Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 127, § 83B (2026)

Removal of prisoners to camp; permit to be at liberty; escape

✓ current as of July 2026

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Section 83B. The commissioner may remove to any camp so established any prisoner held in a correctional institution of the commonwealth except the Massachusetts Correctional Institution, Framingham, and sentenced prisoners in jails and houses of correction, including male prisoners sentenced to life who have served twelve years, except a prisoner serving a life sentence for first degree murder, or a sentence imposed for violation of sections twenty-two, 22A, 22B, 22C, twenty-three, 23A, 23B and twenty-four of chapter two hundred and sixty-five and for attempt to commit a crime referred to in said sections, who, in his judgment, may properly be so removed and may at any time return such prisoners to the prison from whence removed. Prisoners so removed shall be entitled to a permit to be at liberty as provided under the provisions of sections one hundred and twenty-eight, one hundred and thirty-two and one hundred and thirty-three of chapter one hundred and twenty-seven.

If a prisoner escapes or attempts to escape from a prison camp all deductions from the sentence he is then serving shall be thereby forfeited. A prisoner who is entitled to have the term of his imprisonment reduced shall receive from the parole board a certificate of discharge and shall be released from the prison camp on the date which has been determined by such additional deduction from the maximum term of his sentence or sentences.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 12 cases, 1969–2008 · leading case: Lynch, 400 N.E.2d 854 (Mass. 1980).

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Lynch, 400 N.E.2d 854 (Mass. 1980). · cites it 4× “Under G. L. c. 127, § 83B, a prisoner who escapes from a prison camp forfeits all deductions from any sentence he is then serving.”

Wood v. Comm'r of Corr., 292 N.E.2d 712 (Mass. 1973). · cites it 3× “The petitioner appeals from a Superior Court final decree on a bill for declaratory relief seeking to establish that G. L. c. 127, § 83B, does not require forfeiture of prospective “good conduct deductions.”

Lynch, 389 N.E.2d 91 (Mass. App. Ct. 1979). · cites it 2× “13 The second prong is grounded on the present first sentence of the second paragraph of G. L. c. 127, § 83B, as amended through St.”

Gardiner v. Comm'r of Corr., 363 N.E.2d 1323 (Mass. App. Ct. 1977). · cites it 2× “The substance of the plaintiff’s contention is that G. L. c. 127, § 83B,* 1 2must be read together with the fourth sentence of the first paragraph of G.”

Devlin v. Comm'r of Corr., 305 N.E.2d 847 (Mass. 1973). “For a statute expressly excluding persons serving life terms for first degree murder from the benefits of legislation, see G. L. c. 127, § 83B, as amended by St. 1972, c.”

Commonwealth v. Sneed, 322 N.E.2d 435 (Mass. App. Ct. 1975). “…affirmed. 1 Our concern is with G. L. c. 268, § 16, prior to its further amendment by St. 1973, c. 1062. 2 See G. L. c. 127, § 83B.”

Gregoire, 245 N.E.2d 241 (Mass. 1969). “As a result of the escape, the Commonwealth forfeited all of his good conduct deductions in relation to the 1964 sentence under the provisions of G. L. c. 127, § 83B. The parties agree that if these *400 good, conduct deductions were improperly forfeited, the petitioner would be…”

Amado v. Supt., Mass. Corr. Inst. at Walpole, 314 N.E.2d 432 (Mass. 1974). “127, § 49 (restriction on eligibility of specified sex offenders for programs outside a correctional facility); G.L.c. 127, § 83B (certain sex offenders ineligible for transfer to forestry camps); G.”

Sumpter, 704 N.E.2d 1206 (Mass. App. Ct. 1999). “G. L. c. 127, § 83B. As in the case of § 83B, we presume it was the intent of the Legislature to impose a mandatory penalty to deter prisoners from escaping in circumstances presenting the opportunity for doing so.”

Amado v. Superintendent, Massachusetts Corr. Inst., 314 N.E.2d 432 (Mass. 1974). “127, § 49 (restriction on eligibility of specified sex offenders for programs outside a correctional facility); G. L. c. 127, § 83B (certain sex offenders ineligible for transfer to forestry camps); G.”

Pierce v. Dep't of Corr., 879 N.E.2d 675 (Mass. 2008). “127, § 83C; was determined to have forfeited certain good time credits pursuant to G. L. c. 127, § 83B; and was given a sentence that ran concurrently with his initial sentence.”

Patten, 369 N.E.2d 1041 (Mass. App. Ct. 1977). “79 (1973), in construing the good conduct forfeiture provisions of G. L. c. 127, § 83B, which substantially track the critical provisions of § 49 of that chapter, which are the subject matter of this appeal, we hold that the judge was right in his ruling that only good conduct…”

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