Massachusetts Psychiatric Prison Under Scrutiny

A nonprofit watchdog group has launched an investigation into the treatment of inmates at Bridgewater State Hospital psychiatric prison.

The state Department of Correction confirmed Wednesday that lawyers from the Disability Law Center arrived at the medium-security prison Tuesday to meet with administrators, gather records, and meet with patients.

Department spokesman Darren Duarte tells The Boston Globe the visit was ``a positive meeting.''

The investigation comes in the wake of reports that guards and clinicians are illegally putting mentally ill inmates and patients into physical restraints and isolation cells.

The Disability Law Center, which gets a significant portion of its funding from the federal government, is designated under federal law to investigate complaints of abuse of disabled people. It said in a letter to state officials it has ``deep concern about the amount of restraint and seclusion.''  (Associated Press)