An Act relating to threats of suicide while in court custody
Generates a plain-language summary of the bill text and history.
| Committee | Recommendation | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| J19 | Redraft | 1 entries |
Section 36A of chapter 40 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2024 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the third and fourth paragraphs and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph: Whenever a person in custody attempts or threatens suicide at a lockup facility established under section 34 of chapter 40, at a correctional facility as defined by section 1 of chapter 125 or in transit to or from said facilities, the facility with custody shall, within 24 hours of such incident, report to the department of criminal justice information services the name, address and the age of such person, the reason for detention and the nature and date of said attempt or threat. Whenever a person appearing before a court of the Commonwealth as a criminal defendant or subject to a warrant of apprehension attempts or threatens suicide at a courthouse, the court shall, within 24 hours of such incident, report to the department of criminal justice information services the name, address and the age of such person, the reason for appearance and the nature and date of said attempt or threat. The information reported pursuant to this paragraph shall be made part of the criminal justice record system and shall be disseminated only to those agencies and officers authorized under section 172 of chapter 6. Whenever a person who has attempted or threatened suicide in the custody of a lockup or correctional facility or at a courthouse is transferred to another lockup or correctional facility or courthouse, the sending entity shall notify in writing the receiving entity of the exact nature of said attempt or threat.
SECTION 1. Section 36A of chapter 40 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2024 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the third and fourth paragraphs and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph: Whenever a person in custody attempts or threatens suicide at a lockup facility established under section 34 of chapter 40, at a correctional facility as defined by section 1 of chapter 125 or in transit to or from said facilities, the facility with custody shall, within 24 hours of such incident, report to the department of criminal justice information services the name, address and the age of such person, the reason for detention and the nature and date of said attempt or threat. Whenever a person appearing before a court of the Commonwealth as a criminal defendant or subject to a warrant of apprehension attempts or threatens suicide at a courthouse, the court shall, within 24 hours of such incident, report to the department of criminal justice information services the name, address and the age of such person, the reason for appearance and the nature and date of said attempt or threat. The information reported pursuant to this paragraph shall be made part of the criminal justice record system and shall be disseminated only to those agencies and officers authorized under section 172 of chapter 6. Whenever a person who has attempted or threatened suicide in the custody of a lockup or correctional facility or at a courthouse is transferred to another lockup or correctional facility or courthouse, the sending entity shall notify in writing the receiving entity of the exact nature of said attempt or threat.