Search by name to confirm someone is at SCI Houtzdale and start sending letters, photos, and money.
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The most common reason is timing. PA DOC’s records only cover people serving a state sentence or on state parole, so a recent arrest in Clearfield County or anywhere else in Pennsylvania stays with the county until sentencing. Other reasons: the sentence already ended, the case went federal instead of state, or the spelling on file doesn’t match what you typed. One more worth checking at Houtzdale specifically: if the record you’re looking at shows an admission date before January 5, 1996, that’s earlier than the day the prison was dedicated, so the person began somewhere else and transferred in later.
Start with the name. Try a middle name, both halves of a hyphenated last name, and any spelling a court document might have used. If that turns up nothing, check with the county jail that held him before sentencing. You can also call SCI Houtzdale at (814) 378-1000 and ask whether he’s been received at 209 Institution Drive yet. Staff can confirm an arrival that the locator hasn’t caught up to, and they can tell you which of the 11 housing units he’s in once he’s settled.
5 of 5 questions
He may have been sentenced days ago and not finished intake, been released, gone to a federal prison instead, or been entered under a spelling that doesn't match yours. Try name variations first, then call SCI Houtzdale at (814) 378-1000 to ask if he's been received.
Inmate SearchNo. SCI Houtzdale was dedicated January 5, 1996, after construction finished that December. An admission date before then means he started his state sentence at another Pennsylvania prison and was transferred to Houtzdale later. The date reflects when PA DOC took custody, not when he arrived in Clearfield County.
Inmate SearchNot on its own. SCI Houtzdale runs a PA Correctional Industries distribution center that processes and ships commissary orders for 8 other state prisons, so a Houtzdale name can appear on order paperwork for men housed elsewhere. Trust the institution listed in the locator, and call (814) 378-1000 if the two don't agree.
Inmate SearchNo. It stops at the institution. SCI Houtzdale has 11 housing units and the assignment matters for scheduling a visit, so call (814) 378-1000 once you've confirmed he's there and ask which unit he's on.
Inmate SearchNo. Results list a facility of record, not day-to-day movement. Someone temporarily out of SCI Houtzdale for a hearing or a hospital trip still shows as located there. For anything about a specific day, call (814) 378-1000.
Inmate SearchOnce you've confirmed their location, schedule a visit through IVS.
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All information on this page comes directly from official government and facility sources. How we verify information › Last verified August 18, 2026.