Hampshire County Inmate Population

Hampshire County runs one jail in Northampton that holds pretrial and sentenced inmates under Sheriff Patrick J. Cahillane. The Hampshire County Jail and House of Correction sits on Rocky Hill Road and serves as the sole lock-up for the county. Unlike many Massachusetts counties, Hampshire has an online inmate locator on the sheriff's website where you can search by name or date of birth. This page explains how to search the Hampshire County inmate population, what records you can get, and how to visit or contact someone in custody.

Hampshire County Sheriff's Office

Sheriff Patrick J. Cahillane leads the Hampshire County Sheriff's Office, which manages the county's inmate population. The office handles booking, custody, transport, and release for all people held on county charges or waiting for trial in Hampshire County courts. Staff at the jail can help with inmate search requests around the clock by phone.

The Hampshire County Jail and House of Correction is at 205 Rocky Hill Road in Northampton. The mailing address uses PO Box 7000, Northampton, MA 01061-7000. You can call the main line at 413-584-5911 any time of day or night to ask about someone in custody. The fax number is 413-584-2695. This is a mid-size county facility that holds both pretrial detainees and sentenced inmates serving up to two and a half years.

The screenshot below shows the Hampshire County Sheriff's Office website.

The site has details on programs, visiting, and the online inmate search tool.

Online Inmate Population Search

Hampshire County is one of the few Massachusetts counties that offers an online inmate locator. The tool is on the sheriff's website. You can search by last name, first name, or date of birth. Results show the inmate's name, ID number, custody status, facility, booking date, release date, charges, and bail amount. This is the fastest way to check on someone in the Hampshire County inmate population without making a phone call.

The search tool is free. No account or login is needed. Just go to the sheriff's website and look for the inmate search page. Keep in mind that the data updates on a regular cycle, so very recent bookings or releases may not show up right away. If you need the most current info, call the jail at 413-584-5911. The phone line runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For people who prefer not to use the web tool, there are other ways to check. You can call the jail and ask staff to look up an inmate by name. You can also go to the facility in person during business hours. Another option is VINELink, which lets crime victims sign up for alerts when an inmate's custody status changes. Call the VINE hotline at 1-866-277-7477 for help with that service.

Public Records for the Inmate Population

Massachusetts law gives you the right to ask for records about the Hampshire County inmate population. Under M.G.L. c. 66, § 10, any person can request records from a government agency. The law casts a wide net. M.G.L. c. 4, § 7 defines public records as most documents made or received by state and county offices. This means booking logs, daily head counts, and incident reports can all be requested.

The Records Access Officer for the Hampshire County Sheriff's Office can be reached at 413-584-5911. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. You will need a government-issued photo ID if you visit in person. Copies cost $0.05 per page. The office has 10 business days to respond to your request under state law.

If they deny your request or miss the deadline, file an appeal with the Supervisor of Records. The state's public records portal explains the appeals process. You have 90 days from the denial to file.

Visiting the Hampshire County Inmate Population

The Hampshire County Jail allows visits on Fridays and Sundays. Visit hours run from 3:45 PM to 6:15 PM on both days. Each visit lasts up to one hour. A max of three adults can visit an inmate at one time. You need to call 413-584-5911 ahead of time to set up your visit and get on the approved list.

There are rules you should know. All visitors must show valid ID. You cannot bring bags, phones, or food into the visiting area. Dress code rules apply, and staff can turn you away if you don't follow them. Children must be with an adult at all times. The facility may cancel visits with no notice if there is a security concern or a lockdown.

Victim notification is also available. Shannon handles victim services and can be reached at 413-582-7794. This office helps crime victims stay informed about the custody status of the person who harmed them.

Contacting Inmates in Hampshire County

Phone calls from the Hampshire County Jail go through ConnectNetwork, which is run by GTL. Inmates can make collect calls or prepaid calls to people on their approved phone list. To set up a prepaid account, you need to sign up for AdvancePay through ConnectNetwork. Call 800-483-8314 for help setting up your account or adding funds.

Calls are recorded and subject to monitoring, except for calls between inmates and their attorneys. There are limits on call length and the times of day when calls can be made. Check with the facility for the current phone schedule. The per-minute rate depends on whether the call is local or long distance, and whether it is collect or prepaid. Prepaid calls tend to cost less per minute.

Under M.G.L. c. 276, § 100A, the sheriff has authority over the rules and operations of the county jail. That includes setting policies on phone use, mail, and visitor access for the inmate population.

Court Records and Case Lookups

If you want to see the court side of an inmate's case, use MassCourts. This is the state court system's free online tool. It shows docket entries, hearing dates, charges, and case outcomes for criminal cases heard in Hampshire County courts. You can search by name or case number.

Hampshire County falls under the Northwestern District for superior court cases. The courthouse is in Northampton. District court cases go through Northampton District Court or Hampshire District Court depending on where the offense took place. Court records and jail records are kept by different offices, so you may need to contact both the court clerk and the sheriff's records office to get a full picture of someone's situation.

The state prison search tool on mass.gov can help if you think the person may have been moved to a state facility. State prisons hold people with sentences over two and a half years. County jails like Hampshire hold shorter sentences and pretrial detainees.

Statewide Inmate Population Resources

The Massachusetts Sheriffs' Association website lists all 14 county sheriff offices in the state. Each one runs its own jail and has its own policies for inmate search, visiting, and records. Hampshire County is part of this network but operates independently from other counties.

For a statewide search, check the DOC's online tool at mass.gov. It covers state prisons but not county jails. You can also try VINELink for counties that participate. Hampshire is on VINE, so you can register for alerts there. The state public records law applies to all counties the same way, so the process for requesting records is consistent no matter which county you deal with.

Cities in Hampshire County

Hampshire County includes Northampton, Amherst, Easthampton, and several smaller towns. None of the cities in Hampshire County meet the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site. All inmates from Hampshire County cities and towns are held at the Hampshire County Jail and House of Correction in Northampton.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Hampshire County. If someone was arrested in a neighboring county, they would be held at that county's jail rather than at the Hampshire facility.