SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary or any

regulation, a study of the rates of sexual recidivism of Level 1, 2 and 3 offenders shall be

conducted by an independent organization that shall be selected by the Legislative Joint

Committee on Public Safety and Security to help determine whether the current classification

system is accurately classifying offenders. The study shall provide general information on the

sexual recidivism rates of classified sex offenders and shall include the type of sexual recidivism

to determine the degree of dangerousness, which is part of the classification level.

        The study shall examine five years sexual recidivism rates beginning with offenders

classified in 2005. Recidivism rates hall be measured by tabulating new sex offense charges by

reviewing new CORI sex offense convictions. In addition to recidivism rates by classification

level, the study should include a) the age of the sex offenders who have recidivated to determine

whether sex offenders in the Commonwealth follow the national trend of lower recidivism rates

after age 40; b) recidivism rates of juveniles as compared to adults; c) recidivism rates of females

as compared to adults; and incidence of noncontact offenders who recidivate by committing a

contact sex offense.

        A report on the results of the study shall be filed with the clerks of the Senate and House

of Representatives on or before June 30, 2020.