How to Locate a Loved One

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

• 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.

• 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.
  

Free Cell Phone: https://www.safelinkwireless.com/en/#!/newHome?promotionCode=LCP0001874&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwh4-wBhB3EiwAeJsppCSC2lb8C9VPDxdrx0kD-YBiNAepJ8QeQ3tmXa88gytSqCyy0RE66hoCidEQAvD_BwE

Click on this link to access detailed information on how to file a complaint or provide feedback  BOP: Offices. 

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.

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.

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)

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

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.

• 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 

 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.

• 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

 If you’re hungry in Massachusetts, there are many options from soup kitchens and food pantries to subsidized grocery programs that can help you get meals today.

Project Bread & FoodSource Hotline

Project Bread runs the FoodSource Hotline (800‑645‑8333) to connect people to food assistance. Many food pantry sites require a referral, which is valid for the next day only and must be renewed monthly. You’ll need basic personal info (name, address, phone, household size, date of birth, and a unique ID like your SSN last 4 digits) Food Banks organization.

ABCD Food Pantry Network
ABCD operates neighborhood food pantries across Boston and nearby areas, including:

• Jamaica Plain – APAC site
• North End/West End – NSC site
• Parker Hill/Fenway – NSC site
• Roxbury – NSC site
  All require a FoodSource Hotline referral Food Banks organization.

Local Food Banks & Pantries
Massachusetts has hundreds of food banks and pantries. Examples:

• Boston – 19+ locations, including ABCD sites and others Food Pantries
• Dorchester – 31+ locations Food Pantries
• Worcester – 25+ locations Food Pantries
• Hyannis – 9+ locations Food Pantries
  You can search by city on FoodPantries.org or HomelessShelterDirectory.org for exact addresses, hours, and whether you need a referral.

Soup Kitchens & Free Meal Sites
Many soup kitchens serve hot meals daily. The HomelessShelterDirectory.org list includes soup kitchens in Boston (20+), Dorchester (28+), and other cities Homeless Shelter Directory. Some also offer free breakfasts or lunches.

SNAP & Nutrition Programs
If you qualify, you can apply for SNAP (food stamps) or the WIC program through the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance. These can be used at participating grocery stores Mass.gov.

Quick Tips

• Call the FoodSource Hotline before visiting to get a referral.
• Bring ID and proof of address.
• Check hours, some sites serve only on certain days.
• If you’re homeless or in crisis, shelters and soup kitchens may also provide meals.
• 
  

Direct Hotline: 800‑645‑8333 (Project Bread / FoodSource) Mass.gov+1
Website: mass.gov/decision-tree/find-food-assistance

If you’re in Boston right now, start with ABCD’s North End/West End or Parker Hill/Fenway sites, or call the hotline for the fastest referral.