Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian recently welcomed three members of the county’s legislative delegation to the Middlesex Jail & House of Correction for an official visit and tour (video link).
State Representatives Rodney Elliott (D–16th Middlesex), Simon Cataldo (D–14th Middlesex) and Priscila Sousa (D–6th Middlesex) toured the Billerica facility on Friday, October 6. All three legislators are currently in their first terms in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
“We were honored to host Representatives Cataldo, Elliott and Sousa for this important visit,” said Sheriff Koutoujian. “These tours allow our legislative partners to see first-hand the exceptional dedication and work of our uniformed, medical and civilian staffs. They also provide a window into the innovative solutions we are implementing to address the unique challenges facing those in our care when it comes to mental health and substance use disorders and much more.”
During the course of the meeting, legislators received a briefing from Sheriff Koutoujian and toured several units and programs where they were able to speak with staff and incarcerated individuals. The tour included focuses on the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office (MSO) young adult and veterans’ programs; the Medication Assisted Treatment And Directed Opioid Recovery (MATADOR) program; the Family Support Services Unit; and the women’s pre-release unit.
“I was impressed with the comprehensive approach the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office is taking to address mental health and substance abuse while inmates are serving out their sentences, in order to keep communities safe upon release,” said Rep. Elliott.
“The programs that Sheriff Koutoujian and his team are implementing place Middlesex County at the vanguard of 21st century corrections practices,” said Rep. Cataldo. “What we saw Friday portrays an expansive vision of what a Sheriff’s Office can and should do to facilitate re-entry and rehabilitation.”
“A sincere thank you to Sheriff Koutoujian for inviting me on a tour of the Middlesex Jail & House of Correction and walking my colleagues and I through the thoughtful programming developed under his charge,” said Rep. Sousa. “As the representative for the area where MCI-Framingham is located, it was particularly interesting to speak to the women in the women’s pre-release unit and subsequent discussions on how we in the 6th Middlesex District can continue to support Sheriff Koutoujian’s important work.”
