Another way to reduce the number of inmate beds in Mass. jail system
As sheriff of Bristol County, proposed legislation that would place a moratorium on prison and jail construction greatly concerns me.
As written, if this passes, I will not be able to put toilets in cells and locks on doors in the Bristol County Jail and House of Correction in 11 of the 22 housing units that need locking cell doors. Not being able to do construction to retrofit this jail will leave it vulnerable to another inmate uprising similar to what happened in April and an uprising that happened in 2001 under my predecessor in the same housing unit.
As written, I will not be able to close the outdated Ash Street Jail in New Bedford. Why? Because I need to retrofit the cells with toilets and locks on doors in Dartmouth to bring that population of inmates to Dartmouth; that population of inmates needs to be housed in single cells.
As written, I will not be allowed to relocate the regional inmates housed in New Bedford to the main Dartmouth campus. Why is this important? If I can relocate regional detainees, I can save the state well over $1 million in associated expenses.
As written, I will not be able to get out of a $150,000 yearly contract for leased building space used for a training academy. If I spend $100,000 on retrofitting the former ICE Detention building on the Dartmouth campus and making that building a training academy, I won’t need to spend $150,000 each year on a lease.
I understand the idea of not building new prisons. I get it. I can’t say I disagree with the motivation. But please consider that if I am able to close Ash Street by retrofitting the Dartmouth building, I will decrease the overall number of inmate beds in this jail system.
There are many other construction needs of this jail. I am speaking for the needs of my jail’s inmates and correctional officers. I do not speak for the other sheriffs, but I have no doubt that they have their own unique issues that are equally as important to the jails that each sheriff runs.
Please understand that I cannot run this facility in a way that improves work conditions for correctional officers; improves reentry for inmates thereby improving public safety for citizens; improves operations for all; and saves state taxpayer money if I cannot do construction in the jail I was elected to reform. We need to be able to do construction to improve the conditions of confinement.