The Massachusetts Department of Correction (DOC) has submitted an Objective Point Base (OPB) Classification Report to the Joint Committee on Public Safety and the House and Senate Committees on Ways and Means, as mandated by the Fiscal Year 2024 General Appropriations Act. The OPB system is designed to assign custody levels to incarcerated individuals based on objectively defined criteria, which are systematically scored and organized. This classification tool aims to address issues of overclassification and underclassification, ensuring that individuals are placed in appropriate security levels based on their profiles. The report outlines the history of the OPB system, which began development in 2002 and has undergone several revalidations to enhance its effectiveness and ensure its validity.

Recent modifications to the OPB system include changes to the Minimum Security Restriction H, which now excludes individuals who committed offenses resulting in loss of life before the age of 21 from being barred from lower security placements. The report also details the current override rates for custody levels, indicating that 7% of inmates are classified as higher security, 5% as lower security, and a total of 12% of the classified population is subject to overrides. As of July 1, 2024, the custody level distribution shows that 13% of inmates are in maximum security, 75% in medium security, and 12% in minimum security or below. The DOC is actively reviewing its classification system to make further recommendations for updates or changes based on ongoing research and stakeholder input.