New Jail in Somerville?

[bex77]

YOU ARE INVITED!
Teach-in on Prison and Jail Expansion
Is One Coming to Somerville Soon?

PLEASE JOIN US ON MONDAY JUNE 19, 2006 @ 6:30PM

WHERE: COLLEGE AVENUE METHODIST CHURCH
Corner of CHAPEL STREET, 2 blocks from Davis Square T


Middlesex County Sheriff James DiPaolo recently declared a public safety crisis, which he attributes to jail 'overcrowding'. He is calling for 600 jail beds to be constructed immediately. Half the cells are said to be for temporary beds while the Cambridge Court House is renovated. (DiPaolo has acknowledged that the temporary beds may remain in use after the renovation.) The other 300 cells will be permanent. DiPaolo is very interested in constructing such units in Somerville.

What causes prison overcrowding? How is the community affected by jail expansion? Who decides to build or not? Will the sheriff take INS/ICE monies to detain immigrants? The 'feds' are spending billions to build and lease facilities to 'process' immigrant detainees.

WHO GOES TO JAIL? WHAT HAPPENS "INSIDE"? HOW COULD OUR MONEY BE BETTER SPENT? IS IT A GOOD IDEA TO BUILD MORE CAGES IN ORDER FOR THE SOMERVILLE POLICE TO HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE WORKPLACE?

Hear from and speak with your neighbors, community activists, educators and others working to stop the incarceration of ever more people. We'll watch a short video, "Rights for All", produced by Amnesty International and hear from Palak Shah, editor of Defending Justice, a resource guide published by Somerville's Political Research Associates. Jack Cole, a Medford resident, former cop and member of L.E.A.P. (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) will discuss the failed 'War on Drugs' and racism. Members of the Statewide Harm Reduction Coalition will talk about grassroots opposition to the Chicopee Women's Jail and the recent building 'boom' in corrections.
Share your thoughts and questions.

Prison issues are of great interest to everyone because they affect so many groups: our youth, the poor and people of color, women, and folks with substance abuse problems, newcomers, former prisoners, teachers and parents. Hand-outs and resource materials will be available. Questions? Call 617-776-6624

Comments

[theviper.livejournal.com]

i'm not quite sure how 'more cages in order for the somerville police to have an environmentally safe workplace' since the police station is actually condemned, and this is the sheriff's department we're talking about...

[ron_newman]

the idea is to build a combined facility for both departments. There are better things to spend local public money on, such as a better library or a Community Path extension.

library !!!

[bostonartist.livejournal.com]

About 7 years ago a plan was announced to renovate / expand the Somerville main public library on Highland avenue. An architect was hired, money was spent and the proposed drawings of the renovated library where published in the Somerville Journal. I was excited because I am a big fan of public libraries! Many months later it was announced by city hall that the library plans would have to be put on HOLD because the police station / fire station in Union SQ was in crisis and the money / effort would need to go there first! Seven years later.. neither the Library or the Police / Fire station has been touched! I love this city and its government !!

Summary?

[chenoameg.livejournal.com]

Clarifications as best I can figure out from some websearching

General concensus on the following issues:
- The current police station in Somerville needs to be replaced. (There is dispute whether there are or not problems at the building, but at this point the staff is so certain the building makes them sick that staying there is not feasible.)
- The Cambridge jail needs to be relocated during the renovation of the courthouse building
- There is a proposal from the Middlesex county sheriff to build a new combination police station/jail in Somerville, and a spokesperson for the Mayor said there's interest.

Issues still up in the air:
- Would the proposed facility also house overflow prisoners from the Billerica House of Correction?
- If so, why was the recent renovation of the Billerica facility insufficient?
- What would be the long term use of the jail on the Somerville site (replace the Cambridge jail, add to it?)
- What are the political ramifications (strengthening the sheriff's office, increasing jailspace, etc.)

(I deleted my previous comment "Is the proposal for a jail or a prison?" because I have mostly answered that question; the Cambridge jail holds pre-trial detainees, the Billerica house of corrections holds county prisoners. The expansion would definitely be a jail and possibly also be a prison.)