Conduct a Massachusetts parole search for free to look up parolees in the state, the supervising officers assigned to them, upcoming parole hearings, and more.
Where people who have committed less serious offenses are given probation instead of proper jail time, in parole, individuals who are already incarcerated are given a chance to complete their remaining sentences outside of correctional facilities under the supervision of a parole officer.
Clear, streamlined instructions on how to conduct a parole search free of cost in the state of Massachusetts through various government-managed sources will be discussed in this resource.
How To Execute a Free Massachusetts Parole Search
The Massachusetts Parole Board is responsible for hearing requests and granting parole to inmates.1 Interested individuals can send a parole records request to the board through mail which must have a detailed description of the records being requested and the parolee’s full name or prison ID.
Furthermore, the requestor must give their details as well as contact information along with a completely filled third-party authorization form.
Once gathered and filled, all the documents are to be mailed to the following address:
Massachusetts Parole Board
Office of General Counsel
12 Mercer Rd.
Natick Massachusetts 01760
Phone: (508)650-4500
Toll Free: (866)480-6272
Fax: (508)650-4599
The office of the Massachusetts Parole Board can be called anytime from 8:45 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday (note that the office is closed during public holidays and weekends). It is important to keep in mind that the parole board may restrict some information to protect the parolee’s privacy.
To check if someone is released on parole in the state of Massachusetts, residents can also use the Online Inmate Search Tool VINELink, endorsed by the state’s Department of Correction.2 VINELink – which stands for Victim Information and Notification Everyday – is a free inmate search tool that can be used to look for details of currently incarcerated individuals in the correction facilities of Massachusetts, as well as of those released on parole.
To search parolees using VINELink, citizens must know their full name or their prison ID number. Upon simply entering either one of these details, the tool will display their complete information. In addition to that, interested individuals can also obtain parole records by calling VINELink’s official phone number: 866-277-7477.
Giving the phone operator the full name or prison ID of the parolee can help researchers obtain information through this method.
VINELink also has a mobile application that can be used to obtain parolee information. Furthermore, the firm also offers services in which citizens can be notified in case the custody status of an inmate changes, for example, when they’re released on parole.
Conduct a Parolee Fugitive or Violator Search in Massachusetts
To conduct a parolee search for Massachusetts fugitives or violators, residents will have to file a public records search request to the Department of Corrections. The request can be made online through the department’s public records access portal or by emailing the Primary Records Access Officer at doc.rao@state.ma.us.
The request can also be made through phone by calling the Records Access Officer at 508-422-3436. Furthermore, residents can also choose to mail their requests to the following address:
Records Access Officer
Department of Correction
50 Maple Street
Milford, Massachusetts 01757
Interested individuals will have to provide a comprehensive description of the records they want to view, along with their contact details, so that the department can reach out to them once the records are ready for research.
In case they want to view records in electronic form, a preferred medium will have to be mentioned. It is important to note that the first 4 hours of work done in research by the department for the requested records will be free.
However, after that, a fee of $25 per hour will be charged by the records board.
Once the request has been made by the searcher, the Records Access Officer will assess whether or not the requested records can be provided to the individual. A time frame of 10 business days must be kept in mind for a response but in some cases, the department can respond back much more quickly. The department can, however, restrict some of the information on the records for the purpose of protecting the privacy of the individual.
How To Look Up Inmates in a Massachusetts State Prison
To look up inmates in the state of Massachusetts, citizens can use the state Department of Corrections’ endorsed online search tool called VINELink.
VINELink enables researchers to not only run a Massachusetts parole lookup, but also to track down information about currently incarcerated individuals, as well as released prisoners using either their full names or their assigned prison IDs.
Searchers can also call VINELink at 866-277-7477 or use their official mobile application to look up inmates. The inmate’s complete physical description, criminal background, current custody status (whether they are incarcerated, released, on parole, or on probation), and release information can be obtained through VINELink.
