The legislatively-created Special Commission to Reduce the Recidivism of Sex Offenders , chaired by Senator Brownsberger, will be meeting for the first time on Tuesday at 10:15 am in Room 348 of the State House. Please find the agenda for the meeting below.
Special Commission to Reduce the Recidivism of Sex Offenders
September 16, 2014, 10:15 am
State House, Room 348
Meeting Agenda
I. Introductions
Commissioners:
Chair, William N. Brownsberger, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary
Kathy Betts, Assistant Secretary for Children, Youth, and Families
Robert Kinscherff, Ph.D., Esq., Associate Vice President for Community Engagement, Office of the President, and Teaching Faculty, Doctoral Clinical Psychology Program, Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology
Larni Levy, Esq., Committee for Public Counsel Services
Edward J. Dolan, Commissioner, MA Probation Service
Nancy Connolly, Psy.D., Program Director, Mentally Ill/Problematic Sexual Behavior
Program of the Department of Mental Health
Raymond Knight, Ph.D., Gryzmish Professor of Human Relations, Department of Psychology, Brandeis University
Laurie L. Guidry, Psy.D., President, Center for Integrative Psychological Services, Inc., and President, Massachusetts Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers
Saundra Edwards, Chairperson, Sex Offender Registry Board
Andrea Cabral, Secretary of Public Safety and Security
Maureen Gallagher, Director of Policy, Jane Doe, Inc.
II. Review of Commission’s Charge: Section 208 of the Acts of 2013
SECTION 208. There shall be a special commission established pursuant to section 2A of chapter 4 of the General Laws to investigate and study the most reliable protocols for assessing and managing the risk of recidivism of sex offenders. The commission shall develop the Massachusetts authorized risk assessment protocols for sexual offenders including, but not limited to, any special assessment protocols for juveniles, female offenders and persons with developmental, intellectual, psychiatric or other disabilities. The commission shall assess the effectiveness and necessity of sections 178C to 178P, inclusive, of chapter 6 of the General Laws and the guidelines promulgated by the sex offender registry board, pursuant to section 178K of said chapter 6, as those sections relate to: (i) determining a sex offender’s risk of re-offense; (ii) degree of dangerousness posed to the public; and (iii) the general public’s access to information based upon the offender’s risk of re-offense and the degree of dangerousness.
The commission shall consist of: 2 members of the senate, 1 of whom shall serve as co-chair; 2 members of the house of representatives, 1 of whom shall serve as co-chair; the chairman of the sex offender registry board or a designee; the commissioner of probation or a designee; the commissioner of mental health or a designee; the secretary of public safety and security or a designee; the secretary of health and human services or a designee; and 6 persons to be appointed by the governor, 3 of whom shall have expertise in the assessment, treatment and risk management of adult sex offenders and familiarity with the research on recidivism of sex offenders, 1 of whom shall have experience in the assessment, treatment, and risk management of juvenile sex offenders and familiarity with the research on recidivism of juvenile sex offenders, 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Massachusetts District Attorneys Association, and 1 of whom shall be a representative of the committee for public counsel services. The commission shall convene not later than 60 days after the effective date of this act.
The board shall submit a report, detailing the results of its investigation and study, any recommended legislative or regulatory action and a timeline for implementation to the governor, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives and the clerks of the house of representatives and senate not later than 180 days after the effective date of this act.
III. Discussion of Commission’s work plan, including any research items and solicitation of public input
IV. Confirmation of next steps
Anne Johnson Landry
Committee Counsel and Policy Advisor
Office of State Senator William N. Brownsberger
S.O.R.B., has ruined my life, my information publicised by them has been used by criminals to torture me, make me unable to get a job, made me homeless not wanted by home owners, made me tortured at vets shelter in Boston, and Pine Street in, and the old Night Center, with no sympathy from their staff, and staff involvement, strained my relationship with my children, caused women, and people not to want to be seen with me, caused judges to make corrupt rulings in legal actions I filed, caused lawyers not to want to help me, caused a lawyer to corrupt himself in a case I filed against S.O.R.B., caused me to ponder suicide, caused Malden police, and the court to corrupt themselves when I was attacked, and battered by an x con on probation for murder and his connections got the charges thrown under the rug cause he attacked merely a registered sex offender. In 2005 I was forced to register because of a 1983 conviction for a 16 year old male forcing a 17 year old girl to have sex with him. I received probation cause I was not guilty which I am waiting on the Innocent Project to prove this with DNA. In 2005 sorb had no charges to make me register, they did a favor for the parole people and made me register in 2005 based on nothing. The SORB back then was corrupt, and evil. I need to get away from them, and not register anymore, please look at my case and help me. Thank you.
Steve, you need a good lawyer. I can’t help you individually from where I sit.
But I do appreciate hearing from you. The goal of the commission is to assure that the system protects the public while being fair to all. We have a lot more work to do before we reach recommendations.