How to Locate a Loved One

Click the link to access the websites.

Federal Bureau of Prisons. Find an Inmate

Federal Bureau of Prisons. Freedom of Information Act

USAGov. How to Look Up Prisoners and Prison Records

VINELink. VINELink

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Online Detainee Locator System

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Detention Facilities

United States Courts. Access to Court Proceedings

PACER. Public Access to Court Electronic Records

PACER. PACER Pricing: How Fees Work

How to Bail Someone Out of Prison

Bailing someone out involves paying a court-determined amount to secure their release from jail while ensuring they appear for trial, but it generally does not apply to prison inmates serving a sentence.

Step 1: Confirm Eligibility

Not everyone can be bailed out. Bail is typically available for individuals awaiting trial in jail, not for those already serving a prison sentence after conviction. Some serious offenses may result in bail being denied entirely, and judges consider factors like the severity of the crime, criminal history, and flight risk when setting bail.

Step 2: Locate the Inmate

Find out where the person is being held. Large metropolitan areas may have multiple detention facilities. You can call the jail directly or use online inmate locators to confirm the facility and obtain the inmate’s full legal name, booking number, and charges.

Step 3: Determine Bail Amount

Bail amounts may be preset for common offenses or set by a judge at an arraignment. For serious charges, the judge may adjust the amount based on risk factors. Some states have bail schedules that list amounts for specific offenses.

Step 4: Choose a Payment Method

You can pay bail using cash, cashier’s check, money order, or credit card. If you cannot pay the full amount, a licensed bail bondsman can post bail on your behalf for a non-refundable fee, usually around 10% of the total bail. Collateral may be required for high-risk cases.

Step 5: Complete Required Paperwork

Whether paying directly or through a bondsman, you must fill out forms as the indemnitor, agreeing to ensure the defendant appears in court. The jail or court will provide receipts and instructions for the release process.

Step 6: Wait for Release

Processing can take 1–8 hours, depending on the facility’s workload. Once released, the defendant should be picked up promptly. If they fail to appear in court, the bail may be forfeited, and a warrant may be issued.

Step 7: Responsibilities After Bail

As the person who posted bail, you are responsible for ensuring the defendant attends all court dates. Cash bail is refunded after the case concludes, but bond fees paid to a bail agent are non-refundable.

Visiting an Inmate

Before visiting, please ensure your loved one has added you to their pre-approved visiting list. It is their responsibility to notify the institution as to whom may visit them by submitting each visitor's name.

Fill out a Visitor Application Form, found in the key actions below this section. Once completed please mail this form to the specific institution you intend to visit. Mailing addresses may be found on the fifth page of the application or on the Prison Locations Page. The Visitor Application will be processed, you and the inmate will be notified of approval or denial.

Review the institution's visiting hours. They may be found on our Prison Locations Page. Visiting hours are subject to change, you may call the institution to verify.

Review the institution's specific visiting procedures.

Review the dress code and allowable items list.

You must have a valid photo ID. These include:

State driver’s licenses
Passports
Military ID

Official photo ID cards that originate from any state or federal agency, including government employee ID cards and Immigration/Customs Enforcement documents.

If you need more assistance, please call the institution you wish to visit. Phone numbers and addresses may be found on our Prison Locations Page.

The Courthouses in Massachusetts

Click this link to access an alphabetical list of the courthouses in Massachusetts: Alphabetical listing of courthouses | Mass.gov

Massachusetts has a total of 35 courthouses distributed across its cities and counties, with the highest concentration in Boston, which has 9 courthouses, followed by Springfield with 4 courthouses. Each of the 14 counties in Massachusetts has at least one courthouse, and the state also hosts specialized courts such as the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Appeals Court, Superior Courts, District Courts, Probate and Family Courts, Housing Courts, Juvenile Courts, and the Boston Municipal Court.

Distribution and Types of Courthouses

County Courthouses: Each of the 14 counties has a courthouse serving general legal matters.

Municipal and District Courts: Cities like Boston, Worcester, and Springfield have multiple district and municipal courts handling criminal, civil, housing, juvenile, and mental health cases.

Specialized Courts: Massachusetts also maintains courts for probate, family law, housing, juvenile matters, and appellate cases, including the Supreme Judicial Court and the Appeals Court.

Notable Courthouses

Essex County Courthouse in Newburyport, built in 1805-1806, is the oldest courthouse still in use.

Boston Municipal Court, established in 1822, handles a wide range of cases in Suffolk County.

