Bill > S1232

This bill seeks to establish a comprehensive study on the delivery of medical care to individuals in custody by creating a mandatory annual reporting process. The legislation defines key terms such as "law enforcement officer," "correctional officer," and "emergency medical condition," and highlights significant concerns about custodial deaths, noting that nearly half of deaths in Bureau of Prison facilities involve insufficient emergency medical responses. The bill requires the Massachusetts Attorney General, in collaboration with the Research and Policy Analysis Division, to collect and analyze detailed data about emergency medical care provided to persons in custody, including frequency, nature, and timing of medical interventions, emergency department admissions, EMS activations, and specific information about medical care preceding custodial deaths. Additionally, the report must include a section on psychiatric crises during arrest, tracking whether crisis reports were made before law enforcement contact and what medical care was subsequently provided. The ultimate goal is to create a systematic approach to understanding medical care in custody, which can help prevent avoidable deaths, improve health outcomes, build trust in law enforcement, and potentially reduce litigation costs associated with inadequate medical treatment. The first comprehensive report is mandated to be submitted within 365 days of the bill's enactment.

Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S1232