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HD 5992

A communication from the Massachusetts Sheriffs’ Association (see Section 40 of Chapter 126 of the General Laws) submitting the aggregate data on the population of the Hampshire County Correctional Facility for the third quarter of calendar year 2025

194th Legislature (2025-2026)

Requires sheriffs to quarterly report aggregated, non-identifying jail population data to state officials, using cross-agency systems for standardized metrics.

Placed on file
0
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Bill Summary · HD 5992

Summary of Bill HD 5992 (Session 194th, Massachusetts)

Note: This summary covers the bill described as a communication from the Massachusetts Sheriffs’ Association (MSA) under Chapter 126, Section 40, and its quarterly Hampshire County Correctional Facility population data report.

1) Purpose and Intent

  • Purpose: To require sheriffs in Massachusetts to record and report aggregate, non-identifying data about the population of jails and houses of correction, in compliance with the statute on population data reporting (Part I, Title XVIII, Chapter 126, Section 40).
  • Scope: The bill focuses on the quarterly collection and submission of data for individuals committed to a jail or house of correction, with a push to include cross-agency data sources (notably the Cross-Tracking System) and to finalize reporting conventions with the Trial Court and Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS).

2) Key Provisions and Changes

  • Data to be Recorded (for each person admitted to jail/house of correction):
    • Probation Central File (PCF) number
    • State Identification Number (SID), if available (fingerprint-based SID is preferred when available)
    • Race and ethnicity
    • Offense-Based Tracking Number (OBTN)
    • Type of release (pre-trial release, sentenced release, etc.)
    • Type of admission (admission type; e.g., pre-trial, sentenced)
    • Length of sentence
    • Jail credit from pretrial incarceration
    • Earned time
    • Program participation and outcomes during incarceration
    • Case disposition
    • Bail amount or reason if no bail is set
  • Data Aggregation and Anonymity:
    • Aggregate data by jail/house of correction for the entire quarterly period.
    • Reports must contain no identifying information about any individual inmate or detainee.
  • Reporting Process:
    • Each quarter, sheriffs must deliver the quarterly report from each jail/house of correction to:
    • Secretary of Public Safety and Security
    • House and Senate chairs of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary
    • House and Senate chairs of the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security
    • Clerks of the House of Representatives and the Senate
  • Data Source and Collaboration:
    • The report is produced in partnership with the Executive Office of Public Safety & Security (EOPSS) and utilizes data from the Commonwealth Criminal Justice Cross-Tracking System.
  • Data Definitions and Limitations:
    • The bill includes definitions for PCF number, SID, and OBTN, and explains that there can be lags in SID/PCF/OBTN availability and that some numbers may be missing at intake.
    • Important data points that originate with the Trial Court (case disposition, bail amount, and bail-set reason) may not be fully populated by sheriffs. The bill notes efforts to refine methods to retrieve these metrics electronically from the Cross-Tracking System in coordination with the Trial Court and EOPSS.
  • Privacy:
    • Emphasizes that the sheriff’s reports shall exclude any identifying information about individual inmates or detainees.

3) Who or What Would be Affected

  • Primary: Massachusetts Sheriffs’ Offices (jails and houses of correction), including all sheriffs responsible for quarterly data reporting.
  • Data Partners:
    • Massachusetts Trial Court (for case disposition, bail details concerns)
    • Executive Office of Public Safety & Security (EOPSS)
    • Massachusetts State Police (SID via AFIS system)
    • Agencies contributing to the Cross-Tracking System
  • Legislative and oversight bodies:
    • Joint Committee on the Judiciary (Houses and Senate chairs)
    • Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security (Houses and Senate chairs)
    • Clerks of the House and Senate

4) Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Reporting Schedule:
    • The bill prescribes a quarterly reporting cadence, with delivery to specified state officers and legislative clerks each quarter.
  • Compliance and Data Quality:
    • The bill acknowledges potential data gaps (SID/PCF/OBTN) and sets expectations for ongoing refinement to enable electronic extraction of certain fields.
  • Compliance Timing:
    • The action history notes: “Placed on file” on 2026-04-16, indicating a formal status in the legislative process, but not necessarily a final enactment date. If enacted, the quarterly filing requirements would take effect per statutory schedule after passage.
  • Data Privacy:
    • The reports must exclude any identifying information to protect individual privacy.

Endnotes

  • The bill focuses on transparency and uniform data reporting to better understand jail populations and incarceration dynamics while balancing privacy.
  • It leverages cross-agency data systems (notably the Cross-Tracking System) to improve completeness of required metrics, particularly those originating from the Trial Court.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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