Walpole will stop housing prisoners in 2024 Commonwealth MagazineBy Shira SchoenbergApril 8, 2022 THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT of Correction on Thursday made a surprising announcement: MCI-Cedar Junction in Walpole will stop housing prisoners over the next two years. The reason the department gave was declining numbers of inmates and increasing costs. Or, in DOC-speak, “a thorough assessment of […]
2 Mass. prisons mishandled COVID and neglected prisoners, report by disability advocates claims
WBURBy Deborah BeckerMarch 28, 2022 Some Massachusetts prisons fell short in handling the coronavirus pandemic and neglected disabled and medically vulnerable prisoners, according to an investigation by the Disability Law Center. A new Disability Law Center (DLC) report released Monday examined coronavirus mitigation efforts within specialized medical units at MCI-Norfolk and MCI-Shirley. Among the more serious findings […]
New bill proposes civilian oversight for Massachusetts prisons
Senator James Eldridge calls for independent oversight to help reform the agency, currently facing two federal lawsuits alleging misconduct The Boston GlobeJanuary 11, 2022By Mark Arsenault Amid two federal lawsuits alleging excessive force by Massachusetts prison officials, a leading critic of the Department of Correction has filed a bill to establish independent civilian oversight of […]
Federal lawsuit alleges more than 100 prisoners were beat, attacked at Souza prison
WBURJanuary 11, 2022By Deb Becker There is continued fallout from a lockdown at the state’s maximum security prison two years ago. A federal class action lawsuit, filed by advocacy group Prisoners Legal Services (PLS) of Massachusetts, accuses state correction officials of violently retaliating against prisoners at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley after an assault on a […]
Correction spending rises while incarcerated population declines in Massachusetts
WBURJanuary 4, 2022By Chris Lisinski The incarcerated population in Massachusetts has been dropping steadily for close to a decade at the same time that spending on corrections has been growing, divergent trends that prompted reform advocates to call Tuesday for more transparent reporting from state government. As a panel of lawmakers, sheriffs, administration officials and […]
Mass. trial courts to decrease jurors in pool, prioritize certain cases amid COVID-19 surge
GBHDecember 30, 2021By Sarah Betancourt Amid surging coronavirus rates, Massachusetts’ trial court system will make changes to which cases it hears, and how many jurors it calls up in January. The silver lining to some is that the trial system’s move to prioritize cases where people are already incarcerated could expedite their potential freedom. Elizabeth […]
‘Rubber stamp’ justice? In Mass., prison officials almost always deny prisoners’ claims of abuse behind bars
For state prisoners, advocates say, “there’s no one to call.” The Boston GlobeDecember 29, 2021By Melissa Ellin, Jake Neenan, and Allison Pirog Every year, Massachusetts prisoners file hundreds of grievances alleging all manner of mistreatment behind bars, from excessive force to racism to harassment — all at the hands of prison employees. And year after […]
Experts in public health, housing, and addiction rebuke Boston officials over actions at Mass. and Cass.
Experts in public health, housing, and addiction rebuke Boston officials over actions at Mass. and Cass. Boston.comOctober 26, 2021By Dialynn Dwyer Leaders and advocates working in public health, housing, and addiction are denouncing the steps Boston officials are taking to handle the humanitarian crisis in the area of the city known as Mass. and Cass. […]
Suffolk County Sheriff says courtroom in his jail will soon open to help address ‘Mass. and Cass’ addiction crisis
Suffolk County Sheriff says courtroom in his jail will soon open to help address ‘Mass. and Cass’ addiction crisis WBUROctober 25, 2021By Deborah Becker Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins’ plan to outfit his jail with a new addiction treatment program — along with a makeshift courtroom to process criminal cases — appears to be on […]
Department of Correction finally hires ombudsman
Department of Correction finally hires ombudsman Advocates criticize selection of UMass Medical School September 9, 2021Commonwealth MagazineBy Shira Schoenberg AFTER A DELAY of several months, the Department of Correction has entered into a contract with the University of Massachusetts Medical School to create an ombudsman’s office within the department. But critics – including prisoners’ rights advocates and […]