Massachusetts § 171 - Regulations generally; continuing education program; evaluative information

§ 171. Regulations generally; continuing education program; evaluative information

Section 171. The department shall promulgate regulations (a) creating a continuing program of data auditing and verification to assure the accuracy and completeness of criminal offender record information; and (b) assuring the security of criminal offender record information from unauthorized disclosures at all levels of operation.

The department shall cause to be initiated for employees of all agencies that maintain, receive, or are eligible to maintain or receive criminal offender record information a continuing educational program in the proper use and control of such information.

The content and use of evaluative information, and the inspection, receipt of copies and challenge of such information by an individual shall not be governed by the provisions of this act except as provided in this paragraph. Each criminal justice agency holding evaluative information shall, pursuant to section two of chapter thirty A, promulgate regulations to govern the content and use of evaluative information, and to govern, limit or prohibit the inspection, receipt of copies and challenge of such information by an individual referred to therein. Such regulations shall, at a minimum, provide that an agency which generates evaluative information shall make such information available within a reasonable time period upon request to the individual referred to therein unless such information falls within such exemptions as the agency shall establish in said regulations. No agency shall establish an exemption for evaluative material unless disclosure of such information would pose a direct and articulable threat to the safety of any individual or the security of a correctional facility, and such threat shall have been detailed in a certificate which is kept with such evaluative information. An agency shall reply in writing, upon the request of an individual for the release of their evaluative information. Said writing shall include the agency's decision to release or withhold the evaluative information in whole or in part and a listing of all sources of origin for all evaluative information generated by the custodial agency.