How to Create an Account to Send Money to an Inmate

You can send money to an inmate through several secure services, each with its own account creation process. Here’s how to get started with the most common options:

Access Corrections Access Corrections

Go to Access Corrections and click Send Money.
Select the state where the inmate is located.
Choose the agency (prison, jail, etc.) and enter the inmate’s last and first name or ID.
Click Sign Up to create an account.
Once signed up, you can deposit funds using a Visa or Mastercard.
You can also send SecureMail messages to the inmate.

JPay JPay | Send Money

Visit JPay.com and click Send Money.
Search for the inmate using their name or ID (if you don’t know the ID, check the correctional agency’s website).
Click Sign Up to create an account.
You can send money to a commissary/spendable account, a dedicated purpose account, or a money order (processed via JPay’s lockbox).
JPay also offers email, video, tablets, and parole/probation payments.

ConnectNetwork Trust Fund ConnectNetwork

Check if your facility participates in ConnectNetwork’s Trust Fund service.
Go to ConnectNetwork and sign in or create an account.
Select the facility and inmate, then deposit money (common amounts $10–$100).
Funds are typically available within one business day via automated channels.

Tips for Account Creation

Have the inmate’s full name and ID ready to speed up the process.
Ensure your payment method (credit/debit card, money order) is in good standing.
Keep your account details secure and update them if needed.
Check your facility’s rules on deposit limits, fees, and processing times.

Once your account is set up, you can send money quickly and securely, and in many cases, the inmate can use the funds immediately for commissary or other permitted purchases.

Overview of the Department of Youth Services (DYS)

The Massachusetts Department of Youth Services (DYS) operates over 80 residential and community programs across the state, providing rehabilitative and clinical services to youth in the juvenile justice system.

Overview of DYS

The Department of Youth Services (DYS) is the juvenile justice agency for Massachusetts, focusing on rehabilitation, public safety, and positive youth development. DYS serves youth aged 12–21 who are adjudicated delinquent, youthful offenders, or detained while awaiting court proceedings. The agency emphasizes clinical services, education, substance abuse treatment, and community reintegration to support long-term positive outcomes for youth.

Types of Facilities

DYS facilities are organized into several categories:

Residential Programs: 63 programs ranging from staff-secure group homes to highly secure locked facilities for boys and girls. Examples include:
- Robert F. Kennedy School (Westborough) – the most secure juvenile facility in the state.
- Springfield Secure Treatment Program – provides intensive residential treatment.
- South Hadley Girls Treatment Program – specialized for female youth.

Youth Service Centers: Community-based centers providing assessment, treatment, and supervision, such as:
- Metro Youth Service Center (Dorchester, Boston)

Reception and Detention Centers: Facilities for youth awaiting court hearings or pre-trial detention, including:
- Judge John J. Connelly Youth Center (Boston)
- Reception-Detention Center for Girls (Boston)
- Westfield Detention Center
- Worcester Detention Center

Closed Facilities: Some former facilities include Lyman School for Boys, Phaneuf Youth Treatment, and Fay A. Rotenberg School (closed in 2016)

Regional Health Services

The Justice Resource Institute (JRI) provides medical and psychiatric care for youth in DYS custody across Northeast and Western Massachusetts, including sites in Middleton, Amesbury, Peabody, Springfield, Westfield, Chicopee, and South Hadley. Services include urgent care, routine health, mental health, and dental care

Community-Based Programs

Organizations like the Old Colony YMCA offer DYS-funded community-based services, including assessment, individualized treatment, and family involvement to support youth in maintaining positive lifestyles oldcolonyymca.org. These programs complement residential care and help youth transition successfully back into their communities.

Contact Information

DYS Central Office: 600 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111, Phone: (617) 727-7575 Mass.gov.
For urgent assistance or reporting abuse: call the DCF Child at Risk hotline at 1-800-792-5200 Mass.gov.
DYS facilities and programs are designed to provide a continuum of care, from detention and residential treatment to community reintegration, with a strong focus on rehabilitation, clinical support, and positive youth development

Community Organizations

Angel Tree Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree ministry serves the children of prisoners by giving them gifts on behalf of their incarcerated parents and by surrounding them all year long with a loving community. For more information on Angel Tree, click here or contact their National Angel Tree Support Center at 1-800-251-7411.

Prisoner Pen Pals You could reach out to other inmates by becoming a pen pal. Contact CLPRM to become part of this ministry. Or start your own pen pal ministry using the Visit Prison in an Envelope guide from Prison Fellowship. Sometimes the best way out of a dark place is to reach out with much-needed source of encouragement and friendship to a lonely prisoner. This simple guide explains how to find a prisoner pen pal, how to write letters of encouragement and discipleship, and how to trouble-shoot typical problems that may arise.

