The Worcester County Inmate Population
The core Worcester County inmate population is held by the Worcester County Sheriff's Office at the Worcester County Jail & House of Correction in West Boylston. WCSO says it has custody of pretrial detainees and people sentenced to two and one-half years or less. That local custody group is different from people sentenced to Massachusetts Department of Correction prison time, federal inmates at FMC Devens, and immigration detainees searched through ICE. Sheriff Lew Evangelidis leads the sheriff's office, and the public roster path is the official WCSO Inmate Look-Up rather than a third-party jail list.
Several events can change the Worcester County inmate population on any given week. A new arrest may start in police holding, move to the county jail, and then leave custody after bail or arraignment. A short sentence can keep the person in the house of correction. A longer state sentence moves the person to MA DOC custody, where the county roster is no longer the right search tool. Federal medical or sentenced custody is handled by the Bureau of Prisons, while ICE custody has its own locator.
The WCSO About page gives local context for the jail operation. It describes a correctional institution with roots going back more than 300 years, a current West Boylston facility opened in 1973, capacity for over 1,000 inmates, and more than 600 correctional officers and civilian staff.
Worcester County Inmate Population Statistics
Published Worcester County jail population data is split across official jail pages, state audit material, census correctional-facility counts, and Mass.gov weekly count lists. The safest use of those sources is to label each number by source and date. WCSO publishes capacity and staffing facts. The Massachusetts State Auditor report on WCSO healthcare and inmate deaths gives an admissions figure for the audited period. Census correctional-population data gives a historical local count, not a live roster count.
| Measure | Figure | Source / Year |
|---|---|---|
| WCSO facility capacity | Over 1,000 inmates | WCSO About page, inspected June 17, 2026 |
| WCSO staffing | Over 600 staff | WCSO About page, inspected June 17, 2026 |
| Audit admissions population | 7,278 admitted inmates | Massachusetts State Auditor WCSO audit |
| Historical jail count | 870 local | Census 2020 correctional-facility data cited in research |
| NCCI capacity / ADP | 959 capacity / 829 ADP | 2025 NCCI PREA audit source |
Worcester County Inmate Population Trends
Current Worcester County weekly jail counts are best checked through the Mass.gov weekly inmate count list, because the WCSO roster is a person-search tool, not a public trend dashboard. The research did not extract a full year-by-year average daily population series, so the trend table uses only documented figures. That avoids turning a capacity page into guesswork.
| Year or Period | Count or Measure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Current facility opened | WCSO history places the West Boylston facility opening in 1973. |
| 2013 | 870 local | Correctional-population table count cited in the research, not a current ADP. |
| 2024/2025 audit period | 7,278 admissions | State Auditor source, admissions rather than daily population. |
| 2025 | Weekly count available | Mass.gov list is the official follow-up source for current weekly sheets. |
The Bureau of Justice Statistics Jail Inmates in 2023 report and the Prison Policy Initiative Massachusetts profile give state and national context, but they do not replace Worcester County's own jail figures.
Laws Governing Worcester County Jail Records
Massachusetts public-records law controls how Worcester County jail records can be requested, while corrections statutes and regulations define the custody setting. Online roster access does not mean every jail file is public. Medical data, juvenile material, sealed court records, safety issues, privacy exemptions, and active investigations may limit release.
Key law and rule references:
G.L. c. 66, § 10 sets the Massachusetts public-records request and response framework, including the general 10-business-day response rule.
G.L. c. 4, § 7(26) defines public records and exemptions; WCSO cites this section on its own records page.
G.L. c. 125, § 1 defines county correctional facilities, committed offenders, and state correctional facilities.
103 CMR 932.00 covers county correctional health-care standards and mental-health screening rules.
Search the Worcester County Inmate Lookup
The official county search channel is the WCSO Inmate Look-Up. It covers Worcester County Jail & House of Correction custody. The start page allows a search by first name, last name, both names, or inmate number. The public result grid shows inmate number, inmate name, date of birth, block, cell, and a Details control. If the person was recently arrested, the separate WCSO Police-to-Citizen recent-arrests page may be useful, but its notice states that the people shown have been arrested and not convicted at the time of posting.
The official WCSO inmate lookup page displays the search form and result columns used for Worcester County inmate records.
