Search Massachusetts Booking Releases
Massachusetts booking releases are records that track when a person is taken into custody or let out of a jail or prison in the state. The Massachusetts Department of Correction runs 16 state prisons. Thirteen county sheriffs each manage their own house of correction. Some counties let you search booking releases online. Others need a phone call or a trip to the sheriff's office in person. This guide covers how to find booking releases across all 14 Massachusetts counties, what the records show, and which tools you can use for free. Each county works a bit differently, so check the details for your area before you start a search.
Massachusetts Booking Releases Overview
How to Search Massachusetts Booking Releases
There is no single search tool that covers all 14 counties in Massachusetts. Each county sheriff runs its own system for booking releases. Eight counties have online inmate search tools you can use from home. The rest need a phone call or an in-person visit to the sheriff's office. For state prison inmates, the Massachusetts Department of Correction has a separate process. You can reach the DOC Records Access Officer by email at doc.rao@state.ma.us or call (508) 422-3436. Start with the county where the arrest took place if you want local booking releases.
The Massachusetts DOC inmate search page explains how to find someone held in a state prison.
This page walks you through the steps to look up state inmates. It lists what info you need and where to send your request. County jail booking releases use a different process that goes through each county sheriff.
VINE is a free tool that tracks inmates in real time. It stands for Victim Information and Notification Everyday. In Massachusetts, VINE covers all state DOC facilities and Essex County. No other county jails use VINE right now. You can search by name, offender ID, or case number at vinelink.com. VINE also lets you sign up for alerts. You get a call, text, or email when an inmate's status changes. This can help if you need to know when someone is released from custody in Massachusetts.
The VINE search page lets you look up inmates in Massachusetts DOC and Essex County facilities.
Only two sources use VINE in Massachusetts. The state DOC and Essex County are the only ones that take part. Under MGL c. 66, § 10, the public has a right to access most government records. Booking releases fall under this law in most cases. Agencies must respond to requests within 10 business days.
Note: The first two hours of search time for any public records request in Massachusetts are free under 950 CMR 32.
Massachusetts Corrections System
Massachusetts runs a dual system for corrections. The state Department of Correction handles inmates with sentences over 2.5 years. County sheriffs handle pre-trial detainees and those with sentences up to 2.5 years. This split matters when you search for booking releases because you need to look in the right place. State inmates go through the DOC. County inmates go through the local sheriff's office.
The Massachusetts Department of Correction homepage is the main hub for state prison booking releases and inmate data.
The DOC is based at 50 Maple Street in Milford, MA 01757. You can call them at (508) 422-3300. As of September 2024, the DOC had 6,228 people under its control. Of those, 5,478 were criminally sentenced and 62 were pre-trial detainees. Male inmates first go to MCI-Cedar Junction in Walpole for booking and classification. Female inmates go to MCI-Framingham. After that, they get placed based on their security level. Massachusetts uses four levels: maximum, medium, minimum, and pre-release.
The DOC puts out quarterly reports on admissions and releases. You can find these at the admissions and releases page on mass.gov.
These reports go back to 2017. They show trends in how many people come in and out of state prisons. A release happens when an inmate leaves DOC control through parole, sentence completion, court release, or transfer to another agency. Under MGL c. 127, § 129, the Parole Board sets rules for who can get parole and when. MGL c. 127, § 119 lets inmates earn good conduct credits to cut time off their sentence.
What Booking Releases Records Contain
Booking releases in Massachusetts hold a lot of detail. The exact fields vary by county, but most records share a common set of data. State prisons use the Offender Management System to track all of this. County jails use their own systems, though many run similar software. Here is what a typical booking release record includes in Massachusetts.
A standard Massachusetts booking release shows the following:
- Full legal name and any known aliases
- Date of birth, gender, and physical description
- Booking date, time, and arresting agency
- Current charges with statute codes
- Bond or bail amount and type
- Expected release date and release type
- Facility name and housing assignment
Some data stays private. Medical files, mental health records, and security classification papers are not part of the public booking release. Victim info and social security numbers are also kept out. Under MGL c. 4, § 7(26), records that would invade personal privacy or put someone in danger can be held back. But the basic booking release data listed above is open to anyone who asks for it in Massachusetts. MGL c. 126, § 16 spells out the line between county jails and state prisons, which affects where booking releases are stored.
CORI and Massachusetts Booking Releases
CORI stands for Criminal Offender Record Information. It is the official term Massachusetts uses for criminal records that include booking releases, arrest data, court outcomes, and sentencing details. MGL c. 6, §§ 167-178B controls who can see CORI and how it gets shared. CORI is limited to people 18 and older. Juvenile records are not part of CORI unless the case was handled in adult court.
The CORI law page on mass.gov breaks down what counts as CORI and what does not in Massachusetts.
CORI includes arrest records, pre-trial data, sentencing info, and release details. It does not include evaluative reports or intelligence data. This means your booking release record is part of CORI, but internal notes about your behavior in jail are not.
Massachusetts law lets people seal or expunge old records in some cases. Under MGL c. 276, § 100A, misdemeanor records can be sealed after 3 years. Felony records can be sealed after 7 years. Sex offense records need 15 years or longer.
The sealing process goes through the Commissioner of Probation. Once a record is sealed, the booking release tied to that case is also sealed. It will not show up in standard searches. Under MGL c. 276, § 100C, records get sealed automatically after a not guilty verdict or dismissal in most cases.
This means if charges are dropped, the booking release from that arrest should be sealed without you having to file anything extra.
Note: Sealed booking releases will not appear in public searches, but law enforcement can still access them in Massachusetts.
Requesting Massachusetts Booking Records
You can request booking releases from both state and county agencies in Massachusetts. The process is similar for both. You send a written request with the person's name, date of birth, and any other details you have. Most agencies respond within 10 business days. Fees are low. Copies cost $0.05 to $0.10 per page at most places.
For state DOC booking releases, send your request to the DOC public records page or email doc.rao@state.ma.us directly.
Kate Silvia is the primary Records Access Officer at the DOC. You can also mail your request to the Department of Correction at 50 Maple Street, Milford, MA 01757. Phone requests are accepted at (508) 422-3436, but only at the officer's discretion. Written requests are the safest way to get booking releases from the state.
The DOC also publishes its public policies online, including DOC 401 which covers booking and admissions procedures.
Policy DOC 401 is the official guide for how the state handles booking. It covers everything from intake to classification. This document is 688 KB and available as a PDF on mass.gov. Other key policies include DOC 402 on inmate identification and DOC 417 on criminal history records. County booking releases follow different policies set by each sheriff, but 103 CMR 932 sets baseline standards that all county jails must meet. You can also search court records through masscourts.org for case details tied to a booking release. Under MGL c. 276, § 58A, some defendants face pretrial detention without bail if a court finds them dangerous, and this status shows up in booking release records.
Note: County sheriffs each have their own Records Access Officer, so check the specific county page for contact details.
Browse Massachusetts Booking Releases by County
Each county in Massachusetts has its own sheriff who manages booking releases at the local jail. Pick a county below to find contact info, search tools, and local details for booking releases in that area.
Booking Releases in Major Massachusetts Cities
Residents of major cities are booked at their county sheriff's facility. Pick a city below to learn about booking releases in that area and which county handles the records.