The Real Cost of Prisons Weblog

Hearings on the Public Safety Act of 2007-2008 (PSA 07-08) were preceded by a rally and press conference attended by about 200 people gathered in front of the State House. Colorful signs reading, "Believe in a second chance" and "CORI Reform= Safer Streets," were held by members of organizations including Neighbor to Neighbor, the Boston Workers Alliance.

The proposed legislation seeks to modify Massachusetts's Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) Law, which gives access to criminal records to employers and other institutions. Whether, and how, the law should be reformed became an issue in Massachusetts' race for governor last year.

The bill proposes to update the process for sealing CORIs, update the CORI database within the Criminal History Systems Board, implement anti-discrimination protections, update process for the distribution of CORIs, update the Juvenile CORI system, expand participation in re-entry programs by offenders serving mandatory minimum sentences, develop a certificate of commitment to rehabilitation.

Speakers addressed the crowd, including the bill's lead sponsor State Rep. Michael E. Festa, who introduced a member of the Texas legislature, Jerry Madden, who traveled to Boston to speak on behalf of the bill.

Standing in front of a row of elected officials, who lined the steps of the State House in support, Festa said, "In Texas, they're doing it better than we are here."

Alake and others directly affected by the current CORI law also spoke at the rally. She told of her son's struggles to find and maintain employment because of his CORI and the impact it has had on the rest of her family.

Arguing that her son has paid his debt to society and now just wants to work, "This is not supposed to be like Hester Prynne with a scarlet letter."

A crowd buoyed by the, sometimes, emotional speeches walked to the hearing room, B1, which quickly filled to capacity.

And when the House Chairman of the Joint Judiciary committee, the Honorable Eugene L. O'Flaherty opened the hearing, some loudly voiced complaints.

"Move to a bigger room," someone inside B1 shouted from the back. The request was punctuated by some applause from the standing room only crowd.

O'Flaherty, who presided over the hearing along with Honorable Robert S. Creedon, Jr. Senate Chairman of the Joint Judiciary Committee, advised the crowd not to ask questions and proceeded to call on the elected officials who would be granted the right to speak first.

For the next two hours, a bevy of officials from state and local government including Mayor Thomas M. Menino, members of Governor Deval Patrick's cabinet, Boston City Council Representative Chuck Turner, State Sen. Dianne Wilkerson and others testified before the committee.

Most officials spoke in favor of the principles surrounding CORI reform though many did not endorse HB 1416 in its entirety.

Mayor Menino said the issue of reform "has long been a concern of mine" and spoke in support of bills 1430 which addresses re-entry programs and 1431 that proposes mandatory post release supervision.

Then he asked, "Anyone in this room who hasn't made a mistake raise their hands?"

Senator Wilkerson also posed a question, "Do we want to have a growing number of people who are unemployable?"

Her testimony also included opposition to statements made by the delegation from Governor Patrick's office led by Suzanne Bump, Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development and Dr. JudyAnn Bigby, Secretary of Health and Human Services.

In earlier testimony, Bump said the issue of CORI reform is a priority for the Patrick and Murray administration. She said they are calling for the establishment of a commission on CORI reform that would "study the issues, have clear goals and a concrete time table".

Wilkerson disagreed.

"I don't agree with the administration that we need to start from scratch to study the impactm" she said. " We know the impact."

Speaking of the current CORI law, "It is out of control," she said.

At least twice during testimony, Creedon acknowledged that, at least, some aspect of the system is broken. He referenced an incident where a former police chief was denied a hunting license because of a 1959 arrest when he was a juvenile that he was told would not appear on his record.

"Those things should not appear. It's crazy," Creedon said.

Others spoke in opposition to portions of the bill. Attorneys from the Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM), criticized language in the bill saying, "terms are undefined in the anti-discrimination portion of the bill and much litigation will result."

During over two hours of testimony, repeated remarks were made about the size of the room which remained filled to capacity for most of the five hour hearing.

At one point Representative O'Flaherty cautioned "someone will remove you" as one person in the crowd ignored the chairman's warnings not to ask questions during the hearing.

Outside the hearing room witnesses waited outside creating a din that was audible through the closed doors and at times made testimony difficult to hear.

At around four o'clock, many who had been waiting all day to testify got their chance.

Cathy White testified, "I am haunted and judged by my past everyday."

Maggie Brown said, "I just want to work."

Stanley Porter of the Boston Workers Alliance said, "In my community people are hurting. They are hurting real bad."

Jalelle Cosgrob, a 16 year old with a CORI asked, "What am I supposed to do with the rest of my life?"

But by this time, many who came to testify had already left the building.

Steven O'Neill, executive director of Ex-Prisoners and Prisoners Organizing. for Community Advancement (EPOCA) talked about his organization's efforts tohelp ex-offenders. Then he addressed the elephant that had sat in the room all day.

"I have to struggle every day to convince our members there is hope...many of them felt that the message that was sent today was that the legislation doesn't care. 600 people came and most of them left because they couldn't get in. Meanwhile Garner auditorium that holds 600 is empty," O'Neill said.

O'Neill's comments were followed by cheers in the room that was, by then, half empty. O'Flaherty and State Sen. Creedon addressed the concerns saying when he scheduled the hearing the auditorium was booked.

"I thought it was important to hold the hearing quickly and get the testimony," he said.

"That is correct. The world is filled with erroneous conclusions. We hope you can dispel that one," Creedonadded.

The Bulletin Newspapers