Access to Inmates and Staff

Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 127, § 39G(c), Committee members shall be allowed to interview inmates and staff of state and county correctional facilities, with their consent. The Committee shall provide the Commissioner or relevant Sheriff with advance notice of the names or identities of the staff members and, if known, of inmates whom the Committee members wish to interview. The Committee members may also interview any previously unidentified inmates, with their consent, while on site at any correctional facility. In no instance may a Committee member, while acting as a Committee member, interview inmates or staff about any matter that is unrelated to official Committee business. In no instance shall the Committee or Committee members be entitled to access any personal or personnel information of state or county employees or of any vendors or volunteers for the state or county facilities, other than aggregate training data so as to permit the Committee to assess the extent to which staff who work with inmates in restrictive housing receive specialized training. Nothing contained in 103 CMR 179.00 shall compel any staff member, vendor, volunteer, or inmate to be interviewed in whole or in part, to waive any privilege, or to waive any entitlement of confidentiality. Without a written release from the inmate, neither the Committee nor any Committee member shall be entitled to access any non-public information or records pertaining to such inmate, including but not limited to, medical records and Criminal Offender Record Information under M.G.L. c. 6, § 167 et seq.