MIDDLESEX COUNTY PRISON COORDINATING COMMITTEE NEWSLETTER

Tom Crowther, Mary Ann Donaldson, Marjorie Moerschner, Lynne Sullivan, Elizabeth Woodbridge and Dorothy Weitzman met in West Newton on Feb. 11, 2009. Our coordinator Carol Winton is caring for her very ill daughter and young grandchild, and Mary Ann asked us to hold Carol and her family in our thoughts and prayers.

Mary Ann introduced our guest speaker Dianne Morad, Legislative Affairs Director at the Middlesex County Sheriff's office.

Dianne said that her main responsiblity, among several, is as legislative liaison to Sheriff DiPaola's office, and she also acts as liaison between Middlesex communities and the sheriff's office.

The first priority for any correctional institution must be security and that is of course true of the Billerica House of Correction. At the same time, Sheriff DiPaola and his staff at the HOC are mindful that Billerica's inmates serve relatively short sentences- the longest is two and a half years- and will then return to the community. Billerica provides intensive and innovative programs to prepare men for reintegration into life on the outside. If they can stay out of trouble, they'll stay out of out of prison. These efforts seem to be getting good results. Programs include substance abuse, anger management and GED programs. A new program has been prepared for men with dual diagnoses: substance abuse and mental illness.

Jail men are a transient population, so such programs are not possible for them, but they do need and get physical, mental and religious services. All jail men receive a physical exam given by a nurse-practitioner.

Times are tough as we all know, and the Governor has made cuts in the Middlesex County budget. Some cuts were made in December, more in January, and bigger cuts are expected in the new fiscal year. There is concern about -the prison rehabilitation programs and Dianne said that the Sheriff would appreciate any help from MCPCC and its friends in the way of calls or mail to Governor Patrick and to their state representatives, urging them to protect these programs. It costs taxpayers about $40,000. to keep a man in prison for a year, and our prisons are overflowing. Programs which keep people out of prison or keep them from returning to prison are cost-effective in the truest sense.

Byrne Grant funds are federal funds distributed equally to each of the 50 states to be used for a variety of criminal justice programs. In contacting Governor Patrick you might also urge the use of Byrne Grant funds for diversion to treatment programs, treatment programs within prisons and re-entry support.

Dianne follows bills filed in the legislature which have bearing on criminal justice issues and on the prison. A comprehensive bill filed late in the last session, providing for pre-trial diversion to treatment programs and school zone changes has been refiled, as have bills aimed at CORI reform and parole for drug offenders.

Sheriff DiPaola was a state representative for two terms and is very knowledgable about the legislative process. He has a bill in the legislature now, filed on his behalf by Rep. Kay Kahn, to establish a House of Correction for women in Middlesex County. At present all women sentenced in Middlesex County have to go to the State prison at Framingham which is not appropriate for low-level offenders.

The sheriff is also working on a bill affecting men languishing in the Cambridge Jail because they cannot make bail or have no one to make bail for them. In theory 20 days is the maximum time allowed between court appearances. In practice this has become 30 days. The bill would enforce the 20 day rule.

The community release program needs to be codified. Classification identifies those who are appropriate for the program; they live on the outside and wear an electronic GPS bracelet. An officer inspects the home environment. The man can have a job but must report in regularly to the day reporting center. A year or two ago, a judge ordered all those in Billerica’s community release program back to the prison. Sheriff DiPaola appealed the judge's decision and the MA Supreme Court overruled the judge. Codification would make community release into law, which would benefit all sheriffs as it would free up some prison beds.

The Sheriffs Association monitors legislation, and the sheriffs meet monthly.

The stabilization and evaluation program for mentally ill inmates from several facilities in the eastern part of the state has been cut but is still functioning. This program is located in the Billerica House of Correction but has its own staff. It is an alternative to sending men to overcrowded Bridgewater.

The Superior Court building in East Cambridge is now empty except for the jail. The building will close soon and a temporary solution will have to be found for the jail.

PLEASE call Governor Patrick and your state reps in support of the necessary rehabilitative and reintegration programs at the Billerica House of Correction!

Many thanks to Dianne Morad for coming to speak with us!

NEXT MEETING - BUSINESS MEETING- MARCH 11 AT 7 PM

SECOND CHURCH IN NEWTON, 60 HIGHLAND STREET, WEST NEWTON