Middlesex Sheriff’s Office establishes pre-release center for sentenced females

In a historic move, Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian today announced that for the first time in more than 50 years, the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office has assumed responsibility for direct supervision of incarcerated women.

After months of planning and design, the MSO has established a new pre-release center at the Middlesex Jail & House of Correction to serve sentenced females preparing for reentry into their communities and homes.  Initiatives at the center will place a primary focus on family reunification.

The center opened today with 11 individuals who were transferred from the Massachusetts Department of Correction (DOC) to the custody of the MSO.  Under an agreement signed in February, females serving a sentence with the DOC are eligible to be transferred to the care of the MSO following a classification review by the DOC in conjunction with the MSO. 

“This initiative has been a fundamental goal of ours for several years,” said Sheriff Koutoujian. “At the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office, we are known for our nationally recognized treatment programs and reentry initiatives, but we have been unable to offer these resources to women because they have not been in our custody.  With this new center, we will not only be able to ensure women have equitable access, but will implement a gender-responsive approach to programming and treatment with a specific focus on family engagement and reunification.”

The MSO has had a multi-year partnership with the DOC to offer some services to those awaiting trial on Middlesex County cases at MCI-Framingham and allow women convicted on Middlesex County cases to be considered for the MSO’s Electronic Monitoring Program (EMP). The pre-release center will provide sentenced females with greater access to the robust programming the MSO offers, including:

• The MSO’s nationally recognized Medication Assisted Treatment And Directed Opioid Recovery (MATADOR) Program.
• Educational programs – including college courses.
• Reentry planning – including enrollment in MassHealth, housing assistance and voter registration.
• Eligibility for consideration in the MSO’s Electronic Monitoring Program and work release initiatives.

Preparations for the launch of the program have been ongoing since last fall and included both physical and programmatic work.  Among the most visible measures was work to a standalone building that has been transformed with new painting, flooring, lighting and household furniture in the bedrooms and common areas, as well as technological upgrades that include free access to educational tablets.  Importantly, the building also includes a community room for face-to-face meetings with family and children that is being outfitted with books, toys and other resources.

As part of the planning process for the launch:

• MSO staff members held one-on-one meetings with all 11 individuals scheduled to be transferred.  The meetings were designed to enhance the comfort of those set to be transferred as well as provide an opportunity to learn about the specific needs of each individual.
• Medical staff has reviewed records to ensure medications and other treatment needs will be ready upon arrival.  The MSO has also enhanced medical services specifically for the female population.
• Nearly 80 staff members volunteered to participate in training focused on gender-responsive strategies, trauma-informed care and working with justice-involved women in a correctional setting.

In addition to resources and programs for participants, loved ones will also have access to the MSO’s first in the nation Family Resource and Outreach Coordinator who can work with families regarding questions or concerns and preparations for reentry.

“Over the past several months, we have undertaken a thoughtful and deliberative process to prepare for this transition,” said Sheriff Koutoujian.  “I want to thank our entire staff for their hard work, as well as Commissioner Carol Mici and her team at the Massachusetts Department of Correction for their ongoing collaboration.”

“I am pleased to embark on this partnership with Sheriff Koutoujian,” said Commissioner Mici. “After personally touring the house where our minimum and Pre-release women will live, it accelerated my enthusiasm for the program that he and his staff have created.  I am further encouraged knowing that the program fully meets the Department of Correction’s mission to provide care and programming in preparation for successful reentry into the community.”

In addition to sentenced females from Middlesex County, those from six other Massachusetts counties (Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Norfolk, Plymouth and Suffolk) may be considered for transfer to Middlesex based on multiple factors including the availability of specific community-based programs individuals may wish to participate in upon release, as well as proximity to family.

To learn more about the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office and our programs and resources, please visit at middlesexsheriff.org.

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