Gov. Patrick’s CORI Reform Bill Gets Lukewarm Support

Sen. Wilkerson (above) said Gov. Patrick's CORI reform bill fails to address juvenile CORIs and employer duties, and holds harmless those who negligently release CORIs. (Photo: mass.gov)

The following article is from the Dorchester Reporter.

Members of Dorchester [in Boston]'s Beacon Hill delegation this week offered qualified support for Gov. Deval Patrick's proposal to reform the state's Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) system, while a top state senator derided the bill as a "CORI repair bill."

State Sen. Dianne Wilkerson (D-Boston) took issue with several aspects of Patrick's bill, which pares back the amount of time for sealing ex-offenders' records to 10 years from 15, and misdemeanors to 5 years from 10 years.

Wilkerson said the bill fails to address juvenile CORIs, doesn't tackle employer responsibilities, and has language holding harmless the people who negligently release CORIs.

"I was stunned that [juvenile CORI reform] was completely absent from this bill," Wilkerson told the Judiciary Committee at a packed hearing on Tuesday [March 18, 2008].

Other Dorchester politicians, including Reps. Willie Mae Allen and Linda Dorcena Forry, joined on a panel by Rep. Gloria Fox (D-Roxbury), offered some support for Patrick's bill, but said the bill could be added to.

"I believe that every one of us is harmed by the CORI law," Allen said, noting that people living in her district aren't able to get jobs because of their CORIs.

Forry acknowledged that while the governor's legislation isn't "the end all and be all," it is "an important step."

In a statement released when he first filed the bill, Patrick said, "CORI was never intended to turn every offense into a life sentence. All but a handful of people incarcerated are eventually released, and they need to get back to work."

This article includes reporting from Paul McMorrow of the State House News Service.

source: DotNews.com

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