Overview
The Hampden County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) was established as an independent state agency on July 1, 1998, as a result of the abolishment of Hampden County pursuant to Chapter 48 of the Acts of 1997. Section 12 of Chapter 34B of the Massachusetts General Laws stipulated that the Sheriff became an employee of the Commonwealth on July 1, 1998, but remained an elected official and retained administrative and operational control of the office.
The Sheriff oversees correctional facilities and programs. The facilities are the Hampden County Correctional Center (HCSO’s main institution), the Stonybrook Stabilization and Treatment Centers in Ludlow and Springfield, the Western Massachusetts Regional Women’s Correctional Center, the Western Massachusetts Recovery and Wellness Center, and the Hampden County Pre-Release Center.
According to its website, HCSO’s mission is as follows:
The Hampden County Sheriff’s Department is a leader in the evolving paradigm of corrections and reform. Under the leadership of Sheriff Nick Cocchi, we provide a continuum of care designed to empower offenders to reclaim their liberty through informed and responsible choices and promote successful re-entry into the community as law-abiding socially and civically responsible citizens.
The Department enhances public safety through the corrections process by providing offenders proper classification, security, treatment, and programs to accomplish positive lifestyle changes and minimize and/or eradicate negative social traits and criminogenic behaviors.
The Department is committed to community-based programs via the wellness of mind, body, and spirit of those in our trust and is dedicated to always carry out our responsibilities with professional excellence and the highest standards of integrity.
The safety of the public is at the core of all we do.
HCSO offers various inmate programs to prepare inmates for life after incarceration. These programs include, but are not limited to, substance abuse treatment, education and vocational training, and the After Incarceration Support Systems Program. HCSO supervises approximately 1,100 full- and part-time employees and had 1,165 inmates as of June 30, 2019. For its operational needs for fiscal years 2018 and 2019, HCSO received state appropriations of $80,121,240 and $81,553,076, respectively.
| Date published: | May 14, 2020 |
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