Arrest warrants are judicial directives that are issued by local criminal courts at the express request of a law enforcement agency. Usually, it is the police who file the petition for the issue of Massachusetts active warrants but US Marshalls, the DEA, the DOC and federal law enforcement entities can also place the request for such directives.
Outstanding warrants issued in MA can be served in any part of the state and often in all corners of the country as well, depending on the seriousness of the crime at the center of the matter. Although the affidavit required for the issue of arrest warrants comes from a law enforcement agency, the actual decision to grant the order is taken by the judiciary.
It should be understood that there is nothing haphazard about the way in which this call is taken. The police are expected to prove through the evidence and witness testimony gathered by them that the act in question can indeed be considered a crime under state laws and that there is reasonable cause to believe that the suspect commissioned it.
MA active warrants are also issued when an indictment is returned by the grand jury. While arrests can also be made without resorting to the use of warrants; these directives are the preferred mode of handling criminal detentions because the officers in charge of apprehending the accused get a range of powers when serving these orders.
What are Massachusetts arrest records?
Not just information on outstanding warrants and arrests but also a range of additional crime related data is included in the CORI reports furnished by the Department of Criminal Justice Information Service. Very different from the background reports offered by the crime reporting agencies of other states, MA CORIs contain information on every criminal infraction in the past of a person.
To put it simply, not just cases that have been disposed of in a guilty verdict but every instance of criminal charge filed against a person is included in CORI reports. In fact, even arrests that did not lead to the filing of formal charges are made a part of MA background reports. Another aspect that does not bode well for offenders is the fact that just about everybody from employers to housing agencies and from individuals to landlords can access crime history data in the state.
A CORI record can have grave implications on the professional and personal life of a person. Those who have MA outstanding warrants to their names will be ineligible for a range of state benefits including unemployment compensation, tax refunds and worker’s compensations. Also, they will find it impossible to procure transitional financial assistance such as age, health and medical health related compensations. Driving and professional licenses held by offenders are also suspended if they have active warrants against them.
How do I search for Massachusetts arrest records and arrest warrants?
There are two ways to launch an arrest warrant search in MA; you can get in touch with the Criminal Offender Record Information division (CORI) which works within the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) or you can approach the state judiciary for arrest records and details on active warrants.
In both cases, the inquiry will be launched on the basis of personal identifiers like the name of the subject, date of birth and social security number. Given below are the various options available to access this data:
CORI: To get a background report from the EOPSS, you can connect with the agency through their internet based service or contact them via mail. Information about the former is available here. Approved agencies and individuals who are interested in personal crime history reports can use this service.
On the other hand, private employers, landlords, etc., will need the subject’s signed consent form to launch the inquiry. Request forms can be downloaded here.
Fees for accessing the service will vary depending on the applicant; while certified, non-government agencies are offered background reports for $15, individual and third party inquiries are charged at $25 and lawyers pay the highest at $30 for crime history records requested on the basis of a court directive. Mailed in inquiries will have to be sent to Criminal Offender Record Information Services at 200 Arlington St., 2nd Floor Suite 2200, Chelsea, MA 02150 along with a check for the applicable fees and a self addressed, stamped envelope.
The state judiciary: The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts holds records on all parties involved in ongoing and closed criminal and civil cases. You can also find court dockets through them which will have information on statements issued by magistrates and judges, juvenile court proceedings, police reports, complaints filed for search and arrest warrants, trial proceedings and more. For further information on how to avail this facility, you can approach the Public Information Office of the SJC at the: Maryland Judicial Center 580 Taylor Avenue Annapolis, MD 21401
Massachusetts criminal statistics
From 1999 to 2008, an annual crime rate of nearly 190,000 incidents was noted in Massachusetts. Furthermore, the violent crime average of the state stood at approximately 15% of this figure. In terms of property crimes, thefts offered the most cause for concern with over a million reports filed against such incidents over the decade mentioned above.
As far as crime trends went, there was a drop of almost 20% in the number of violent crimes and a decrease of about 10% in reported criminal incidents. The situation improved further by 2012, when the annual rate of violent criminal acts was brought down to approximately 26,000 cases as opposed to the 30,000 plus complaints filed each year through the preceding decade.