Prisoners at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center on Lockdown after Disturbance

Updated: January 13, 2017 – 1:15pm

According to Superintendent Steve Silva, Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center is open today for all purposes, but those prisoners held in M2 are not yet allowed normal privileges. M2 is currently housing P1 prisoners but administrators hope to finish interviewing the last couple of prisoners very soon, after which that block can be opened as well.

Phones were off during the disturbance on January 9th but should be functioning normally at this point. Some reported that CPCS, PREA, PLAP, and family calls were blocked, and the superintendent is looking into this in case glitches are causing the problem.

PLS attorneys are at SBCC today and will update here with any further information.

Updated: January 12, 2017 – 11:15am

South Side visits at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center are resuming today (1/12/17). North Side visits are still not permitted. Attorneys are able to visit most prisoners, but require permission to visit a select group who PLS suspects are people who were in the P1 unit on January 9th, the scene of Monday’s unrest.

PLS has not received any phone calls from prisoners at Souza-Baranowski since Monday so it is assumed that phone privileges are either restricted or prohibited currently.

PLS staff are planning to visit the facility on Friday 1/13/17 and will update afterward.

Updated: January 10, 2017 – 11:00am

Prisoners’ Legal Services is aware of and actively investigating a disturbance at Souza Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley, Massachusetts, which began in the afternoon of January 9th, 2017 and has resulted in the lockdown of the entire facility. The incident involved 47 prisoners according to media reports.

Thankfully, current news reports indicate no injuries to either staff or prisoners and it is our hope that this is accurate.

PLS attorneys are not currently permitted to enter the facility but will update this page with information as it becomes available.

Media reports: