The Plymouth County Correctional Facility (PCCF) is a key part of the criminal justice system in Massachusetts, housing inmates and providing rehabilitation services. Located in Plymouth, MA, this facility has a long and interesting history. Read on to learn all about daily life at PCCF, from typical inmate routines to visiting procedures.
Introduction
Plymouth County Correctional Facility first opened its doors in 1994. Owned and operated by Plymouth County, it is currently one of 18 county correctional facilities in Massachusetts. With a capacity of over 1,000 inmates, PCCF houses both male and female offenders.
The majority of inmates at PCCF are awaiting trial or sentencing. However, the facility also houses sentenced offenders serving less than 2.5 years. It has minimum, medium, and maximum-security housing units. PCCF operates under the National Detention Standards (NDS) and passed a recent audit for compliance with the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA).
History of Plymouth County Correctional Facility
Over the years, PCCF has housed some high-profile inmates. One of the most infamous was James "Whitey" Bulger, the notorious Boston mob boss. Bulger spent time at PCCF while facing charges for his involvement in 19 murders.
Other well-known past inmates include Richard Reid, better known as the "shoe bomber", who attempted to detonate explosives on an American Airlines flight in 2001. Liberian president Charles Taylor also spent time at PCCF in 2006 while on trial for war crimes.
In addition to housing adult offenders, part of PCCF operates as a separate facility for juveniles charged with murder. This specialized housing unit is run by the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services. It presents unique challenges for both staff and youth detainees.
The Plymouth County Sheriff's Department has overseen operations at PCCF since it opened. While owned by the County, the Sheriff's Department handles day-to-day management and oversight.
Daily Life for Inmates
So what is daily life like for the 1,000+ inmates at PCCF? Here is an overview of typical daily routines and services.
Schedule
Inmates follow a strict schedule designed to keep the facility running safely and smoothly. A typical weekday may look like:
- 5:00 am - Wake up
- 5:30 am - Breakfast
- 6:00 am - Clean cells
- 8:00 am - Work assignments
- 11:30 am - Lunch
- 12:30 pm - Recreation time
- 5:00 pm - Dinner
- 9:30 pm - Lockdown
Inmates who have jobs may work morning or afternoon shifts. Jobs include kitchen duty, janitorial work, laundry, and facility maintenance. Those without job assignments participate in education programs or recreational time.
Living Conditions
Most inmates at PCCF share small two-person cells with bunk beds, a toilet, and a sink. Maximum security inmates are housed alone. Cells open onto common dayrooms where inmates spend free time.
Basic necessities like clothing, bedding, towels and toiletries are provided. Inmates wear color-coded jumpsuits that identify their housing unit. Access to personal hygiene items meets basic standards.
Meals
Inmates eat three meals per day in the dining hall. Typical meals include simple fare like cold cereal, sandwiches, hamburgers, salad, and spaghetti. Special dietary and religious accommodations are available. On holidays, the menu often improves with special treats added.
Programs
Inmates have access to:
- Education programs like GED preparation and testing
- Substance abuse counseling
- Job skills training
- Faith-based religious services
- Library services
- Commissary purchases
Access to programs, education, and work opportunities aim to help inmates use their time productively and develop skills for success after release.
Connecting with Loved Ones
Maintaining connections with family and friends on the outside plays a critical role in an inmate's wellbeing. PCCF offers several ways for inmates to stay in touch.
Visitation
- In-person visitation available on a strict schedule based on housing unit
- Non-contact visits behind glass for general population
- Special contact visitation for minimum security inmates
- Visitors must be pre-approved and follow dress code
- Maximum visit length 30 minutes
- Inmates can send and receive letters through regular postal mail
- Special scanning procedures screen incoming mail for contraband
- Privileged legal mail opened only in inmate's presence
Phone Calls
- Recorded outgoing calls allowed on collect-only phones
- Calls limited to 15 minutes each
- No incoming calls allowed
While visitation is limited, regular mail and some phone privileges help inmates preserve relationships. However, connecting with loved ones from inside PCCF remains challenging.
Services and Amenities for Inmates
Inmates at PCCF have access to basic institutional services and a few amenities to meet health needs and boost morale.
- Medical Clinic - Provides checkups, sick call, medications, dental care
- Mental Health Services - Counseling, therapy, and observation
- Commissary - Offers food items, personal hygiene products, cards/games
- Cable TV - Available in dayrooms
- Library - Includes books, magazines, newspapers
- Table games - Chess, checkers, cards, dominoes
- Religious services - Catholic, Protestant, Muslim
Access to healthcare, religious support, recreational activities, and commissary items helps improve quality of life for those incarcerated.
Safety and Security at PCCF
With over 1,000 inmates, safety and security are top priorities at PCCF. Correctional officers use a variety of measures to maintain control.
