Criminal Justice Reform Caucus

08/06/2026

Team Eldridge Summer Updates - August 2026 - https://mailchi.mp/jamieeldridge/summer26updates

07/23/2026

DO FISCAL CONSERVATIVES SUPPORT SPENDING $350 MILLION RENOVATING A PRISON?
Last Tuesday, with mixed emotions, I attended the DOC MCI-Framingham grand opening of the prison's Reintegration House, a renovated house, minimum security, for 12 incarcerated women. Going back to the Baker-Polito administration, the Criminal Justice Reform Caucus has raised serious questions about spending hundreds of millions of dollars towards building or significantly renovating a prison. The Healey-Driscoll administration has now proposed a $350 million renovation of MCI-Framingham. The caucus has advocated that at MCI-Framingham, more prison facilities should be set aside for minimum security status, providing more work, educational and vocational opportunities for women, as well as urging the DOC to approve more medical paroles, and home confinements.

When I posted on the celebration last week, on my government page there were a fairly large number of fiscal conservatives who expressed outrage at spending money on this government project in process, yet when I asked, would not commit to opposing the Governor's plan for MCI-Framingham. This is one of the more frustrating political dynamics in Massachusetts, which is interestingly different from other states, including Red states like Texas. There are conservatives who have opposed building more prisons, but I have not found much of such a constituency in Massachusetts. As the legislative session ends, with many criminal justice reform bills likely not to pass, I am looking ahead to building the grassroots movement, including further outreach to those who recognize that more spending on prisons is a bad investment of taxpayer dollars.

Massachusetts opened a new residence at MCI-Framingham to help incarcerated women build skills before returning to the community.

04/15/2026

Today as co-chairs of the Criminal Justice Reform Caucus, Representative Mary Keefe and I were so proud to host the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) briefing on
Prison Higher Ed Programs in our state correction institutions. While many colleges have provided college courses to incarcerated men and women for decades, over the past two years the caucus and Justice-Involved Women’s Task Force has successfully advocated for more private colleges to bring their professors and staff into the prisons.

There are now 464 students enrolled in education in prison courses. Today, professors and directors from Tufts University, Boston College, Emerson College and Mt Wachusett Community College talked about their programs, challenges of teaching in the prisons, success stories (over 95% of returning citizen graduates do not recidivate), and the 5-year vision by NEBHE to dramatically expand college education to incarcerated people.

03/23/2026

This afternoon, Representative Mary Keefe and I, as co-chairs of the Criminal Justice Reform Caucus, attended “The Last Mile” coding education program graduation ceremony at MCI-Shirley. Founded by San Francisco venture capitalist Chris Redlitz in 2010, The Last Mile teaches coding to incarcerated people in prisons across America, originated in the now-San Quentin Learning Center (https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/02/20/governor-newsom-transforms-san-quentin-opens-nation-leading-learning-center/)

Thank you to EOPSS Secretary Gina Kwon, Undersecretary Andy Peck, DOC Commissioner Shawn Jenkins, the MCI-Shirley Superintendent, teachers and correction officers for supporting this impressive program. I spoke to the 4 graduates today, with two others just recently released from prison. One graduate told me that another Last Mile graduate had used his coding skills to open up a jet ski business in Miami, Florida. It was moving hearing from the graduates, and see how proud their families in the audience were.

The Last Mile is one of the few 21st century skill programs offered in Massachusetts state prisons. At MCI-Shirley and MCI-Framingham, the caucus successfully championed bringing college degree programs to incarcerated men and women. However, MCI-Shirley currently only offers culinary and barbershop programs. We will continue to advocate for HVAC, solar installation, and welding, as well as more self-help programs, into our state prisons.

03/17/2026

As the FY27 budget season heats up, the Criminal Justice Reform Caucus is meeting with many advocates, to continue key investments in programs, education and transitional supports for returning citizens and incarcerated people. I am so grateful to my Legislative Director and liaison Afnan Nehela for co-managing the caucus, and working to improve the continually broken prison system.

