Pound Pup Legacy

MCI-Framingham is a medium security correctional facility for female offenders, located twenty-two miles west of Boston. MCI-Framingham is the Massachusetts Department of Correction's only committing institution for female offenders. It is noted as the oldest female correctional institution in operation in the united states. The facility houses women at various classification levels, including state sentenced and county offenders, and awaiting trial inmates. The facility consists of four housing units within the compound, plus a two story 120+ bed modular housing unit. Also situated within the compound is a health service unit. The old administration building is presently used for inmate programming. The Betty Cole Smith Building includes inmate visiting, admissions processing area, administrative offices in addition to housing units.

In addition to meeting the security needs of a medium security facility, MCI-Framingham provides numerous program and treatment opportunities including mental health, medical, substance abuse, and family services, as well as educational, vocational, library, religious, recreation, and community service programs. To this end, the female offender can access and utilize programs at MCI-Framingham, transfer to South Middlesex Correctional Center through the classification process, and make the reintegrative transition back into the community.

The current Hampshire Jail and House of Correction replaced a small Civil War Era facility which was located in Northampton center. The institution was completed and occupied in 1985 on a site 2 miles northwest of Northampton center. The Facility was originally designed to house 148 inmates. As an aide to overcrowding in the State prision system, a 100 bed modular building was erected in 1988, increasing the total to 248.

Pondville Correctional Center is located thirty-six (36) miles southwest of Boston in the town of Norfolk, Massachusetts. It has a capacity of 204 inmates, of which 160 inmates are Level 3 (minimum) and 44 inmates are Level 2 (pre-release).

The primary mission of Pondville Correctional Center is to protect the public's safety by incarcerating inmates and to provide inmates the opportunity for responsible reintegration and positive behavioral change. The focus of the facility's operations is two fold. First, inmates are required to work unless a medical condition exists which will require a waiver from work assignments. Second, inmates are provided vocational, educational, and self help programming opportunities including Life Skills, Small Engine Repair, Violence Reduction, Public Safety Transition Program, Thinking for a Change, A.A., N.A., and various religious services.

There are no walls or fences at this facility. Security is maintained through inmate counts and strict accountability procedures. Department policy mandates supervisory spot checks of community work crews, drug and alcohol testing, searches, and police notifications when inmates are in their community.

WORK PROGRAMS

• Eligible and suitable Level 2 (Pre-release) inmates who are within 18 months of their parole eligibility or discharge date will be classified to participate in the Work Release Program. These inmates work at jobs in the community and earn at least the minimum wage.

The goal of the Department of Correction and Pondville Correctional Center is to successfully reintegrate these inmates back into society by providing gainful employment opportunities while simultaneously providing for public safety.

The program has strict accountability and supervision measures and transportation is provided by Pondville Correctional Center. These measures are explained in depth to employers during an Employer Orientation Program.

Some interesting aspects of the program are:

• Tax incentives for employers involved in this program.
• There is a steady supply of labor available through this program.
• If there is a problem at the work site, Correction Program Officers respond immediately.
• Inmates are prompt and reliable and their absences will be minimal.
• A healthy work force. Inmates are regularly tested for drug and alcohol usage and are removed to a higher security level if found positive.

Pondville Correctional Center is committed to working collaboratively with local companies in providing a safe, reliable work force for their business endeavors.

• Each Level 3 (minimum-security) inmate is expected to maintain a daily job assignment. Wages range from $l.00 to $4.00 per day. Job assignments are intended to provide the offender with opportunities for positive behavioral change while developing work skills and dependable work ethics. Pondville Correctional Center work crews are always under officer supervision while away from the facility.

• A number of inmates work at the other correctional facilities in the area (MCI-Cedar Junction, MCI-Norfolk and Bay State Correctional Center) doing grounds work, landscaping and janitorial duties.

• Pondville Correctional Center inmates work to provide community reparation. As such, Pondville works collaboratively with cities, towns and State agencies on various projects that save the taxpayers money and allows the inmates to give something back to the community. Daily and special periodic work crews assist area towns including Norfolk, Plainville, Millis, Medway, Norwood, Mansfield, Foxboro, and Blackstone. Work crew duties range from cleaning streets and parks to assisting schools with painting and general maintenance during holidays, to general clean up and landscaping at municipal buildings. In addition, up to 20 inmates per day assist the Division of Recreation and Conservation with a variety of tasks and projects.  

Educational programming

Educational programs are designed to be innovative and provide inmates with the opportunity for positive behavioral change. Based on a need assessment upon entry into the correctional system, offenders who have yet to earn their G.E.D. are strongly encouraged to participate in such programs in order to be considered for gradual reductions in security placement. Academic programs include: Adult Basic Education, English as a Second Language, GED tutoring and Life Skills Computer program. The later program was introduced in 1993 and remains today. This high tech approach to inmate education focuses on such topics as resume writing, job applications, job interviews, personal finance, Adult Basic Education, GED, math and reading skills and basic keyboarding.

A Small Engine Repair Program was introduced in FY03. This is integrated with the Pre- Vocational Skills program and provides inmates with a skill, which they may use to gain employment upon re-entry into society.

