Bill > S1725

This bill establishes an Independent Correctional Oversight Office called the Inclusion, Diversity, Anti-Racism, and Equity Unit (IDAREU) to address structural racism within Massachusetts correctional facilities. The office will be led by an Anti-Racism Corrections Inspector General, appointed by a diverse panel and supported by a nine-member community council that includes individuals directly impacted by the correctional system. The inspector general will have broad powers to investigate and assess all aspects of correctional facilities, including medical care, programming, staff interactions, and disciplinary processes, with a specific focus on identifying and dismantling racial inequities. The office will conduct comprehensive data collection, track racial demographics, investigate complaints of disparate treatment, and produce public reports on its findings. Importantly, the office will be independent of other government agencies and have the authority to issue sanctions, fines, or demotions for non-cooperation or systemic racism. The bill aims to create transparency, accountability, and meaningful oversight of correctional facilities, with a particular emphasis on addressing the disparate experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) within the correctional system.

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https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S1725