Prisoners' Legal Services of Massachusetts

Stop Gov. Healey’s $360 Million Prison Plan | Common Dreams Local organizations are imploring the Massachusetts governor to “truly invest in building up people, not prisons, and improve safety and well-being for all of us.”​

Officials shocked MA by announcing a $360 million prison plan. The project's architect is a defense contractor that has received $2 billion+ for military infrastructure projects and is now tasked with designing a supposedly "trauma-informed" prison.
www.commondreams.org/opinion/mass...

Has The Inhumane And Costly Massachusetts Prison Health Care System Improved Under New Management? The last Massachusetts prison health care contract brought despair. Our investigation indicates the new vendor is off to a troubling start.

Massachusetts' last prison health care contract brought despair and congressional scrutiny. New investigative reporting indicates that the new vendor is off to a troubling start. Read the full article here:
horizonmass.news/2025/07/10/h...

‘A $360M mistake;’ Massachusetts should not rebuild women’s prison at MCI-Framingham (Viewpoint) Rebuilding this facility, which houses only 218 women, is a costly and misguided move — especially when the state has other tools to reduce incarceration and support women’s reentry into society.

MA officials announced they want to spend $360 million to rebuild a women's prison that houses only 218 people. This is both costly and misguided. Instead, we should conduct individualized assessments and work with community organizations to support these women.
www.masslive.com/westernmass/...

In prison, keeping up with technology is key to ‘basic survival’ on the outside - The Boston Globe The prison telecommunications industry, dominated by private-equity-backed companies, is ripe for improvement — and disruption.

"For Mac Hudson, being released from prison after 33 years was a shock to the system in almost every way. And one of the biggest hurdles involved technology." Digital access is improving but there is much work that still needs to be done.
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/08/05/m...

Hiding in Plain Sight: How local jails obscure and facilitate mass deportation under Trump

New research from @prisonpolicy.org reveals that the Trump administration helps enable mass deportation by using local jails like Plymouth Co. jail in MA. Local officials have the power to cut off the infrastructure that makes this possible. Learn more:
www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/jail...

The vast majority of men in ICE custody in Mass. are classified as 'no threat' About 85% of federal detainees held by ICE in Plymouth County this year have been classified as “no ICE threat” by the agency. That category began exploding by the last half of President Joe Biden's…

85% of ICE detainees at Plymouth Co. jail are classified as "no threat." PLS has documented unacceptable conditions: solitary confinement for mental health crises, ignored medical requests, insufficient food, forced unpaid labor. When will MA stop working with with ICE?
www.wbur.org/news/2025/07...

‘A $360M mistake;’ Massachusetts should not rebuild women’s prison at MCI-Framingham (Viewpoint) Rebuilding this facility, which houses only 218 women, is a costly and misguided move — especially when the state has other tools to reduce incarceration and support women’s reentry into society.

The recent announcement of a $360 million renovation project for MCI-Framingham took legislators and advocates by surprise and "raising concerns about transparency, local input and whether such a massive investment truly reflects the needs of the women held there: www.masslive.com/westernmass/...

There is still time to register for the upcoming REICI Monthly Community Coalition Meeting! Join us to learn from advocates and community members about legislation that would address structural racism in the MA DOC:
events.humanitix.com/reici-monthl...

Has The Inhumane And Costly Massachusetts Prison Health Care System Improved Under New Management? The last Massachusetts prison health care contract brought despair. Our investigation indicates the new vendor is off to a troubling start.

The state’s last prison health care contract brought despair and congressional scrutiny. A new investigation indicates that the new vendor, VitalCore, is off to a troubling start: horizonmass.news/2025/07/10/h...

A Massachusetts-Based Effort to Send Books Behind Bars For incarcerated people, books can bring hope and new understanding, prepare them for jobs on the outside or simply help pass the time. But they’re often hard to get.

Low wages, lack of access to stocked libraries, and absurd restrictions make it nearly impossible for incarcerated people to read books. Volunteers at organizations like the Prison Book Program in Quincy, MA, are working hard to fill the gap left by poor policy: www.governing.com/workforce/a-...

Has The Inhumane And Costly Massachusetts Prison Health Care System Improved Under New Management? The last Massachusetts prison health care contract brought despair. Our investigation indicates the new vendor is off to a troubling start.

Massachusetts' last prison health care contract brought despair and congressional scrutiny. New investigative reporting indicates that the new vendor is off to a troubling start.

Read the full article here: horizonmass.news/2025/07/10/h...

Retrospective review of deaths in the Massachusetts department of corrections after passage of medical parole - BMC Public Health There are roughly 6,000 individuals incarcerated in the Massachusetts Department of Corrections (MADOC), and in 2025, 32% of these individuals were age 50 and older. Older incarcerated individuals…

A new study of deaths in MA prisons from 2021-2023 shows that our medical parole system is failing. Nearly 1/2 of the 87 people who have died in the past 3 years had chronic conditions that could've qualified them for medical parole. Full study here:
bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....

The state wants to build a new "trauma informed" women's prison but fails to address issues that are harming women right now. New reporting highlights how women at MCI-Framingham continue to be exposed to male staff due to transparent shower curtains.
www.metrowestdailynews.com/story/news/l...

Legislators and advocates were completely blindsided by Gov. Maura Healey's recently released plan to spend up to $360 million to renovate MCI-Framingham, the state's only women's prison that should be closing, not expanding.
www.metrowestdailynews.com/story/news/l...

