Community. Accountability. Justice.
CourtWatch MA shifts the power dynamics in our courts by opening the courtroom to public scrutiny.
Court Watch MA is a community project with the goal of shifting the power dynamics in our courtrooms by exposing the decisions judges and prosecutors make about neighbors every day.
On January 2, 2019, District Attorneys across Massachusetts began a new term in office.
That day, we launched our First 100 Days Court Watch Project in Suffolk County to hold the District Attorney’s Office accountable for reducing pre-trial detention and addressing racial disparities—promises District Attorney Rachael Rollins boldly campaigned on.
Beginning on inauguration day, trained volunteers will be in court every day monitoring how these campaign promises are being carried out and how the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office is complying with recently passed criminal justice reform. We recognize that the transition will take time and transformation doesn’t happen overnight. We're aiming for transparency in documenting the pace of change and engaging community in the transformation process.
We’ll be in court to celebrate reform successes, support our neighbors, and maintain a public record on progress.
We’ll be posting specific case examples on twitter (@CourtWatchMA) and releasing a weekly digest
here on our website with stories and findings from arraignment court.
We’ll be posting specific case examples on twitter (@CourtWatchMA) and releasing a weekly digest
here on our website with stories and findings from arraignment court.
The First 100 Days Court Watch Project will be focused on prosecutors’ bail recommendations and charging decisions. Every single hour a person spends in detention is harmful and every time cash bail is imposed it can have disastrous consequences without any positive impact on our community. Court Watchers will be listening for the ways that line prosecutors talk about our neighbors. We hope line prosecutors will not only decline to ask for bail but proactively recommend release on personal recognizance, reducing the pressure to plead guilty and eliminating punitive pre-trial detention.