Transfers & Finding Someone in Massachusetts (MA DOC)

Key info

New arrivals go through a reception and classification center first — men to the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center and women to MCI-Framingham. There they are screened and classified by custody level, then assigned and transferred to a permanent prison.

The prison where a person is held can change after classification. Because the first prison is the reception center, the facility can change once the person is classified and transferred.

Massachusetts has no comprehensive public online inmate locator. To confirm where someone is held or their custody status, families use VINELink (a custody-status and notification service; phone 1-866-277-7477) or call the MA DOC (headquarters 508-422-3300) or the specific institution.

Many “Massachusetts inmate search” websites are third-party data brokers, not official sources.

Reception and classification

After commitment, a newly committed person goes to a reception and classification center first, where they are screened and classified by custody level before being assigned and transferred to a permanent prison. Which center depends on sex:

Men: the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center.
Women: MCI-Framingham.

During reception, visiting and other privileges are limited, and the prison where a person is held can change once they are classified and transferred to a permanent facility.

State prison or county jail

The state prisons run by the MA DOC are separate from the county jails and houses of correction run by the 14 elected county sheriffs. County facilities hold people awaiting trial or serving sentences under 2.5 years, and are not in the DOC system. To locate someone in a county facility, contact that county sheriff’s office.

Finding someone

Massachusetts has no comprehensive public online inmate locator. To confirm where someone is held or their custody status, families use VINELink — a custody-status and notification service at vinelink.com or by phone at 1-866-277-7477 — or call the MA DOC (headquarters at 508-422-3300) or the specific institution.

Many “Massachusetts inmate search” websites are third-party data brokers, not official sources.

Transfers and current location

A person may be transferred again later in the sentence for custody, program, medical, or disciplinary reasons. Transfers are MA DOC decisions, and families are not always notified in advance.

Massachusetts recently closed two prisons — MCI-Cedar Junction in 2023 and MCI-Concord in 2024. People who were held there were moved to other facilities, so confirm the current location.

Because the location can change, confirm it — via VINELink or the MA DOC — before traveling, scheduling a visit, or sending mail.

Verify Before Acting

Confirm the current location and status with VINELink (vinelink.com or 1-866-277-7477) or the MA DOC (headquarters 508-422-3300) before traveling, scheduling a visit, or sending mail. Massachusetts has no comprehensive public online inmate locator, and many “Massachusetts inmate search” websites are third-party data brokers, not official sources. A newly committed person passes through a reception and classification center — Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center for men, MCI-Framingham for women — before moving to a permanent prison, so the facility can change once the person is classified and transferred. MA DOC may transfer a person again for custody, program, medical, or disciplinary reasons, and transfer timing and notification are set by the DOC. The state prisons are separate from the county jails and houses of correction run by the 14 elected county sheriffs; to locate someone in a county facility, contact that county sheriff’s office. Massachusetts recently closed MCI-Cedar Junction (2023) and MCI-Concord (2024), and people held there were moved to other facilities.

Sources

This page is compiled from the following publicly available sources. Policies change without notice — confirm current details with the facility before relying on them.