Massachusetts Department of Correction
Encyclopedia
The Massachusetts Department of Correction is responsible for operating the prison system of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
, US
Massachusetts houses over 11,500 inmates (about 1,820 are serving life sentences) throughout 18 correctional facilities and employs over 5,000 employees (about 4,000 of whom are correctional officers). The MA DOC also has a tactical
unit, a fugitive
apprehension unit, a gang
intelligence unit, a K-9 team
, a Special Reaction Team (SRT), and a Tactical Response Team (TRT). Both of these tactical units are highly trained and are paramilitary
teams. The Massachusetts DOC is the largest law enforcement agency in the state of Massachusetts with a staff of 5,000, 4,000 of which are sworn officers. The agency is headquartered in Milford
.
.
MAXIMUM SECURITY: A custody level in which both design/construction as well as inmate classification reflect the need to provide maximum external and internal control and supervision of inmates primarily through the use of high security parameters and extensive use of internal physical barriers and check points. Inmates accorded this status present serious escape risks or pose serious threats to themselves, to other inmates, to staff, or the orderly running of the institution. Supervision of inmates is direct and constant.
MEDIUM SECURITY: A custody level in which design/construction as well as inmate classification reflect the need to provide maximum external and internal control and supervision of inmates. Inmates accorded to this status may present an escape risk or pose a threat to other inmates, staff, or the orderly running of the institution. Supervision remains constant and direct. Through an inmates willingness to comply with institutional rules and regulations, increased job and program opportunities exist.
MINIMUM SECURITY: A custody level in which both the design/construction as well as inmate classification reflect the goal of returning to the inmate a greater sense of personal responsibility and autonomy while still providing for supervision and monitoring of behavior and activity. Inmates within this security level are not considered a serious risk to the safety of staff, inmates or to the public. Program participation is mandated and geared toward their potential reintegration into the community. Access to the community is limited and under constant direct staff supervision.
PRE-RELEASE: A custody level in which both design/construction as well as inmate classification reflect the goal of restoring to the inmate maximum responsibility and control of their own behavior and actions prior to their release. Direct supervision of these inmates is not required, but intermittent observation may be appropriate under certain conditions. Inmates within this level may be permitted to access the community unescorted to participate in programming to include, but not limited to, work release, educational release, etc.
The total custody overcrowding rate for DOC facilities as of July 1st, 2010 was 140 %. The highest overcrowding rate at any facility was 344 %.
South Bay in Dorchester and MCI Concord in Concord are the most over crowded jails/prisons in Massachusetts.
50 Maple Street, Suite 3
Milford, MA 01757
Phone: (508) 422-3300
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Massachusetts houses over 11,500 inmates (about 1,820 are serving life sentences) throughout 18 correctional facilities and employs over 5,000 employees (about 4,000 of whom are correctional officers). The MA DOC also has a tactical
Military tactics
Military tactics, the science and art of organizing an army or an air force, are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. Changes in philosophy and technology over time have been reflected in changes to military tactics. In...
unit, a fugitive
Fugitive
A fugitive is a person who is fleeing from custody, whether it be from private slavery, a government arrest, government or non-government questioning, vigilante violence, or outraged private individuals...
apprehension unit, a gang
Gang
A gang is a group of people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation. In early usage, the word gang referred to a group of workmen...
intelligence unit, a K-9 team
Police dog
A police dog, often referred to as a "K-9 dog" in some areas , is a dog that is trained specifically to assist police and other law-enforcement personnel in their work...
, a Special Reaction Team (SRT), and a Tactical Response Team (TRT). Both of these tactical units are highly trained and are paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
teams. The Massachusetts DOC is the largest law enforcement agency in the state of Massachusetts with a staff of 5,000, 4,000 of which are sworn officers. The agency is headquartered in Milford
Milford, Massachusetts
Milford is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It had a population of 27,999 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Milford, constituting the center of the town, please see the article Milford ,...
.
Mission Statement
The Massachusetts Department of Correction's mission is to promote public safety by incarcerating offenders while providing opportunities for participation in effective programming designed to reduce recidivismRecidivism
Recidivism is the act of a person repeating an undesirable behavior after they have either experienced negative consequences of that behavior, or have been treated or trained to extinguish that behavior...
.
