New Prison Administration Disrupts Inmate Outreach
Beginning early November 2024, the new Superintendent of Souza-Baranowski immediately disrupted access to senior prison officials effectively ending staff access.
Beginning early November 2024, the new Superintendent of Souza-Baranowski immediately disrupted access to senior prison officials effectively ending staff access in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' only maximum security prison.
Staff access, or ''Happy Hour'', has been a vital opportunity for incarcerated people serving time in Souza-Baranowski to speak with senior officials and resolve grievances and concerns.
The superintendent has made it impossible to speak directly to department heads or deputy superintendents. Instead, the Correction Program Officer, CPO, is now responsible for handing out forms and taking written complaints and concerns. Inmates must fill out a form and submit it to the CPO who then directs it to the various departments. Sadly, many prisoners don't know how to write - or lack the discipline to carefully convey their concerns in writing.
Written complaints are easily dismissed by prison administrators. Written requests can be ignored. There is no longer any face to face meetings. Before November 2024, each week, a group of prison officials would come into each cellblock and move from cell to cell and address inmates concerns - no more. Now, prison officials no longer visit housing units.
The Massachusetts Department of Correction has been dismantling staff access and access to the public, courts and lawyers for decades. Today, there's no pretense. No pretext to taking essential communication with lawyers, prison administrators, politicians or courts.
Starting in 2017, the Department of Correction began photocopying incoming nonlegal mail. Prison authorities cite drug smuggling for ending original First Class Mail delivery. Under the guise of disrupting synthetic drugs, like K-2, sprayed on paper, all incoming nonlegal mail is now photocopied.
In August 2023, the DOC made changes to incoming privileged mail. Mail from lawyers must include an ''Attorney Verification Barcode'' number. This verification must be placed on all incoming mail from private attorney's. Privileged mail from government and courts are exempt.
Today, prisoners in Souza-Baranowski are no longer permitted to visit the facility library. Legal photocopying can take many days. Inmates have no access to typewriters or other important legal tools. And, prison officials are working hard to isolate prisoners in their cells.
Now, staff access is ineffective. Inmates no longer can directly address their concerns to a senior administration official. And, prisoners have grown more violent, angry and resentful. Massachusetts' prison's are creating a generation of deeply disaffected individuals.