CORI (Criminal Records)
Massachusetts keeps a record of every criminal court appearance in the state courts. These records are known as CORI -- Criminal Offender Record Information.
Once a defendant is arraigned in a Massachusetts state court (or sometimes in a federal court located in Massachusetts), and if the charged crime is potentially punishable by imprisonment, the defendant will have a CORI from that point forward. Even if the case is dismissed or otherwise disposed of, or if the defendant is found not guilty, there is still a CORI. If the defendant is convicted, that will be reflected on the CORI.
The CORI is somewhat different from the CARI, or Court Activity Record Information (also called the "BOP"). The CARI is available to only to court personnel, with a few exceptions. The CORI is the document that is sent to most employers, housing authorities, and others outside of the court system who perform criminal background checks.
Resources in this Category
ALL Agency Rules & Procedures Court Rules & Procedures Practice Materials Other
Title  | Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|
 | A Guide to Public Access, Sealing & Expungement of District Court Records This guide was prepared by the Administrative Office of the District Court. It contains information about sealing records, and gaining access to criminal records for different types of court proceedings. Some helpful forms are also included. | 5/1/2007 | |
 | CHSB ID Theft Regulations (effective 5/16/2008) As part of the settlement in the Bland v. Flynn case, the CHSB promulgated new regulations to protect people who are victims of identity theft or otherwise had their records entangled with others in the CORI database. | 5/28/2008 | |
| | Coming Home Directory "Coming Home is a Directory of Resources for ex-offenders coming out of prison and returning to greater Boston communities. It contains over 350 listings of agencies, organizations, places of worship, and groups who can provide assistance and information to ex-offenders." | 1/28/2008 | |
| | EEOC policy on criminal records (2006) Section 15-VI contains the agency's policy statement on disparate impact and criminal records. | 5/28/2008 | |
| | EEOC Policy on Criminal Records in Hiring (1990) EEOC's 1990 Policy Statement on the use of criminal records in hiring. The Policy Guidance states that, since there is a disparate impact on job applicants who are African American or Latino/a, criminal records cannot be used as the basis for a hiring decision absent a business necessity. | 5/28/2008 | |
 | Employment Screening: Credit Reporting Powerpoint presentation about the use of consumer or credit reports (which contain criminal background information) for employment screening, with some information about CORI as well. | 10/31/2008 | |
| | Executive Order No. 495 Executive Order issued by Gov. Patrick on January 11, 2008. Among other things, the EO directs state agencies to change their hiring practices to allow people with CORIs to compete for jobs, and seeks to simplify rules for considering the CORIs of people who are seeking public housing. | 1/11/2008 | |
 | Flyer for CORI Hotline/LARC | 1/28/2008 | |
| | Overview of CORI from MassLegalHelp CORI information for advocates and for the general public, including links to forms, agencies and other resources. | 10/15/2007 | |
| | Pardon Application (Executive Clemency) Forms for requesting a pardon, with instructions. | 10/31/2008 | |
| | The CORI Reader | 7/14/2006 | |
