By Charlie McKenna
masslive.com
BOSTON — The Department of Corrections on Wednesday called on the union representing corrections officers to work collaboratively to improve safety conditions in the state’s prisons, particularly at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center, where five officers were injured last week.
In a letter sent to Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union President Dennis Martin, interim Correction Commissioner Shawn Jenkins said agency officials recognize “your insights are critical in shaping policies that will directly impact correction officer safety.”
Those insights could also be critical as the department works to ensure the safety of its incarcerated population who “also benefit from measures taken to manage the relatively small number of individuals who behave violently,” he said.
Martin had offered sharp criticism of the department in the wake of the assault on a pair of officers at Souza- Baranowski, which left one with 12 stab wounds. In a press conference held following the attack, he said concerns about conditions inside the facility had “fallen on deaf ears.”
“It’s definitely a dangerous place,” he said, adding officers were “scared.”
The department is working with the Worcester County District Attorney’s office to pursue criminal charges against the incarcerated men responsible for the attack, which Jenkins dubbed “deeply upsetting and disturbing.” Officials have not named the men responsible, but have said they were transferred to another facility.
The attack was captured on surveillance video, which was released by the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union.
In the letter, Jenkins said the department has committed to conducting a “comprehensive security assessment” of the facility, including daily searches for “secret contraband” and the origins of “manufactured weapons.”
As of Monday, the department had increased resources inside the prison, including adding “specialized staff” to day and evening shifts. The increased staff will be in place until Oct. 1, when the department will “reevaluate the need,” Jenkins wrote.
The letter also seeks to push back against some of the claims made by the union in the wake of the attack, including that incarcerated individuals inside the prison are breaking tablets provided to them to manufacture weapons.
As of Jan. 1, the department found that just 35 of the 4,650 tablets distributed had been misused.
“The implementation of tablets continues to strengthen the Department’s delivery of meaningful programs to advance rehabilitation and support successful reentry,” Jenkins wrote.
“Effective rehabilitative programming reduces recidivism and contributes to a safer environment by encouraging positive behavior and reducing tensions within facilities,” he added.
Jenkins also sought collaboration from Martin and the union on the “development and refinement of our safety initiatives.”
During the press conference, Martin accused the department of failing to keep the union in the loop. For his part, Jenkins said, “I look forward to working together to achieve meaningful improvements.”
“Please know that the safety of your members is not just a goal but a priority,” he wrote. “We are dedicated to creating an environment where correctional officers can confidently carry out their duties, knowing they are protected and supported by their leadership.”
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