Officer Rank Structure
Only the ranks of Captain and below wear uniforms, the ranks and insignia are as shown below.| Title | Insignia |
|---|---|
| Commissoner |  |
| Deputy Commissioner Deputy Commissioner A deputy commissioner is a police or administrative official in many different countries.-Australia:In all Australian police forces, deputy commissioner is the rank directly below that of commissioner and senior to the rank of assistant commissioner except in the New South Wales Police Force, where... |
|
| Assistant Deputy Commissioner | |
| Associate Commissioner | |
| Superintendent Superintendent (police) Superintendent , often shortened to "super", is a rank in British police services and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries the full version is superintendent of police... |
|
| Deputy Superintendent Deputy Superintendent Deputy superintendent, or deputy superintendent of police , was a rank used by police forces of the British Empire. In some territories it was called Deputy District Superintendent of police .... |
|
| Director | |
| Deputy Director | |
| Captain Police captain - France :France uses the rank of capitaine for management duties in both uniformed and plain-clothed policing. The rank comes senior to lieutenant and junior to commandant.... |
|
| Lieutenant Lieutenant A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank... |
 |
| Sergeant Sergeant Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent.... |
|
| Officer | |
Security Levels
The following security levels are utilized by the Massachusetts Department of Correction.MAXIMUM SECURITY: A custody level in which both design/construction as well as inmate classification reflect the need to provide maximum external and internal control and supervision of inmates primarily through the use of high security parameters and extensive use of internal physical barriers and check points. Inmates accorded this status present serious escape risks or pose serious threats to themselves, to other inmates, to staff, or the orderly running of the institution. Supervision of inmates is direct and constant.
- Maximum Facility: Souza-Baranowski Correctional CenterSouza-Baranowski Correctional CenterSouza-Baranowski Correctional Center is a maximum security prison located at MCI Shirley in Shirley, Massachusetts, United States. The prison opened September 30, 1998 and is one of the most high-tech correctional facilities in the United States....
, Massachusetts Correctional Institution - Cedar JunctionMassachusetts Correctional Institution - Cedar JunctionThe Massachusetts Correctional Institution—Cedar Junction , formerly known as MCI-Walpole, is a maximum security prison with an average daily population of approximately 800 adult male inmates under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Department of Correction. It was opened in 1956 to replace...
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MEDIUM SECURITY: A custody level in which design/construction as well as inmate classification reflect the need to provide maximum external and internal control and supervision of inmates. Inmates accorded to this status may present an escape risk or pose a threat to other inmates, staff, or the orderly running of the institution. Supervision remains constant and direct. Through an inmates willingness to comply with institutional rules and regulations, increased job and program opportunities exist.
- Medium Facilities: Old Colony Correctional CenterOld Colony Correctional CenterOld Colony Correctional Center is a Massachusetts Department of Correction prison for men in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. The medium security facility is located in a plot of land in the Bridgewater Correctional Complex with the Bridgewater State Hospital, Massachusetts Alcohol and Substance Abuse...
, Bay State Correctional CenterBay State Correctional CenterBay State Correctional Center is a small, general population medium security facility that stands on the grounds of the original dormitory buildings of Massachusetts Correctional Institution-Norfolk. It houses both long and short term inmates and many inmates who are elderly due to the fact that...
, Bridgewater State HospitalBridgewater State HospitalBridgewater State Hospital, located in southeastern Massachusetts, is a state facility housing the criminally insane and those whose sanity is being evaluated for the criminal justice system. It was established in 1855 as an almshouse. It was then used as a workhouse for inmates with short...
, Massachusetts Correctional Institution - ConcordMassachusetts Correctional Institution - ConcordThe Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Concord is a medium security prison for men located in Concord, Massachusetts in the United States. Opened in 1878, it is the oldest running state prison for men in Massachusetts...
, Massachusetts Treatment Center, Massachusetts Correctional Institution - NorfolkMassachusetts Correctional Institution - NorfolkMassachusetts Correctional Institution at Norfolk, or MCI-Norfolk, is a medium security prison in Norfolk, Massachusetts with an average daily population of 1500 inmates. Though it is rated medium security, it also houses up to 98 maximum security inmates. Opened in the early 1930s, MCI-Norfolk is...
, North Central Correctional InstitutionNorth Central Correctional InstitutionNorth Central Correctional Institution is a medium/minimum security prison located in Gardner, Massachusetts.-External links:*...
, Lemuel Shattuck Hospital Correctional UnitLemuel Shattuck Hospital Correctional UnitThe Lemuel Shattuck Hospital Correctional Unit is a 23 bed, medium security facility located on the eighth floor of the Lemuel Shattuck Hospital in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. This facility serves as the primary acute medical care facility for inmates in the state prison system...
, Massachusetts Correctional Institution - FraminghamMassachusetts Correctional Institution - FraminghamMassachusetts Correctional Institution – Framingham is the Massachusetts Department of Correction's institution for female offenders. It is located in Framingham, Massachusetts, a large town located midway between Worcester and Boston...
, Massachusetts Alcohol, Substance Abuse Center and Massachusetts Correctional Institution - ShirleyMassachusetts Correctional Institution - ShirleyMassachusetts Correctional Institution – Shirley is a medium-security state prison in Shirley, Massachusetts. The facility also contains a minimum security section which houses less dangerous prisoners...
