MA DOC – Boston Pre-Release Center (BPRC)

SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT PROGRAMS

Alcoholics/Narcotics Anonymous: The facility hosts several weekly meetings where volunteers from AA and NA speak to inmates sharing their message of experience, strength, and hope in their own battle with addiction. Volunteers offer encouragement to all that suffer from the hope that they will be better equipped to deal with an addiction to drugs/alcohol and remain sober.

Offenders Anonymous: This program is based on the 12 Steps of Recovery of Alcoholics Anonymous whereas offenders recognize that certain addictive behaviors lead them to continue a cycle of re-incarceration. The program guides participants to continue to take self-inventory of their destructive behavior in hopes to not re-offend.

RELIGIOUS SERVICES

Religious Services: An array of religious services are offered throughout the institution including but limited to Protestant, Catholic, Episcopal, Jehovah Witness, Jewish and Islamic worship and Juma'ah prayer. Boston Pre-Release Center also has on-site Chaplains to provide various bible studies.

Movie with a Message: A weekly gathering of inmates who meet under the supervision of the Institutional Chaplain for a spiritual movie followed by a group discussion.

EDUCATION SERVICES

Pre GED/ GED: The Education Division teaches General Educational Development (GED) to inmates in order to prepare them to pass the GED Test earning the equivalent of a High School Diploma.

Adult Basic Education: This program administered by the Education Division teaches inmates with little or no educational skills. (ABE) focuses on basic academics such as reading and arithmetic in order to improve these skills in preparation for future GED programming.

English as a Second Language: This program is administered by the Education Division that assists Spanish speaking inmates to become proficient in the English language.

LIFE SKILLS PROGRAMS

Veterans Benefits Clearinghouse: The mission of the VBC is to improve the quality of life for the residents of Greater Boston, with a special focus on providing services to incarcerated veterans and their families to ensure they become productive members of society. Services provided to incarcerated veterans include counseling, HIV/AIDS education, Housing Services, and Employment & Training workshops.

Horticulture Class: An educational service that is run in conjunction with the Community Work Crew, Emerald Necklace. Class meets once weekly for 20 weeks led by an Emerald Necklace Conservatory employee who leads class members in structured classroom lectures as well as practical applications of the teachings through lab and fieldwork.

Fatherheart Program: This parenting program focuses on teaching inmates how to be both good sons and good fathers and teaches them to build bridges between the two.

NEADS Program (National Education for Assistance Dogs Service): BPRC is training site through the Prison PUP Partnership Program. The program involves intense training of puppies by inmate handler in order to produce community service dogs assisting deaf and disabled Americans.

Work Skills Training Program: Offered through a partnership with Bunker Hill Community College, this program provides inmates with a common base of understanding of the basic universal interpersonal life skills and competencies required for success in the contemporary workplace.

Re-Entry Work Shop Program: This program is offered through Spectrum which is a 2-week program focusing on inmate re-entry needs including job skills training and housing placement.

Child Support Enforcement Seminars: Representatives from Department of Revenue Child Support Enforcement Division regularly visit the institution to assist inmates with Child Support issues by educating them of their responsibilities and aiding them in maintaining accountability while incarcerated and upon release to the community.

Transitional & Recovery Housing Workshops: A volunteer-run program that assists inmates in need of non-traditional housing. The workshops focus on educating and offering resources to aid inmates in finding appropriate housing for successful re-entry.

Pyramid Builders: This program is designed to offer a seamless transition for inmates from the Greater Boston area back into their communities that may be in need of psychosocial therapeutic and clinical services.

Jericho Circle Project: Jericho Circles are based on the development of internal rather than external motivation and are designed to support accountability, responsible and conscious choices for change. Jericho Circle volunteers follow inmates who have begun programming at institutions of higher security who have been transferred to BPRC for follow up prior to their release.

COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS (AVAILABLE TO APPROVED PRE-RELEASE INMATES ONLY)

Work Release Programming – The purpose of employment programs for inmates outside correctional institutions is intended to provide inmates with access to a wide range of employment opportunities that help facilitate their successful re-entry into the community. Approved Pre-Release inmates are encouraged to find and maintain gainful employment throughout their stay at Boston Pre-Release Center.

Education and Training Release Programming – The purpose of education and training release programs permit inmates within 18 months of parole eligibility or discharge, subject to approval of the Commissioner, to participate in programs of education and training outside of a correctional institution. Approved inmates may thus be granted access to suitable educational and training opportunities within the community. BPRC inmates have participated in educational and training classes at various sites within the Greater Boston area including Bunker Hill Community College, Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology, Wentworth Institute of Technology, Iron Worker's apprenticeship programs, Boston University, UMASS of Boston, Kaplan Institute and Massachusetts School for Barbering.

Community Release Programming – Approved inmates may participate in Program Related Activities within the community predominantly for therapeutic services which may not be accomplished at the facility. BPRC focuses our efforts at guiding inmates to participate in community programming that will aid in a seamless transition back to their neighborhoods and families. BPRC has several positive community partnerships with various health and family support agencies within the Greater Boston area including but not limited to SPAN, STEP/ROX, MassRehab, Deaf Incorporated, Dimmock Health Center, and Pyramid Builders.