The Ancestor Hunt regularly adds and updates new collection links, as well as searches for and fixes broken links.
(This page's most recent update is January 2025)
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Another type of genealogy record that provides tremendous value is criminal records. Some of our ancestors unfortunately got in trouble with the law. Records were kept, from arrests through court cases to prison documents. Now, more and more of these records are being digitized or transcribed and are being made available online.
Types of Records
- Criminal court proceedings
- Police reports
- Prison and jail admission registers
- Arrest records
- Mug books
- Pardon and discharge information
- Hospital record books
- Workhouse records
Types of Information
- Name
- Age
- Birth date
- Height
- Weight
- Complexion
- Eye color
- Hair color
- Nationality
- Occupation
- Education
- Habits (alcohol use)
- Relations (parents living)
- Date incarcerated
- Court where charged
- Recommitments
- How and when discharged
Note: Some links listed take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections’ images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital. To take full advantage make sure that you are logged in to FamilySearch. The results may be different if you are signed in, rather than not.
Listed below are links to criminal records that are available for free online for the district; the first list is for multi-state collections:
Pennsylvania Criminal Records
United States
- Before the Needles, Executions in America Database
- Death Penalty USA, Executions 1607-1976 (by state)
- Federal Bureau of Prisons, Inmate Search 1982-
- Freedmen’s Bureau Records Relating to Murders and Outrages
Pennsylvania
- Board of Pardons, Various Records
- Centre County, New Western Penitentiary, 1930 Census
- Delaware County, Elwyn Training School Cemetery AKA Pennsylvania Training School Cemetery
- Eastern State Penitentiary, Convict Registers, 1842-1909
- Eastern State Penitentiary, Various Records
- Executions in Pennsylvania
- Huntingdon, Pennsylvania Industrial Reformatory, Various Records
- Indiana County, State Correctional Institution Cemetery
- Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, Inmate/Parolee Locator
- Pennsylvania, Commutation and Parole Books (PA) 1907-1932
- Pennsylvania, Death Warrants File (PA) 1874-1899
- Pennsylvania, Death Warrants File, 1795-1873
- Pennsylvania, Department of Justice (PA) Board of Pardons Books, 1874-1934
- Pennsylvania, Eastern District, Court Records, 1789-1843
- Pennsylvania, Eastern State Penitentiary Admission and Discharge Books 1844-1888
- Pennsylvania, Eastern State Penitentiary Commitment Papers 1841, 1861-1904
- Pennsylvania, Eastern State Penitentiary Commutation Books (PA) 1865-1918
- Pennsylvania, Eastern State Penitentiary Convict Affidavit Books (PA) 1835-1856
- Pennsylvania, Eastern State Penitentiary Descriptive Registers (PA) 1829-1903
- Pennsylvania, Eastern State Penitentiary Discharge Books (PA) 1830-1858
- Pennsylvania, Eastern State Penitentiary Discharge Descriptive Dockets (PA) 1873-1934
- Pennsylvania, Eastern State Penitentiary Medical Statistics Books (PA) 1883-1900
- Pennsylvania, Eastern State Penitentiary Miscellaneous Descriptive Books (PA) 1829-1842
- Pennsylvania, Eastern State Penitentiary Parole Prisoners’ Date of Discharge Books (PA) circa 1910-1957
- Pennsylvania, Eastern State Penitentiary Reception Descriptive Book (PA) 1879-1884
- Pennsylvania, Eastern State Penitentiary Registers of Visitors (PA) 1829-1854
- Pennsylvania, Eastern State Penitentiary Scrapbooks (PA) 1884-1893, 1908-1917, 1925-1926
- Pennsylvania, Eastern State Penitentiary Statistical Books (PA) 1835-1852, 1871-1909, 1911-1913, 1915
- Pennsylvania, Eastern State Penitentiary Time Books (PA) 1889-1950
- Pennsylvania, Industrial Reformatory at Huntingdon Conduct Ledgers, 1889-1898, 1903-1905, 1916-1918
- Pennsylvania, Industrial Reformatory at Huntingdon Physicians’ Record of Prisoners, 1889-1910
- Pennsylvania, Industrial Reformatory at Huntingdon Prisoners’ Record, 1889-1929
- Pennsylvania, Industrial Reformatory at Huntingdon Record of Maximum Sentences, 1915-1918
- Pennsylvania, Industrial Reformatory at Huntingdon Record of Men Paroled, 1890-1894, 1909-1913
- Pennsylvania, Industrial Reformatory at Huntingdon Record of Special Punishments, 1889-1925, 1931
- Pennsylvania, Industrial Reformatory at Huntingdon Reformatory Record (Weekly Prison Publication), 1890-1936
- Pennsylvania, Industrial Reformatory at Huntingdon School Attendance Record (PA) 1935-1936
- Pennsylvania, Industrial Reformatory at Huntingdon School Offense and Punishment Book (PA) 1936
- Pennsylvania, Pardons and Death Warrants Issued by the Governor
- Pennsylvania, Parole and Respite Books (PA) 1910-1942
- Pennsylvania, Record Books of Capital Cases (PA) 1894-1969
- Pennsylvania, State Police (PA) Descriptive Books of Troopers, 1906-1939
- Pennsylvania, Western State Penitentiary Admission and Discharge Books 1872-1900
- Pennsylvania, Western State Penitentiary Bertillon Registration Books 1888-1895
- Pennsylvania, Western State Penitentiary Commutation Books (PA) 1917-1958
- Pennsylvania, Western State Penitentiary Convict Description and Receiving Dockets (PA) 1872-1957
- Pennsylvania, Western State Penitentiary Convict Docket (PA) 1826-1859
- Pennsylvania, Western State Penitentiary Descriptive Books (PA) 1826-1873
- Pennsylvania, Western State Penitentiary Descriptive Register (PA) 1826-1876
- Pennsylvania, Western State Penitentiary Index of Prisoners (PA) circa mid-1930s – Early 1950s
- Pennsylvania, Western State Penitentiary Inmate Transfer Register (Discharge Ledger) (PA) 1954-1957
- Pennsylvania, Western State Penitentiary Paroled Prisoner Statistical Book (PA) 1910-1931
- Pennsylvania, Western State Penitentiary Population Indexes (PA) circa 1826-1960
- Pennsylvania, Western State Penitentiary Prison Population Records: Discharge Description Dockets, 1873-1957
- Pennsylvania, Western State Penitentiary Prisoner Registers (PA) 1910-1970
- Pennsylvania, Western State Penitentiary Prisoners Paroled and Discharged Book (PA) 1887-1918
- Pennsylvania, Western State Penitentiary Record of County and Federal Prisoners (PA) 1857-1870
- Pennsylvania, Western State Penitentiary Time Ledger for Length of Sentences (PA) 1917-1967
- Pennsylvania, Western State Penitentiary Visitors Register (PA) 1848-1860
- Pennsylvania, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, Prisoners, Insane, In Hospitals, 1917-1918
- Perry County, Jail House Census Records
- Perry County, Jail House Register of Prisoners
- Perry County, Jail House, Miscellaneous Records
- Philadelphia, Executions List, 1839-1916
- Philadelphia, Inspectors of the Jail and Penitentiary House, Death Register, 1819-1914
- Philadelphia, Prison Births, 1858-1879
- Philadelphia, Prison Death Register, 1819-1914
- State Penitentiary for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Records
- Union County, Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary Cemetery
- Union County, Western State Penitentiary Cemetery
- Venango County, Polk Center Cemetery AKA Polk State School Cemetery
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!