Essex County Inmate Population
The Essex County inmate population includes people held at the Essex County Correctional Facility in Middleton, Massachusetts. Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger runs this facility, which has a capacity of about 1,000 beds and typically holds 800 to 1,000 inmates at any given time. Essex County is one of the few counties in the state that offers a full online inmate lookup tool, making it easier to find someone in custody. The county also takes part in the VINE notification system, which is rare among Massachusetts counties. This page covers how to search the inmate roster, what details you can find, and how to reach the facility for more info.
Essex County Inmate Population Overview
How to Search the Essex County Inmate Population
Essex County has one of the best inmate search tools of any county in Massachusetts. The sheriff's office runs a free online lookup at eccorrections.org/inmatelookup that anyone can use. No account is needed. You just go to the site and type in what you know about the person you want to find. The tool gives back results fast and shows a good amount of detail for each match.
There are two ways to search. The first is by name. You type in the person's first name, last name, and date of birth. The second way is by identifier. This lets you search using a booking number, MSA number, state ID, county ID, FBI number, or ICE number. The identifier search is helpful when you have a case number but don't know the exact name spelling.
The Essex County Sheriff's Office inmate lookup tool shows the search form below.
Each result from the lookup tool includes several key pieces of data. You get the inmate's full name, mugshot photo, booking number, permanent number, date of birth, current housing unit, charges, bail amount, and upcoming court dates. That is more detail than most county jails in Massachusetts make public through their websites.
You can also call the facility at 978-750-1900 to ask about someone in custody. Staff can check the roster and tell you if a person is there. Give them a name and date of birth. For written requests, you can fax the facility at 978-750-1999 or email sheriff@eccf.com.
Essex County Inmate Population VINE Alerts
Essex County is the only county jail in Massachusetts that takes part in the VINE system. VINE stands for Victim Information and Notification Everyday. It is a free tool that sends you alerts when an inmate's custody status changes. If someone gets released, moved, or escapes, you get a call, text, or email right away. The state Department of Correction also uses VINE for its prisons, but Essex is the sole county that has signed on.
To use VINE for Essex County inmates, go to vinelink.com and pick Massachusetts from the state list. Then search by the person's name. Once you find them, you can sign up for alerts. You need to make a free account first. The phone line at 1-866-277-7477 works too if you want to check status or set up alerts by phone. This is a big deal for crime victims and their families. Most counties in the state don't offer this, so people in Essex County have an edge when it comes to staying informed about who is in jail and who has been let go.
Essex County Correctional Facility
The main jail for Essex County sits at 20 Manning Avenue in Middleton. It is a large facility with room for about 1,000 inmates. The building holds both pre-trial detainees and sentenced individuals serving terms under 2.5 years. Under Massachusetts law, county houses of correction handle shorter sentences while state prisons take those with longer terms.
The Essex County Sheriff's Office official website provides more details about the facility and its programs.
The site has info on visiting hours, programs, and how to contact inmates.
| Facility | Essex County Correctional |
|---|---|
| Address |
20 Manning Avenue Middleton, MA 01949 (P.O. Box 807) |
| Phone | 978-750-1900 |
| Fax | 978-750-1999 |
| sheriff@eccf.com | |
| Website | essexsheriffma.org |
One thing to note: Essex County does not house female inmates at the Middleton facility. Women who are arrested in Essex County get sent to the Barnstable County Correctional Facility at 6000 Sheriffs Place in Bourne, MA. You can reach that facility at 508-563-4300. If you are looking for a woman in the Essex County inmate population, you need to check with Barnstable instead.
Essex County Inmate Population Records Access
Massachusetts public records law gives you the right to ask for inmate data from the Essex County Sheriff's Office. Under M.G.L. Chapter 66, Section 10, any person can request public records from a state or local agency. That includes booking logs, daily population counts, and other data the sheriff's office keeps. The Records Access Officer for Essex County is Gregory Grosky. You can reach him at 978-750-1900 ext. 3361 or by email at ggrosky@essexsheriffma.org.
There are some limits on what you can get. Under M.G.L. Chapter 4, Section 7, certain law enforcement records and personal information are exempt from public disclosure. Medical records, mental health files, and some investigative notes are off limits. But basic custody information like who is in the jail, what they are charged with, and their bail amount is generally public.
Agencies have 10 business days to respond to a public records request. Black and white copies cost $0.05 per page. The first four hours of staff time to pull records are free. After that, the rate is up to $25 per hour. Electronic records sent by email cost nothing if they already exist in that format. If the sheriff's office turns down your request, you can appeal to the Supervisor of Records at 617-727-2832.
Court Records and Inmate Population Data
The inmate search tool shows charges and court dates, but the full court file lives in the court system. The Massachusetts Trial Court keeps case records at masscourts.org. Search by name or case number to see the docket, charges, hearing dates, and case outcome. This helps if you want the full picture behind someone's charges or sentence.
Keep in mind that court records and jail records are two separate things. The court file tells you what happened in the case. The jail roster tells you where the person is right now. A person might show up in court records but no longer be in the inmate population if they were released on bail, finished their sentence, or got transferred somewhere else. Under M.G.L. Chapter 276, Section 100A, some criminal records can be sealed after a waiting period. Misdemeanors can be sealed after three years and felonies after seven years. Sealed records won't show up in any public search.
For state-level searches, the DOC inmate finder at mass.gov covers all 16 state prisons. If someone from Essex County got a felony sentence over 2.5 years, they would move to a state prison and no longer be in the county inmate population. Use VINELink to check both DOC prisons and the Essex County facility in one place.
Reaching the Essex County Inmate Population
Essex County switched to a digital mail system through Securus in 2024. That means regular personal mail no longer goes straight to the facility. Instead, mail gets scanned and delivered to inmates on tablets. Legal mail from attorneys still goes to the physical address at 20 Manning Avenue in Middleton. If you are sending legal documents, mark them clearly so they don't get rerouted through the digital system.
To put money on an inmate's account, you have a few options. Call 888-988-4768 to make a deposit by phone. Use the lobby kiosks at the facility during visiting hours. Or download the ConnectNetwork app and add funds from your phone. The site ID number for Essex County is 262. You'll need the inmate's full name and booking number to make a deposit.
For general questions about the Essex County inmate population, programs, or visiting rules, the main line at 978-750-1900 is the best place to start. The Massachusetts Sheriffs' Association website also has links to all 14 county sheriff offices if you need to reach a different county.
Cities in Essex County
Essex County covers a large part of northeastern Massachusetts. It has more than 30 cities and towns. People arrested in any of these places go to the Essex County Correctional Facility in Middleton, with the exception of female inmates who are housed at Barnstable County.
Other communities in Essex County include Amesbury, Andover, Beverly, Boxford, Danvers, Essex, Georgetown, Gloucester, Groveland, Hamilton, Ipswich, and Lynnfield. All of these towns are served by the Essex County Sheriff's Office.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Essex County. If you are not sure which county handles a case, check the town where the arrest took place. Each county has its own jail and search tools.