Barnstable County, Massachusetts Inmate Search
An inmate search allows the public to look up individuals currently in custody using identifying information. People who conduct a search within Barnstable County’s correctional system generally do so to find out a jailed person’s personal details, custody and bond status, offenses and court dates, and jail location.
The Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) operates the county’s sole detention facility. Barnstable Town and Falmouth, the two largest incorporated areas in the county, have their own police departments. They, like the Sheriff’s Office, use the main jail for long-term inmate housing.
How to Find an Inmate in Barnstable County Jail
The Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office does not provide a live, searchable inmate roster on its website. Even so, the public may locate an inmate by phone, through the official state-level portal, by checking the MassCourts.org site for court records, or by inquiring in person at 6000 Sheriff’s Place, Bourne, MA 02532.
People may call the Sheriff’s Office at (508) 563-4300 and provide an inmate’s full name and date of birth. Officials will generally provide publicly available information on the person in custody. The same applies to inquiries made in person. Please note that certain details may be restricted in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
If an inmate has been tried and sentenced, and the case or docket number is known, people can search the MassCourts.org website for docket entries, which may yield custody information. In addition, courthouses in Barnstable County provide public access terminals that allow people to search criminal cases by name.
The Massachusetts Department of Corrections uses a third-party online provider for inmate and offender searches. As the provider onboards individual counties, Barnstable County inmate records may be searchable on the platform.
How to Use the Barnstable County Jail Roster
Since Barnstable County does not maintain a first or third-party online jail roster, individuals searching for an inmate may need to contact the facility directly. Here are some steps to follow:
Gather Identifying Information: It is best to have the individual’s full name and date of birth ready before visiting or calling the Sheriff’s Office. If the person uses a common name, a date of birth, or other information can help officials quickly locate them in their records.
Contact the Sheriff’s Office: Call (508) 563-4300 or visit 6000 Sheriff’s Place, Bourne, MA 02532 during normal business hours to request basic arrest or inmate information.
Get Custody Details: Officials will generally confirm whether the person sought is currently in custody. They may provide additional information such as charges, custody duration, court appearance dates, or visitation schedules.
What Information is Included in the Barnstable County Inmate Roster
Even without a public-facing inmate roster for the Barnstable County Jail, certain information may be available upon request at the Sheriff’s Office.
- The inmate’s full name
- Booking or custody number
- Date of arrest or booking
- General charge information
- Current custody status
- Housing assignment (when appropriate)
- Upcoming court date, if scheduled
Access to inmate records is governed by the Massachusetts Public Records Law, and some details may be withheld by officials in accordance with this and other state regulations. For example, M.G.L. c. 4, § 7, cl. 26(c) bans disclosure of medical files and intimate details to the public, while M.G.L. c. 119, § 60A restricts public access to juvenile detention records.
Contact Details for Barnstable County Jail or Sheriff’s Office
Barnstable County’s correctional facility and its Sheriff’s Office are located in the same complex and use a centralized contact system.
The public can use the following contact details for specific inquiries regarding arrests, custody, inmates’ property, and other forms of assistance:
Physical and General Mailing Address
6000 Sheriff’s Place, Bourne, MA 02532
Websites/Dedicated Links
Main: Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office
Jail: Barnstable County Correctional Facility History
Email: BCSOlegal@bsheriff.net
Public Records Requests: Official Portal
Phone Directory
The public can utilize the numbers in the table below for dedicated assistance.
|
Department |
Service |
|---|---|
|
Main Jail & Sheriff’s Office |
(508) 563-4300 |
|
Records |
(508) 563-4371 |
|
Victim Services |
(508) 563-4429 |
|
Inmate Accounts (commissary) |
(508) 563-4317 |
|
Inmate Property |
(508) 563-4368 |
|
The Bridge Center (Post-release support) |
(508) 563-4225 |
|
Emergency Communications |
(508) 563-4200 |
Jail Facility Overview in Barnstable County
The Barnstable County Correctional Facility (BCCF) is a centralized hub for people incarcerated at the county level. The facility uses 12 "pods," or separate housing units, to segregate different inmate populations within the same complex. It is the sole large-scale detention center on Cape Cod.
The jail can accommodate up to 588 individuals, consisting of people sentenced for up to 2.5 years and defendants (men and women) in custody.