GENERAL INFORMATION

• All offenders at Pondville Correctional Center are subject to random drug testing and treatment sanctions.
• There are 58 employees: 7 non-security and 51 security/classification positions.
• The facility has 16-hour health coverage and as such, we receive many inmates with chronic medical conditions.
• In August 2003, Pondville Correctional Center was re-accredited by the American Correctional Association for a three-year period signifying an adherence to National Standards and a striving for professional excellence.
• In May of 2003 the facility, in conjunction with its privatized medical services, received re-accreditation from the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC).

MCI-Plymouth is located in the Myles Standish State Forest approximately 10 miles from Plymouth, 52 miles from Boston and 29 miles from New Bedford.   It is a 195 bed, level 3, minimum-security community correctional facility.  The facility mission statement is “We are dedicated professionals providing public safety through sound inmate accountability, while simultaneously offering offenders re-entry opportunities for self-improvement and providing service and support to local communities”.

Correctional staff strives to set a high level of excellence, which reflects their commitment to operating a safe, clean and humane environment for all staff and inmates.   All inmates work in a variety of job assignments at the facility and in the community on supervised work crews.  Job assignments are intended to provide the offender with opportunities for positive behavioral change while developing work skills and dependable work ethics.  Through the work crew program, inmates provide community reparation through agreements with local towns and State agencies such as the MA Highway Department and the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Inmates continue their re-entry planning while at the facility.   To complement their efforts several programs are available to ensure they are adequately prepared for the transition from prison life into the community.  Programs include the Correctional Recovery Program, Thinking for A Change, Public Safety Transition Program, GED, ABE, ESL, Automotive Program, AA meetings, NA meetings, and various religious services. 

The facility has partnered with the National Education for Assistance Dog Services (NEADS) which offers inmates an opportunity to train service dogs.   The program was established at MCI-Plymouth in February 2003.  Each dog is trained at the facility for approximately twelve to fourteen months.  NEADS is a non-profit organization who provides service dogs for children and adults who are hearing and physically impaired.  Volunteers assist the program by taking the dogs into the community for socialization purposes.   This is an extremely rewarding experience for all involved.

The correctional facility has greatly changed since it was constructed in 1952 as Restoration Camp #1 at the Myles Standish State Forest. It operated as a prison camp into the 1950s when it became MCI-Plymouth.  By 1967, work programs were established in the correctional system and its role continues to change and offer unique opportunities for the inmates.  Through the years, many construction projects and renovations have lead to the modern and effective community correctional facility it is today.

In August 2005, MCI-Plymouth was accredited by the American Correctional Association for a three-year period signifying an adherence to national standards.

In June 2005, the facility in conjunction with its privatized medical provider received accreditation from the National Commission on Correctional Health Care for its compliance with Standards for Health Services in Prisons.

Twenty miles north west of Boston Massachusetts you will find the Northeastern Correctional Center, established in 1932, located on approximately 300 acres of farmland. The Northeastern Correctional Center is an all male prison that houses inmates for two levels of security (level three/minimum and level two/pre-release). Our housing capacity for level three is 182 and 80 for level two inmates. The Northeastern Correctional Center is accredited by the American Correctional Association ( ACA ), managed by the Massachusetts Department of Correction and overseen by the Massachusetts Department of Public Safety.

Our Mission begins with providing inmates with solid work ethics and programs with the objective of releasing them back into our communities with a clear direction of their future. We accomplish this by providing structured educational, vocational, substance abuse and work release opportunities. Through our sound security practices and classification process, we strive to provide a safe and humane environment for both the offender and staff.

Level-three inmates housed at the Northeastern Correctional Center provide many hours of community services to our surrounding Towns, Cities, State and Government Municipalities that is known as our Community Inmate Work Crew program. Inmates are transported to their designated work detail and are supervised by a correctional professional. Perhaps you have seen one of our inmate community work crews, cleaning up your streets and highways or maybe painting a public building. Since the Massachusetts Department of Correction's Community Work Crew program has been in force, we have provided many hours of labor that has ultimately saved the tax payers of Massachusetts millions of dollars.

Our Pre-Release program is designed to screen eligible level-two inmates who are within eighteen months of their release and provide them with outside employment. The pre-release work program benefits the inmate by providing work with the goal to financially re- establish them once they are released from incarceration. The pre-release program also rewards the employer by offering the “ Work Opportunity Tax Credit.” An employer can deduct forty-percent of the first $6000.00 of gross wages for each inmate hired.

Our correctional staff and community volunteers provide many programs that are focused on preparing inmates for their eventual release. We have a large amount of volunteers, more specifically, Concord Prison Outreach Group who is committed to help the offender in all areas of interests. Some of the programs offered to the inmate population include, Family Day, educational tutoring, art projects, religious programs etc.

Selected inmates are also involved with the National Education for Assistance Dog Services N.E.A.D.S program. Inmates are selected to train specialty dogs to assist people who have aural or other physical disabilities. The puppy or dog is placed with the inmate handler where they accompany him all around the minimum-security facility, from the chow hall to the visiting room where they will socialize with lots of people and children. The handlers will attend weekly classes where they will learn to teach puppies to respond to basic obedience commands such as sit, down, stand, heel, come and stay. Later on the handlers will learn how to teach the puppies to fetch objects, tug doors open, turn light switches on and off as well as work next to a wheel chair. The dogs will eventually be return to NEADS for "finish" work and then be placed with a person with a physical disability.

A fluctuating staff of 87 correctional officers and administrative support personnel supervised and managed an inmate population that averaged 220 inmates per day in 2003.