- Camera surveillance across facility interior and exterior
- Advanced scanning of incoming mail and packages
- Pat downs and metal detectors screen staff and visitors
- Perimeter fencing with barbed wire
- Regular cell and common area searches
Specially trained canine units help intercept contraband and deter aggression. The minimum staff-to-inmate ratio is 1:64 during day shifts. Officers monitor inmate interactions and respond to any disturbances.
Correctional Staff
PCCF employs over 300 staff members across multiple roles:
- Correctional officers - Provide frontline supervision of inmates
- Shift commanders - Manage daily facility operations and oversee officers
- Unit managers - Coordinate inmate classification, programs, services
- Healthcare staff - Nurses, doctors, mental health counselors
- Support staff - Administration, food service, maintenance, clerical
New correctional officers complete a 12-week training academy before starting work. Ongoing training keeps staff current on policies and procedures. Standards aim to create a professional correctional environment.
Visiting an Inmate at PCCF
If you need to visit an inmate at PCCF, here are some key things to know about location, procedures, and rules.
The facility address is:
**Plymouth County Correctional Facility
26 Long Pond Road
Plymouth, MA 02360**
Enter the parking lot from Long Pond Road and look for visitor parking signs. The main lobby is open for visitation on a daily schedule from 8:30am to 9:15pm.
All visitors must register and show valid ID. Make sure you follow the dress code and pass through a security screening. You can locker prohibited items like handbags and phones before heading to the visitation area.
Visits last 30 minutes maximum and physical contact is not allowed. Be aware officers monitor all interactions closely - raising your voice or exchanging inappropriate items could cut a visit short.
Overall, cooperation with staff will help ensure a smooth visitation process. Make sure to review the pre-approval requirements and facility rules before your visit.
Other Visitor Procedures
If you need to handle bail, deliver personal items, or send funds to an inmate at PCCF, follow these steps:
**Bail Payments**
- Available when bail commissioner present, takes 1-2 hours
- Must pay $40 commissioner fee in cash
- Accept additional bail amount in cash only
**Clothing Drop-Off**
- Only by approved visitors during 9am - 2:30pm lobby hours
- Limit exchanges to one-for-one with inmate clothes
**Sending Funds**
- Deposit cash at lobby kiosk 24/7
- Mail money order/cashier's check to inmate's name and ID number
- Use electronic deposit services like Access Corrections
Carefully follow all posted procedures to ensure items or funds reach the intended inmate promptly.
Takeaways and Conclusion
Plymouth County Correctional Facility has a unique and interesting 25+ year history. With its blend of minimum and maximum security units, PCCF houses over 1,000 inmates in both long-term and temporary detention.
Daily life inside focuses on tight security, strict schedules, and basic services. Inmates have limited opportunities to connect with loved ones through mail, calls, and restricted visits. The goal of rehabilitation programs is to help offenders build skills and transition back to society positively.
While visiting an incarcerated individual poses challenges, knowledge of the facility's location, policies, and procedures can ease the process. With cooperation and planning, families can maintain supportive connections. For any other questions about PCCF, don't hesitate to contact the facility staff for guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
**What are the requirements to visit an inmate at PCCF?**
Visitors must be on the inmate's approved list, present valid ID, follow the dress code, and pass security screening. Minors require guardian permission to visit.
**How do I put money in an inmate's account at PCCF?**
Funds can be deposited through the lobby kiosk, mailed in as a money order/cashier's check, or processed online through Access Corrections. Cash sent via mail is accepted but not recommended.
**Can inmates at PCCF receive phone calls or emails?**
No, inmates can only make outgoing collect calls on provided phones. They cannot receive incoming calls or emails.
**What types of inmates are housed at PCCF?**
Most inmates at PCCF are pre-trial detainees or those serving short county sentences. However, the facility has minimum to maximum security units.
**What time does visitation end each day at PCCF?**
The last visitor processing time is 8:15 pm, allowing visitation until 9:15 pm when regular lockdown starts. Visitors should arrive well before the end of processing to ensure a full session.
Phone: 508-830-6200
Physical Address:
Plymouth County Correctional Facilty
26 Long Pond Road
Plymouth, MA 02360
Mailing Address (personal mail):
Inmate's Full Name & A-Number
Plymouth County Correctional Facilty
26 Long Pond Road
Plymouth, MA 02360
Other Jails and Prisons
When someone that is not a US Citizen gets arrested in the United States, and they are here illegally, depending on what state or city they are arrested in, the person may be turned over to ICE.
Many states such as New York and California, as well as hundreds of US cities, have declared themselves 'sanctuary cities' and do not turn over foreigners here illegally, even if they are committing crimes in their jurisdiction.
However, when an alien here illegally is turned over to ICE, and sent to one of the over 100 Immigration Detention Centers in the United States, the only way to try and locate where they are being detained is using the Online Detainee Locator System.
You can look them up using their assigned A-Number.
You can also try and look them up by using their name.
What is an ICE Detention Center?
