Find Suffolk County Booking Releases
Suffolk County booking releases come from two main facilities in Boston: Nashua Street Jail and South Bay House of Correction. The Suffolk County Sheriff's Department runs both. An online inmate locator is available on the sheriff's website, which makes it possible to search for current inmates by name or booking number. Nashua Street holds pretrial detainees in maximum security. South Bay serves sentenced inmates doing up to 2.5 years. Between the two facilities, Suffolk County processes a large share of booking releases for the greater Boston area. This page covers the search tools, record details, and request process for Suffolk County booking releases.
Suffolk County Booking Releases Overview
Suffolk County Sheriff's Facilities
The Suffolk County Sheriff's Department manages two facilities in Boston where booking releases are created. Nashua Street Jail at 200 Nashua Street, Boston, MA 02114 is the pretrial facility. South Bay House of Correction at 20 Bradston Street, Boston, MA 02118 handles sentenced inmates. Both generate booking release records every time someone comes in or goes out.
Nashua Street Jail opened in 1990. It replaced the old Charles Street Jail. The facility cost $54 million to build and covers 249,540 square feet on 2.1 acres. It has 13 secure housing units with 453 cells and 654 beds. Capacity is around 700 pretrial detainees. Maximum security is the standard here. Every person who comes through Nashua Street gets a booking release record that logs their intake data, charges, and bail status.
South Bay House of Correction is the larger facility. It opened on December 26, 1991 and cost $115 million. The complex has 8 buildings, 27 housing units, 674 cells, and 1,892 beds. The average daily population runs close to 840 inmates. South Bay serves adult male and female inmates with sentences up to 2.5 years. Under MGL c. 126, § 16, county facilities like South Bay handle shorter sentences while state prisons take inmates with terms over 2.5 years.
The Massachusetts DOC homepage explains how the state prison system works alongside county jails like Suffolk.
State prison records use a different system than Suffolk County. If someone gets sentenced to more than 2.5 years, they leave the county jail and move to a state facility. Their booking release at that point comes from the DOC, not Suffolk County.
Searching Suffolk County Booking Releases
Suffolk County has an online inmate locator on the sheriff's department website. Search by name or booking number. Results show the booking date, charges, and expected release date. This tool works for people currently in custody at either Nashua Street or South Bay. Once someone is released, they may not appear in the online results.
Phone is another option. Call Nashua Street Jail at (617) 635-1100, extension 3005. The line is open 24 hours. Give them the full name and date of birth. Staff can confirm whether someone is in custody and share basic booking release info. South Bay House of Correction answers at (617) 635-1000. Both facilities can check on inmates at either location since they are part of the same system.
In-person requests work too. Go to the public information desk at either facility with a valid ID. Staff can pull up booking release data on the spot. Under MGL c. 66, § 10, you have a legal right to access these public records. The agency must respond to written requests within 10 business days.
Booking numbers in Suffolk County can contain both letters and numbers. A number like 12345A is typical. If you have the booking number, it speeds up the search considerably. Mugshots are taken at booking and may be available through the inmate search tool or the daily roster that the facility maintains.
Note: Suffolk County booking releases cover both Nashua Street and South Bay, so a single search should cover both facilities.
Suffolk County Booking Release Records
Booking releases in Suffolk County follow the same general format as other Massachusetts counties. The record starts with the person's full name, aliases, date of birth, and physical description. A booking photo and fingerprints are taken during intake. The arresting agency and charges are logged with case numbers and statute codes. Bond and bail details show the amount, type, and whether it was posted. Court info lists the judge, court of jurisdiction, and hearing dates.
For sentenced inmates at South Bay, the record adds sentence length, start date, projected release date, and parole eligibility. Good conduct credits under MGL c. 127, § 119 can shift the release date forward. Release data shows the exact date, time, and type of release. Conditions tied to the release, like post-release supervision, are also part of the record.
Medical files, mental health records, and security papers do not come out in a public records request. Victim info and social security numbers are kept private. Under MGL c. 6, §§ 167-178B, CORI rules govern who can see criminal record data. Booking releases are part of CORI, which puts limits on public access to certain details.
How to Request Suffolk Booking Records
Written requests for Suffolk County booking releases go to 200 Nashua Street, Boston, MA 02114. Include the person's full name, date of birth, and any other identifying info you have. Cite the Massachusetts Public Records Law. The first two hours of search time are free under 950 CMR 32. Copies run between $0.05 and $0.10 per page. The agency has 10 business days to respond.
You can also visit the facility in person during business hours. Go to the public information desk. Bring a government-issued ID. Staff at the desk can help with requests for booking release records. Phone requests at the discretion of the staff are possible by calling (617) 635-1100.
Suffolk County inmates can receive money through Access Corrections online, at a lobby kiosk, or by mail. Money orders need to be made out to the inmate. Visitation schedules vary by housing unit. Call ahead to confirm times. General hours run from about 7:30 AM to 9:00 PM, but you should verify before you go. Mail to Nashua Street goes to the inmate's full name and ID number at 200 Nashua Street, Boston, MA 02114. South Bay mail goes to 20 Bradston Street, Boston, MA 02118.
For people who want court records tied to a Suffolk County booking release, the DOC public records page covers state-level cases. County cases go through the local court clerk.
Note: Schedule visits to Suffolk County facilities in advance, as walk-in visitation may not be available at all times.
Sealing and CORI for Suffolk Booking Releases
Suffolk County booking releases can be sealed under Massachusetts law. If charges are dismissed or result in a not guilty verdict, MGL c. 276, § 100C triggers automatic sealing in most cases. You do not need to do anything extra. The booking release tied to that case will not show up in public searches after it is sealed.
For older records, MGL c. 276, § 100A allows you to petition for sealing through the Commissioner of Probation. Misdemeanors become eligible after 3 years. Felonies take 7 years. Sex offenses require 15 years or longer. Once sealed, the booking release is hidden from public view but still accessible to law enforcement. Suffolk County facilities must meet the standards in 103 CMR 932 for record-keeping and facility operations.
Cities in Suffolk County
Arrests in these Suffolk County cities get processed through the county facilities in Boston for booking releases.
Nearby Counties
Suffolk County is bordered by these counties. Each has its own sheriff and booking release system.