Cambridge Booking Releases Lookup

Cambridge booking releases are handled by the Middlesex County Sheriff's Office. The county jail is located in Billerica, about 20 miles northwest of Cambridge. Unlike some other counties in Massachusetts, Middlesex does not offer an online inmate search tool. That means you have to call the jail, check court records, or visit in person to find booking release information. Cambridge sits right next to Boston and is home to both Harvard and MIT, but the booking process works the same as any other city in Middlesex County. This page explains every way to search for and request Cambridge booking releases.

Middlesex County Handles Cambridge Bookings

Middlesex County is the most populous county in Massachusetts. It covers a large swath of the state north and west of Boston, including Cambridge. The Middlesex Jail and House of Correction sits at 269 Treble Cove Road in Billerica, MA 01862. The jail operates 24 hours a day and can be reached at (978) 667-1711.

During one audit period, Middlesex County had 7,385 inmates in custody. Of those, 1,253 were pretrial, 4,678 were sentenced, and 1,443 were regionally arrested. The county uses an Inmate Case Management System that tracks names, booking numbers, dates, release types, and housing assignments. The Middlesex Sheriff's Office became an independent state agency on July 11, 1997.

The Middlesex County Sheriff's website has general information about the jail, but it does not have an inmate search tool.

This is the main page for the Middlesex Sheriff's Office. You can find contact details, visitation rules, and mailing instructions here. For inmate searches, you will need to use one of the methods below.

How to Search Cambridge Booking Releases

There is no online search tool for Middlesex County inmates. That makes Cambridge one of the harder cities to search for booking releases in Massachusetts. But there are three other ways to get the information you need.

The court records search is the main method. The Middlesex County Clerk of Court is located at 208 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02141. Call them at (617) 494-4000. You can look up a person's surname in the court database to find arrest details, charges, case outcomes, and bail conditions. This is the closest thing to an online search that Cambridge has for booking releases. Court records often have more detail than jail records anyway.

Phone calls to the jail are taken 24 hours a day at (978) 667-1711. Give them the full legal name, date of birth, and booking number if you have it. Staff can confirm whether someone is in custody and share basic booking release info.

In-person visits are also an option. Go to the Middlesex Jail and House of Correction with a valid government ID. Visiting hours are daily from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM. You can also visit the Records Office during business hours to submit a written request for booking release records.

What Cambridge Booking Records Show

A Cambridge booking release record contains the same data as any other Middlesex County booking. The record shows the person's full legal name, any known aliases, and date of birth. It includes the booking date and time, the arresting agency (in this case, Cambridge Police), and the charges with statute codes. Bond or bail amount is listed along with the type. The record shows the facility name and housing assignment.

Under MGL c. 6, §§ 167-178B, booking releases are part of the CORI system. CORI covers all criminal record information for people 18 and older in Massachusetts. It does not include evaluative reports or intelligence data. Medical files and mental health records are also kept out of the public booking release under MGL c. 4, § 7(26).

Booking and arrest records in Massachusetts are maintained permanently. That means a Cambridge booking release from years ago still exists in the system. However, under MGL c. 276, § 100A, some records can be sealed after a waiting period. Misdemeanors need 3 years. Felonies need 7. Sex offenses require 15 years or more.

Requesting Cambridge Booking Release Records

Written requests for Cambridge booking releases go to the Middlesex Sheriff's Office. You can mail your request or deliver it in person to the Records Office at the jail. Include the person's full name, date of birth, and any booking details you have. The office will respond within 10 business days under MGL c. 66, § 10.

Under 950 CMR 32, the first two hours of search time for a public records request are free. After that, fees may apply. Copies usually cost $0.05 to $0.10 per page. For state prison records, send your request to the DOC at mass.gov's public records page or email doc.rao@state.ma.us. MGL c. 126, § 16 explains the split between county jails and state prisons. Sentences over 2.5 years go to state prison.

Under MGL c. 276, § 100C, booking releases seal automatically after a not guilty verdict or case dismissal. If charges get dropped, the booking record from that Cambridge arrest should be sealed without extra paperwork from you.

VINE and Cambridge Inmate Notifications

Middlesex County does not participate in the VINE notification system. That means you cannot use vinelink.com to track Cambridge inmates at the county level. In Massachusetts, only the state DOC and Essex County take part in VINE. If a person arrested in Cambridge later gets sent to a state prison, they will show up in the VINE database at that point.

VINE lets you sign up for alerts so you get a call, text, or email when an inmate's status changes. This is useful for victims or family members who need to know about a release. Since Middlesex County is not on VINE, your best bet is to call the jail directly at (978) 667-1711 for status updates on Cambridge booking releases. The DOC also publishes quarterly reports on state prison admissions and releases at the admissions and releases page on mass.gov.

Nearby Cities With Booking Release Info

Several cities near Cambridge have their own booking release pages. Most of these also go through Middlesex County, except Boston which uses Suffolk County.