Proposed Legislative Goals

To help create a safer Massachusetts, 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, such as addiction therapy and vocational training, 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.

1) Allow purging of criminal and juvenile records where the defendant was erroneously charged.

2) Train individuals who make decisions based on CORI’s on how to read and understand CORI reports.

3) Create a certification of commitment to rehabilitation as part of the CORI — which will allow individuals who are incarcerated or on community supervision to document for prospective employers or landlords their participation in treatment and other rehabilitative services within the correctional system and community.

4) Allow individuals who are serving mandatory minimum sentences to be eligible for expanded services behind bars and possibly parole after 2/3 of their sentence has been served, helping increase access to rehabilitation prior to release.

5) Allow CORI reports of felonies to be sealed 7 years after the end of court supervision; allow CORI reports of misdemeanors to be sealed 3 years after the end of court supervision. Implement a quasi-automatic process for sealing non-convictions.

6) Report only convictions and open cases will be reported to non - Criminal Justice entities, (i.e. employers, landlords, etc.)

7) An individual’s criminal history cannot be checked until the applicant is determined to be an otherwise qualified candidate for a particular employment opportunity and is given a chance to discuss his or her CORI.