Public Meeting Notice  Panel on Justice-Involved Women Meeting

March 2021 Meeting Minutes

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 10:03am once a quorum had been established. Chairwoman Hallett began the meeting by reading the statutory charge of the Panel.

Patty Murphy asked about the Panel’s report for 2020 and Attorney Mullaney (EOPSS) responded that we can file a report but it will not be as substantive as the preliminary report issued in 2019. EOPSS will work on the report.

Meeting Minutes Review/Vote

Patty Murphy made a motion to accept the December 2020 meeting minutes and Dr. Nancy Connolly seconded the motion. The motion carried and the minutes were approved.

DCAM Strategic Plan Update

Chairwoman Hallett stated that the DCAM Strategic Plan and Feasibility Study for Women’s Corrections in the Commonwealth should be completed by the summer of 2021 and shared the update that was sent out to the panel members via e-mail on December 18^th, 2020:

The DOC provided Advocacy Groups with the following update regarding the Strategic Plan and Feasibility Study for Women’s Corrections in the Commonwealth. As you are probably aware, the facility conditions at MCI Framingham require either significant investment or possible replacement. With recent changes in the criminal justice system, including criminal justice reform of 2018, DOC, DCAMM and EOPSS have determined that a strategic planning effort is needed in advance of capital investment.

Beginning Thursday 12/17, DCAMM is going to start the process to hire a strategic planning consultant through COMMBUYS (under Contract PRF61), the Commonwealth’s official procurement record system. Simultaneously, DCAMM will begin the process of hiring a design team to plan for the facility needs for women in the care of DOC. Doing these procurements simultaneously will save approximately three months of lag time between the completion of the strategic plan and designer selection.

DCAMM anticipates that the strategic plan will be completed by the Summer of 2021, with the Study and Schematic Design being completed by Spring of 2022. That schedule is still subject to change at this time.

Andrea said she has a concern about the RFPs which she believes are disingenuous and she believes the consultants are not equipped to do such a plan. Andrea has requested the RFPs and is not able to get them. Chairwoman Hallett stated DCAMM can be a resource to provide the RFP’s. Andrea said the RFPs have been withdrawn twice due to being challenged, which should be of a concern to this Panel.

Patty Murphy asked Attorney Mullaney to request a DCAMM representative come and speak to the Panel about the process at the March Panel meeting if possible. Hema Sarang-Sieminski suggested that Panelists do some research between now and the next meeting to learn more about the process to make sure it was followed procedurally.

There was some discussion around views from Panelists about the opinion of building another women’s prison in general. Members that were designees of agencies were unable to reflect a personal opinion since they represent a greater group professionally on the Panel.  

Patty Murphy asked that we have this dialogue as an agenda item in March to continue the conversation after Panelists have an opportunity to speak with their respective agencies about the matter.

Attorney Mullaney presented a document that outlined specific working groups and identified specific panel members for each.  She explained that the working groups will be responsible for conducting research about existing and best practices for their assigned topic areas, which are directly from the statute enabling the Panel, as well as developing recommendations to be presented and discussed at future meetings and to help inform their next report.

Public Comment

Mallory Hanora asked why women were moved in October and November and still has not received a clear answer. She stated that in December of 2019, an RFP was quietly issued and was pulled due to not following DSB protocols.

Norma Wassel stated her concern that the Massachusetts Trial court is missing from the membership. She would also like to see folks look at alternatives to prison and expand their research and look at the parole board and sentencing judgments. She stated that according to a recent SJC decision, judges do not need to sentence people under the three strikes rule and this has implications for mandatory minimums. Sarah Ruiz stated that we should look into amending the membership and have representation perhaps from the Trial Court.

Rachel Roth asked if the data subcommittee will continue and Attorney Mullaney stated we will be continuing with the groups we established today and if we need to add those data subcommittee meetings back, we certainly can.

There was a motion by Patty Murphy to end the meeting and seconded by Dr. Connolly. The meeting adjourned at 11:52am.

1. Call to Order

2. January 2021 Meeting Minutes Vote

3. Review and Consider Improvements on Available Reproductive Health Care Group Presentation by Sarah Ruiz and Hema Sarang-Sieminski -

(45 Minutes)

4. Review and Consider Improvements on Family Visitation Policies Group Presentation by Rebecca Brink, Patty Murphy, and Hema Sarang-Sieminski (45 Minutes)

5. Site Visit Working Group Update

6. EOPSS Update

7. Public Comment

8. Adjourn