News  Effective May 1, 2024 - Privileged Mail Processing Changes

To Whom It May Concern:

Following the Massachusetts Department of Correction’s initial notice of intent to implement the Attorney Verification System (AVS) Protocol, the Department engaged in productive discussions with the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) and members of the defense bar and made agreed upon changes to the AVS Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to ensure attorneys’ accessibility to all incarcerated individuals.

The Department of Correction is now moving forward with implementation of the AVS Protocol.  Effective May 1, 2024, all attorneys who wish to send privileged mail to an incarcerated individual at a Massachusetts Department of Correction institution should do so using an Attorney Control Number (ACN). This procedure shall not apply to those individuals housed at MASAC @ Plymouth or the Bridgewater State Hospital.  

Each attorney seeking an ACN should transmit a completed ACN request form to the Massachusetts Department of Correction, via email to DOC.AVS@doc.state.ma.us  or via the United States Postal Service (USPS) to Massachusetts Department of Correction, Office of Communications and Administrative Resolution, C/O Attorney Verification System, 50 Maple Street, Milford, MA 01757. This form must be completed in its entirety, including the attorney’s name, telephone number, and email address as well as their Board of Bar Overseers number or out-of-state equivalent. Any questions regarding the completion of this form can also be communicated by any of those means or by calling 508-422-3439 or 508-422-3396.  An individual ACN number shall not be issued to a law firm/legal organization.  Each attorney in the law firm/legal organization seeking to send privileged mail to an incarcerated individual should apply for an ACN individually.  If approved, each individual attorney will receive their own ACN and set of AVS Barcodes. However, the attorneys’ affiliation with the firm/legal organization will remain on file. Once received, the attorney’s request for an ACN will be processed, and if approved, an ACN will be provided, along with a set of one hundred (100) AVS barcoded labels that will be sent via USPS to the address listed on the Board of Bar Overseers website.  These AVS Barcodes should be affixed to the outside of each envelope that is sent to the incarcerated individual. AVS Barcodes provided will be customized for each attorney and will be tracked via a Massachusetts Department of Correction internal system. If more AVS Barcodes are needed, please contact the Massachusetts Department of Correction, Office of Communication and Administrative Resolution Division, for an additional supply by email at DOC.AVS@doc.state.ma.us,  or via USPS at Massachusetts Department of Correction, Office of Communication and Administrative Resolution Division, C/O Attorney Verification System, 50 Maple Street, Milford, MA 01757. However, please note that stockpiling of unused AVS Barcodes is not allowed. Please allow a minimum of 5-7 business days for processing from the date the request is received by the Department. Please note that no more than one hundred (100) AVS Barcodes per attorney will be issued in a single mailing.

If at any time the AVS Barcodes are missing or destroyed, you must notify the Massachusetts Department of Correction Office of Communication and Administrative Resolution Division, C/O Attorney Verification System, as soon as reasonably possible. 

If an ACN was already approved and AVS barcoded labels were provided, those barcodes remain active and can be used; however, if the barcoded labels provided have been lost or destroyed, or if an attorney  requires additional labels, please notify the Massachusetts Department of Correction Office of Communication and Administrative Resolution Division, C/O Attorney Verification System through one of the means outlined above.

Finally, please be advised that the revised procedure will go into full effect on May 1, 2024.  Correspondence sent to an incarcerated individual without an AVS Barcode following the effective date will still be considered privileged mail; however, such correspondence will be verified via phone call as privileged mail and opened in front of the incarcerated individual.