Ash Street Jail

The Ash Street Jail and Regional Lock-Up, located in New Bedford, Massachusetts, is a jail for inmates who are awaiting trial from Bristol County, MA. The Ash Street Jail is one of the oldest operating jails in the United States. It is a medium to maximum-security facility. Every year this facility has 4000 bookings, with a daily average of 200 Inmates. Inmates range from low level misdemeanor offenders to those being held and awaiting trial for violent crimes like robbery, rape and murder. Therefore, the security level must be high. Sheriff Thomas Hodgson is the Sheriff of the facility.[1]

Ash Street Jail and Regional Lock-Up
LocationNew Bedford, Massachusetts
StatusOperational
Opened1888
Managed byBristol County Sheriff's Office
DirectorThomas M. Hodgson

The prison facility holds over two hundred prisoners. Of those prisoners, most are awaiting trial, while others are sentenced there to serve sentences 2 ½ years or less. The facility provides in house programs such as educational, substance abuse, and parenting courses. They also offer religious services, bible studies, anger management, AA and NA meetings. The inmates that are serving a sentence enjoy larger cells.

History

The Ash Street Jail was built in 1888 on the site of the New Bedford House of Correction and the former New Bedford County Jail that was built in 1829.[2] It is currently overseen by Bristol County Sheriff Thomas M. Hodgson, who feels that although he has been heavily criticized[3] for keeping the 180-year-old facility open, that keeping it open is a good idea because jail should be a place that "people don't want to return".[4] Due to alleged unsafe conditions, including the absence of automatic door locks, the jail has been the subject of lawsuits. The Ash Street Jail's conditions have led to riots and lawsuits. In 1993, more than 100 inmates set fire to several buildings in the facility. In early 1998, inmates smashed toilets and sinks in their cells and threw excrement at guards.[5]

Notable inmates
Lizzie Borden

At one point, the infamous Lizzie Borden was held and detained in the former Sheriff's Home beside the Ash Street Jail while during the trial. Lizzie Borden stayed in the matrons quarters at the Ash Street Jail but only for the 12 days she was on trial.  

References
  1. "Bristol County Sheriff's Office". www.bcso-ma.us. Retrieved 2019-05-05.
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-07-05. Retrieved 2009-06-09.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. http://www.bethdavid.net/1998/AshStJail.html
  4. http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19980111/NEWS/301119985&cid=sitesearch
  5. FRAGA, BRIAN. "Inside the Ash Street Jail: A portal into 19th century New Bedford". southcoasttoday.com. Retrieved 2019-05-05.


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