Last week, I started out at MCI-Shirley for a legislative forum alongside Representative Mary Keefe and Prisoners Legal Services with incarcerated men, to discuss better access to college programs, improving the Prisoner ID program, and key legislation. On Thursday, we met with Northeastern Professor Deborah Ramirez (on supporting Community Justice Resource Centers, where returning citizens are directed to upon release. We must improve outcomes.

On Friday, Afnan attended the Open Sky legislative forum in Leominster, which runs a virtual re-entry program to educate policymakers on the realities of the re-entry system. Solid victory, we worked with Justice 4 Housing to get a returning citizen a housing voucher to live in a Boston Housing Authority apartment! This is difficult and often thankless work, but improves carceral outcomes and improves public safety.

12/29/2025

As the Senate Chair of the Criminal Justice Reform Caucus, many constituents and advocates have reached out to me about the tragic death of Shacoby Jenny, who was incarcereated at the Suffolk County House of Corrections, at the South Bay jail. It's critical to remember that our prisons and jails are Massachusetts' largest provider of mental healthcare, due to the high number of incarcerated people with mental health challenges. And that's before they even begin serving their sentences.

Being a Correction Officer is a very difficult job, and I deeply appreciate their public service, and their commitment to maintaining safety and stability in a prison. However, I am very concerned about the details in this Boston Globe story, about how Shacoby Jenny, who was well known as someone with mental health problems, was chased by multiple correction officers, and according to witnesses, allegedly punching Kenny, kneeing him in the ribs, and kneeling on his neck when he was down on the ground. Kenny’s last words, according to that witness, were: “Please, someone say a prayer for me.”

I have reached out to Boston legislators who have already visited the Suffolk County HOC South Bay jail, and the caucus will be doing outreach to state and county public officials. It's important to remember that Houses of Correction are not only for lower level criminal offenses, but Suffolk County HOC holds itself out as a more compassionate institution, with a strong focus on increasing programming and education for incarcerated men and women. This makes Shacoby Kenny's death even more disturbing. People who have committed serious crimes should be in prison, but prisons and their employees should make sure that the incarcerated people are in a safe environment. This year has brought to light in both state and county prisons that Massachusetts public safety and correction officials have work to do. I welcome feedback at [email protected].

A 32-year-old man who died on Dec. 8 had a history of mental health issues; officers chased him before subduing him, witnesses say.

11/13/2025

There have now been six su***des of incarcerated people in the Massachusetts Department of Correction prisons since June, including another incarcerated man last week. This is extremely concerning. Someone killing themselves is deeply disturbing, especially of those who are under the care and custody of the state.

Last week, the DOC announced action items to review the prison system. I hope this includes outreach to Criminal Justice Reform Caucus members, advocates, family members of those who committed su***de, prison leaders, MCOFU, Correction Officers and Correction Programming Officers. When anyone dies in a prison, everyone is traumatized who lives, works or is connected there, and often in their communities.

As the Senate Chair of the Criminal Justice Reform Caucus, it's important to understand the very intense, isolating, and difficult conditions in a prison. While there have been some modest investments in and expansions of programs in the prisons, even as savings have been realized from some prisons closing, from my prison visits these continue to be difficult facilities.

As an example of how incarcerated people have been treated, just look at the $6.75 million settlement between Prisoners Legal Services and the DOC, for the incarcerated men attacked in the DOC crackdown at the Souza Baranowski Correctional Center in 2020. Please take a moment to read about some of these tactics, which are unacceptable in a prison, and do not represent the actions of the majority of the professional Correction Officers. When any violence happens in a prison, there are continued impacts that reverbate on everyone in a prison, and beyond:

"The lawsuit said correction officers and correctional tactical teams engaged in a "brutal and calculated collective revenge” against individuals who were not involved in the initial attack. The suit said officers used Taser guns, pepper ball guns, chemical agents and dogs against prisoners. According to the suit, dozens of prisoners were also forced to kneel against a wall with their hands and ankles shackled for hours."

A federal judge has approved a final $6.75 million settlement in a class action lawsuit involving violence against prisoners at Massachusetts maximum security prison.