Criminal Law

This post summarizes collateral consequence issues in Massachusetts and the effects of the Criminal Justice Reform act of 2018 on collateral consequences.

In 2018, we enacted reforms designed to reduce incarceration — to lift people instead of locking them up and also to cut the chains that hold them down when they are trying to get back on their feet. Our reforms were also designed to improve public safety. This post collects resources on criminal justice reform in Massachusetts.

An Act relative to criminal justice reform includes a number of changes to the way our criminal justice system treats young adults and juveniles.

There will always be some prisoners who need to remain in segregation, but our legislation, if effectively implemented, should result in fewer admissions and shorter average stays in segregation. Prisoners leaving segregation should also be much better prepared to return to general population or to the street.

The CSG good time rate and completion credit increases will directly reduce the incarcerated population by 5% or more, while giving inmates stronger incentives to participate in rehabilitative programming.

This post summarizes and collects resources on the criminal justice package enacted in April 2018.