Access Nantucket County Recent Arrests

Recent arrests in Nantucket County are made by the Nantucket Police Department and processed through the Nantucket County Sheriff's Office. However, Nantucket has no jail. It is the only county in Massachusetts that does not hold any incarcerated people. Everyone arrested on the island is transferred to the Barnstable County Correctional Facility on the mainland, which means searching for Nantucket arrest records often requires checking two counties. This page explains how that process works and where to find arrest information.

Nantucket County Sheriff's Office

The Nantucket County Sheriff's Office is at 20 South Water Street, Nantucket, MA 02554. You can also reach Barnstable County at (508) 375-6200 for information about Nantucket inmates in custody. The sheriff's mission focuses on protecting the public while treating every person with dignity and respect.

Even though Nantucket has no jail, the sheriff's office still plays an important role. It handles the transport of detainees and inmates to and from the Trial Court and to the Barnstable County House of Correction. That transport happens by boat or plane, given the island's location about 30 miles south of Cape Cod. The office also serves judicial and civil process documents and assists with law enforcement on the island.

The Nantucket County Sheriff's Office website has basic information about the office and its services.

The screenshot above shows the Nantucket County Sheriff's Office website, which provides details about the office's role in handling recent arrests on the island.

Nantucket Has No Jail

This is the key fact about recent arrests in Nantucket County: there is no active jail on the island. People arrested on Nantucket are held briefly by police and then transported to the Barnstable County Correctional Facility in Bourne, which is the 588-bed facility that serves all of Cape Cod and the islands. The trip from Nantucket to Bourne requires a boat or plane ride. This arrangement has been in place for decades.

Nantucket did have a jail once. The Old Gaol on Vestal Street was built in 1805 after prisoners escaped from an earlier building on High Street. It was a two-story structure with two cells per floor, built from heavy oak logs bolted together and reinforced with iron. The last prisoner escaped in 1933 by hitting the keeper. The building became a museum in 1946, run by the Nantucket Historical Association. It was restored in 2014 with help from community, state, and national grants.

If you are looking for someone arrested on Nantucket who is now in custody, you need to check with the Barnstable County Sheriff's Office. Call (508) 563-4300 for custody information.

Search Nantucket Arrest Records

Because Nantucket has no jail, searching for recent arrest records works a bit differently here. You need to check multiple sources depending on what part of the process you are looking into.

For the arrest itself, contact the Nantucket Police Department. They are the primary arresting agency on the island. They keep arrest logs and can help with public records requests. Police daily logs are free to inspect at the station under M.G.L. c. 66, § 10.

For inmate custody information after someone has been transferred off island, use the Barnstable County resources. The sheriff's office at (508) 563-4300 can tell you if someone is there. You can also try VINELink at (866) 277-7477 for custody status alerts.

Court records for Nantucket arrests go through the Nantucket District Court at 16 Broad Street. The Nantucket Juvenile Court is in the same building. Call (508) 325-4265 for the juvenile court. You can search court case information through the MassCourts portal for free.

For a comprehensive criminal background check, use the iCORI system from the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services. Personal checks cost $25, open access is $50.

The screenshot above shows the iCORI login portal, which is the statewide system for running criminal record checks that include Nantucket County arrests.

Nantucket County Public Records

Arrest records from Nantucket are public under Massachusetts law. The public records law at M.G.L. c. 66, § 10 requires government agencies to let you inspect records at reasonable times. The standard exceptions apply. Juvenile records, sealed records, ongoing investigation files, victim information, and medical data are off limits under M.G.L. c. 4, § 7(26).

A Nantucket arrest record can include the person's name, date of birth, physical description, charges, arresting officer details, and court information. Mugshots, fingerprints, and bail amounts may be part of the file. To get copies, submit a public records request to the Nantucket Police Department or the Barnstable County Sheriff's Office (for people in custody). Agencies have 10 business days to respond.

Sealing Nantucket Arrest Records

Arrests on Nantucket go on your record just like anywhere else in Massachusetts. They stay there unless you seal or expunge them. Misdemeanor convictions can be sealed after 3 years under M.G.L. c. 276, § 100A. Felonies take 7 years. Non-conviction records can be sealed without waiting under § 100C. Not guilty findings are now sealed automatically thanks to the 2023 Commonwealth v. J.F. ruling.

Check your eligibility to seal your record through the state portal. You can also look into expungement if the offense happened before age 21 or if the record was made by mistake. The Massachusetts Probation Service handles petitions at (617) 557-0225. Greater Boston Legal Services at (617) 371-1234 offers free help with the process.

Note: Drug possession records may qualify for special sealing rules under M.G.L. c. 94C, § 34 for first-time offenses.

What Makes Nantucket Arrests Different

Nantucket's island location creates some unique challenges for people dealing with recent arrests. The geographic isolation means that anyone who cannot make bail gets transported off island to Barnstable County. That trip adds time and complexity. Court appearances still happen at the Nantucket District Court, so detainees may be transported back and forth by boat or plane for hearings.

During summer, the island's population swells from about 14,000 to over 50,000 with tourists and seasonal residents. Arrest activity typically rises during these months. The Nantucket Police Department is the only full-time local law enforcement agency on the island. State police may also respond to incidents.

Historical records from the court system go back to 1806. The old jail sat empty from 1870 to 1876 because so few people lived on the island and crime was practically nonexistent during that stretch. Times have changed, but Nantucket still has far fewer arrests than any mainland county in Massachusetts.

Towns in Nantucket County

Nantucket County consists of just one town: Nantucket. The island and the county are the same thing. There are no other municipalities and no qualifying cities for a dedicated page. All arrests happen under the jurisdiction of the Nantucket Police Department and are processed through the county sheriff's office.

Nearby Counties

Nantucket County is an island south of Cape Cod. Barnstable County provides all detention services for Nantucket arrests. Dukes County (Martha's Vineyard) is the other island county in Massachusetts.