 9:55 p.m. (remote).
The facility’s guidelines for visits include:
- Inmate can receive one visit weekly (in-person or remotely)
- Visits can last from 30 minutes to one hour, depending on the inmate’s housing unit
- Up to 3 persons can visit an inmate at the same time
- Persons driving into the facility should have a valid driver’s license and updated vehicle insurance
- All in-person visitors must have valid government-issued IDs
- Adults must accompany persons under 18 years old
- All in-person visits are non-contact
- Visits may be scheduled from 2 to 7 days in advance
- Visiting two inmates on the same day depends on both inmates’ visitation status and shall require visitors to return to the reception for verification after the first session ends.
- Video visits are subject to recording and review
- All visitors must keep the facility’s dress code.
Inappropriate dressing, physical contact between visitors and inmates, and disruptive conduct can lead to visit termination and possible suspension.
Mailing and Commissary Information
All personal mails to inmates in the George W. Hill Correctional Facility should be sent to:
George W. Hill Correctional Facility
Inmate’s first and last name, inmate’s #ID number
P.O. Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131.
Family, friends, and other persons may mail letters, pictures, and drawings to inmates. Incoming mail shall be scanned and digitally delivered to inmates via their tablets. Alternatively, loved ones may exchange digital messages with inmates through the prison’s inmate communication vendor (GettingOut). Interested persons have to create an account and fund the inmate’s tablet to use this service.
The facility’s mailing instructions are as follows:
- Do not send books, newspapers, or other publications. Inmates can only receive acceptable publications directly from bookstores or publishers.
- Do not enclose buttons, phone cards, pins, stickers, or other prohibited items in the mail.
- Letters or envelopes should not be glued, scented, or have lipstick stains.
- Do not send writing materials.
- Do not send packages unless approved by the warden.
Inmates may purchase care or commissary packages with money in their inmate accounts. The facility may also permit loved ones to order packages to be delivered to inmates through the approved vendor (iCare) within special periods (like holidays). However, transactions may not exceed $75 or one order per week.