Suffolk County Released Inmates
Suffolk County released inmate records are held by the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department in Boston. The department runs two jail facilities that process thousands of releases each year. If you need to find out when someone was released from a Suffolk County jail, you can call the facilities or send a written request to the sheriff's office. Released inmate data includes booking details, charges, and release dates. Suffolk County does not have a public online inmate search tool, so most lookups require direct contact with jail staff or the records unit. This page covers how to search for released inmates in Suffolk County and what to expect from the process.
Suffolk County Overview
Suffolk County Sheriff's Department
The Suffolk County Sheriff's Department runs all jail operations in Suffolk County. Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins leads the department. The office handles inmate custody, release processing, and records requests for both facilities in Boston. When someone is released from a Suffolk County jail, that release gets logged in the department's records system. Staff track daily population counts, booking data, and release dates for every person who passes through.
Suffolk County does not post an online inmate roster. This is different from some other Massachusetts counties. You cannot look up current or released inmates on a public web portal. Instead, you have to call the jail or send a written request. The department does respond to phone calls around the clock, which makes it possible to check on someone's status at any time of day or night.
To request released inmate records by mail, send your inquiry to the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department at 200 Nashua Street, Boston, MA 02114. You can also email sheriff@suffolkcountysheriffma.org with details about the person you are looking for. Include the full name, date of birth if you have it, and an approximate date range for the release. The records unit processes these requests and gets back to you with what they can share under Massachusetts public records law.
| Agency | Suffolk County Sheriff's Department |
|---|---|
| Sheriff | Steven W. Tompkins |
| Main Phone | (617) 635-1000 |
| Address | 200 Nashua Street, Boston, MA 02114 |
| sheriff@suffolkcountysheriffma.org |
Nashua Street Jail Released Inmates
The Nashua Street Jail sits at 200 Nashua Street in Boston. This is a maximum security facility built in 1990 at a cost of $54 million. The building spans 249,540 square feet and has 13 housing units. It holds 453 cells with a total bed count of 654. The max capacity reaches 682 inmates. Nashua Street houses pre-trial male inmates only. These are men who have been arrested and are waiting for their court dates.
Turnover at Nashua Street is high. About 55% of the population changes each week. That means hundreds of releases happen on a regular basis. When a judge sets bail and someone posts it, the release gets processed at Nashua Street. Cases that get dismissed also lead to releases. The booking and release logs at this facility are some of the busiest in the state because of the sheer volume of pre-trial activity in Suffolk County courts.
To check on a released inmate from Nashua Street Jail, call (617) 635-1100 ext 3005. Staff are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Give them the person's full name and they can tell you if someone is still in custody or has been released. They may also share the date and time of a release if the person is no longer held there.
The Suffolk County Sheriff's Department posts information about the Nashua Street Jail on their site. You can find details about visiting hours, facility rules, and how the jail operates.
Suffolk County House of Correction
The Suffolk County House of Correction is at 126 Preble Street in Boston. This is the county's sentenced facility. It holds both male and female inmates who are serving time for sentences under 2.5 years. The capacity is 1,892 beds. The average sentence length for inmates here runs about 14 months. Monthly turnover sits around 40%, so a large number of released inmates cycle through this facility each month.
Released inmate records from the House of Correction cover a wide range of data. The records include the original booking information, the charges, the sentence length, and the actual release date. Some inmates get released early through good time credits or parole. Others serve their full sentence. Either way, the release gets documented in the facility's records system and can be looked up through the sheriff's department.
Call (617) 635-1000 ext 2017 to reach the House of Correction about a released inmate. Like Nashua Street, the phones are staffed around the clock. You can ask about current inmates or people who have already been let go. The staff can confirm whether someone was held at the House of Correction and when they got out. For more detailed records, such as incident reports or daily population logs, you may need to file a formal public records request with the sheriff's office.
Note: The House of Correction and Nashua Street Jail serve different populations, so make sure you call the right facility based on whether the person was pre-trial or sentenced.
Suffolk County Released Inmate Records
The Suffolk County Sheriff's Department keeps several types of records tied to released inmates. These records document everything from the initial arrest processing through the final release. Not all of these records are open to the public, but many are available through a public records request under M.G.L. Chapter 66, Section 10, which governs access to public records in Massachusetts.
Records you can request from Suffolk County jails include:
- Booking records with charges and intake details
- Release dates and type of release
- Daily population logs
- Incident reports from the facility
- Visiting logs for the inmate
The Suffolk County Sheriff's FAQ page covers some common questions about jail records and inmate information. It is worth checking before you call. Some details about released inmates may be restricted if they involve juvenile records, ongoing investigations, or sealed cases. Massachusetts law under M.G.L. Chapter 66, Section 10A allows agencies to withhold certain records when release could harm an ongoing investigation or violate personal privacy. In practice, most basic release information is available if you ask for it properly.
The sheriff's department FAQ section answers many questions that come up about how to find released inmates in Suffolk County and what the process looks like.
Other Ways to Find Suffolk County Released Inmates
The Suffolk County District Attorney's office can sometimes help with information about released inmates, especially for victims of crime. The DA's office is at 1 Bulfinch Place in Boston. Call (617) 619-4000 to reach them. Victims and witnesses may get notified about an inmate's release through the DA's victim services unit. This is separate from the sheriff's records system but covers some of the same ground.
Third party jail lookup sites also list some Suffolk County inmate data. The JailExchange listing for Nashua Street Jail pulls together facility details and links to help people search for inmates. These sites are not official sources. The data may not be current. But they can give you a starting point if you are not sure where to begin your search for a released inmate in Suffolk County.
JailExchange collects jail data from across the country and lists details about Suffolk County's Nashua Street Jail. It can be a useful starting point for people searching for released inmate information.
Suffolk County does not use the VINE victim notification system for county jail inmates. If you need to track an inmate's release, your best option is direct contact with the sheriff's department by phone or email. For state prison inmates, Massachusetts does offer a different lookup system, but that covers people serving sentences longer than 2.5 years who are held at state facilities rather than county jails.
Note: Always verify information from third party sites by contacting the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department directly at (617) 635-1000.
Suffolk County Inmate Communication
While someone is still in custody at a Suffolk County jail, family members often need to send mail or money. The Suffolk County Sheriff's Department uses the Securus system for inmate mail. Money can be sent to inmates through AccessCorrections.com. These details matter for people trying to stay in contact with someone before their release date arrives. Once the person is released, these services no longer apply, but knowing how the system works can help you keep track of someone's status while they are still inside.
Families who want to know when a loved one will be released can call the facility directly. The staff at both Nashua Street and the House of Correction can give you general information about expected release dates. Court dates, bail amounts, and sentence calculations all affect when someone gets out. For pre-trial inmates at Nashua Street, a release can happen quickly once bail is posted or charges are dropped. For sentenced inmates at the House of Correction, the release date depends on the sentence and any good time credits earned.
Cities in Suffolk County
Suffolk County covers Boston and a few smaller cities. Released inmates from any of these communities pass through the county jail system run by the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department.
Other communities in Suffolk County include Chelsea and Winthrop. Released inmates from these areas are also processed through the Suffolk County jail facilities in Boston.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Suffolk County. If you are searching for a released inmate and are not sure which county handled the case, check where the arrest took place. Each county runs its own jail system with separate records.