Dukes County Jail Roster

The Dukes County jail roster covers Martha's Vineyard and is managed by the Dukes County Sheriff's Office under Sheriff Keith W. McCormick, with the facility at 9-1 North Street in Edgartown. Dukes County has no online inmate search. All custody inquiries go through a direct phone call. The county's island location creates a unique situation where more serious cases are often transferred to mainland facilities. This page explains how to check the local roster, what to do when someone may have been moved off-island, and how to request written records from the Edgartown office.

Dukes County Sheriff's Office

The Dukes County Sheriff's Office is at 9-1 North Street, Edgartown, MA 02539. Sheriff Keith W. McCormick oversees the facility. The main phone number is (508) 627-5171. The office can be reached by fax at (508) 627-5617. The facility serves Martha's Vineyard, which is home to the towns of Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, Vineyard Haven (Tisbury), West Tisbury, Chilmark, and Aquinnah. All arrests on the island pass through this facility.

Dukes County is the smallest county in Massachusetts by population. The year-round population is well under 20,000. That changes dramatically in summer, when tourists and seasonal residents bring the island's population into the tens of thousands. More people mean more arrests, and summer is when the jail sees its highest activity. The facility is small compared to mainland county jails. Its capacity reflects the island's year-round population rather than the peak summer load.

The island's geographic isolation matters for the jail roster in a specific way. More serious cases or those requiring longer confinement may be transferred to mainland county facilities, typically Bristol or Barnstable County. This means a person arrested on Martha's Vineyard may not always remain in Dukes County custody throughout their case. Anyone looking for someone on the Dukes County jail roster should be aware of this transfer possibility.

The Massachusetts DOC main page provides context on how island county jails like Dukes County connect to the broader state corrections system. County jails handle pretrial and short-term sentences while the state system takes over for longer terms, which can involve off-island placement even before state transfer occurs.

How to Search the Dukes County Jail Roster

To check the Dukes County jail roster, call (508) 627-5171. Ask staff for inmate information. Provide the person's full name and date of birth. Having the approximate booking date ready can help if staff need to narrow down results. The call will be handled by staff at the Edgartown facility.

When you connect, staff can confirm whether the person is currently in county custody, what charges they face, what bail has been set, and what their next court date is. Housing location within the small Edgartown facility can also be confirmed. Bail information is especially useful for families trying to arrange a release. Court date information helps attorneys and relatives plan around scheduled hearings.

One key thing to keep in mind with Dukes County: if the person is not in the local roster, they may have already been transferred to a mainland facility. Ask staff directly whether a transfer has occurred and, if so, which county is now holding the person. Barnstable and Bristol are the most common destinations for Dukes County transfers. A follow-up call to that county's sheriff office may be needed.

Note: Dukes County has limited hours compared to larger mainland facilities, so calling during regular business hours gives you the best chance of reaching staff quickly.

Transfers to Mainland Facilities

Dukes County's small facility size means not everyone arrested on Martha's Vineyard stays there for the full duration of their case. When the local jail reaches capacity or when the nature of a case requires more resources, inmates may be transferred to a mainland county jail. Barnstable County in Bourne and Bristol County are the most common receiving facilities. The transfer is handled by the sheriff's office and is not unusual given the island's limited infrastructure.

If you call the Dukes County Sheriff at (508) 627-5171 and staff cannot locate the person you are looking for, ask whether a transfer has taken place. If the person was moved to Barnstable County, call the Barnstable County Sheriff's Office at (508) 563-4300. If they went to Bristol County, that office has its own contact and inquiry process. The transferring county handles custody records once a person has been moved.

For anyone sentenced beyond two and a half years, the Massachusetts DOC takes over. Use the Massachusetts DOC Inmate Search for people in state prison custody. That database covers all DOC facilities and is the right tool once someone leaves the county system entirely.

Records Requests from Dukes County

For written records, submit a public records request to the Dukes County Sheriff's Office. You can do this by mail at 9-1 North Street, Edgartown, MA 02539, by phone at (508) 627-5171, or in person at the facility during business hours. Include the full name of the subject, any relevant dates, and your contact information for a reply. Be specific about which records you are requesting.

Under M.G.L. c. 66, § 10, the office must respond within ten business days. Booking records, custody logs, and related documents are generally treated as public records. Some material may be withheld under specific exemptions, and the office must identify those exemptions if it denies any part of a request. You are not required to explain why you want the records.

County jails operate under M.G.L. c. 126, which sets out how Massachusetts county correctional facilities maintain records and what public access rights apply. Dukes County follows these same standards despite being a small island facility.

If a records request is denied, you can appeal through the Massachusetts Public Records Portal. The Secretary of State's office oversees the appeals process and can mediate disputes between requesters and agencies.

Seasonal Patterns and the Dukes County Roster

Summer changes things significantly on Martha's Vineyard. The island's population can increase by a factor of five or more during peak tourist months. That means more arrests, more bookings, and more activity at the Edgartown facility from Memorial Day through Labor Day. If you are trying to check on someone who was arrested during the summer season, the jail may have been handling a heavier than usual load at the time.

High summer volume also increases the likelihood of mainland transfers. When the local facility is near capacity, transfers to Barnstable or Bristol County become more common. This seasonal pattern is worth knowing before you call. If staff say there is no record for the person you are looking for, the next question should always be whether a transfer occurred.

The Massachusetts Public Records Portal provides tools and guidance for accessing government records, including those from small county facilities like Dukes County. The process is the same regardless of the county's size.

VINELink and Victim Notifications in Dukes County

Dukes County does not participate in the VINELink victim notification system. To check on someone's custody status, you need to call (508) 627-5171 directly. There is no automated alert system for this county. If a person is transferred to a mainland county that also does not use VINE, manual follow-up by phone remains the only option.

If someone in Dukes County custody is eventually transferred to state prison, VINELink becomes available at that point. The Massachusetts DOC connects to VINE, so you can register for alerts once someone is in state custody. The VINELink system operates at all hours and alerts you when custody status changes. Registration is free at vinelink.com or by calling 1-800-468-2846. You only need the person's name or booking number to get started.

Court records for Dukes County cases are available through MassCourts. Case dockets, hearing dates, and case status can be found there if you want to follow a case beyond the initial booking and custody phase.

Cities in Dukes County

Dukes County covers Martha's Vineyard and includes the towns of Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, Tisbury, West Tisbury, Chilmark, and Aquinnah. None of these communities meet the qualifying population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. For inmate lookups, call the Dukes County Sheriff's Office at (508) 627-5171.

Nearby Counties

Dukes County is an island county. The nearest mainland counties are Barnstable and Bristol. Either may hold Dukes County inmates who have been transferred off Martha's Vineyard.