Bethel Bible Village Residential care agency provides support and ministry to children and youth of families shattered by crime and troubled environments.

Center for Children of Incarcerated Parents The Center for Children of Incarcerated Parents provides services in four components. (1) The Information component includes publications and audio-visual materials free of charge to prisoners, their children and their families; and provides advice to groups of incarcerated parents and family members. (2) The Educational component provides materials and holds parent education training for parents in the criminal justice system. A correspondence course in parent education is offered free of charge to incarcerated parents. (3) The Family Reunification component has about 60 service projects to help prisoners and their children maintain a relationship. (4) The Therapeutic Component provides therapy for incarcerated mothers and their infants and young children.

Families for Justice as Healing Families for Justice as Healing focuses on raising public awareness about the incarceration of women and the impact on children and communities.

Child Welfare Information Gateway Provides information and resources related to issues involving incarcerated parents and their children.

Forever Family (Formerly Aid to Children of Imprisoned Mothers) Forever Family (formerly AIM) is a service organization based in Georgia (with chapters in other states). The agency assists incarcerated mothers, their children and other family members in maintaining critically important family ties during the mother's incarceration.

Friends Outside Friends Outside is a advocacy and outreach organization committed to improving the quality of life of families, children and communities impacted by incarceration, and to assisting with successful community reentry and family reunification for those transitioning from confinement to freedom. Friends Outside provides direct services to prisoners and their families in the State of California, and conducts advocacy worldwide.

Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC) Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC) offers a comprehensive site dealing with issues involving incarcerated parents, families and children of prisoners, and women prisoners. Their focus is on women prisoners and their families, as well as prisoners rights. Publications available through their site include the Incarcerated Parents Manual, which is highly recommended.

Prison: The Hidden Sentence: The Hidden Sentence is a blog and online platform with a focus on educating and empowering families and friends of incarcerated individuals. The aim and purpose of which is to create a community where the people affected can share their stories with one another.

Save Kids of Incarcerated Parents (SKIP) Save Kids of Incarcerated Parents (SKIP) has chapters in several states; the organization provides supportive services to children of incarcerated parents and their families, and seeks to increase public awareness of the underlying problems these children face.

The National Resource Center on Children and Families of the Incarcerated NRCCFI is the oldest and largest organization in the U.S. focused on children and families of the incarcerated and programs that serve them, providing a comprehensive directory of programs, a library of helpful resources, and more.

https://pigly.com/savings/guide-for-kids.php
Pigly is a free online personal finance guide offering over 100 financial calculators.

https://followsuitmentoring.com: Follow Suit mentorship program enhances the quality of life of the young men we serve by our commitment to their spiritual, social, emotional and intellectual development.

https://nnw4justice.com/: Never not working for justice arededicated to confronting one of the most profound injustices within our legal system: wrongful convictions. Our mission goes beyond mere statistics – we are committed to raising awareness, providing critical resources, and amplifying the voices of those impacted by wrongful imprisonment.

https://utecinc.org/: UTEC helps young people overcome the challenges of poverty, gang involvement, and unemployment.

https://familynurturing.org: Family nurturing programs are designed for parents and children to experience together. Family members learn how to build their nurturing skills and understanding of healthy development, appropriate expectations, and discipline with dignity.

https://www.justsolvent.com: Solvent empowers the financially excluded, disadvantaged, underserved and overlooked through affordable technology-driven financial empowerment tools, products and services around banking, credit, financial literacy and entrepreneurship education, and more.

https://www.everydayboston.org/the-bridge-project: The Bridge Project helps incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people strengthen their life skills, sense of self-worth, and feeling of belonging, so they can become active, engaged citizens of Boston and beyond.

https://www.wab2g.org/services: We Are Better Together Warren Daniel Hairston Project (WAB2G) connects and heals women and girls affected by homicide and incarceration to prevent the cycles of violence and victimization.

https://www.yardtimeent.org: Mental Health support groups.

https://www.outforgoodbehavioralservices.org: Mental Health and substance abuse support.

https://www.freefuquan.com/theharriettubmanproject: The Harriet Tubman Project is a modern railroad to mental and physical freedom. Currently we serve the wrongfully convicted, the actually & factually innocent men of MCI Norfolk Correctional Facility.

https://www.responsibleparty3.com: Our mission is to foster a restorative justice framework that recognizes the inherent worth and interconnectedness of all individuals.

https://www.mass.gov/masshire-career-centers: MassHire Career Centers serve as a vital link between workers and employers to bring about economic opportunity.

https://www.fathersuplift.org: Fathers' UpLift provides mental health counseling, coaching, advocacy, and resource support to assist fathers with overcoming barriers (racism, emotional, traumatic, and addiction-based barriers) that prevent them from remaining engaged in their children's lives.

https://nbreentry.org: empowers incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals.

https://www.boston.gov/departments/returning-citizens: city of Boston services for returning citizens.

https://mahomeless.org/individual-shelters/: homeless shelters.

https://accessma.org/: develop, support, and address reentry efforts and initiatives to assist returning citizens, their families, and their communities.

https://www.boston.gov/departments/workforce-development/powercorpsbos: PowerCorpsBOS is a 10-month Green Industry Workforce Development Program. It provides young adults with training, career readiness support, and connections to employers in the green industry. An “earn and learn” program, PowerCorpsBOS pays members to participate in hands-on training that prepares them for living-wage careers.

https://teenempowerment.org/: Teen empowerment employ, train, and empower youth.

https://www.fountainfund.org/: Provide low-interest loans and financial coaching to formerly incarcerated people, helping them build credit and achieve their self-determined goals. The Fountain Fund also advocates for public policy that increases economic opportunities and reduces obstacles for formerly incarcerated people.

https://rizeprevention.org/: Equip teens with the knowledge, skills, and resilience they need to grow up drug-free, ensuring a brighter and healthier future.

https://www.transformprison.org/overview.html: TPP encourages healing and accountability by facilitating restorative dialogue between those responsible for harm and those who have experienced harm.

https://www.boston.gov/departments/returning-citizens: The Office of Returning Citizens envisions a Boston where returning citizens can return to their families, flourish in their communities, and regain their sense of dignity.

https://www.boston.gov/departments/black-male-advancement: The Office of Black Male Advancement improves outcomes and reduce systemic barriers to advancement for Black men and boys living in Boston.

https://ldbpeaceinstitute.org/: Louis D. Brown Peace Institute is a center of healing, teaching, and learning for families and communities impacted by murder, trauma, grief, and loss.

https://www.juliesfamily.org: Julie’s Family Learning Program is a welcoming, inclusive space that provides free educational programs and supportive services to help develop strong, successful families and adults.

https://buildingpathwaysma.org: Pre-apprenticeship program in partnership with the Greater Boston Trade

https://www.onelovesports.org/: Boston youth program.

https://www.intelligent.com/education-and-career-guide-after-incarceration/Education resources for returning citizens

https://resume.io/blog/how-to-list-a-ged For many people, earning a GED while incarcerated is a huge accomplishment, and listing it correctly on a resume or job application is crucial when searching for employment opportunities.

https://justice4housing.org/Justice 4 Housing is a grassroots organization committed to end housing discrimination and homelessness for justice involved individuals impacted by domestic violence and incarceration.

After Innocence After Innocence is an organization that provides assistance for wrongfully convicted prisoners upon their release. Realizing the tremendous disadvantages these former inmates face. After Innocence works to coordinate with different social services in order to ease the transition of former inmates into civilian life.

Family ReEntry Family ReEntry is a nonprofit organization that works to provide community based services to individuals and families impacted by the criminal justice system. Through the integration of three sectors; Prevention, Intervention, and, Reentry, Family ReEntry aims to break the cycle of incarceration.

National Reentry Resource Center This site, maintained by the Dept. of Justice, profiles prisoner reentry grant programs and resources. A number of downloadable publications related to reentry and recidivism are also available.

Federal Bonding Program Information page for the Federal Bonding Program, which provides free fidelity bonds to employers as an incentive to hire ex-prisoners.

New York Public Library's Correctional Services The New York Public Library's Correctional Services delivers a range of library programs at city, state, and federal facilities, including Connections, an annual guide and directory of resources in New York City available to help people when they are released from incarceration.

Prisoner Reentry Network The Prison Reentry Network is a nonprofit that works with prisoner prior to their release in aiding their transition back into their communities. Their work encompasses providing information to inmates on how to find food, shelter, and work opportunities. They distribute this information directly to prisoners through print editions of their programs as well as online to the families of the incarcerated individuals.

Restoration of Human Rights Project The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers offers a collection of individual downloadable documents that profile the law and practice in each U.S. jurisdiction relating to relief from the collateral consequences of conviction. 54 jurisdictional profiles include provisions on loss and restoration of civil rights and firearms privileges, legal mechanisms for overcoming or mitigating collateral consequences, and provisions addressing non-discrimination in employment and licensing.

The Fortune Society Provides post-release services and programs for prisoners in the New York City area and occasionally publishes Fortune News, a free publication for prisoners that deals with criminal justice issues, primarily in New York