Find Recent Bookings in Dukes County
Dukes County recent bookings are handled through the Dukes County Sheriff's Office on Martha's Vineyard. The county runs a small jail and house of correction in Edgartown that processes all local arrest bookings. Since Dukes County is an island community with a population of about 20,000, booking volume stays low compared to mainland counties. There is no public online search tool for recent bookings here. You will need to contact the sheriff's office by phone or visit in person to get booking information. This page covers how to search for Dukes County recent bookings, what records are available, and where to find the details you need.
Dukes County Booking Overview
Dukes County Sheriff's Office and Jail
The Dukes County Sheriff's Office is the main agency that handles recent bookings in the county. Sheriff Robert W. Ogden runs the office, which sits at 149 Main Street in Edgartown, MA 02539. The phone number is (508) 627-5173. For administrative questions, call (508) 696-0808. All arrest bookings on Martha's Vineyard go through this office and the attached jail facility.
The Dukes County Jail and House of Correction is a historic facility that dates back to 1873. It has a capacity of 40 male detainees. On a typical day, about 15 people are held there. The facility is small, which means staff can often tell you quickly if someone has been booked recently. This is not a large operation like you would find in Suffolk or Middlesex County. Call the jail directly and ask about a specific person by name. Staff can check their records and let you know if that person is in custody or was recently processed through the facility.
Dukes County booking records include the person's name, date of birth, charges, booking date, and custody status. Since there is no online inmate lookup tool, phone calls are the fastest way to get this information. The mailing address for inmate correspondence is PO Box 252, Edgartown, MA 02539.
| Sheriff | Robert W. Ogden |
|---|---|
| Address | 149 Main Street, PO Box 252, Edgartown, MA 02539 |
| Main Phone | (508) 627-5173 |
| Admin Phone | (508) 696-0808 |
| Jail Capacity | 40 male detainees |
| Average Daily Population | ~15 inmates |
Dukes County Sheriff's Department Site
The Dukes County Sheriff's website is the official online presence for the department. It lists contact details, staff information, and links to programs run at the jail. You will not find an inmate search tool on the site, but it gives you the phone numbers and addresses you need to reach the right people for booking inquiries.
The site also covers the department's role in court transport and community programs. For recent booking questions, the contact page is your best starting point. Save the main number and call during business hours for the quickest response on Dukes County arrest records.
Search Dukes County Recent Bookings
Searching for recent bookings in Dukes County takes a bit more effort than in larger counties. There is no online database or roster to check. The sheriff's office does not post booking information on its website. Your best option is to pick up the phone. Call (508) 627-5173 and ask about the person by name. Staff can check their system and confirm whether someone was booked recently.
You can also visit in person. The jail is on Main Street in Edgartown. Bring a valid ID if you plan to ask about booking records at the front desk. Keep in mind this is a small facility on an island, so hours and staffing may vary, especially in the off-season months when Martha's Vineyard sees far fewer people.
The Massachusetts court system gives you another way to look up Dukes County booking information. The court docket search tool on mass.gov lets you find arraignment records tied to arrests. When someone is booked in Dukes County, they are brought before the Edgartown District Court for arraignment. That court date creates a docket entry you can search for online. It is free to use and available any time.
Note: Phone inquiries are the most reliable method for checking on Dukes County recent bookings since no online tool exists.
Dukes County Jail Booking Details
The Dukes County Jail and House of Correction is where all local bookings are processed. Built in 1873, it is one of the older correctional facilities still in use in Massachusetts. The jail holds pretrial detainees and sentenced inmates serving shorter terms. Its small size means that booking records are easier to track down than in a large county system. The facility handles both pretrial holds and sentenced commitments, all within the same building.
If you want to visit someone who was recently booked in Dukes County, you need to register at least 24 hours ahead of time. Download the Visit Request Form from the visitor information page on the sheriff's site. Fill it out and return it to the Pine Street entrance of the facility. The jail enforces visitor rules strictly, so read the guidelines before you show up. Visits are a privilege, not a right, and the facility can deny access for dress code violations or other issues.
People who need to send mail to someone booked in Dukes County should address it to the inmate at PO Box 252, Edgartown, MA 02539. Include the person's full legal name on the envelope. The jail screens all incoming mail, so follow the rules posted on the sheriff's website to avoid delays or rejected letters.
Dukes County Arrest Records and Inmate Programs
People booked into the Dukes County jail have access to several programs during their time in custody. The facility offers education through HiSet preparation and Edovo tablets, which let inmates take courses and earn certificates. There are also vocational training options, addiction treatment programs, anger management classes, a reading club, parenting courses, and mental health services. The Road Crew program puts inmates to work with the State DPW on local projects. These programs are worth knowing about if you are looking into the status of someone recently booked, since participation can affect release decisions.
Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 276, Section 57 governs what happens after an arrest and booking. It sets rules for bail and the timeline for getting someone before a judge. In Dukes County, this means a person booked at the jail must go to Edgartown District Court for arraignment within a short window. That court appearance creates a public record you can search later through the state court system.
The sheriff's office also handles transport to and from courts, other facilities, and healthcare appointments. Since Martha's Vineyard is an island, transport sometimes involves ferry trips to the mainland. This can affect how quickly booking records are updated in county systems and how soon someone appears in court after an arrest.
Dukes County Booking Records on Mass.gov
The state of Massachusetts maintains a page for every county jail. The Dukes County Jail and House of Correction page on mass.gov provides official contact information and basic facility details. This is a good backup source if the sheriff's website is down or you want to verify the phone number and address before calling about a recent booking.
Mass.gov also hosts the court docket search tool and general information about how criminal records work in the state. If you are trying to find Dukes County booking records and the direct phone line is not getting you answers, the state site can point you toward other resources. The public records law under M.G.L. Chapter 66, Section 10 gives you the right to request booking records from the sheriff's office in writing. Send a written request to PO Box 252, Edgartown, MA 02539. The office has 10 business days to respond.
The Criminal Offender Record Information law, M.G.L. Chapter 6, Section 172, defines what counts as criminal record data in Massachusetts. Booking information falls under this framework. Some details are available to the public while others are restricted. For recent bookings in Dukes County, the basic facts like name, charges, and booking date are generally accessible through a phone call or records request.
Dukes County Local Police and Arrest Records
Arrests in Dukes County start with local police departments on Martha's Vineyard. The Edgartown Police Department is one of the main agencies. You can reach them at PO Box 339, Edgartown, or call (508) 627-4343. Oak Bluffs Police handle arrests in that town and can be reached at (508) 693-0750. Other island towns like Tisbury, West Tisbury, Chilmark, and Aquinnah have their own small police departments as well.
When local police make an arrest, the person is brought to the Dukes County Jail for booking. The booking record is then held by the sheriff's office. So even if the arrest was made by Edgartown or Oak Bluffs police, the booking record itself lives with the county. This is important to understand when you are searching for recent bookings. You may get arrest details from the local police department, but the booking record comes from the sheriff.
Sealed records are another thing to keep in mind. Under M.G.L. Chapter 276, Section 100A, a person can petition to have their criminal record sealed. If a Dukes County booking record has been sealed by court order, it will not come up in any search. This applies to older records mostly, but it explains why some searches turn up nothing even when you know an arrest took place.
Nearby Counties
Dukes County is an island county that covers Martha's Vineyard. The closest counties are reached by ferry or air. If you are not sure which county handled a booking, check where the arrest took place. The arresting agency determines which county processes the record.