Massachusetts General Laws Part I. Administration of the Government (Ch. 1-182) Ch. 126, § 7

The jailers of the county shall, at the opening of each session of the superior court for criminal business, return to the court a list of all prisoners in their custody, specifying the causes for which and the persons by whom they were committed, and produce and exhibit therewith, for the inspection of the court, their calendars of prisoners, and return a like list of the persons committed during the session of the court, so that the court may take cognizance and make deliverance according to law of the prisoners committed for crimes within its jurisdiction. Jailers who neglect to make such reports or to exhibit their calendars shall be punished by a fine at the discretion of the court. In the event that the commonwealth constructs a house or houses of correction in a county, then such county shall no longer be responsible for providing for the structure of such facility or facilities, but shall continue to be required to maintain and operate such facility; provided, however, that in any county which has been ordered by a court to construct a new house of correction, state assumption of the responsibility to provide such structure shall occur when the state appropriates funds therefor and such county has complied with any conditions attached to such appropriation, if any.