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MINIMUM SECURITY: A custody level in which both the design/construction as well as inmate classification reflect the goal of returning to the inmate a greater sense of personal responsibility and autonomy while still providing for supervision and monitoring of behavior and activity. Inmates within this security level are not considered a serious risk to the safety of staff, inmates or to the public. Program participation is mandated and geared toward their potential reintegration into the community. Access to the community is limited and under constant direct staff supervision.
- Minimum Facilities: Massachusetts Correctional Institution - PlymouthMassachusetts Correctional Institution - PlymouthMassachusetts Correctional Institution – Plymouth or MCI - Plymouth is a minimum-security prison facility located in the Myles Standish State Forest in Plymouth, Massachusetts...
, Boston Pre-Release CenterBoston Pre-Release CenterThe Boston Pre-Release Center is a minimum security correctional facility located on Canterbury Street in Roslindale, Massachusetts. The current facility opened in 2003 and it is under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Department of Correction.-History:...
, Northeastern Correctional CenterNortheastern Correctional CenterThe Northeastern Correctional Center is a minimum security/pre-release state prison in Massachusetts that opened in 1932. The NECC sits on 300 acres of farmland and provides many inmates with work opportunities prior to being released from prison...
, Pondville Correctional CenterPondville Correctional CenterThe Pondville Correctional Center is a minimum security/pre-release Massachusetts state prison. It is located 36 miles southwest of Boston, Massachusetts in the town of Norfolk, Massachusetts. Because this is a minimum security facility, there are no walls or fences to keep prisoners in. Security...
, South Middlesex Correctional CenterSouth Middlesex Correctional CenterThe South Middlesex Correctional Center is a small, minimum security/pre-release state prison for women located in Framingham, Massachusetts. The prison opened in 1976, originally as a part of MCI-Framingham. Today, it is its own 200 bed facility specifically for women. Most, if not all inmates...
.
PRE-RELEASE: A custody level in which both design/construction as well as inmate classification reflect the goal of restoring to the inmate maximum responsibility and control of their own behavior and actions prior to their release. Direct supervision of these inmates is not required, but intermittent observation may be appropriate under certain conditions. Inmates within this level may be permitted to access the community unescorted to participate in programming to include, but not limited to, work release, educational release, etc.
- Pre-Release Facilities: Boston Pre-Release CenterBoston Pre-Release CenterThe Boston Pre-Release Center is a minimum security correctional facility located on Canterbury Street in Roslindale, Massachusetts. The current facility opened in 2003 and it is under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Department of Correction.-History:...
, Northeastern Correctional CenterNortheastern Correctional CenterThe Northeastern Correctional Center is a minimum security/pre-release state prison in Massachusetts that opened in 1932. The NECC sits on 300 acres of farmland and provides many inmates with work opportunities prior to being released from prison...
, Pondville Correctional CenterPondville Correctional CenterThe Pondville Correctional Center is a minimum security/pre-release Massachusetts state prison. It is located 36 miles southwest of Boston, Massachusetts in the town of Norfolk, Massachusetts. Because this is a minimum security facility, there are no walls or fences to keep prisoners in. Security...
, South Middlesex Correctional CenterSouth Middlesex Correctional CenterThe South Middlesex Correctional Center is a small, minimum security/pre-release state prison for women located in Framingham, Massachusetts. The prison opened in 1976, originally as a part of MCI-Framingham. Today, it is its own 200 bed facility specifically for women. Most, if not all inmates...
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Prison overcrowding rates
The overcrowding rate is determined based on the average daily population of the facility divided by the number of beds (design capacity).The total custody overcrowding rate for DOC facilities as of July 1st, 2010 was 140 %. The highest overcrowding rate at any facility was 344 %.
South Bay in Dorchester and MCI Concord in Concord are the most over crowded jails/prisons in Massachusetts.
Correction Officer Training Academy
The DOC's training is conducted at the Shirley Correctional Complex-Training Academy in Shirley, MA. The academy consists of twelve weeks of paramilitary type training for new correction officer recruits. (The academy also trains Correctional Program Officers (CPO). Recruits are taught the policies and procedures of the department, self-defense, firearms use, proper handcuffing and restraint techniques, proper emergency vehicle operations, and many other topics. Once a recruit completes the academy he or she is sworn in as a Massachusetts State Correction Officer and is assigned to one of the state's eighteen correctional facilities to be further trained by a sergeant. This program is called On-The-Job Training (OJT) and is similar to the type of training police departments' use to train new police officers.Fallen Officers
Since the establishment of the Massachusetts Department of Correction, 14 officers have died in the line of duty. The most recent line of duty death was in 1998 at MCI-Shirley.Headquarters
The Massachusetts Department of Correction's headquarters is located at:50 Maple Street, Suite 3
Milford, MA 01757
Phone: (508) 422-3300
See also
- List of law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts
- List of United States state correction agencies
- Massachusetts Department of Youth ServicesMassachusetts Department of Youth ServicesThe Massachusetts Department of Youth Services is a state agency of Massachusetts, headquartered in Suite 400 of Tower Point in Boston...