Prisoners' Legal Services of Massachusetts

Tonight, PLS hosted our annual Building Justice fundraiser. A special thank you to our host, speakers, and all of the people in our community who make it possible to serve our clients everyday.

Sheriffs’ $100M headache: Blank checks could be over as lawmakers question funding system Statewide, the population in jails has dropped in the last decade. So why are sheriffs' expenses rising?

Despite falling incarceration rates, Massachusetts Sheriffs' budgets have continually risen. In the wake of a number of recent scandals involving sheriffs, their budgets have come under increasing scrutiny.
www.masslive.com/westernmass/...

Mass. prison system to debut wellness hotline for incarcerated in light of recent suicides The DOC's existing health care provider, VitalCore, will operate the new hotline, as prison officials respond to six apparent suicides this year — compared to zero in 2024.

The Dept. of Correction's announcement of a new wellness hotline is a response to a crisis of deaths by suicide we should never have reached. Sadly, we worry it won't improve the situation.
www.masslive.com/news/2025/11...

Uptick in prison suicides cries out for humane solution - The Boston Globe Incarceration wasn’t meant to be a death sentence.

"Six apparent suicides in MA prisons this year, the most recent four in the space of little over 2 months, is more than just a statistic. It’s a wake-up call — that at a time when the prison population is relatively low, something is very wrong inside the walls."
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/11/23/o...

Work to Be Done: Exposing the Truth About Women’s Incarceration and the Urgent Need for Change — The National Council For decades, women’s incarceration has been ignored in research and policy, leaving deep scars on families and communities. Work to Be Done, the inaugural FreeHer Institute report, exposes how the…

For decades, incarceration has devastated families and communities, yet women’s experiences have been largely erased from the conversation. This new report from the FreeHer Institute helps change that: www.nationalcouncil.us/work-to-be-d...

“Freedom is started from the inside” Victor Rosario spent 32 years behind bars for a crime he says he did not commit. He returned to prison as a free man to share a walk—and a message of hope—with his old friends.

NEW: Victor Rosario spent 32 years behind bars for a crime he says he did not commit before a judge overturned his convictions. More than a decade after his release, he returned to MCI Norfolk as a free man. There, he shared a walk—and a message of hope—with his old friends.

#Massachusetts

Massachusetts lawmakers address ICE arrests, deportation concerns Local lawmakers convened a hearing with immigrants, lawyers, and stakeholders to address the impact of skyrocketing ICE arrests and deportations in Massachusetts communities.

MA currently funnels hundreds of thousands of dollars per year into infrastructure that helps support ICE detention. At a recent hearing regarding responding to federal immigration enforcement , PLS Staff Attorney Leah Hastings urged the legislature to redirect funding.
www.wwlp.com/news/state-p...

What the Mass. DOC's $6.7M prison settlement means Legal experts consider the conditions an opportunity for reform.

A federal judge recently approved a $6.75M settlement and major reforms to use-of-force practices after incarcerated people at Souza-Baranowski were subjected to weeks of racially-charged state-sanctioned violence in January 2020.
www.axios.com/local/boston...

FreeHer MA Town Hall--Elder/Medical Parole Focus Please enable JavaScript in your browser

On 11/17, join The National Council & FJAH at their town hall to learn about their mission, values, history, and legislative priorities for 2025. This event will have a special focus on our Elder/Medical Parole Bill (H.2693/S.1722). We hope to see you there!
secure.everyaction.com/s7U42uOSWEy1...

Visitation for incarcerated people is crucial for maintaining outside connection and ensuring successful reentry. Due to poor DOC policy, visit numbers have dramatically decreased in recent years but pending legislation can fix this. Learn more and take action: bit.ly/visitation25

Mass. prisons to review surge in suicides among inmates - The Boston Globe The number of fatalities diverged dramatically from previous years, the agency said.

The increase in deaths, and especially deaths by suicides, in MA prisons raise serious concerns. These tragedies are not isolated incidents; they reflect systemic failures in health care & the harmful impacts of restrictive housing.
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/11/06/m...

Answers demanded after rash of ‘unexpected’ deaths in Mass. prisons; DOC initiates review Advocates for prisoners say the recent deaths "raise fundamental questions about whether the DOC can fulfill its most basic obligations." The DOC says it has a plan.

There has been a rise in unexpected deaths in MA prisons, underscoring long-standing concerns about safe conditions, adequate healthcare, & mental health treatment. These deaths were preventable. We need accountability and immediate reform to protect lives.
www.masslive.com/news/2025/11...

Inmates Win $6 Million Settlement for Abuse Claims Against Prison Officers The inmates said the officers carried out a weekslong campaign of violence in 2020 at the state’s lone maximum security prison.

Last week, PLS finalized a $6.75 million settlement on behalf of nearly 160 people incarcerated at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center. In 2020, top-level officials at the MA DOC sanctioned a weeks-long campaign of brutality against incarcerated people:
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/30/u...

