Norfolk County Jail Population Down 27 Percent Since Court Order

DEDHAM, MA — The number of inmates at the state's correctional facility in Norfolk County has dropped 27.3 percent to 309 from 425 on April 5, when a sweeping court order allowed the release of nonviolent offenders to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The Norfolk County House of Corrections in Dedham never had large outbreaks of COVID-19, but the Judicial Court still appeared to have had its intended effect. One inmate, one corrections officer and a staff member have tested positive for COVID-19, but there hasn't been a new case since April 27 when the corrections officer tested positive.

Statewide, there have been 153 confirmed cases and inmates, 95 among correctional officers and 37 cases among staff members at the state's county jails since April 5, when a court-appointed overseer started compiling weekly reports on testing and confirmed cases for Department of Corrections facilities.

The ruling said people charged with most crimes should be released without bail "unless an unreasonable danger to the community would result, or the individual presents a very high risk of flight." The ruling lets people currently serving sentences of 60 days or fewer to file motions to have their sentences revised or revoked.

Across Massachusetts, 811 prisoners have been released from county jails under the order, including 158 in Norfolk County. The court order also said most inmates should be released on personal recognizance while awaiting trial, which factors into the 27.3 percent drop at the Norfolk County facility.

The ruling also ordered the Department of Corrections and parole board to speed up the process for paroling prisoners "and to identify other classes of inmates who might be able to be released by agreement of the parties, as well as expediting petitions for compassionate release."

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