Inmates at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Lancaster, Massachusetts began a hunger strike to protest the harsh conditions they allege they endure. The inmates demanded an immediate investigation into their claims of abusive treatment by correctional officers and conditions akin to solitary confinement, a practice the state pledged to abolish two years ago, according to the Boston Globe.
A group of nine inmates penned a letter illustrating their treatment, including being enclosed in small spaces and subjected to frequent assaults by correctional officers in full riot gear. The group requested Attorney General Andrea Campbell to examine their claims, as stated by MassLive.
The inmates' letter addresses the implementation of the Secure Adjustment Unit (SAU), which supposed to provide mental health support, educational opportunities, and structured recreation. However, the inmates allege that the SAU's conditions bear a close resemblance to solitary confinement which the state claims it had abolished. Furthermore, their movement is heavily limited with minimal social interaction opportunities and inadequate meal provisions, as per the Boston Globe.
Representatives from the Boston College Law School Civil Rights Clinic supported the inmates' cause, personally submitting their letters to Campbell's office. Clinic director, Reena Parikh, noted that at least four of the initial 19 inmates persisted in the hunger strike since its commencement on October 6th. Parikh also observed the severe restrictions imposed on prisoners during visits. In recent times, these restrictions included caging prisoners and using a small hole to pass through documents.
In response to these letters, it was confirmed that a spokesperson for Attorney General Campbell received and is reviewing them. Despite the silence of the Massachusetts Department of Correction on assault claims, it reiterates its commitment to prioritize the health and well-being of those within the institutions, as reported by the Boston Globe.
Discussions about improved conditions extend beyond the walls of the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center. Several state legislators are advocating for a bill establishing an independent oversight commission managed by the Inspector General's office to monitor the Department of Correction. Proposed by Prisoners' Legal Services of Massachusetts, this endeavor seeks to ensure compliance with demanded reforms, such as ending solitary confinement.
LaToya Whiteside, a senior staff lawyer with Prisoners' Legal Services, articulated that such a commission would enable prisoners to submit their grievances for unbiased examination. Moreover, it aims to set up a mechanism to penalize the department if it fails to implement the requisite improvements.
State Senator Jamie Eldridge, whose district encompasses the prison, voiced his concerns about the inmates' access to their rights under state law. Even with the 2018 criminal justice reform law in place, he questions the capacity of the Secure Adjustment Unit to supply humane conditions and rehabilitation for the prisoners, as cited by the Boston Globe.
