What Does the PSA 07-08 Do?

HB 1416, the Public Safety Act of 2007-2008 (PSA 07-08) creates a systems approach to reduce recidivism, increase inmates’ access to rehabilitative programs, and end the cycle of crime, homelessness and unemployment by promoting a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) system that ensures the distribution of correct and pertinent information while protecting the public interest.

How Does the PSA 07-08 Increase Safety?

By updating the CORI system PSA 07-08 increases access to jobs, education and housing. Without access to employment or a place to live we are forcing individuals back into a criminal lifestyle in order to survive. Additionally, by encouraging participation in rehabilitative services PSA 07-08 helps end the cycle of addiction and crime that affect public safety.

Why Do We Need to Increase Access to Rehabilitative Services?

About 97% of Massachusetts prisoners will return to their community. If the criminal justice system does not use the time while they are incarcerated to try and rehabilitate them — they will return to the community worse off then when they left. Without rehabilitation we are endangering the public safety.

Why Should We Allow Offenders Serving Drug Sentences to Participate in Rehabilitative Services?

Over 90% of individuals who are serving a drug sentence are suffering from serious, long-term, drug addiction. All of these offenders will return to their community. By allowing them to enter drug treatment within the correctional facility after 2/3 of their sentence has been completed, they are more likely to continue treatment in the community and become productive members of their families and communities.

What Is A Certificate of Commitment to Rehabilitation?

A Certificate of Commitment to Rehabilitation is a monitoring system that will work in conjunction with the CORI system. Under the PSA 07-08 a CORI record will include an individuals participation in rehabilitative services, as well as their criminal history.

Why Does the CORI System Need to Be Changed?

The current CORI system is technologically outdated and needs to be updated to increase efficiency and accuracy. Individuals who were never charged with a crime or found not guilty of a crime are still in the CORI system. Additionally, most CORI requests come from non-law enforcement entities and they are not trained to read CORIs correctly and often misinterpret the information.

Does the CORI System Really Affect That Many People?

YES. The central database from which Criminal History Systems Board gets the information for the CORI reports currently has over 2.8 million individual records. Many of the files are inaccurate or outdated. In 2005, there were about 1.5 million CORI reports sent out across Massachusetts.

Do CORIs Affect People’s Ability to Get a Job, Housing and Education?

YES. Under the current CORI System persons with CORIs are unable to work in fast-food restaurants, become janitors, or serve in the military. Additionally, people with CORIs are unable to secure Housing or seek financial aid to go to school.

Will Law Enforcement Still Have Wide Access CORIs?

YES. PSA 07-08 does NOT amend the process for law enforcement officials or agencies to access CORIs. It is the intent of PSA 07-08 to bring the CORI system back to its original purpose of being an efficient and accurate law enforcement tool.

Does the PSA 07-08 Affect Sex Offenders?

NO. Sex offenders have their own tracking system under the Sex Offender Record Information (SORI) law — This system is NOT affected by the PSA 07-08.

Will People Who Work With Children, Elders & Other Vulnerable People Still Be CORI -ed?

YES. State agencies that license day-care centers, foster parents, and other professionals that work with children, elders and other vulnerable populations will continue to have special access to CORI under PSA 07-08.

CORI’s Are Open and Easily Accessible for a Set Period of Time. When Does That Time Period Start to Count Down?

The “CORI Clock” begins when the offender is no longer under supervision of any criminal justice entity — such as when individuals have concluded their probation or parole, or have been released from being incarcerated after serving their full sentence.