Day 'Happy With the Progress' Of Special Commission He Co-Chairs

A release from the office of State Representative Michael Day:

Representative Michael S. Day (D-Stoneham) joined with his co-chair, Senator Anne M. Gobi (D-Spencer), on Thursday, Oct. 18 in re-convening a statewide special commission tasked with reviewing the qualifications and scope of practice for qualified examiners in Massachusetts. The special commission, created as part of the omnibus criminal justice reform legislation passed into law earlier this year, is charged with reviewing the qualifications and process by which qualified examiners are appointed to determine whether an individual should be categorized as a Sexually Dangerous Person and committed to a secure institution.

“The work of this Special Commission is part of our ongoing effort to ensure the safety of all of our residents, and most especially our children, by making sure Sexually Dangerous Persons are not roaming our streets,” said Representative Day. “I am very happy with the progress of the Special Commission to date, and expect that we will continue to make progress in our review of qualified examiners and updating their standards and practices as needed to reflect best practices and maximize the public safety.”

Authorized under Section 226 of Chapter 69 of the Acts of 2018, the Special Commission is empowered with reviewing the educational and experiential requirements of qualified examiners, as well as reviewing clinical standards, practices and risk assessment criteria used by qualified examiners in conducting an assessment of sexually dangerous persons. The special commission is further charged with making recommendations for the revision of current professional requirements, clinical standards, practices and risk assessment criteria.

The risk assessment demands presented in sex offender-specific cases is a highly specialized field, requiring years of experience and specialized training in the classification and determination of Sexually Dangerous Persons. The Special Commission consists of 11 appointees, ranging from the Director of Behavioral Health of the Department of Corrections, who currently oversees all Qualified Examiners to a representative from the Committee for Public Counsel Services and also includes a representative of victim advocates in addition to
currently licensed Qualified Examiners.

“I have been very impressed with the commitment and insight of every appointee,” said Representative Day. “In a short period of time we have made significant progress thanks to the dedication of the Special Commission members, and I look forward to continuing the hard work in front of us as we work towards completion of this important task.”

The Special Commission must submit a report with its recommendations to the Clerks of the House of Representatives and the Senate no later than December 31, 2018. The next meeting will be held this on Wednesday, Nov. 14 at 11 a.m. in the Massachusetts State House. The Special Commission meetings are open to the public.