Access Nantucket County Jail Mugshots

Nantucket County jail mugshots are created at the small jail on Nantucket Island. This is one of the most isolated counties in Massachusetts. The jail sits on New South Road and serves the island's year-round residents and seasonal visitors. Sheriff James E. Perelman runs the facility. Online access to booking records is very limited here, and direct contact with the sheriff's office is the primary way to get mugshot and arrest information. This page explains the facility, search methods, and the legal framework for accessing records in Nantucket County.

Nantucket County Jail

The Nantucket County Jail is at 20 New South Road, Nantucket, MA 02554. It is a small facility. The island has a year-round population of about 14,000, but that number jumps in the summer when tourists arrive. Sheriff James E. Perelman oversees jail operations. When someone is arrested on Nantucket, they get booked at this jail. Staff take a mugshot, record personal details, and log the charges.

Getting to Nantucket requires a ferry from Hyannis or a short flight. That makes this one of the hardest jails in Massachusetts to visit in person. The isolation also means the jail handles things a bit differently than mainland facilities. The inmate population stays small most of the time. Resources are limited compared to counties on the mainland. There is very little public info about the jail online.

The Nantucket County government website has general county info. The Nantucket County Sheriff's website may have some facility details, though the online presence for this office is minimal. For current custody info, call (508) 228-7263.

Since no local images are available for Nantucket County, the Massachusetts DOC homepage below shows how the state handles correctional facilities and records.

The state DOC page gives context for how Massachusetts manages inmate records across all its facilities, including county jails like Nantucket.

How to Find Nantucket County Mugshots

Searching for jail mugshots in Nantucket County is straightforward but limited in options. There is no online inmate search tool. No live roster. The sheriff's office does not post booking photos on the web. So your main options are calling, writing, or visiting.

Call (508) 228-7263 first. This is the quickest way to find out if someone is in custody at the Nantucket County Jail. Staff can give you basic booking info over the phone. For a copy of a mugshot or a detailed booking record, you will need to make a formal request.

Under MGL c. 66, Section 10, you have the right to request public records from any Massachusetts government agency. Send a written request to the Nantucket County Sheriff's Office at 20 New South Road, Nantucket, MA 02554. Say exactly what you want. Include the person's name and approximate date of arrest. The office has up to 10 business days to respond. Copy fees are $0.25 per page.

In-person visits are possible but not practical for most people. You would need to take a ferry from Hyannis (about two hours each way) or fly. If you are already on the island, go during business hours with a valid ID.

Note: Because Nantucket has such limited online resources, a phone call is almost always the right first step before submitting a formal written request.

Nantucket County Jail Booking Records

Booking records at the Nantucket County Jail contain the same types of data as any Massachusetts jail. The record has the person's full name, date of birth, and physical description. A booking photo is taken at intake. Charges are listed. The arresting agency is noted. Bond or bail information goes into the file when it has been set by the court. Case numbers and court dates are tracked.

For sentenced inmates, the record includes sentence length and expected release date. Custody classification and housing info are part of the internal file. The amount of this data that is available to the public depends on the type of record and how it is classified under state law.

The seasonal nature of Nantucket means arrest patterns shift with the calendar. Summer brings more people, more alcohol-related incidents, and more bookings. The rest of the year is much quieter. Whatever time of year it is, the booking process stays the same and creates the same set of records.

Jail Mugshot Laws in Nantucket County

Massachusetts public records law applies to Nantucket the same as everywhere else in the state. Under MGL c. 66, Section 10, records held by government agencies are presumed public. You can ask for them and expect a response within 10 business days. The law covers booking records held by the sheriff's office.

Exemptions exist. MGL c. 4, Section 7(26) lays out categories of records that agencies can withhold. These include investigatory materials and records that could put someone at risk. The CORI system under MGL c. 6, Section 167 restricts access to criminal history data. Mugshots taken after criminal proceedings have started fall under CORI rules, while those taken before proceedings begin are public. That is based on the Supervisor of Public Records opinion from 2010.

Police logs on Nantucket are public. Under MGL c. 41, Section 98F, the Nantucket Police Department must keep a daily log of arrests, complaints, and charges. You can view this log during business hours at no cost. It does not fall under CORI.

Sealed records are not accessible. Under MGL c. 276, Sections 100A and 100C, misdemeanor records can be sealed after 5 years and felonies after 10. Once sealed, the mugshot and all related records are gone from public view.

Note: Records involving domestic violence and sexual assault have additional protections under MGL c. 41, Section 97D and are excluded from public police logs.

Nantucket County Arrest Record Resources

State tools can help fill in the gaps for Nantucket County. The Massachusetts DOC inmate search covers state prisons. If someone from Nantucket has been sent to a state facility, you can find them there. VINELink tracks state facility inmates and lets you register for alerts when custody status changes. It is free and runs around the clock.

The Massachusetts criminal records portal gathers links for CORI checks, record sealing, and other resources. The CORI law information page on mass.gov explains how criminal records work in this state. For a broader view of open records, the Reporters Committee guide to Massachusetts covers what is public and what is not.

Court records from Nantucket cases can be searched through the state trial court system. The Boston Bar Journal article on criminal justice secrecy in Massachusetts is worth reading if you want to understand the challenges of getting arrest records in this state. It covers the tension between public access and privacy that affects every county, including small ones like Nantucket.

Towns in Nantucket County

Nantucket County has no major cities with dedicated pages on this site. The county consists of the Town of Nantucket, which covers the entire island. All jail bookings go through the Nantucket County Jail on New South Road.

Nearby Counties

These are the nearest counties to Nantucket. Both require boat or air travel to reach from the island.