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Bill

H 2028

An Act improving juvenile justice data collection

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Jamie Eldridge and 6 co-sponsors

Massachusetts bill requiring systematic data collection and public reporting on youth in the juvenile justice system to improve transparency and evidence-based policymaking.

Accompanied a study order, see H5281 (under House Rule 27)
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Bill Summary · H 2028

Legislative bill overview

H 2028 establishes comprehensive data collection requirements for Massachusetts' juvenile justice system, mandating that courts, detention facilities, and law enforcement agencies systematically track and report standardized metrics on youth involved in the criminal justice system. The bill aims to create transparency and evidence-based policymaking by requiring regular public reporting of this aggregated data.

Why is this important

Robust data collection enables policymakers, advocates, and the public to identify disparities in how different youth populations are treated, evaluate program effectiveness, and inform evidence-based reforms. Without systematic data requirements, jurisdictions often lack consistent information to assess whether juvenile justice interventions are achieving rehabilitation goals or perpetuating inequities.

Potential points of contention

  • Privacy concerns: Detailed juvenile records data collection raises questions about how youth identities are protected and whether aggregation safeguards are sufficient
  • Implementation costs and capacity: Courts and detention facilities may require funding and technical infrastructure to establish compliant data systems, which could be resource-intensive
  • Data scope disagreements: Stakeholders may dispute which metrics are most meaningful (e.g., whether to track school enrollment, family circumstances, or specific offense categories)

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

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