How Healey is rethinking pardons

Also: New Bedford's contrasting narratives; what's next at Mass. and Cass [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  November 1, 2023 ☁️ Cloudy, with a high near 45 and a slight chance of midday rain. Good Morning Boston, It's the first day of November. And while [not everyone is ready]( for the approaching holiday season, we [could see a little snow]( in some parts of Massachusetts today. But first, we have a flurry of news to get to: - Pardon me: Gov. Maura Healey has recommended more pardons (13) in her first year in office than any Massachusetts governor since Michael Dukakis. And now, she's rewriting the books on which Bay Staters convicted of a crime should get relief from their sentence. [During an interview yesterday on Radio Boston]( the Democrat announced new clemency guidelines to "explicitly outline" how governors should grant pardons and commutations going forward. Here are the three main pillars of [the new guidelines]( - The first big tenet of Healey's guidelines addresses "unfairness and systemic bias" in the criminal justice system. For starters, that means considering whether justice was miscarried or if the person got a particularly harsh sentence compared to others convicted of the same crime. But it also means taking into account whether the person is a member of a group that has faced unequal treatment from the justice system. According to the guidelines, those groups include racial minorities, migrants, veterans, people with disabilities, women, people in poverty and those who identify as LGBTQ+. - Another factor Healey will take into account: Age. The guidelines note a person's "age, maturity and intellectual abilities" at the time of their offense "may be mitigating factors that support granting of clemency" due to research showing that [one's brain isn't fully developed]( until well into their 20s. - Finally, Healey says what a person does in jail after their conviction should matter. "Our character can be measured by a collection of actions over time, accounting without hesitancy for the worst things we have done but also owning responsibility for what we do next," the guidelines say. That includes taking accountability and showing remorse. But the guidelines also say Healey won't ding petitioners who continue to plead innocence. Their "unwillingness to accept responsibility for an offense may sometimes reflect the petitioner’s actual innocence rather than any shirking of responsibility for past actions," the guidelines say. - Waiting game: Healey's administration also filed emergency regulations yesterday to alter the state's family shelter system without approval from lawmakers, [as they prepare to enforce a 7,500-family cap on the system](. WBUR's Gabrielle Emanuel reports the regulations will not only allow state officials to create and run a waitlist in the family shelter system, but also limit how long families can stay. The regulations would also let the state give priority to families with “medical vulnerability” or domestic violence risks. - What's next: The new regulations were made public just before a court hearing yesterday on [a lawsuit]( challenging the legality of the Healey administrations' changes to the state's right-to-shelter law. The judge is expected to rule by today. - Listen: What happens if the waitlist does take effect? Emanuel [recently met a family]( that didn't get into a shelter (before the waitlist was implemented). - The Boston Jewish Film Festival gets underway today, with in-person screenings at [a number of local theaters through Nov. 12](. And with the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, festival organizers say they'll have security measures in place at all their venues. "Never before have I felt nervous about being here," Ken Shulman, the festival's board chair, told WBUR's Amy Sokolow. At the same time, he called the celebration of the Jewish community "beyond meaningful." - The festival comes after the Boston Palestine Film Festival [canceled its live screenings last month]( due to security and sensitivity concerns in the wake of the Israel-Hamas conflict. - Vamos a la playa: State officials say multilingual signs at beaches in Greater Boston will be [installed by next summer]( — at least a year behind schedule. Officials say the signs will communicate beach rules and water safety information. (Currently, most beaches only have QR codes to translate physical, English-only signage.) - The backdrop: The effort comes after [a report earlier this year]( said DCR needs to do more to make beaches more accessible for people of color, non-English speakers and people with disabilities. P.S.— WBUR's Circle Round team is gearing up for the holiday season with some new gifts for fans of the show. In addition, this coming year, the podcast is circling round the U.S. on its first national tour! The new holiday swag and tour details are all available at [this link](. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow]( [Editor's note: Apologies to everyone who clicked on the broken link to yesterday's story about a Boston researcher discovering a new Louisa May Alcott pseudonym. Here's [the correct link!](]  Support the news  The Rundown [In New Bedford, housing costs are soaring as many struggle to make ends meet]( Many low-income residents say rent hikes are forcing them out of the city, or even to the brink of homelessness. That presents a sharp contrast with the official version of New Bedford: a city on the rise, and on the cusp of regaining the esteem it once knew. [Read more.]