Men, women, and children that are in the United States illegally and are apprehended by the US Border Patrol or ICE will most likely be placed in removal proceedings and may be detained in one of the more than 200 jails and detention centers that make up ICE’s detention system.
Many of the illegal immigrants that are detained are held in county and local jails that contract with ICE to detain immigrants. The rest are held in dedicated immigration detention facilities run by ICE or contracted to private prison corporations, including family detention centers that hold mothers and children.
What Determines if an Illegal Immigrant gets Detained?
ICE will typically detain an immigrant because DHS (Homeland Security) believes that an illegal immigrant is either a “flight risk” and may move to another location within the U.S. or that they pose a public safety threat. Detaining the person allows the government to guarantee that the person will show up for their hearing before an Immigration Court.
Some of the reasons that causes an illegal immigrant to get arrested and held in detention prior to their day in court is as follows:
The illegal immigrant has:
How do you find someone that is in an ICE Detention Center?
The first step to finding out if an illegal immigrant is in ICE or DHS custody is by using the ICE Detainee Locator.
It’s easier to find the person if you have an Alien Number (A#), if one exists. A green card or work permit will show this number. If you don’t have an A# the person is much more difficult to locate.
The information you will need is as follows:
If you are having difficulty, try different spellings and the order of how the name is listed.
If the illegal immigrant was only recently detained, the ICE Detainee Locator may not be updated with the latest information. Keep in mind that ICE does not give information (online or over the phone) for people under 18 years of age. In such cases, you can only get information on them from the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations field office nearest you.
If the person you are looking for is not in an ICE Detention Center, they may have been taken to a local jail that contracts with ICE, so contact their local City and County Jail, all which can be found here.
Another option, short of the expense of hiring an Immigration Lawyer, is to go to this website and use their online form to get their help.
Once an illegal immigrant is located and you find out the facility where they are being held you need to find out the Deportation Officer that has been assigned to their case. The Officer can tell you how to call or visit the detainee, or pay for the detainee to be able to call you, or how you can send any needed items such as clothing, prescriptions, etc.
The last option, and the most expensive, is to hire an experienced immigration attorney to assist you in tracking down the Deportation Officer. If the person being detained requires specific medical care, an attorney can ensure that they receive that care.
If the detained illegal immigrant has been deported from America previously or has an outstanding removal order - in which case they have no right to see an immigration judge - they can be removed within a few days, or even hours, of the initial arrest.
Even if the government does not immediately remove the person, it is possible that they can be moved around to different Detention Centers. There is never a warning that a person is being moved around and during the transfer there is a complete blackout of any information.
How long are people held in ICE Immigration Detention Centers?
The time that an illegal immigrant is held in an ICE Detention Center can vary. It all depends on several factors such as the individual’s personal situation, criminal record, the severity of the crime they are being charged with, previous deportations and the current caseload that the Detention Center is dealing with.
This image portrays the most recent data available on the time a detained illegal immigrant remains in custody before their release and/or deportation.
Can you visit someone in ICE Detention Centers?
The short answer is yes. The person visiting an illegal immigrant in an ICE Detention Center must be lawfully present in the United States. In other words the visitor must have some form of currently valid immigration status at the time of the visit. A detention center or jail will not allow the visit unless visitor can show valid I.D. and offer proof that they are lawfully in the United States.
If you want to become a volunteer that visits illegal immigrants in order to offer emotional support, it may be possible. You can join one of these visitation networks by going here and contacting the network in your area.
What crimes can cause an illegal immigrant to be deported?
(The following information comes from Nolo.com, a trusted legal resource)
These are the straightforward crimes that are mentioned in the immigration law. The statute also lists a number of security violations, such as involvement in espionage, sabotage, terrorism, Nazi persecution, totalitarian parties, and so forth.
Once an illegal immigrant is deported, how long before they can come back to the United States?
If an illegal immigrant has a deportation or removal order in their immigration file, it's possible that they won’t be allowed to enter the U.S. for five, ten, or even 20 years.
The applicable law comes from Section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (I.N.A.).
Five-Year Ban: If they were summarily removed or deported upon arrival at a U.S. port of entry because they were found inadmissible, or if they came to the U.S. but were immediately put into removal proceedings and then removed or deported, they may be ineligible to return to the U.S. for five years. The five-year ban also applies if they failed to show up for their removal hearing in the United States.
Ten-Year Ban: If a ‘removal order’ was issued at the conclusion of their removal hearing in Immigration Court, they may not be able to return for ten years after their removal or departure.
Twenty-Year Ban: If they were convicted of an aggravated felony or have received more than one order of removal, they are barred from returning to the U.S. for 20 years. And if they entered without permission after having been removed, or illegally reentered the U.S. after having previously been in the U.S. unlawfully for more than one year, they may be barred from entering the United States for 20 years or permanently.
This facility, known as "Plymouth County Correctional Facilty" is also known as ICE Detention Facility, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
