STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE HOUSE AND SENATE appear poised to go their separate ways on the major issue of criminal justice reform, perhaps meeting in the middle at some point in the future after what one senator predicted will be a “fairly lengthy evolutionary process.” The Judiciary Committee on Thursday opened voting on two
Looking to Colorado for a True Model of Justice Reinvestment
The MassCJRC Journal
Colorado’s novel approach to justice reinvestment offered new perspective for leaders gathered for a MassINC forum at the State House last week. The event featured Christie Donner, Executive Director of the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition, who joined via Skype to detail the process of creating a fund that moves savings produced by parole reforms
Ben Forman offers testimony to Massachusetts Legislature’s Joint Committee on the Judiciary
In support of "An Act Implementing the Joint Recommendations of the Massachusetts Criminal Justice Review"
TESTIMONY REGARDING H. 74 “AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE JOINT RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE MASSACHUSETTS CRIMINAL JUSTICE REVIEW” PROVIDED TO THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY JUNE 19, 2017 Benjamin Forman MassINC Thank you Chairwoman Cronin, Chairman Brownsberger, and members of the committee for the opportunity to provide testimony on An Act Implementing the Joint Recommendations of
Joint Committee on the Judiciary to hold second hearing
Several bills on criminal justice reform will be heard
Monday, June 19 at 1:00pm, the Joint Committee on the Judiciary will again hold a hearing at which dozens of bills concerning criminal justice reform will be heard. Earlier this year, Governor Baker filed a bill, An Act Implementing the Joint Recommendations of the Massachusetts Criminal Justice Review (H.74). This bill primarily addresses “back-end” reforms, or reforms
Report: Inmate levels down but spending keeps rising
At sheriff facilities, it’s one guard for every two prisoners
THE NUMBER OF INMATES in the state’s prisons and jails is going down, but the cost of operating those facilities is going up, largely because correctional institutions are adding more employees and paying their existing workers more, according to a study by MassINC. The study found that the average daily inmate population of state and
Boston reentry initiative hits the skids
Award-winning program to aid those leaving prison loses federal funding
BOSTON’S WIDELY ACCLAIMED prisoner reentry program, which is aimed at reducing recidivism by helping offenders who are released from prison with everything from employment and housing to addiction services, was quietly shut down last fall when a federal grant funding the efforts wasn’t renewed. The shutdown, which was never announced, is a big setback to
City Councilor highlights reentry initiative
OTO’s collaboration, coordination of reentry services has proven success
Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell held a hearing to review the Overcoming the Odds program (OTO), a reentry initiative from Community Resources for Justice. The goal of this initiative is to better engage individuals with existing programs and services and overcome barriers to success that individuals too often face following reentry. The program relies on
Reducing Youth Recidivism Isn’t Rocket Science, It’s Brain Science
This past Tuesday MassINC convened leading criminal justice experts and policy makers at the State House for a conversation on our new report examining strategies to reduce recidivism by responding to the developmental needs of justice-involved young adults. The new MassINC research finds residents ages 18 to 24 are the most likely demographic to find
Crime, Cost & Consequences
A Two Year Progress Report
In 2013, MassINC issued Crime, Cost, and Consequences, a comprehensive look at the performance of the state’s criminal justice system. At the Second Annual Massachusetts Criminal Justice Reform Coalition Summit, we issued this update. These new figures show steady progress in some areas, while other problems identified in the 2013 report continue to present stubborn challenges.
Watch MassINC’s Benjamin Forman discuss criminal justice
On WGBH's Greater Boston with Jim Braude
On September 30th, MassINC Research Director Benjamin Forman sat down with Jim Braude on WGBH’s Greater Boston to discuss criminal justice and his latest report: Exploring the Potential for Pretrial Innovation in Massachusetts. Segment begins at 10:00 mark.
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