Massachusetts Inmate Search
The Massachusetts jail system comprises 13 state-managed prisons, 19 county-managed jails, and a single federal prison (Devens FMC). The state-managed prisons are under the oversight of the Massachusetts Department of Corrections (MADOC), while the county sheriff's offices administer the operations of county jails. As of 2022, the jail population was 6,732 and the state had an incarceration rate of 94 inmates per 100,000 residents.
The Massachusetts Department of Corrections categorizes correctional institutions into three classes: the minimum/pre-release facility, medium security facility, and maximum security facility. Of the 13 state-managed prisons in the Massachusetts jail system, only one (MCI-Framingham) is dedicated to housing female prisoners. MCI-Framingham is a medium security reception and diagnostic center providing a comprehensive network of programming for females serving criminal sentences, awaiting trials, or being civilly committed.
According to the Massachusetts Department of Corrections, the state's correctional system includes 13 state-managed prisons, 19 county-managed jails, and 1 federal facility. As of 2022, the state had 6,732 inmates and an incarceration rate of 94 per 100,000 residents. The system operates 1 women-only facility and categorizes prisons into minimum/pre-release, medium, and maximum security levels.
Massachusetts Department of Corrections Inmate Search
The Massachusetts Department of Correction is the agency in charge of managing the state-level prisons in the Bay State. MADOC provides custody, care, and programming for inmates under their supervision to prepare them for a successful and safe reentry into the community.
MADOC maintains a record of inmates incarcerated within the facilities managed by the Department. It also partners with VINE, a victim notification network service approved by the state, to provide online access to a searchable database (VINELink) containing inmate records. To use the VINE search resource, the full or partial ID number of the offender.
Find Inmate by Name
The online inmate search portal provided by the MADOC allows requesters to find persons incarcerated in the Massachusetts jail system by name. To find an inmate by name, visit the inmate search portal and provide the name of the inmate in the first name and last name form fields. It is recommended that you provide the full first and last names if known. If the names are not known, you may check the "Partial Name" box and enter at least the first two characters of the last name to get potential matches in the search results.
Find Inmate by Number
You can find an inmate by providing the commitment or ID number of the inmate in the VINELink portal. The portal allows users to find inmates via their ID numbers. If you do not have the full ID Number, you may provide a partial ID number by entering at least the first four characters, not including any zeros at the beginning, to see more potential matches.
What Information is Contained in a Massachusetts Inmate Record?
You may find a lot of information contained in a Massachusetts inmate record. The information contained in such a record covers a wide range of data including personal information, incarceration status, and release conditions.
Typically, in a Massachusetts inmate record, you will find the name of the inmate and an ID number assigned to the inmate by the MADOC. The ID number may be used to track inmates through the state's correctional system. In addition, you may find the age, ethnicity, and sex of the inmate which helps to further establish the identity of the inmate.
Massachusetts' inmate records also include a release date, indicating when the inmate will complete their sentence or move to parole. In some records, parole status may be included, indicating whether and when the inmate may leave under supervision before their sentence ends. You may find location information in an inmate record, specifying the facility where the inmate is held.
If a Massachusetts inmate record includes "unknown release date" information, it may indicate that the inmate has a pretrial status, meaning that they are awaiting trial without a finalized sentence or have yet to get a sentencing date. Be aware that in some cases, the "unknown release date" status indicates that the inmate is held due to civil commitment for specific reasons that may not be related to criminal sentencing, such as mental health or rehabilitative purposes.
Massachusetts Inmate Records by Counties
County sheriff's offices maintain inmate records for persons held in the jail facilities in their locations. Records of persons held in these facilities are maintained separately from state prison records. Inmates in county jails are typically individuals awaiting trials or serving short-term sentences for lesser crimes. For instance, the Worcester County Sheriff's Office allows the public to find inmates by providing their last names, first names, or both on its inmates search portal.
Are Incarceration Records Public Information in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts incarceration records are not typically withheld from the public. The Massachusetts Department of Corrections and county sheriff officers make information about persons held within their facilities available to the public. Therefore, anyone can find information about sentencing dates, release dates, and the specific jails where inmates are incarcerated. However, certain sensitive information may be redacted. Information that may not be accessible to the public includes the Social Security numbers and medical records of inmates.
Federal Prisons in Massachusetts
The United States federal prison system manages correctional facilities across states in the country through the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). Federally managed prisons hold persons convicted of federal crimes and may be categorized by security levels: minimum, low, medium, high, and administrative.
However, only one federal prison exists in Massachusetts - FMC Devens. This facility is an administrative security federal medical center with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp. It is located at 42 Patton Road, Ayer in Middlesex County. FMC Devens has a population of 1,090 inmates, with 1,023 inmates at the FMC, while 67 inmates are held at the minimum-security satellite camp and male offenders.
Frequently Asked Questions about Inmate Records
The Massachusetts Department of Correction encourages persons seeking access to public records to make their requests online. However, requests may also be accepted by mail. To submit an online request, use the MADOC public record request portal or send a request by email to doc.rao@state.ma.us . When making a public record request to the Massachusetts Department of Corrections (MADOC) by mail, provide a reasonable description of the records and the preferred format in a request sent to:
Primary RAO
Department of Correction
50 Maple Street
Milford, MA 01757
Alternatively, you may submit a request by phone, by contacting the Records Access Officer at (508) 422-3436.
You may look up inmate information in Massachusetts using the inmate locator tool available from MADOC's third-party vendor - VINELink. Also, you may contact Massachusetts county sheriff's offices to look up inmate information. Some of these jurisdictions offer an online resource for finding inmate information.
Some older Massachusetts inmate records may not be available online via the VINELink portal. To access such records, submit a public record request to the Massachusetts Department of Corrections. If the record you want is from a county jail, you may need to visit the address of the county sheriff's office to perform a search.
The records of inmates' deaths within Massachusetts prisons are maintained by the detention or incarceration facility where the death occurred. If you know the facility where an inmate died, you may contact them to access the death record.
There is no official information on the frequency with which inmates' information is required to be published in the Massachusetts inmate locator. However, as an estimate, it may take between a few hours to a few days after the incarceration of an inmate for the inmate's data to appear in the locator resource.
Per the Massachusetts Department of Corrections, Access Corrections Secure Deposits is the recommended method to send money to inmates in state prisons. Secure Deposits permits money transfers to inmates online or by phone. To use online means, sign up by visiting Access Corrections via their website or through the iOS or Android app. Deposits may be made online via credit or debit card 24/7.
Also, you may dial Access Corrections using their toll-free number at 1-866-345-1884 and follow the prompts to make money transfers. In-person transfers are also possible. Some prisons allow deposits by money order or check at their facilities for an image. However, to use this method, you must place a call to your institution to double-check. Make out the money order or check to the name of the inmate with their number included and drop it into a box labeled "Inmate Funds." Alternatively, you may utilize Cash Pay Today's online website to join the program and locate the nearby drop-off points to make deposits using cash.
Secure Deposits offer a lockbox tool for money orders or checks without a fee, allowing you to send money to inmates by mail. Money orders or checks can be sent along with a finalized money order or check slip to:
Secure Deposits
Massachusetts DOC
P.O. Box 12486
St. Louis, MO 63132
Although money orders or checks are both processed in the first 48 hours after arrival (except holidays and weekends), all checks must go through a 10-day period before being forwarded to the MADOC for crediting an inmate's account. The money is then made available for the inmate's use on the day after. Forms for check deposits or money order deposits can be found at facility lobbies for users to print at Access Corrections .