The Massachusetts Bar Association is proud to co-host MassINC's
"The Third Annual Massachusetts Criminal Justice Reform Coalition
Policy Summit" on Friday, March 18, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at UMass
Boston, 100 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston. Leaders from Massachusetts
and beyond are invited to join us for a conversation on the role of
cross-agency partnerships. Collaboration is central to nearly every
aspect of an effective criminal justice system.
This year's summit focuses on three areas where cross-agency
partnerships are particularly critical: serving individuals with
behavioral health conditions, integrating information systems to
enable data-driven decision-making and facilitating successful
reentry.
Keynote speakers are Michael Ashe, sheriff of
Hampden County, and Frank Cousins, sheriff of
Essex County. Two panel discussions will also be held on "Improving
Performance through Cross-Agency Data Sharing" and "Improving
Outcomes through Cross-Agency Behavioral Health Partnerships." MBA
President Robert W. Harnais will be on hand to
introduce one of the panels.
In addition to the policy summit, the Massachusetts Criminal
Justice Reform Coalition has partnered with award-winning
documentary filmmakers to invite guests to an exclusive advanced
screening of "Beyond the Wall," a film following a small community
of men released from prison and attempting to rebuild their lives
in Lawrence and Lowell. This firsthand view of their struggles
offers insights into the challenges ex-offenders face and the
support they need from corrections agencies and community-based
partners when it's time to come home.