Framingham resident: Shower curtain problem at women's prison is part of larger issue Incarcerated women, including my pen pal, have testified before the Legislature that they do not want a new prison.

A new letter to the editor in MetroWest Daily News discusses the state's plan to build a new $360 million dollar women's prison in light of reporting that the DOC refuses to address pressing issues right now.
www.metrowestdailynews.com/story/opinio...

Has The Inhumane And Costly Massachusetts Prison Health Care System Improved Under New Management? The last Massachusetts prison health care contract brought despair. Our investigation indicates the new vendor is off to a troubling start.

MA replaced its scandal-plagued prison healthcare contractor under a new 5-year $770 million contract, but investigative reporting shows that our rapidly aging incarcerated population continues to receive dismal care.
horizonmass.news/2025/07/10/h...

True, although the privatization of prison healthcare, even within public systems, is a big problem that contributes mightily to delayed care. See 🧵below.

But the failure to timely and adequately screen and release people on medical parole lies squarely with the DOC Commissioner's office. #mapoli

Inmate advocates say Framingham MA women's prison must address this privacy issue Inmates and advocacy groups say a 2023 switch in shower curtains at MCI-Framingham has resulred in a lack of privacy.

Women at MCI-Framingham are exposed during showers due to new curtains with large transparent sections. Male officers monitor these areas, leaving bodies visible.

The inhumanity and disrespect toward women is unending. Building a new prison won't fix this.
www.metrowestdailynews.com/story/news/l...

Retrospective review of deaths in the Massachusetts department of corrections after passage of medical parole - BMC Public Health There are roughly 6,000 individuals incarcerated in the Massachusetts Department of Corrections (MADOC), and in 2025, 32% of these individuals were age 50 and older. Older incarcerated individuals hav...

NEW: Study of 87 deaths in MA prisons shows medical parole is broken.

43% had chronic conditions qualifying for release but died in custody. 58% died from acute causes - couldn't survive 3-month review.

Only 10% approved. Urgent reform is needed.
bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....

Joint Venture theory allows a person to be held responsible even if they didn't personally commit a crime, but they participated in its commission with others. The way it's interpreted has raised concerns about fairness & due process. Help support legislation that would address these issues!

Has The Inhumane And Costly Massachusetts Prison Health Care System Improved Under New Management? The last Massachusetts prison health care contract brought despair. Our investigation indicates the new vendor is off to a troubling start.

Read the full investigation to understand how the $4 billion prison healthcare industry is failing America's most vulnerable populations—people we fight for every day.
horizonmass.news/2025/07/10/h...

This isn't just a Massachusetts problem—it's a nationwide crisis in privatized prison healthcare.

The companies rotate contracts, but the problems persist. Profit over patient care, every time.
4/5

James Ware waited 3 YEARS for a lung cancer diagnosis. By the time he got answers: Stage 4. When we had to threaten legal action to get life-extending medication, it highlighted these systemic failures.

"What they like to do is delay, delay, delay and hope that you don't complain," said Ware.
3/5

The reporting found chronic problems that sound all too familiar:

🔎 Chronic understaffing
🔎 Mental health care that "checks boxes" instead of providing real treatment
🔎 A chaotic medical records system losing patient information
🔎 The same culture of delay that defined the previous contractor
2/5

🧵 Important new investigative reporting confirms what we at Prisoners' Legal Services witness daily in our advocacy work.

MA replaced its scandal-plagued prison healthcare contractor with VitalCore under a 5-year $770 million contract, promising change.

But inadequate care continues.
1/5

Healey’s $360m plan for women’s prison decried - The Boston Globe "There is no justification for spending $360 million renovating MCI-Framingham, on top of the annual cost of more than $235,000 per woman," writes one advocate.

Two letters in today's Globe challenge the $360M MCI-Framingham prison plan. The state's own data shows most women there qualify for minimum security or community programs. Instead of building new prisons, we need clemency, medical parole, and decarceration.
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/07/10/o...

PLS testified in support of legislation that would create pathways for survivors of domestic violence and trafficking to seek relief when their offenses were acts of survival, which would interrupt these harmful cycles.

Learn more and get involved with PLS' work here: linktr.ee/pls_ma

Inmate advocates say Framingham MA women's prison must address this privacy issue Inmates and advocacy groups say a 2023 switch in shower curtains at MCI-Framingham has resulred in a lack of privacy.

Women at MCI-Framingham are exposed during showers due to new curtains with large transparent sections. Male officers monitor these areas, leaving bodies visible.
The inhumanity and disrespect toward women is unending. Building a new prison won't fix this.
www.metrowestdailynews.com/story/news/l...

Hundreds of Massachusetts criminal cases could be dropped, indigent defendants released amid defense attorney work stoppage Bar advocates, who provide representation for most of the state's indigent defendants, stopped work in May to fight for higher wages.

Bar advocates, who provide representation for the state's indigent defendants, stopped work to fight for higher wages.

“Representation in a criminal offence is a constitutional right, and no one should be detained without assistance of counsel,” said PLS' Dave Rini.
www.boston.com/news/local-n...

YouTube video by Prisoners' Legal Services Incarcerated Women Testify in Support of the Prison Construction Moratorium

What do incarcerated women want?

Not new prisons. They want pathways home and investment in communities.

🎥 Watch their testimony - given before MA announced its new $360M prison project: www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4N5...