New bill targets ‘humanitarian crisis’ in Massachusetts prisons, eyes universal standards for all | Dorchester Reporter Legislation targeting what advocates call a “humanitarian crisis” in Massachusetts prisons would enhance educational opportunities, mental health services, and other standards across the system,…

Despite official claims, we still have a de facto solitary confinement system in Massachusetts. At Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center, most incarcerated people are confined to their cells up to 20 hours per day. Pending legislation would change that.
www.dotnews.com/2025/new-bil...

Thank you for covering the suit, @nytimes.com !

Inmates Win $6 Million Settlement for Abuse Claims Against Prison Officers The inmates said the officers carried out a weekslong campaign of violence in 2020 at the state’s lone maximum security prison.

A group of about 150 current and former inmates at a Massachusetts prison who accused correction officers of brutal abuse will receive about $6 million in a settlement, according to details of the agreement released by plaintiffs’ lawyers.

Free calls from jail are a lifeline, not a sheriff’s ‘expense’ - The Boston Globe Ever since free phone calls for people in prison and jail went into effect, various sheriffs have been blaming the calls for their budget grievances.

Massachusetts sheriffs are receiving scrutiny for their ballooning budgets, highlighting how ridiculous their specious complaints about the cost of free phone calls for incarcerated people are.
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/10/30/o...

Mass. to pay $6.75M to nearly 160 prisoners after ‘campaign of violence’ by guards Lawyers for the incarcerated people say a state prison in Shirley has been "plagued with violence" since it opened in 1998.

MAJOR VICTORY: A judge approved our $6.75M settlement for 160 people at Souza-Baranowski who endured weeks of brutal, racially charged retaliation by corrections officers in 2020. The settlement includes landmark reforms and compensation to prevent future abuse.
www.masslive.com/news/2025/10...

Man dies in custody at Souza-Baranowski prison - The Boston Globe A male inmate died at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center earlier this month.

PLS is deeply concerned about recent deaths at multiple DOC facilities. We are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding these deaths and call on the Department of Correction to provide greater transparency.
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/10/25/m...

H.4125 would bring real accountability to prison food services in MA by creating an independent Food Services Inspector to ensure incarcerated people receive nutritious, safe meals—and that food budgets are actually spent on food. Learn more in this brochure from an incarcerated artist!

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

Recent research from Prison Policy Initiative reveals the true scale of immigration detention is 45% larger than reported. The Trump administration helps enable and hide mass deportation by using local jails like Plymouth Co. Correctional Facility (PCCF) in MA: www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/jail...

Op-ed: Reentry success for incarcerated individuals isn’t what you think - The Tufts Daily What “successful reentry” looks like for individuals transitioning from correctional facilities to life post-release is often treated as self-evident: It means not going back to jail or prison, a…

A new collaboration between the World Peace Foundation at Tufts University and the Transformational Prison Project is challenging assumptions about what contributes to successful reentry. Learn more in this op-ed from leaders of both organizations: www.tuftsdaily.com/article/2025...

PLS filed Caron v. Coppinger because our clients with Hepatitis C at a local jail were repeatedly denied treatment. Unfortunately, our clients are far from alone in this regard. Learn more about Hepatitis C in carceral settings: petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/2025/10/06/w...

Boston Judge Frees Man While He Fights to Overturn 1998 Murder Conviction—With Prosecutors’ Help Rickey “FuQuan” McGee spent 28 years in prison for a murder he says he didn’t commit. Now, prosecutors agree his convictions should be overturned.

NEW: After spending 28 years in prison for a murder he says he did not commit, Rickey “FuQuan” McGee stepped out of the John Adams Courthouse in #Boston surrounded by dozens of jubilant supporters on October 14.

“I’m going to live incredibly,” McGee told the crowd as he held his fiancée and mother.

Contact Legislators Re: CJ reform Please enable JavaScript in your browser

Yesterday, PLS staff testified alongside incarcerated people, legislators, & advocates in favor of the Dignity and Freedom Platform. To continue the momentum, we ask that you please use this action alert to easily ask your legislator to support the Platform: plsma.org/takeaction

PLS' final testifier at today's hearing was Maheeb Rabbani who spoke in support of An Act Relative to Human Rights and Improved Outcomes for Incarcerated People (S.1651/H.2608). Learn more about our work at: plsma.org/links

At today's Public Safety Hearing, PLS' Mac Hudson spoke alongside a panel of advocates about An Act Creating an independent correctional oversight office to facilitate the recommendations of the Special Legislative Commission on Structural Racism in Correctional Facilities of the Commonwealth.

PLS' Dr. Alice Bukhman testified today alongside a panel of medical providers in support of An Act Relative to Elder and Medical Parole, which will take a two pronged approach to addressing some of the most pressing issues we face in caring and advocating for a sick and aging prison population.

Happening Now: PLS' Nikki Louis testifies in support of An Act to build restorative family and community connection. Visitation is crucial for the well-being & successful reentry of incarcerated people yet visit numbers have dropped precipitously due to DOC policy. This bill would ensure access.

People incarcerated in MA spend up to 21 hours a day in their cells.
Tomorrow, the legislature is holding a hearing on PLS' Dignity and Freedom Platform. S.1651/H.2608 would ensure out-of-cell time, health care access, and safe conditions.
Learn more!