Ash Street Jail and Regional Lock-Up Inmate Records

Ash Street Jail and Regional Lock-Up Overview

Ash Street Jail and Regional Lock-Up is operated by the Bristol County Sheriff's Office at 226 Ash Street, New Bedford, MA 02740. BCSO describes it as a jail and regional lock-up, and the research identifies a distinct intake role from the Dartmouth campus. The facility phone is 508-996-6704, while countywide inmate information is routed through 508-995-6400 ext. 2535.

BCSO says Ash Street holds over 200 prisoners awaiting trial and about a dozen sentenced inmate workers. The 2025 PREA audit lists men age 18 and older, community and minimum custody levels, and 18 housing units. The facility remains active in BCSO's current public custody totals, even though recent reporting has discussed Sheriff Paul Heroux's funding request to move inmates to Dartmouth and close the older jail after infrastructure work.

The BCSO facilities page lists Ash Street separately from the Dartmouth House of Correction and Women's Center.

That separate address matters for mail, visits, intake questions, and family travel.

Ash Street Jail and Regional Lock-Up Capacity and Population

The 2025 Ash Street PREA audit lists designed capacity of 226, current population of 92, average daily population of 109 for the prior 12 months, and 18 housing units. A Massachusetts DPH inspection on November 14, 2024 listed population at 82. BCSO's homepage custody totals dated 6-15-26 listed Ash Street pretrial 61, sentenced 17, regionals 8, and total 86.

Those numbers are not conflicting if their source dates are kept clear. PREA provides capacity, audit population, and ADP. The BCSO homepage provides a current daily facility total. DPH provides an inspection-day count.

The BCSO homepage shows Ash Street's daily categories beside Dartmouth and the Women's Center.

Use those public totals for population context only, not as a person-level roster.

How to Look Up an Inmate at Ash Street Jail and Regional Lock-Up

No official Ash Street online roster or name-search booking list was found. For a person recently arrested in Bristol County, start with the BCSO inmate information line at 508-995-6400 ext. 2535. If the question is about the building, visit status, or operational routing, Ash Street's listed facility phone is 508-996-6704.

1. Call 508-995-6400 ext. 2535 with the person's full legal name, date of birth if known, and arresting agency if known.
2. Ask whether the person is at Ash Street for intake or regional lock-up, at Dartmouth, in court, released, or transferred.
3. Check MassCourts or the court clerk for charges, bail orders, warrant activity, and docket events.
4. Use BCSO public records through RAO Michael C. Arnold for non-online records, subject to CORI, privacy, investigatory, safety, and ICE-identifying-information limits.

If the person is sentenced to a Massachusetts state prison, use Mass.gov's DOC/VINELink instructions. If the person faces federal custody, use the BOP locator or U.S. Marshals Service District of Massachusetts contacts. If immigration custody is suspected, use ICE ODLS. Bristol County's ICE contract ended in 2021, so Ash Street should not be described as holding current ICE detainees.

Ash Street Jail and Regional Lock-Up Address and Contact

Ash Street has its own New Bedford address and phone, but BCSO's inmate information line remains the main custody lookup route. Records requests go to the BCSO records access officer at the Dartmouth administrative address.

Visiting Someone at Ash Street Jail and Regional Lock-Up

BCSO's visiting schedule effective 05/24/2026 lists Ash Street visits by day and alley or unit group. Adult and minor visitor forms are required, and processing may take up to 7 business days. Visitors need valid government ID, minors need a birth certificate and guardian signature, and social visits are non-contact unless otherwise authorized. BCSO rules also say accommodations can be arranged through the Superintendent's Office, and if necessary Ash Street inmate visits may be accommodated at Dartmouth HOC.

Ash Street's schedule is more complex than a simple weekend block, so confirm the alley or unit before traveling.

Mail, Phone, and Money at Ash Street Jail and Regional Lock-Up

Ash Street uses a different mail address from the Dartmouth facilities. The envelope must include the inmate name, ID number, and unit or cell number, then list Bristol County Jail at 226 Ash St, New Bedford, MA 02740. Mail must be stamped, properly addressed, and include a sender return address. BCSO may search mail for contraband and may open and copy legal or privileged mail in the inmate's presence under its posted procedure.

The BCSO mail page shows the Ash Street mail format separately from Dartmouth.

Use the Ash Street format only after confirming the person is housed there.

Booking and Intake at Ash Street Jail and Regional Lock-Up

The 2022 PREA audit identifies Ash Street as BCSO's regional intake area and initial booking area. People arrested locally may be held through the next court session, bonded out, or transported after court and screening to the Dartmouth House of Correction intake area for admission and classification. That makes Ash Street a critical first lookup point after a recent arrest, even when the person later moves to Dartmouth.

BCSO bail rules include a 3:00 AM "Regionals Only" bail time, plus weekday, weekend, and holiday bail windows. Parties posting bail must check in at least 30 minutes before the listed bail time. BCSO also notes that Trial Court system maintenance every third Wednesday from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM affects WMS warrant checks and cancels the 7:30 PM bail on those days.

About Ash Street Jail and Regional Lock-Up

Ash Street is one of Bristol County's defining jail details. BCSO's About page describes it as the oldest operating jail in the nation, opened in 1888, with parts of site construction dating to the 1830s. The history page says the new 287-cell Ash Street facility was built in 1888 at a cost of $80,000 and became Bristol County's primary prisoner housing center for much of the twentieth century.

The BCSO history page gives the local jail history behind Ash Street and Dartmouth.

Recent public discussion about possible closure should be read as current funding and planning context, not as a statement that Ash Street has closed.

A 2024 DPH inspection reported deficiencies at Ash Street and required a plan of correction, while the 2025 PREA audit listed 45 standards met and 0 standards not met. Both details belong in conditions context without overstating either source.