( [In New Bedford, housing costs are soaring as many struggle to make ends meet]( Many low-income residents say rent hikes are forcing them out of the city, or even to the brink of homelessness. That presents a sharp contrast with the official version of New Bedford: a city on the rise, and on the cusp of regaining the esteem it once knew. [Read more.]( [As Boston police prepare to remove 'Mass. and Cass' encampment, some wonder what comes next]( City workers have handed out flyers explaining Boston's plan to remove tents on Wednesday from the "Mass. and Cass" area. Despite efforts to offer services, housing and storage to people in the encampment, some advocates remain concerned about what will happen once police sweep the tents away. [Read more.]( [As Boston police prepare to remove 'Mass. and Cass' encampment, some wonder what comes next]( City workers have handed out flyers explaining Boston's plan to remove tents on Wednesday from the "Mass. and Cass" area. Despite efforts to offer services, housing and storage to people in the encampment, some advocates remain concerned about what will happen once police sweep the tents away. [Read more.]( [Everett superintendent placed on leave during tense school committee vote]( The 7-3 vote took place during a tense Monday evening special meeting, in which many students and teachers showed up in support of the superintendent. [Read more.]( [Everett superintendent placed on leave during tense school committee vote]( The 7-3 vote took place during a tense Monday evening special meeting, in which many students and teachers showed up in support of the superintendent. [Read more.]( [Worcester opens 'micro units' housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness]( The Worcester Housing Authority is the first housing authority in Massachusetts to develop housing specifically for people who are coming out of homelessness, according to local and state officials. The building features 24 "micro units," which are very small, fully-furnished studio apartments with bathrooms and kitchenettes. [Read more.]( [Worcester opens 'micro units' housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness]( The Worcester Housing Authority is the first housing authority in Massachusetts to develop housing specifically for people who are coming out of homelessness, according to local and state officials. The building features 24 "micro units," which are very small, fully-furnished studio apartments with bathrooms and kitchenettes. [Read more.]( [Democrat Dean Phillips, launching longshot bid for president, campaigns in New Hampshire]( The Minnesota congressman said it's time to close America's political divide, and that as president, he would appoint both Republicans and Democrats to his cabinet. [Read more.]( [Democrat Dean Phillips, launching longshot bid for president, campaigns in New Hampshire]( The Minnesota congressman said it's time to close America's political divide, and that as president, he would appoint both Republicans and Democrats to his cabinet. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - Sports betting will officially go live in Maine this Friday — both online and in-person. After over a year of discussions to finalize the rules, state officials announced the start date yesterday (making Vermont the only New England state that has not legalized sports betting). Here's [how the long-awaited market will work]( in the Pine Tree State. - Despite playing shows around the world and becoming one of Boston’s most beloved musical alchemists under the moniker Animal Hospital, experimental musician Kevin Micka has only released four albums between 2005 and 2020. But now, he's [back with new music](. - A new monthlong series featuring some of the most notable and provocative South Korean films of the mid-20th century begins screening this weekend at the Harvard Film Archive. WBUR education editor Suevon Lee [has a preview here](. - Cognoscenti contributor Julie Wittes Schlack [writes in this commentary]( that she finds herself looking back less and less often as she gets older: "It turns out that nostalgia is a luxury that I neither want nor can afford, not when time is short and the world is on fire."  What We're Reading 📚 - Right-leaning groups opposed to diversity efforts find unlikely allies in Newton parents ([GBH News]( - Home schooling’s rise from fringe to fastest-growing form of education ([Washington Post]( - Like clockwork, it’s time to debate daylight saving time again ([The Boston Globe](  Tell Me Something Good [Here's how Boston dressed up as Boston this Halloween (Boston.com)]( The MBTA and transportation in general seemed to be the main muse when it came to Boston-themed Halloween costumes this year. [Read more.]( [Here's how Boston dressed up as Boston this Halloween (Boston.com)]( The MBTA and transportation in general seemed to be the main muse when it came to Boston-themed Halloween costumes this year. [Read more.]( Listen: The Common is [rethinking our sewage systems](. Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: [Timeline cleanse.]( 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 🔎 Explore [WBUR's Field Guide]( stories, events and more. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.]( Support the news   Want to change how you receive these emails? Stop getting this newsletter by [updating your preferences.](  I don't want to hear from WBUR anymore. Unsubscribe from all WBUR editorial newsletters [here](.  Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? [Click here.]( Copyright © 2023 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved.