The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for the control, custody, and care of both pre-trial detainees and inmates that have been sentenced to two and a half years or less.
The institution dates back over 300 years to when the first location was opened in the 1860s in Worcester’s Lincoln Square. Today’s West Boylston facility was opened in 1973 and has the capacity to house over 1,000 inmates and a staff of over 600 correctional officers and civilians.
Steadfast Mission
Sheriff Evangelidis is honored to serve in the largest county in Massachusetts with 60 towns and over 850,000 residents. Serving since 2011, Sheriff Evangelidis’ goal is to protect, serve and make a difference in the community. In addition to the day-to-day operation of the Jail & House of Correction, Sheriff Evangelidis is dedicated to the rehabilitation of inmates as well as serving the cities and towns of Worcester County. Evangelidis emphasizes the importance of drug and alcohol rehabilitation, community service programs, and preventative programs like Face2Face. He hopes that by strengthening these programs inmates will be released with the skills they need to become productive citizens, recidivism will be reduced, and our communities will be safer places to live.
Integrity & Professionalism
Sheriff Evangelidis has remained committed to running the Sheriff’s Department based on the values of integrity and professionalism. He has increased the hiring standards to the highest in the field of corrections in the Commonwealth. Evangelidis is also currently the only Sheriff in Massachusetts that does not accept political contributions from employees or their spouses, a policy that has promoted a more professional department and better working environment for all Worcester County Sheriff’s Office employees.
Innovative Rehabilitation & Prevention Programs
With almost 90% of today’s inmates incarcerated due to substance abuse and mental health issues, Sheriff Evangelidis has given extraordinary focus to the current opioid epidemic and lack of mental health resources in the Commonwealth. Evangelidis has taken steps to implement innovative re-entry services and substance abuse programs for incarcerated individuals.
The Evangelidis’ Administration has developed a 14-plus acre inmate-run organic farm operation that produces roughly 500 pounds of fresh produce every day throughout the growing season. By the end of fall, harvests total approximately 40,000 pounds. The produce is donated to shelters, food pantries, and veteran non-profit organizations throughout the county.
Sheriff Evangelidis has crafted a one-of-a-kind preventative program, known as the Face2Face Drug & Alcohol Prevention Program, which he has presented to over 400,000 middle and high school students. In the past six years, his administration has doubled their mental health budget and staffing to address the needs of the population they serve.
Community Focus
In his commitment to being a community-based Sheriff, Evangelidis developed multiple programs to positively impact the residents of Worcester County. Through the development of the Sheriff’s Office’s non-profit arm, the Worcester County Reserve Deputy Sheriff Association, the Sheriff’s Office stands as a charitable beacon in Worcester County by breaking down barriers and sponsoring community events. For example, the Sheriff’s Office Annual Winter Coat Drive distributes over 4,000 brand-new winter coats to the most vulnerable populations in the county.
Public Safety Background
Evangelidis’ previous public service includes serving as an Assistant State Attorney in Miami-Dade County, Florida, and an Assistant District Attorney in Suffolk County, MA. Lew Evangelidis also served in the Massachusetts Legislature from 2002 – 2010, serving on the Joint Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Public Safety. Additionally, Evangelidis practiced law for over 20 years as an Associate at Wausau Insurance Company and at the law firm of Pellegrini and Seeley.
Sheriff Evangelidis attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics in 1983 and received his Juris Doctorate from Temple University School of Law in Philadelphia in 1987. Evangelidis currently serves on the Massachusetts Port Authority Board of Directors and serves on the Worcester County Opioid Task Force.
Explore the latest rehabilitation initiatives and community service activities at the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office.
Worcester County Sheriff’s Office
Worcester County Jail & House of Correction
5 Paul X Tivnan Dr
West Boylston, MA 01583
The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, national origin, age, military status, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression or gender in the delivery of services or employment practices.
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