Criminal Records and Your Rights
Massachusetts criminal court records are called "Criminal Offender Record Information" (CORI, pronounced COR'-EE).22 When a person is charged with a crime in a Massachusetts state or federal court, that person has a CORI. Even if the case is dismissed or if the person is found not guilty, there is still a CORI.
A CORI report includes the history of each criminal charge - all court proceedings - from arraignment to sentencing. They can be long. For example, even though there may be only one criminal incident, there may be a lot of entries or multiple charges on a CORI report.
One of the original purposes of the CORI law was to protect the privacy of people with criminal records so that people would have a chance to turn over a new leaf. In 2012, CORI laws were substantially changed in ways that have had a harmful impact on the privacy of former offenders who apply for rental housing. More people can get more access.
But in 2016, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development released important guidelines that prohibit landlords from automatically disqualifying anyone with a criminal record. Landlords need to assess each individual applicant.23
Endnotes
22 . See generally, G.L. c. 6, §§167-178.
23 . Office of General Counsel Guidance on Application of Fair Housing Act Standards to the Use of Criminal Records by Providers of Housing and Real Estate-Related Transactions (April 4, 2016).
25 . This includes criminal cases that are continued without a finding. 803 C.M.R. §2.05(4)(a)(1).
26 . 803 C.M.R. §2.05(3)(b)(1).
27 . “Any landlord, property management company, real estate agent, or public housing authority that annually conducts five or more criminal background investigations, whether CORI is obtained from DCJIS or any other source, shall maintain a written CORI policy, which must meet the minimum standards of the DCJIS model CORI policy.” 803 C.M.R. §5.07(1).
29 . 803 C.M.R. §5.04(2), § 5.05(3).
32 . G.L. c. 6, §175, 1st ¶, 2nd and subsequent sentences.