Restrictive housing
Restrictive housing is a placement for disciplinary or non-disciplinary reasons in which an inmate is confined to a cell for at least 22 hours per day for the safe and secure operation of the correctional facility. This does not include placements ordered by medical or mental health providers, such as the placement of an inmate in a Health Services Unit, a hospital, a medical setting where treatment is being provided, or an inmate on mental health watch.
Disciplinary restrictive housing is the explicit placement of a inmate in restrictive housing, such as a Department Disciplinary Unit (DDU), after a finding has been confirmed that the inmate has committed a breach of discipline and sanctioned by a Special Hearing Officer.
Restrictive Housing Oversight Committee
The Restrictive Housing Oversight Committee consists of:
- the Secretary of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, or a designee
- the Commissioner of the Department of Correction, or a designee
- the Commissioner of Mental Health, or a designee
There are nine members appointed by the Governor. It is mandated that there's at least:
- one member is to be a correctional administrator with specific expertise in prison discipline or prison programming
- one member who is a member of the correctional officers union
- one member who has a significant and demonstrated experience in criminal justice or corrections policy research
- one member who is a former judge designated by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court
- one member who is the Executive Director of the Disability Law Center,Inc., or a designee
- one member who is the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health, Inc., or a designee
- one member who is a licensed social worker designated by the Massachusetts chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, Inc.
Additional Resources
Annual report and recommendations
The Restrictive Housing Oversight Committee is responsible for compiling their research and findings into an annual report offering recommendations on the use of restrictive housing in the Commonwealth, including ways to minimize its use and improve outcomes for inmates and facility safety. The report is expected to include the following information for each correctional institution:
- The criteria for placing an inmate in restrictive housing
- The extend to which staff who work with inmates in restrictive housing receive specialized training
- The results of evaluations of the process of restrictive housing in the Commonwealth and other states
- The impact of use of restrictive housing compared with the cost of housing an inmate in general population
- The conditions of restrictive housing in the Commonwealth