Timothy J. Muise, #W66927
MCI Shirley
P.O. Box 1218
Shirley, MA
01464-1218

April 22, 2013

Luis Spencer
Commissioner of Correction
50 Maple Street
Suite #3
Milford, MA
01757

PRIVILEGED MAIL

Re: RESOLUTION OF PURPORTED "UNDERSTAFFING" ISSUES at MCI SHIRLEY

Dear Commissioner Spencer:

My hopes are that your office can instruct your subordinates here to
begin operating the prison at full operating capacity. For close to a
year this facility has operated at a limited capacity, with the law
library, school, programs, and religious services, shut down on varying
nights. Your experience as a former superintendent lends you the
knowledge that such closures, and the inability of men to access positive
activities, results in men engaging in counter-productive activities (i.e.
drug use, alcohol use, tattoo art, gambling, etc.) which diminish public
safety rather than enhance it.

Captain [redacted] (the evening shift commander) instructed us that Deputy
[redacted] had issued an "order," via email, that he not open the
school building on certain nights, not open the voc ed building on other
nights, and to force men to hold religious groups and programs in class-
rooms rather than the prison chapel. When recently questioned about the
"new hires" here at the prison, creating higher staffing levels, Captain
[redacted] said that Deputy [redacted] "order" is still in place. I have
to say this perplexes me. This Friday night the recreation coach "Fred"
was asleep in the break-room of the school building while the gym and
voc ed building were closed. There was an officer with him in the school
building (who did in fact stay awake and do his job) but the rec coach
was dreaming of greener pastures. Most nights when the school building
is closed (especially when Sgt. [redacted] is working) there are two or
three guards (a mixture of sergeants and line guards) hanging out in the
break-room of the school building, but the building is still closed. Many
nights we have two (2) captains patroling the walkways ([redacted and
[redacted]) but they cannot find one (1) guard to open the Chapel (voc ed
bldg.) for religious services/programming. Volunteers vocally complain.
Program attendence is depleted, but no one seems to care. When men from
groups, volunteers, clergy, or anyone else seek answers it all seems to
point back to Deputy [redacted]. Is she the new superintendent here?

With the numerous new hires here at the prison I cannot see a reason,
other than guard apathy and administrative neglect, that the yard, gym,
school building, and voc ed (Chapel), should not be open every night.
Public safety demands such. I am personally enrolled in the "Alpha
Program" on Friday evenings and I have watched as attendence has
declined since the Chapel was ordered closed by Deputy [redacted] on
Friday nights. The volunteers are angry as they make the long trip
here only to be stuck in a classroom instead of the Chapel. It is a
religious program that REQUIRES the Chapel. No one here cares. We need
YOU to care.

68% of the DOC budget goes to salary. How can there not be enough guards?
You and I both know there is a 2.2 to 1 prisoners to staff ratio in your
department. When the news gets out that the prison is "closed due to
lack of interest" someone will have egg on their face. The buck stops
with you. Please intervene.

Thank you.

Respectfully Yours,

Timothy J. Muise, #W66927
MCI Shirley

cc: file

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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Executive Office of Public Safety and Security
Department of Correction
MCI-Shirley
P.O. Box 1218
Shirley, Massachusetts 01464
(978)425-4341, Fax (978)514-6601
www.mass.gov/doc

June 3, 2013

Timothy Muise W66927
MCI-Shirley /C-2
P.O. Box 1218
Shirley, MA 01464

Dear Mr. Muise:

Your letter to Commissioner Luis S. Spencer dated April 22, 2013, regarding allegations of "understaffing" issues at
MCI-Shirley, has been referred to me for response.

I have reviewed your letter and offer you the following. Due to a variety of issues, a directive was issued department-
wide to consolidate programming. The recreation, library, religious, and programming schedules have been reviewed
and restructured to allow for appropriate space for the scheduled programming. As you note, some volunteer
programs have been relocated, however, the services of recognized religion are conducted in their designated place of
worship on the desginated worship day(s).

Although there have been basic training classes conducted, it has not offset the staffing needs department-wide. I
have spoken with the Captains and they do make rounds each shift and are available to speak with volunteers, staff
and inmates. I will not discuss the staffing of this facility with you but can assure you that all programming, recreational
and religious needs are addressed in an appropriate manner.

If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Kelly A. Ryan
Superintendent

cc: Luis S. Spencer, Commissoner
Karen L. DiNardo, Deputy Superintendent
C13-INM17145
File