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Essex County Jail


The Essex County Correctional Facility, situated on a spacious 12-acre property in metropolitan Middleton, serves as the largest prison facility in Essex County, Massachusetts. Established in 1944, the facility is located at 20 Manning Avenue, Middleton, MA, 01949-2807. With its extensive 1000-bed capacity, the correctional facility primarily accommodates pre-trial detainees. Beyond its core function as a prison, the Essex County Correctional Facility is committed to providing reintegration programming specifically designed for male convicted offenders.


Maintaining a minimum security level, the Essex County Correctional Facility prioritizes the safety and well-being of its inmates. The monthly average of total bookings in the facility stands at approximately 339, with a dedicated staff of 116 members ensuring the smooth operation of the facility. Additionally, as part of its commitment to inmate rehabilitation, the facility engages more than 500 prisoners each year in various in-house work assignments, encompassing kitchen duties, laundry services, and other essential activities.


As an extension of its operations, the Essex County Correctional Facility oversees and operates the Essex County Work Leave Center (WFC), conveniently located just a short distance from the main prison facility. This center offers additional opportunities for inmate work release programs, allowing eligible individuals to engage in productive activities outside the prison environment. With its comprehensive approach to corrections and inmate management, the Essex County Correctional Facility aims to foster positive change and facilitate successful reentry into society.


Inmate Visitation Procedure

The visitor information for each facility within the Essex County Sheriff’s Department, including schedules, appointment details, and visitor forms, can be found in the provided chart. It is important to note that there is a maximum limit of two adults and two children allowed per visit across all facilities. To ensure the safety and supervision of minors (individuals under the age of 18), they must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian at all times during the visit. Birth certificates for each minor, listing both the mother and father’s names, are required. 


Additionally, parents must provide a birth certificate with both parents’ names and an official seal for each child. Legal guardians must present court documents as proof of custody. Children and minors are only permitted to visit their father, brother, stepfather, grandfather, or legal guardian. In cases where direct relations accompany minors, a signed and notarized letter from the parent or legal guardian is required. It is important for all visitors to comply with the dress code enforced by the Essex County Sheriff’s Department.


The Visiting Schedule are as follows:


  • Weekdays – 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
  • Weekends – 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM


Inmate Mail Services

The Essex County Sheriff’s Department has recently implemented a digital mail system for incarcerated individuals, discontinuing the acceptance of personal mail in its physical form. This change specifically applies to personal and nonprivileged mail, while privileged and legal correspondence, as well as certain items like money orders and publications sent directly from authorized sources, will continue to be accepted through the traditional postal service. For mail containing a money order intended for an inmate’s canteen account, it is requested to clearly indicate “CANTEEN” on the envelope.


Securus Technologies is responsible for operating the digital mail program. They receive the incoming mail, open it, and convert it into digital files. The Essex County Sheriff’s Department then prints and distributes these digital files to the respective recipients. Securus retains the original correspondence for a period of 60 days before securely disposing of it. Senders who wish to have their original correspondence returned may do so by including a self-addressed stamped envelope with their mail.


To send personal and nonprivileged mail, please adhere to the following address format: 


INMATE NAME, ID#

HOUSING UNIT C/O Securus Digital Mail Center/Essex County 

PO Box 995 Lebanon, MO 65536


Posting Bail Process

Effective January 1, 2023, the Essex County Sheriff’s Department has implemented new procedures for processing bail. Bails will now be conducted nightly at 8 p.m., and individuals making bail payments must arrive no later than 7:30 p.m.

For inquiries regarding the determination of a bail amount, please contact the Records department at 978-750-1900, extension 3400.


Please note the following guidelines for bail payments:

  • All bail payments must be made using a cashier’s check or a money order payable to the Bail Clerk on duty. Personal checks will not be accepted. To ascertain the Bail Clerk on duty for the day, kindly reach out to the Records department.
  • In addition to the bail amount, a cash fee of $40.00 to $50.00 is charged by the bail commissioner. This fee must be paid in cash.
  • Cash bail payments are accepted up to a maximum amount of $5,000.
  • The individual providing the bail must be at least 18 years old and possess a valid photo identification such as a driver’s license, passport, or transitional assistance card.
  • To ensure an inmate can be bailed at 8 p.m., the person posting the bail must be present by 7:30 p.m.


These procedures aim to streamline the bail process and ensure compliance with the specified requirements.


Depositing Money for Inmates

Commencing on May 22, 2019, Aramark Correctional Services has taken over as the new commissary provider, offering enhanced services for inmates and their loved ones. To facilitate deposits into inmate accounts, the ConnectNetwork GTL platform will be utilized, allowing deposits to be made through various channels:


  1. Online: Visit www.ConnectNetwork.com to make deposits electronically.
  2. Toll-Free Telephone: Use Trust by calling 888-988-4768 for telephone deposits.
  3. Lobby Kiosks: Each facility will have dedicated kiosks available for deposits.
  4. Mobile App: Search for the ConnectNetwork app on Apple and Android devices to make deposits on the go.


Please keep in mind that certain deposits may require specific information. Callers will typically need the following details: Inmate’s First and Last Name, Inmate’s Date of Birth (in the format Month/Day/Year), and Inmate ID#. For telephone payments pertaining to Trust and Pin Debit, use Site ID# 262.


These updated procedures aim to provide a more efficient and convenient means for depositing funds into inmate accounts through the ConnectNetwork GTL platform, ensuring ease of access and improved services for inmates and their loved ones.


Essex County Sheriff Department

County Sheriff :  Kevin F. Coppinger

Address:  165 Marston Street, Lawrence, Massachusetts, 01841

Phone:  978-750-1900


Overview of Essex County

Essex County, located in the northeastern part of Massachusetts, is a populous county with a total population of 809,829 as of the 2020 census. It ranks as the third-most populous county in the state and the eightieth-most populous in the country. Situated within the Greater Boston area, it is part of the larger Boston–Cambridge–Newton Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county derives its name from the English county of Essex and is known for its two traditional county seats: Salem and Lawrence. While these cities no longer function as seats of government since the dissolution of the county government in 1999, they still serve as administrative regions recognized by various governmental agencies.


Established on May 10, 1643, by the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Essex County was originally divided into four sheires, or shires. It consisted of several towns, including Salem, Lynn, Wenham, Ipswich, Rowley, Newbury, Gloucester, and Andover. Over time, the county’s composition evolved through annexations and transfers. In 1680, the towns of Haverhill, Amesbury, and Salisbury, located north of the Merrimack River, were added to Essex County from Massachusetts’ Norfolk County. The remaining four towns in colonial Norfolk County, including Exeter and present-day Portsmouth, were incorporated into Rockingham County in the Province of New Hampshire.


Essex County holds historical significance as the birthplace of Elbridge Gerry, a politician from Marblehead who, in 1812, created a legislative district that gave rise to the term “gerrymandering.” The county has also faced its share of natural disasters, including floods, hurricanes, and severe winter storms. As a result, Essex County has witnessed more disaster declarations than many other counties in the United States between 1964 and 2016. In recognition of its rich heritage, the county has been designated the Essex National Heritage Area by the National Park Service.


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