Confirm they are at Southern CI 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 Southern Correctional Institution, use the NC Department of Adult Correction’s Offender Public Information (OPI) search at webapps.doc.state.nc.us/opi/offendersearch.do?method=view. It covers all NC state prisons, including Southern CI. Once you find the person, write down their OPUS Number. You will need it to send money, address mail, and complete the visitor application.
Go to webapps.doc.state.nc.us/opi/offendersearch.do?method=view and enter the person’s first and last name. You can also search by OPUS Number if you have it. The search returns anyone currently in NC state custody and shows their facility assignment. Look for Southern Correctional Institution in the facility field to confirm they are in Troy.
The OPI result includes the person’s name, OPUS Number, current facility, custody level, and basic sentence information. The OPUS Number is the most important piece to record. It is the unique identifier NC DAC uses for every person in custody, and you will need it every time you send money, write a letter, or submit a visitor application.
Every part of keeping in contact at Southern CI ties back to the OPUS Number:
A wrong or missing OPUS Number can delay a deposit, send mail back, or cause a visitor application to be held. Double-check the number after you search and keep it written down somewhere easy to find.
Southern Correctional Institution holds men at the close custody level. That means residents are on-site at all times. They do not leave for work release or community programs. If the OPI search shows the person at Southern CI, they are there. You do not need to call ahead to check their location before visiting or sending money.
A few common reasons someone does not appear in the OPI search:
If you have tried all of the above and still cannot find the person, call Southern CI directly at (910) 572-3784.
Always run the OPI search before making the trip to Troy. Transfers can happen at any time, and a quick search takes less than a minute. If the person has been moved, the search result will show their new facility. See the visitation guide for the full process once you confirm they are at Southern CI.
Once you have the OPUS Number, here is what to do next:
6 of 12 questions
The NC Department of Adult Correction's Offender Public Information (OPI) search at webapps.doc.state.nc.us/opi/offendersearch.do?method=view. It is free and covers all NC state prisons including Southern CI.
Inmate SearchThe OPUS Number is the unique identifier NC DAC assigns to each person in custody. You need it to send money through ConnectNetwork, address mail through TextBehind, and complete the visitor application.
Inmate SearchThe search returns the person's name, OPUS Number, current facility, custody level, and basic sentence information. Write down the OPUS Number as soon as you find it.
Inmate SearchThey may have been recently transferred (give it a day or two to update), there may be a name spelling difference (try variations), they may be in a county jail or federal prison (covered by different search tools), or they may have been released. Call (910) 572-3784 if you still cannot find them.
Inmate SearchNo. The NC OPI search covers only NC state prison facilities. County jails have their own lookup tools run by the county or regional jail authority.
Inmate SearchYes. Close custody is one step below maximum security in the NC DAC system. Residents are on-site at all times and do not participate in work release. If the OPI search shows them at Southern CI, they are there.
Inmate SearchNo. The search is free and requires no account or login.
Inmate SearchWrite down the OPUS Number, then use it to send money through ConnectNetwork, address mail through TextBehind, submit a visitor application, and set up AdvancePay for phone calls.
Inmate SearchThe database is updated regularly. After a transfer, it can take one to two days for the new facility to appear. If you know a transfer just happened, wait a day and search again.
Inmate SearchAllow one to two days for the record to update in the OPI search. If it does not update after that, call Southern CI at (910) 572-3784 to confirm their location.
Inmate SearchYes. The NC OPI search accepts both name and OPUS Number lookups. If you already have the OPUS Number, searching by it gives a faster, more precise result.
Inmate SearchYes. Always check the OPI search before traveling to Troy or making a deposit. Transfers happen without advance notice to family members. A quick search confirms the person is still at Southern CI.
Inmate SearchUse the OPUS Number to fund their account through ConnectNetwork.
View ArticleThe visitor application asks for the OPUS Number. Start here once you have it.
View ArticleSet up AdvancePay so they can call you from inside.
View ArticleAddress personal mail through TextBehind using the name and OPUS Number.
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 8, 2026.