Procedure for Obtaining Approval to Conduct Outside Social Science Research

(1) For research involving inmate contact at a correctional facility, the following procedures are required: (a) Three hard copies and one electronic version of the application prepared in accordance with 103 CMR 180.06 shall be submitted to the Executive Director of Strategic Planning and Research or designee. If the application is deemed complete and acceptable, one copy of the application shall be circulated by the Research and Planning Division to the appropriate Superintendent(s) of the institutions and/or Division Heads where the research will be conducted; (b) the Superintendent and/or Division Head shall return a copy of the application with a recommendation to the Research and Planning Division; (c) the Research and Planning Division shall forward the research application with the results of its review and a recommendation, including recommendations from Superintendents and/or Division Heads, to the Commissioner for final decision; (d) the Commissioner shall provide written notification of the decision to approve or disapprove a research proposal to the Research and Planning Division. The Research and Planning Division shall notify the applicant and all relevant parties, such as the Superintendents and Division Heads. (2) For research to be performed at the Department that does not involve inmate contact, the following procedures are required: (a) three hard copies and one electronic version of the application prepared in accordance with 103 CMR 180.06 shall be submitted to the Research and Planning Division. If the application is deemed complete and acceptable, one copy of the application shall be forwarded to the Commissioner for final decision, along with the recommendation of the Department's Research and Planning Division; (b) research that is to be conducted involving Superintendents, management, staff, officers, vendors, etc., shall also be approved by the Commissioner and if necessary, the applicable employee union; (c) the Commissioner shall provide written notification of a decision to approve or disapprove a research proposal to the Research and Planning Division. The Research and Planning Division shall notify the applicant and all Department Superintendents and Division Heads as relevant. (3) For research that requires access to CORI, the following procedures are required: (a) an application shall be made to DCJIS as required by 803 CMR 8.00: Obtaining Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) for Research Purposes. An application may be requested by contacting the DCJIS Legal Department directly; (b) the date on which the DCJIS Research application was submitted shall be provided to the Department's Research and Planning Division; (c) individuals, contractors of the Department or other agencies with CORI clearance for purposes other than research (e.g., therapeutic treatment) shall file an "Application for Access to CORI for Research Purposes" with DCJIS. The Department's Research and Planning Division shall require compliance with 103 CMR 180.06 in the form of a separate application; (d) the applicant shall provide the Research and Planning Division with a copy of the decision letter from DCJIS. No research involving access to CORI shall be permitted to commence until written approval from DCJIS and the Commissioner has been verified; (e) the Commissioner shall provide written notification of the decision to approve or disapprove a research proposal to the Research and Planning Division. The Research and Planning Division shall notify the applicant and all Department Superintendents and Division Heads as relevant. (4) All proposed research projects require an application to be submitted in accordance with 103 CMR 180.06. If the research project is a continuation of a previously approved research project, a new, complete application shall be submitted. Before the public release of any of the research data or findings from the initial project, the Research and Planning Division, appropriate Superintendent(s), Division Head(s), and the Commissioner shall review all research reports, research notes, presentations, and drafts of articles or publications involving the results of research conducted at the Department. All initial research project results shall be reviewed before approval will be granted for continuation projects; (5) For research projects intended to be included in any funded grant application (federal, state, non-profit, private, foundation or for-profit), final approval from the Commissioner shall be secured BEFORE submitting the application for funding. The Department cannot guarantee approval of projects funded in advance of seeking approval to conduct research from the Department. (6) Documentation supporting Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Human Subject Review committee approval shall be furnished in advance of submission for Department review.