To contact an inmate in the state of Massachusetts, family, friends, or relatives can send them an email through the CorrLinks online tool. In addition to that, letters can be sent by mail to whichever of the correctional facilities in which the inmate is currently held; the mail must have the inmate’s full name, their commitment number, and the complete address of the prison.4
To call an inmate in one of the correctional facilities in the state of Massachusetts, residents can visit Securus Technologies or call the company at 800-844-6591. Securus Technologies helps families of incarcerated individuals set up caller accounts for them, pay their bills, and receive their calls from prison.
In case a person wants to visit someone incarcerated in one of Massachusetts state prisons, they can find complete details through the Department of Correction, including guidelines, rules and regulations, visiting hours, and policies.5
Furthermore, residents can also send money to an inmate by phone, in person, online, or by mail. Complete details can be found on the Massachusetts Department of Corrections’ Deposit Funds page.
How To Perform a Search for a Massachusetts Parole Officer & Verify the Next Hearing Date
To run a search for Massachusetts parole hearings, citizens can visit the Department of Correction Parole Hearings Page.6 Hearings are categorized into 3 types (institutional, life sentence and victim access) and arranged in the form of lists and these lists can be searched by dates, name of inmates, or their IDs.
To perform a search for a Massachusetts parole officer, researchers can call the state’s Probation Service‘s central office at 617-878-9700 (toll-free at 800-392-6178) and provide them with the details of the parolee. Furthermore, the Massachusetts Parole Board can also be contacted at 508-650-4500 to find details about parole officers assigned to parolees.
How To Confirm if a Massachusetts Resident Is on Probation
Parole gives incarcerated inmates a chance to complete their sentences outside of correctional facilities under the eye of a parole officer. However, in some cases when an individual commits a less severe offense, they may be granted probation, also under the supervision of a probation officer instead of full sentences.
To confirm if a resident of Massachusetts is on probation, interested individuals can contact the state’s Probation Service by calling the department at 617-878-9700 or for free at 800-392-6178.8 The requestor will have to give primary details about the probationer such as their full name (date of birth or address are optional) to find their details.
Using the information in this resource interested persons can conduct a Massachusetts parole search for free to look up information about parolees, parole fugitives and violators, parole officers and hearings as well as probationers.
References
1Massachusetts Parole Board. (n.d.). Request Individual Parolee Records. Mass.gov. Retrieved December 18, 2023, from <https://www.mass.gov/how-to/request-individual-parolee-records>
2Massachusetts Department of Correction (MADOC). (n.d.). Find an inmate in a Massachusetts prison. Mass.gov. Retrieved December 18, 2023, from <https://www.mass.gov/how-to/find-an-inmate-in-a-massachusetts-prison>
3Massachusetts Department of Correction (MADOC). (n.d.). Public Records Request. Retrieved December 18, 2023, from <https://massachusettsdoc.govqa.us/WEBAPP/_rs/(S(mshdmw4dmcmmvrfioincnogs))/requestopen.aspx?sSessionID=1095073UXSQEWUDQMZKPKMQPGNQBTBIOBKHENKPP&rqst=1>
4Massachusetts Department of Correction (MADOC). (n.d.). Massachusetts Department of Correction Locations. Mass.gov. Retrieved December 18, 2023, from <https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-department-of-correction/locations?_page=1>
5Massachusetts Department of Correction (MADOC). (n.d.). Visiting an inmate in a Massachusetts Prison. Mass.gov. Retrieved December 18, 2023, from <https://www.mass.gov/guides/visiting-an-inmate-in-a-massachusetts-prison>
6Massachusetts Parole Board. (n.d.). Parole Hearings. Mass.gov. Retrieved December 18, 2023, from <https://www.mass.gov/parole-hearings>
7Massachusetts Parole Board. (n.d.). Open PDF file, 94.9 KB, January 2024 Lifer Hearing Calendar. Mass.gov. Retrieved December 18, 2023, from <https://www.mass.gov/doc/january-2024-lifer-hearing-calendar-0/download>
8Massachusetts Court System, Office of Community Corrections (OCC). (n.d.). Massachusetts Probation Service. Mass.gov. Retrieved December 18, 2023, from <https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-probation-service>