SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1809        FILED ON: 1/21/2011

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1205

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Cynthia S. Creem

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act establishing a Public Safety Oversight Commission.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1809        FILED ON: 1/21/2011

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1205

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Eleven

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An Act establishing a Public Safety Oversight Commission.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

                SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any general law or regulation to the contrary, there is hereby established a Public Safety Oversight Commission.  Said Commission shall be responsible for reviewing and analyzing the operation and management of the state’s public safety entities for purposes of making recommendations identifying ways to reduce recidivism, increase communication and cooperation among the individual public safety entities, reduce overcrowding of facilities, increase reliance upon evidence based criminal justice methods, improve reporting of data, and to otherwise increase efficiencies within the state’s public safety entities and  improve overall public safety outcomes. In addition, said commission shall investigate and report on the role that mental health and substance abuse issues play in the state’s criminal justice and corrections systems and identify recommendations to improve outcomes in treating and responding to these issues.  For purposes of this section, “public safety entities” shall include, but not be limited, to the department of corrections, houses of corrections, sheriffs, department of probation and department of parole.  Said commission shall consist of 9 members who shall be appointed by the governor and who shall serve without compensation.  Each member shall have the demonstrated experience and knowledge necessary to support the goals of the commission and at least one of whom shall have demonstrated experience in management and finance, and one of whom shall have expertise in mental health and substance abuse issues.  The members of the council shall serve staggered, three year terms. Upon the expiration of the term of any member, the member's successor shall be appointed for a term of three years. Any vacancy shall be filled for the balance of the unexpired term.  Any member shall be eligible for reappointment.   Said commission shall annually provide a report to be filed with the clerks of the house and senate, the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on the judiciary, and the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on public safety and homeland security.