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What is CORI?

Produced by Greater Boston Legal Services
Reviewed October 2015

CORI stands for Criminal Offender Record information. There is CORI on you if you have ever been charged with a crime in a Massachusetts court.

Your CORI report is a list of your criminal charges. It includes all cases even if you were found not guilty or the case was dismissed.

It is important to know what is in your CORI report. You can get a copy of it from the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS). See How do I get a copy? DCJIS is the state agency in charge of CORI.

Why do I need to know what is in my CORI?

CORI makes it harder to get a job, housing, or even volunteer at your child’s school. Even if your criminal record is very old, it can still create problems.

What is not in CORI?

The CORI report you get from DCJIS does not include:

  • Restraining orders to prevent abuse or harassment. But if criminal charges are filed against you for violating a restraining order, those charges will be on your CORI report.
  • Child abuse or neglect reports from the Department of Children and Families. Sometimes these reports are called “51A reports.”
  • Cases tried in juvenile courts unless the juvenile was tried as an adult. See Juvenile Court Records.

Get free legal help with your CORI

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