Among the male population in the BCCF, pretrial detainees and incarcerated individuals are kept in different units. However, females of both categories share a single Women’s Housing Unit. This section also accepts women from nearby counties that lack dedicated facilities for women.
There are other dedicated units with highly specialized functions. One is the RSAT/SHOCK unit, which houses and treats people jailed for substance abuse. Another is the minimum-security pod where work-release inmates return in the evenings.
Minors charged or sentenced under delinquency rules are not housed in the BCCF but in facilities overseen by the state-level Department of Youth Services (DYS).
|
Jail |
Office/Mail Address |
Phone |
Office Hours |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Barnstable County Correctional Facility |
6000 Sheriff’s Place, Bourne, MA 02532 |
(508) 563-4300 |
Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. |
How to Send Money to an Inmate in Barnstable County Correctional Facility
The county jail sets up an account in an inmate’s name when they are first booked into the facility. Friends and family can use this account to deposit funds for the inmate, which they can spend on petty items from the jail canteen throughout their time in custody.
The facility accepts deposits in person, by phone, online, and by mail. Cash or credit card deposits can be made directly at the jail premises between 7:30 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. every day of the week. Those paying by cash can use any denomination between $5 and $100.
Individuals who wish to send money from home can use the facility’s third-party online provider’s website or phone number. Both methods require a name and jail ID for inmate identification.
Money orders or bank checks must include the sender’s name and address. They should be made payable to the inmate’s name and ID number, and sent to
Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office
Attn: Inmate Accounts
6000 Sheriff’s Place
Bourne, MA 02532
Total daily transfer to an inmate by all available means cannot exceed $300. The public can contact the inmate accounts division on (508) 563-4317 between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on weekdays for further information.
Inmate’s Name, ID Number
Barnstable County Correctional Facility
Inmate Search by Jail Facility
Barnstable County has a single jail facility serving all adult inmates. Unlike in certain larger counties in the state and elsewhere, there are no separate rosters for juvenile centers or work-release programs. The Barnstable County Correctional Facility maintains all inmate information within its internal records.
People searching for specific custody records can use previously outlined contact information to reach the county Sheriff’s Office in person, by phone, or by email. To inquire about the status of juvenile inmates under 18, one should contact the state’s Department of Youth Services.
County officials may provide basic details, including the inmate’s full name, booking date, charges, and custody status, when contacted for an inmate search.
Barnstable County Visitation Rules and Schedules
The Barnstable County Correctional Facility allows eligible individuals to meet a person in custody during a scheduled visit. Intending visitors must complete and submit a Request to Visit Inmate form and email it to visitforms@bsheriff.net for processing and approval. People can also obtain a physical copy at the jail premises.
The inmate must also signal their intention to receive visitation from a specific individual. They must complete a visitor request sheet for that individual, who is then added to the inmate’s Visits List. The entire approval process typically takes two weeks or longer.
All visitors must fit their visit times into the jail’s schedule, which assigns specific times and days to different pods or housing units. The facility requires valid photo identification for each visit. People under 18 can accompany an approved adult, but they must still provide proof of relation, such as a birth certificate, with the inmate.
Here are other visitation rules:
- Each person in custody is entitled to a total of one hour per visitation session.
- An inmate may receive no more than four visitors per day.
- A visitor can visit a maximum of two inmates at any one time.
- Personal items, such as phones, cameras, laptops, keys, bags, and food coats, are not allowed in the visitation area.
Visitors are expected to dress in a respectful, appropriate manner that complies with the facility’s dress code guidelines.
Mailing and Commissary Information
As part of its corrective and integrative functions, the Barnstable County jail allows unlimited mail correspondence between people in custody and their loved ones. Inmates can purchase paper and postage envelopes at the jail commissary and send BCCF-stamped letters to whomever they desire.
Incoming personal correspondence must be written on letter-size paper and sent to the designated address provided by the Sheriff’s Office.
Legal mail (from attorneys and other approved personnel) and publications shipped directly by the publisher or distributor should be sent to
6000 Sheriff’s Place
Bourne, MA 02532
Inmates can receive standard letters, legal mail, pictures (without frames or borders), and drawings. However, the facility’s mail policy does not allow certain types of content:
- Sexually explicit photos, drawings, books, printouts, etc.
- Any material, including instructional content, associated with illegal items such as drugs, explosives, or weapons.
- Food, clothing, personal items, cigarettes, digital devices, and other contraband.
- Cash or money in any form.