The result columns matter because they identify current county custody and housing, while court charges and case dates still belong in the Massachusetts court system.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Name | Text | Unspecified | May be used alone or with last name if the portal accepts it. |
| Last Name | Text | Unspecified | Best starting point for a name search. |
| Inmate Number | Text | Unspecified | Related to the MSA number used for jail mail addressing. |
| Details | Result link | n/a | Opens any expanded public detail available for a live result. |
- Open the WCSO Inmate Look-Up and search by last name, first name, or both.
- Use inmate number or MSA number when it is known from mail, court paperwork, or a jail phone call.
- Check the result row for name, date of birth, block, and cell before assuming a match.
- Open Details if the result is available, then compare jail information with MassCourts case records.
- If no county result appears, try recent arrests, MA DOC/VINE, BOP, ICE, or a WCSO records request.
County Jail vs State Prison Search
Worcester County inmate population searches often fail when the wrong custody system is used. WCSO handles local pretrial and short house-of-correction custody. The Massachusetts Department of Correction handles sentenced state-prison custody, including North Central Correctional Institution in Gardner. Federal custody uses the BOP Inmate Locator. Immigration custody uses the ICE Online Detainee Locator System.
| Custody Type | Where to Search | What It Covers |
|---|---|---|
| County jail | WCSO Inmate Look-Up | Pretrial detainees and sentences of two and one-half years or less. |
| State prison | MA DOC / VINELink | Sentenced DOC inmates; Mass.gov says only MA DOC participates in Massachusetts VINE. |
| Federal prison | BOP Inmate Locator | Federal inmates from 1982 to present, including FMC Devens. |
| Immigration detention | ICE ODLS | A-number or biographical search for ICE custody only. |
Worcester County Public Records Requests
When an inmate record is not online, the WCSO public-records channel is the formal fallback. The WCSO public-records page names the Public Records Access Officer, cites G.L. c. 4, § 7(26), and provides mail, phone, and email contact. Use this path for historical booking sheets, booking-photo questions, custody records not on the active search, and jail operations records that are not posted online.
WCSO Public Records Access Officer
Worcester County Sheriff's Office and House of Corrections
5 Paul X. Tivnan Drive
West Boylston, MA 01583
508-854-1983
WCSOPRR@sdw.state.ma.us
Main Jail Information
Worcester County Jail & House of Correction
5 Paul X. Tivnan Drive
West Boylston, MA 01583
508-854-1800
Receiving and housing questions use ext. 2222 when WCSO lists that extension for clothing and housing matters.
Worcester County Detention Facilities
The Worcester County inmate population is not housed in one legal bucket. These facilities and holding locations have different operators, search tools, and public-record paths.
- Worcester County Jail & House of Correction - WCSO county jail and house of correction for pretrial detainees and short county sentences.
- Worcester Police Department Headquarters Holding Cells - short-term city police holding before bail, court, or WCSO transfer.
- North Central Correctional Institution - MA DOC medium/minimum state prison in Gardner for sentenced adult males.
- Federal Medical Center Devens - BOP administrative federal medical center with a minimum-security camp.
Worcester County Jail Visits and Bail
WCSO visitor rules are detailed. Inmates may have up to three visits per week and may list up to seven approved visitors. Visitors must complete a request-to-visit form, show current photo ID, pass metal detection, and follow the dress code. Video visits use Securus for approved visitors and may be recorded or monitored. Bail is posted at the Main Jail Lobby daily at 5:00 PM, cash only, according to the WCSO bail page.
The WCSO visitation page explains approval, ID, dress code, lockers, children, and video visits.
Those rules affect inmate population searches because a confirmed roster match is only the first step before a visit, phone account, mail, or bail transaction.
Worcester County Inmate Population FAQ
How is the Worcester County inmate population searched? Start with the WCSO Inmate Look-Up for county jail custody. If the person was sentenced to state prison, use MA DOC/VINELink. Federal and immigration custody require BOP or ICE searches.
Does the roster show released inmates? The research did not find a published WCSO retention period for released inmates. For past bookings, use the WCSO public-records process and give the name, date, and arresting agency when known.
Are mugshots part of the Worcester County inmate population search? The WCSO lookup start page does not show mugshots before a search. Recent arrest images may appear through Police-to-Citizen, and formal booking-photo requests go through public records.
What if the court case is the real target? Jail records show custody. Court records after an arrest are searched in MassCourts or through the clerk, where charges, events, dispositions, and docket numbers are tracked.