Inmate Suicide

In this Boston Globe article, John M. Guilfoil discusses the issue of mental health care in prisons. Much like we saw in 'The New Asylums" Frontline episode, a large number of inmates require serious medical attention for mental illness. Cuts to these 'services' (in my opinion, necessities) have seriously impacted the lives of many. Today, Michael Caputo, 59, committed suicide in his private cellat Old Colony Correctional Center in Bridgewater. He was serving life without parole. He is the "second inmate in less than two weeks" to take his own life in a Massachusetts prison. According to Leslie Walker, executive director of Prisoners' Legal Services, "the rate of inmate suicide in Massachusetts is more than three times higher than the national average".

Man found shot to death in church parking lot

A man was found shot to death in the parking lot of Grace Church of All Nations in Dorchester. He was pronounced dead from only a single gun shot wound. The shooting was said to be part of a trend that has been going on in the neighborhood lately. The victim was not a parishoner of the church. But the church has been known for providing programs and outreach for the at risk youth of the neighborhood. They also work with prisoners as a part of a program to decrease the amount of black men who end up in prison. This shooting is especially sad since the church is highly involved in working to stop violence in the neighborhood. It shows that more programs may need to be offered even if it was just a random act. Violence prevention needs to continue to be a priority for the church in hopes of decreasing not only the violence in the neighborhood but reaching out to all the parishoners who can spread the message to their family and friends as well.

DA: School knew of brutal bullying of Phoebe Prince

According to a recent article by the Boston Herald, nine South Hadley High students have been charged in connection with the January 14th suicide death of bullying victim Phoebe Prince. The students were charged with crimes varying from statutory rape, to assault, to assault with a deadly weapon. Despite attempts by Prince's mother to alert school officials of the frequency and depth of bullying her daughter was experiencing, officials did little to nothing to stop it. The passing of this young girl has prompted demands by residents for the resignation of Superintendent Gus Sayer after he refused to explain why the bullies had not been punished weeks after Prince's suicide. In the wake of this young girl's suicide, on March 11th, the senate approved legislation for an anti-bullying curriculum. South Hadley High School has since developed an anti-bullying task force which met March 29th.

9 charged in death of South Hadley teen, who took life after bullying

I had blogged about the subject of bullying a few times before and I found this article relevant to my other posts. 9 students were charged with the death of Phoebe Prince of South Hadley, Massachusetts who took her life this past January due to extreme bullying. The charges include statutory rape, violation of civil rights, criminal harassment, and disturbing a school assembly. The investigation has been on going since Prince's death. The article says, "Prince's death and the 2009 death of 11-year-old Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, 11, of Springfield, helped motivate both the Senate and the House to push through new antibullying measures." These new measures will help prevent future bullying in our local school systems.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2010/03/holding_for_pho.html

Brockton's Good Samaritan Hospital to get new ER under new owner

Good Samaritan Medical Center plans to open a new $30.1 million emergency wing by next summer under new ownership by an investment firm. The doctors, nurses and staff are all thrilled for the new addition to the hospital because it is said that the new deal will modernize and improve the ER. It will also be beneficial to the patients because of the new technology being brought into the hospital. The 32,000-square-foot emergency wing would triple the size of the current department which was built in 1968 and only meant to serve 25,000 patients a year. The unit is now cramped and crowded, serving 54,000 patients a year. The new emergency department would increase the number of rooms from 26 to 42, allowing patients to get a room more quickly, hospital officials have said.

http://www.enterprisenews.com/news/state_news/x1336919288/Brockton-s-Good-Samaritan-hospital-to-get-new-ER-under-new-owner

Immigrant-friendly Police Chief Starts New Job in Stoughton, Mass.

Paul Shastany of Framingham, Massachusetts has recently been elected to run the Stoughton Police Department as chief. As a former member of the Framingham Police Department, Shastany has worked with immigrants to try and encourage proper relationships between these immigrants and the police officers of the surrounding towns. He believes that their relationship should be one of trust and cooperation rather than fear and force. Shastany truly believes that in order for this to happen there needs to be more domestic police officers and a better understanding of the daily struggles many immigrants face. To read more about this story visit New England Ethnic News at http://www.ethnicnewz.org/en/immigrant-friendly-police-chief-starts-new-job-stoughton-mass

Cape Cod NPO Touched By Angels Exposed

This video describes the problems families have faced with Cape Cod based "non-profit organization" Touched By Angels. According to the video, many families in the community have had similar experiences with the organization, feeling as if they have been taken advantage of and wronged.