Massachusetts Corrections System

Massachusetts Corrections System

1. Community Corrections (MA)

   • Using different court-ordered programs that let convicted offenders stay in the community under supervision, like probation, parole, home confinement, and electronic monitoring (ch11 slide 2)
   • Probation
     • A court ordered sentence where someone is supposed to go to jail, but it’s suspended and instead they serve it while being supervised out in the community (ch11 slide 3)
   • Parole
     • A conditional early release of inmates from jail or prison where they’re still supervised in the community (ch11 slide 8)
   • Pretrial Supervision
     • Offenders are kept at their own homes and tracked using remote monitoring to keep an eye on there location (ch11 slide 32)
   • Community-Based Programs
     • Probation started as rehab, but now community programs focus more on things like treatment, close supervision, and risk assessment to help reduce reoffending (ch11 slide 44)

2. County Corrections (Jails / Houses of Correction)

   • Jails are “locally operated short-term confinement facilities” that hold people awaiting trial or serving short sentences (ch 12 slide 27-28)
   • Pretrial Detention
     • Holds individuals awaiting trial (ch12 slide 28)
   • Short-Term Sentences
     • Typically sentences under 1 year aka short term confinement (ch12 slide 28)
   • County Sentenced Population
     • Unconvicted and short-term offenders (65% unconvicted) (ch12 slide 31)
   • Local Confinement Authority
     • Operated by local government/sheriff (ch12 slide 28)

3. State Corrections (Massachusetts DOC)

   • The Department of Correction runs state prisons and provides custody, care, and programs to help people safely reenter the community. (https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-department-of-correction)
   • Security Levels
     • Maximum, medium, minimum custody levels (ch12 slides 17-20)
   • Long-Term Incarceration
     • State prisons hold longer sentences (ch12 slide 9)
   • Female Facility
     • Separate institutions for women (ch12 slide 9)
   • Reentry Preparation
     • Programs, classification, rehabilitation (ch12 slides 20-21)

4. Probation vs. Parole

   • Probation
     • A court ordered sentence where someone is supposed to go to jail, but it’s suspended and instead they serve it while being supervised out in the community (ch11 slide 3)
     • after sentencing
       • Probation officers
         • Reporting, drug tests, employment
           • Return to court
   • Parole
     • A conditional early release of inmates from jail or prison where they’re still supervised in the community (ch11 slide 8)
     • After prison release
       • Parole board officers
         • Curfew, reporting, restrictions
           • Return to prison

5. Reentry

   • reentry barrier
     • Substance abuse history
     • Low education level
   • reentry support
     • Reentry programs
     • Substance treatment

6. Movement Through the Corrections System

   • Arrest
     • community
     • Pretrial Detention
       • county
       • Sentence
         • court decision
         • Prison or Probation
           • State/community
           • Release
             • state
             • Parole/Reentry
               • community