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HD 6018

A communication from the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office (see item 8910-1000 contained in Section 2 of Chapter 9 of the Acts of 2025) submitting its Prison Industries (PI) report for fiscal year 2025

194th Legislature (2025-2026)

Hampden’s York Street Industries generated $3.53M revenue with $3.53M costs in FY2025, returning a net $3,904 to the state while providing rehab-focused employment and community re

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Bill Summary · HD 6018

Bill Summary: HD 6018 (Session 194th) – Hampden Prison Industries Retained Revenue Report

Note: This summary covers a communication from the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office submitting its Prison Industries (PI) report for fiscal year 2025, as referenced in item 8910-1000 contained in Section 2 of Chapter 9 of the Acts of 2025. It outlines the Hampden County Prison Industries program (York Street Industries, YSI), its activities, outcomes, and related employment/reentry services.

1. Purpose and Intent

  • To provide a comprehensive report on the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office York Street Industries (YSI) program for Fiscal Year 2025, including financial performance, program operations, participant demographics, and outcomes.
  • To demonstrate how YSI serves as a rehabilitative and vocational model within the Hampden County correctional system, highlighting its role in reducing recidivism, promoting employment readiness, and generating retained revenue to support the correctional system.
  • To justify continued or expanded retained revenue use by detailing program impact, workforce development, and community restitution efforts.

2. Key Provisions and Content

  • Revenue and Expenditure Details

    • FY2025 YSI revenue: $3,529,796.23
    • FY2025 expenditures: $3,525,892.12
    • Net impact to state: $3,904.11 returned to the state
    • Indicates sustained profitability and a self-supporting model since inception.

  • Program Overview and History

    • YSI established in 1986 as a public/private venture; historically a model for work-based inmate education and institutional support.
    • Program sectors include Goods and Services, Culinary Arts, and Vocational Shops (Graphics/Printing, Welding, Building Trades, Arborist Apprenticeship).

  • Program Sectors and Activities (FY25)

    • Goods and Services: uniforms, mattresses, laundry bags, signs; furniture refurbishment; embroidery and screen printing; external government and nonprofit clients; significant in-house printing and cost savings.
    • Culinary Arts: three on-site restaurants (Stonybrook Grille, 701 Grille, Olde Armory Grille) with real-world food service experience; ServSafe and OSHA 10 certifications; transitional work program for post-release employment; collaboration with Holyoke Community College (HCC) for hospitality coursework.
    • Vocational Shops: Graphics/Printing, Welding, Building Trades, Arborist Apprenticeship; certificates and industry credentials (AWS, OSHA 10, etc.); work that supports agency operations and external clients; revenue generation to offset program costs.
    • Building Trades: OSHA 10, custodial, HAZMAT; project examples include chairs, signs, furniture refurbishments, school and municipal work; integration with Community Restitution efforts.
    • Arborist Apprenticeship Program: TCIA modules, OSHA 10, CPR/First Aid; paths toward certification and licensure (hoisting, CDL) to expand post-release employment options.

  • Community Restitution and Outside Work

    • Community Restitution crews perform weekly street/park cleaning and numerous city projects (Springfield, Ludlow, Longmeadow, Holyoke, Westfield, West Springfield, etc.).
    • Notable: savings to municipalities (e.g., Springfield estimated at over $11 million) through labor and services; engagement with nonprofits and private-sector partners.

  • Employment Services and Reentry

    • Four-phase employment model focusing on education, portfolios, interview skills, job search/match, and job retention with ongoing employer engagement.
    • Outcomes include more than 11,632 job placements historically; FY23 saw 289 individuals transition to employment with 37 new employers added to the database.
    • Ongoing collaboration with STCC, HCC, MassHire, and community partners; a strong emphasis on reducing recidivism through skills development and supported transition.

  • Participant Information (FY25 PI Cohort)

    • 64 participants started Prison Industries in 2025 (46 male, 18 female; average age ~37).
    • Mix of pretrial and sentenced status; enrollment skewed toward medium-risk individuals.
    • End-of-year status: 7 continued participation; 29 discontinued (primarily released from custody); 19 terminated (mostly for insufficient participation; few for disciplinary reasons).
    • Recidivism context: preliminary data suggest YSI participants have notably lower one-year reincarceration rates (e.g., 7.7% for 2023 released participants) compared to Hampden County releases statewide (19.3%).

  • Compensation and Worker Conditions

    • PI participant pay ranges from $0.50/hour up to Massachusetts minimum wage ($15.00/hour), based on classification and work site.

3. Who/What is Affected

  • Inmates and detainees at Hampden County facilities who participate in PI programs (YSI).
  • Hampden County Sheriff’s Office operations and facilities (Main Institution, WMRWCC, SSTC, etc.) that utilize PI labor for maintenance, production, and services.
  • Local governments, non-profit organizations, and private sector partners receiving goods/services from YSI.
  • Communities benefiting from Community Restitution projects and workforce reentry initiatives.
  • State agencies and the public safety/homeland security oversight bodies reviewing PI performance and retained revenue.

4. Procedural/Timelines

  • FY2025 reporting period and closeout data are presented (June 30, 2025 year-end results referenced).
  • The report is submitted to EOPSS, Joint Committee on the Judiciary, Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, and Ways and Means committees.
  • The document functions as an annual retained revenue report, illustrating financial performance, program outputs, and outcome measures to inform legislative oversight and potential policy decisions regarding retained revenue caps and program funding.

Overall, the bill presents Hampden County’s Prison Industries as a viable, revenue-generating, rehabilitation-focused program with positive employment outcomes and meaningful community restitution, while outlining participant demographics, safety/credentialing, and fiscal results for FY2025.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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