A retired geriatric nurse practitioner has called on Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey to prioritize clemency reviews for incarcerated women at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution in Framingham before proceeding with a $360 million renovation of the facility.

In a letter to the editor, Sarah Lay highlighted that the prison’s aging population includes a significant number of women serving lengthy sentences, many of which stem from circumstances related to mental illness, poverty, or experiences of sexual violence. Lay noted that as of early 2021, approximately one-third of the roughly 200 women at MCI-Framingham were aged 50 or older, and that among those over 60, 80 percent were serving life sentences. She emphasized that many older inmates are disabled or suffer from chronic illnesses.

Lay urged the governor to carry out a comprehensive population assessment to identify individuals who might be eligible for clemency, in line with Healey’s 2023 commitment to use commutations to address sentence disparities linked to systemic racism, changing policies, and issues related to aging in prison. According to Lay, older women represent the demographic least likely to be arrested or convicted currently, underscoring the importance of evaluating their cases to avoid unnecessary incarceration.

Despite the state’s investment in upgrading MCI-Framingham, Lay expressed concern that the ongoing renovation project has not incorporated an evaluation of which inmates could be considered for early release. She called for the administration to exercise mercy by reviewing prisoners’ circumstances before committing substantial resources to the facility’s expansion.

Governor Healey’s office has previously indicated a willingness to utilize clemency as a tool for justice reform, but advocates say progress on signing commutations has been slow. The Massachusetts women’s prison population remains one of the oldest in the country, raising questions about the future direction of criminal justice policies concerning long-term incarcerated women.