No public online roster is confirmed for the Dukes County Jail and House of Correction. To check whether someone is currently held there, call the Dukes County Sheriff’s Office directly — see the Sheriff contact information in the Sources section below. For court case records tied to a Dukes County arrest, the Dukes County District Court records portal is the county’s primary online resource. Massachusetts Department of Correction inmates (state prison, not county jail) are searchable at the statewide DOC inmate lookup.
Looking for someone booked tonight? See Dukes County section 3 — If someone was booked tonight for phone-first contact info.
How to find an inmate in Dukes County
Dukes County does not publish a public online jail roster. The Dukes County Jail and House of Correction — located on Martha’s Vineyard — is a small facility operated by the elected Dukes County Sheriff. Custody inquiries go through the Sheriff’s Office directly. Call to confirm — see Sources for the Sheriff’s number.
One important distinction: the county jail holds people awaiting trial or serving sentences under two and a half years. People sentenced to state prison are held by the Massachusetts Department of Correction, not the county. Federal detainees do not appear on any county roster — they are held in federal facilities and searchable only through the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator. If you are unsure which system holds the person, start with the Sheriff’s Office phone; they can confirm county custody or redirect you.
- Call the Dukes County Sheriff’s Office and ask for custody confirmation by name. Have the full legal name ready.
- If the Sheriff confirms no county hold, check the Massachusetts DOC resident lookup for state prison placement.
- For federal charges, use the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.
- For court case status after a booking, search MassCourts dockets and case information.
What the Sheriff’s custody records do (and don’t) show
Because Dukes County has no public online roster, there is no automated refresh cycle to track. The Sheriff’s Office updates custody records internally as bookings and releases occur, but that information is not pushed to a public-facing web page. Phone inquiries reach the current record directly.
Several categories of people will not appear even through a phone inquiry to the county jail. Juveniles booked in Dukes County are processed separately under the juvenile justice system and are not confirmed through the adult jail line. People whose records are sealed under M.G.L. c. 276 are not disclosed in public custody responses. Anyone held on a federal detainer or federal charge is in federal custody — the county has no record of their location. State DOC inmates transferred out of county after sentencing also drop off the county’s active roster. The Dukes County jail is a small island facility; transfers to mainland facilities for medical or capacity reasons do occur.
If you’re reading this because someone was just booked tonight, the section below is for you.
If someone was just booked tonight
Your fastest path right now is a direct call to the Dukes County Sheriff’s Office — Call the Sheriff’s Office — see Sources for the confirmed number. That’s a hard night, and the phone call is the right first move. The line is staffed around the clock for custody questions, so calling at midnight or 2 AM is appropriate — you do not need to wait until morning to confirm whether someone is in custody.
Booking takes time to process fully. That’s normal and expected. A person arrested tonight may not be fully processed into the jail system for some hours after arrival. If the first call comes back with no record, call again after a short wait rather than assuming the person was released. The Dukes County Jail and House of Correction is a small facility on Martha’s Vineyard, and staff can generally confirm custody status by name once processing is complete.
Bond is not set at booking — it’s set at first appearance before a judge. That hearing typically happens within the first day or two after booking, though the exact timing depends on when the arrest occurred relative to court schedules. Calling the Sheriff tonight confirms custody; it won’t give you a bond amount yet. The Dukes County District Court records portal and the Dukes County Courthouse — (508) 627-4668 — are your next-morning resources for case and hearing information. Courthouse hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Visitation tonight is not available. That part is the hard part. The Dukes County Jail and House of Correction enforces visiting hours that end promptly — reports indicate hours can close at 9 PM with no exceptions for late arrivals. Call the Sheriff’s Office in the morning to confirm current visiting hours before making the trip. If you need an attorney, the Committee for Public Counsel Services handles public defender assignments in Massachusetts.
If someone isn’t on the Dukes County roster
Why might someone not show up when you call the Dukes County Sheriff’s Office?
The most common reason is timing — a booking that happened within the last few hours may not be fully entered yet. Call back after waiting a bit before drawing conclusions. Beyond timing, there are several other possibilities worth checking.
- State DOC transfer: If the person was sentenced to more than two and a half years, they may have been transferred to a Massachusetts state prison. Search the Massachusetts DOC resident lookup at that URL.
- Medical hold: A person booked but transported to a hospital for medical reasons will not appear on the jail’s active roster. The Sheriff’s Office can sometimes confirm a medical hold situation — ask directly.
- Federal custody: Federal charges mean federal detention. The county has no record. Use the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator instead.
- Already released: Bond may have been posted or the person released on personal recognizance before you called. The Sheriff’s Office can confirm a recent release.
- Neighboring county: An arrest by Massachusetts State Police or in a neighboring jurisdiction may result in booking at a different county facility. Bristol or Barnstable County jails are the nearest mainland options.
- VINELink custody notifications: Register at Vinelink to receive automated alerts if the person’s custody status changes in the Massachusetts system.
If you can’t find them in Dukes County
A multi-county or multi-state search may be needed when the local Sheriff’s inquiry comes up empty. A nationwide records aggregator can pull custody data across jurisdictions that don’t share a single public portal — useful when you don’t know which county or state system holds the person.
Sponsored: Nationwide Records Search (we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you).
| Resource | What it confirms | What it won’t show | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dukes County Sheriff’s Office 📞 (508) 627-4668 (Courthouse line; ask for jail/custody) |
Active county jail custody by name; recent releases | State DOC inmates; federal detainees; juveniles; sealed records | Call directly; line staffed around the clock for custody questions |
| Dukes County District Court records portal | Criminal case filings, docket entries, hearing dates | Active custody status; sealed or expunged cases | Search by name for case number and next court date |
| MassCourts dockets and case information | Trial Court dockets statewide including Dukes County Superior Court | Active jail custody; federal cases; juvenile records | Search by name or case number across all MA Trial Court departments |
| Massachusetts DOC resident lookup | State prison placement for sentences over 2.5 years | County jail inmates; federal detainees; pretrial detainees | Search by name at the DOC lookup page |
| VINELink | Custody status change notifications; release alerts | Current location details; charge information | Register for automated alerts by name or ID number |
Sources
Sources used for this page, verified 2026-06-27:
- Dukes County District Court records portal — county_official; criminal case records
- MassCourts dockets and case information — state_official; Trial Court docket search
- Dukes County Sheriff’s Office public records — county_official; Sheriff custody and public records
- Massachusetts DOC resident lookup — state_official; state prison inmate search
- PACER Case Locator — federal official; federal court case lookup
- VINELink — vendor_required; statewide custody notification service
- Committee for Public Counsel Services — state_official; Massachusetts public defender program
Errors or outdated information? Report a correction. We review flagged pages within 48 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Does Dukes County have an online jail roster I can search?
No confirmed public online roster exists for the Dukes County Jail and House of Correction. Custody inquiries are handled by phone through the Dukes County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s line is staffed around the clock for custody questions. For court case information after a booking, use the Dukes County District Court records portal or MassCourts dockets and case information.
Someone was arrested in Dukes County tonight — when will bond be set?
Bond is set at first appearance before a judge, not at booking. That hearing typically occurs within the first day or two after arrest, depending on when the arrest happened relative to court schedules. Calling the Sheriff’s Office tonight confirms custody status. For hearing timing, contact the Dukes County Courthouse at (508) 627-4668 during business hours (Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM). If the person cannot afford an attorney, the Committee for Public Counsel Services handles public defender assignments in Massachusetts.
Search records by county: