Hayden: Integrity Review Bureau received 17 new cases in 2022, currently has 38 awaiting initial review
BOSTON, June 22, 2023 – The Suffolk unit that investigates claims of innocence, wrongful convictions, unjust sentences and other criminal court irregularities received 17 new cases for screening in 2022 and currently has 38 cases awaiting initial review, District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.
In addition to the cases awaiting review, the Integrity Review Bureau (IRB) has five cases selected for further investigation and three cases that will likely result in recommendations for relief, Hayden said.
“The IRB’s work is vital in bringing attention and remediation to cases where justice has not been served or has been inequitably applied. We are fully aware of the power we possess as prosecutors and as investigators, and we will always use that power to secure just convictions and to address unjust convictions,” Hayden said.
The current IRB structure, dating to 2019, was built upon the office’s DNA Committee, started in 2002, and its Conviction Integrity Program, started in 2012. In its current inception the IRB has received 108 applications for review, which have to date resulted in 18 defendants receiving some form of relief. The relief includes nine recommendations regarding convictions, four regarding sentencing, and five regarding other forms of relief, such as support for parole or commutation.
The IRB has continually refined its application and online Case Inquiry Form, with the latest revisions having been made in spring and summer of 2022. The goal is to make the application form and process accessible for anyone seeking review of a conviction or sentence.
“Making the application form as easy as possible to access and complete goes a long way when it’s used by inmates or others with limited access to computers and the internet. This is an advantageous blend of technology and justice system access,” Hayden said.
The IRB has dramatically reduced its response time to case inquiries received through the office’s website portal. Response time in 2020, with the IRB in its infancy and with a backlog of inherited cases, was over two weeks. Response time dropped to under three days in 2021 and under two days in 2022.
Of the 18 cases approved for relief, 14 of the applicants were Black, two were Hispanic and two were White. One of the applicants was female and the rest were male. The applicants have collectively served 564 years in prison.
All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 20,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal justice system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.
James Borghesani, Chief of Communications