Essex County Booking Releases

Essex County booking releases can be searched online through the county's inmate lookup tool, and Essex is the only county jail system in Massachusetts that also participates in VINE. That gives you two online ways to check on someone's custody status. The Essex County Sheriff's Department runs facilities in Middleton, Lawrence, and Salisbury. The main jail in Middleton holds up to 1,000 inmates. This page explains how to search Essex County booking releases, what data the records contain, and how to get copies of records when you need them. Whether you search by name or by an identifier like a booking number, the tools are free to use.

Essex County Sheriff's Department

The Essex County Sheriff's Department is based at 20 Manning Avenue, Middleton, MA 01949. The main phone number is (978) 750-1900. This is the agency that creates and stores all Essex County booking releases. You can also reach them by email at info@essexsheriffma.org. The department runs multiple facilities across the county to handle different types of inmates and programs.

The Middleton House of Correction is the main jail. It has a capacity of 1,000 beds and houses inmates sentenced to up to 24 months. Pretrial detainees are also held here. The Essex County Pre-Release and Re-Entry Center at 165 Marston Street in Lawrence, MA 01841 handles inmates who are getting close to release. You can reach that facility at (978) 750-1900 ext. 4309. Women in Transition, located at 197 Elm Street in Salisbury, MA 01952, serves female inmates through ext. 3728.

Essex County also runs community corrections offices in three locations. Lawrence has an office at 499 Essex Street, (978) 750-1900 ext. 4600. Lynn's office is at 100 Willow Street, (978) 750-1900 ext. 3750. Salisbury operates at 80 Elm Street, ext. 3701. Female inmates from Essex County get housed at the Barnstable County Correctional Facility at 6000 Sheriffs Place, Bourne, MA 02532. Call 508-563-4300 for info on those inmates.

How to Search Essex County Booking Releases

Essex County offers more ways to look up booking releases than most counties in Massachusetts. You have two online tools, plus phone and in-person options.

The primary online tool is the Essex County inmate lookup. This tool gives you two search options. Option one lets you search by name. Type in the first name, last name, and optionally a date of birth. Option two lets you search by an identifier. Pick an identifier type from a dropdown menu and enter the value. Results show the booking date, current charges, housing info, and expected release date. This is the fastest way to check on an Essex County booking release for someone currently in custody.

The inmate lookup tool at eccorrections.org is the main way to search Essex County booking releases online.

This page shows the two search options side by side. The interface is straightforward. You do not need an account to use it.

VINE is the second online option. Go to vinelink.com, select Massachusetts, and search by name, offender ID, or case number. VINE covers both the state DOC and Essex County. It also lets you register for alerts. You get a call, text, or email when an inmate's custody status changes. Under MGL c. 66, § 10, booking releases are public records, and these tools help you access that data without having to call or visit in person.

Phone works too. Call (978) 750-1900 and give the person's name and date of birth. For mail or in-person requests, go to the headquarters at 20 Manning Avenue in Middleton. Email info@essexsheriffma.org for a written request.

What Essex Booking Releases Show

An Essex County booking release record captures everything that happens from intake to release. The jail logs the person's full name, aliases, date of birth, and physical description. Fingerprints and a booking photo are taken at the start. The arresting agency and booking officer go on file. Charges are listed with case numbers, warrant info, and severity levels.

Bond and bail data is part of the record too. That includes the amount, the type, and whether it was posted. Court details show up as well: which judge, what court, and when the next hearing is. For sentenced inmates, the record shows the sentence length, start date, projected release date, and parole eligibility. Good conduct credits under MGL c. 127, § 119 can change that release date. MGL c. 126, § 16 sets out that county jails like Essex handle pretrial holds and sentences up to 2.5 years.

Private data stays out of public view. Medical records, mental health files, and security classification papers are not released. Victim info and social security numbers are also excluded.

Requesting Essex County Booking Records

For a formal records request, email info@essexsheriffma.org or send a letter to the Essex County Sheriff's Department at 20 Manning Avenue, Middleton, MA 01949. Include the person's name, date of birth, and any details about when they might have been in custody. Under 950 CMR 32, the first two hours of search time are free. Copies cost between $0.05 and $0.10 per page at most Massachusetts facilities. The agency has 10 business days to respond.

You can also walk into the headquarters during business hours. Bring a valid ID. Staff will help you with your request. If you need records for someone held at the Barnstable County facility (where Essex County female inmates go), call 508-563-4300 or write to Barnstable County Sheriff's Office, Attn: Inmate Accounts, 6000 Sheriffs Place, Bourne, MA 02532.

Under MGL c. 276, § 100A, some booking releases can be sealed over time. Misdemeanors are eligible after 3 years, felonies after 7 years. If the charges were dropped, MGL c. 276, § 100C may trigger automatic sealing. Sealed records will not show up in the online lookup or in response to a standard request. The CORI framework under MGL c. 6, §§ 167-178B also limits what can be shared depending on who is asking.

County jails in Massachusetts follow 103 CMR 932 for baseline record-keeping and facility standards. This regulation applies to the Essex County facilities in Middleton, Lawrence, and Salisbury.

VINE Alerts for Essex County Booking Releases

VINE stands for Victim Information and Notification Everyday. It is a free service that tracks inmate status in real time. Essex County is the only county jail in Massachusetts that uses VINE. The state DOC is the other participant. You can sign up at vinelink.com to get alerts when an Essex County inmate's status changes. You pick how you want to be notified: phone call, text message, or email. This matters for people who need to know when someone gets released from custody.

VINE covers 48 states and over 2,900 facilities nationwide. In Massachusetts, it only works for state prisons and the Essex County jail. No other county jail participates right now. To use it, select Massachusetts from the state dropdown, then search by name, offender ID, or case number.

Cities in Essex County

These cities are in Essex County. Arrests made by local police get processed through the Essex County jail in Middleton for booking releases.

Nearby Counties

Counties that border Essex County each have their own booking release procedures and search tools.