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Guide Contents
Post-Conviction ~
Page 2
Post-Conviction
CORI Certification:

After an offender has been convicted and incarcerated, you have the right, as family members of a homicide victim, to receive notification when and if the offender is scheduled for a temporary, provisional, or final release from custody. In order to take advantage of this right, you must apply for victim certification.
Under the Massachusetts Victim Rights Law, homicide survivors are eligible to apply for CORI (Criminal Offender Records Information) certification through the Criminal History Systems Board in Boston. Certification usually takes three to four weeks, and entitles those approved to received notification from either the Department of Correction or the Sheriff's Department, depending upon where the offender is incarcerated, when and if he is scheduled for a temporary, provisional, or final release from custody.
To apply for CORI certification, you must obtain a CORI Clearance Application Form from your Victim/Witness Advocate. Your advocate will need to fill in the information regarding the defendant, and you must fill in the remainder of the information, i.e., your name, address, telephone number, name and birthdate of the victim, and your relationship to the victim. When completed, your advocate will forward the application form to the Criminal History Systems Board, which is responsible for approving all certifications.
In order to ensure timely certification, application should be made as soon after the offender's sentencing as possible. Questions about pending applications may be answered by your adovcate.

When the Parole Board is notified that you have received CORI clearance, you will be contacted regarding the offender's parole eligibility status. The Parole Board welcomes survivor input such as letters from family and friends, video or audio taped statements, pictures, or any other material you feel is important. A copy of your victim impact statement may also be forwarded to the Parole Board in Boston. The address and telephone number of the Victims Service Unit of the Parole Board is listed in the Victim Assistance Programs and Resources section.