Confirm they are at Catawba and get the OPUS number you need for everything else.
Find your loved one and start staying in touch - photos, letters, and calls.
To find someone at Catawba Correctional Center, use the NC Offender Public Information search at webapps.doc.state.nc.us/opi/offendersearch.do?method=view. It is the official, free lookup tool for anyone in NC DAC custody. Once you confirm the person is at Catawba, write down their OPUS number. You will need it to visit, send money, and mail letters.
Go to webapps.doc.state.nc.us/opi/offendersearch.do?method=view and enter the person’s first and last name. The tool searches all NC DAC facilities, including Catawba Correctional Center. Results show the person’s name, current facility, and OPUS number.
OPUS stands for Offender Population Unified System. It is the unique number NC DAC assigns to each person in custody. You need the OPUS number for:
Save the number somewhere you can find it quickly. It does not change even if the person transfers to another NC DAC facility.
Search results include the person’s full name, OPUS number, current facility location, projected release date, and basic sentence information. If the person is at Catawba, the facility name will show as Catawba Correctional Center.
Catawba is a minimum custody reentry facility. About 50 residents participate in work release, meaning they leave the facility each morning for private-sector jobs and return in the evenings. They remain in NC DAC custody and show in the OPI search as housed at Catawba. Finding them in the search does not mean they are physically on facility grounds during the day.
If you are planning a visit, call (828) 466-5521 to confirm the person’s schedule and that they will be on grounds when you arrive.
A few things to check:
If you still cannot find the person, call Catawba Correctional Center at (828) 466-5521 for help.
Use the send money guide to deposit funds through ConnectNetwork. Use the visitation guide to get on the approved visitor list. Use the phone calls guide to set up ViaPath. Use the mail guide for the TextBehind address.
6 of 12 questions
The NC Offender Public Information search at webapps.doc.state.nc.us/opi/offendersearch.do?method=view. It is run by the NC Department of Adult Correction and is free to use.
Inmate SearchOPUS stands for Offender Population Unified System. It is the unique ID number NC DAC assigns to each person in custody. You need it to send money, address mail, and complete the visitor application.
Inmate SearchThey may have been recently transferred and the record has not updated yet. Try again the next day. Also try a different spelling or just the last name. If it still does not work, call Catawba at (828) 466-5521.
Inmate SearchYes. The NC OPI search accepts name or offender ID. If you already have the OPUS number, enter it directly for a faster result.
Inmate SearchCatawba is a reentry facility. About 50 residents hold work release jobs and are off-site during weekday business hours. They are still in NC DAC custody and housed at Catawba, just not on facility grounds until evening. Call (828) 466-5521 for their schedule.
Inmate SearchName, OPUS number, current facility, projected release date, and basic sentence information. It does not show housing unit, daily schedule, or work release status.
Inmate SearchNo. The OPUS number stays the same regardless of which NC DAC facility the person is housed at. You can use the same number for money deposits and mail even after a transfer.
Inmate SearchRecords are generally updated within 24 to 48 hours of a transfer or booking. If someone was just moved, give the record a day before searching again.
Inmate SearchThe NC OPI search covers NC DAC state prisons, not county jails. County jail rosters are managed separately by each county sheriff. Contact the specific county jail if you think the person is still awaiting sentencing.
Inmate SearchNo. The NC Offender Public Information search is free and publicly available.
Inmate SearchUse it to send money through ConnectNetwork, address mail through TextBehind, complete the visitor application, and identify the person when you call the facility at (828) 466-5521.
Inmate SearchYes. You can search for an inmate at Catawba Correctional Center through Pigeonly at pigeon.ly/search. Pigeonly also helps you send letters, photos, and stay in touch.
Inmate SearchFund their account through ConnectNetwork online or by phone.
View ArticleGet on the approved list. Call (828) 466-5521 for scheduling.
View ArticleSet up ViaPath so the resident can call you from inside.
View ArticleThe TextBehind address and what to include on every letter.
View ArticleSearch for your loved one and start sending photos, letters, and messages today.
Search for Your Loved OneFree Inmate Search
All information on this page comes directly from official government and facility sources. How we verify information › Last verified July 7, 2026.