Bill > H1583

This bill establishes a task force, to be created by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security in collaboration with the Massachusetts Trial Court, with the primary goal of analyzing administrative data within the Commonwealth's criminal justice system to improve its overall performance. The task force is mandated to produce a report detailing the administrative databases used by various entities such as the House of Corrections, Department of Corrections, Parole Board, Probation Department, and the Massachusetts Trial Court, specifically focusing on how they track information like charges, sentencing, time served, risk assessment scores, and program participation. This report will also identify any deficiencies in the current data infrastructure and analytical capabilities, explore opportunities and obstacles to integrating different agency data systems for better administration of justice and public safety, and provide recommendations for making this administrative data more accessible to researchers. The task force is required to submit its findings to the clerks of the Senate and House of Representatives, as well as the chairs of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary, by December 31, 2015, and the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security will then publish this report online.