MASSACHUSETTS PROBATION SERVICE TO OBSERVE NATIONAL
PROBATION SUPERVISION WEEK, JULY 19-25

(See County Fact Sheets)

           The Massachusetts Probation Service, the first in the nation, will observe Probation, Parole and Community Supervision Week, July 19-25, 2009. The annual observance is set by the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA). This year’s theme is “A Force for Positive Change.”

           As the first Probation system in the nation, the Massachusetts Probation Service plays an integral role in the criminal justice field. This year marks the 168th anniversary of Probation, first introduced by Boston shoemaker John Augustus- the Father of Probation- in 1841. The first Probation statute was later passed into law by the Massachusetts state legislature in 1878.

           Today, there are 258, 966 Massachusetts residents who are under probation supervision or are having their case monitored by a Probation Officer in one of the 105 Boston Municipal (BMC), District, Juvenile, Probate and Family, and Superior court departments throughout the Commonwealth, according to statistics maintained by the Research Department of the Office of the Commissioner of Probation.

           “Probation Officers make a significant and lasting impact on the communities they serve throughout the Commonwealth. From the beginning when the concept of probation was first introduced back in 1878, the Massachusetts Probation Service has served as a leader in the field of criminal justice. Our agency exemplifies this year’s theme “A Force for Positive Change,” said Probation Commissioner John J. O'Brien. “As times have changed, so has the Service and our agency continues to set precedents. Probation plays a vital role in community policing in our partnership with local police.”

           In the eight Boston Municipal and 62 District Courts, Probation Officers supervise criminal cases. Superior Court Probation Officers oversee the most serious felony cases. Juvenile Court Probation Officers supervise children and adolescents involved in delinquent or status offending behavior (truancy, runaway, stubborn child) which are also known as Children In Need of Services (CHINS) cases. Probation Officers in the Juvenile Courts also monitor the welfare of children who are before the court as subjects of parental abuse and neglect. These types of cases are referred to as Care & Protection (C&P) cases.

           Probate & Family Court Probation Officers handle civil matters such as divorce and paternity as well as issues involving custody, visitation and child support.

           Probation statistics show that 83 percent of the total statewide probation population are male offenders. Seventeen percent are female.

           The profile of a typical offender on probation in Massachusetts is a 31-year-old man who is on maximum supervision, according to Probation’s Research Department. An offender on maximum supervision receives regular home visits from their probation officer and may be required to report to the Probation Officer at court. In cases, where substance abuse is a problem, the offender may be ordered to submit to regular drug and alcohol testing and may be required to attend substance abuse counseling. Eighty percent of offenders suffer with substance abuse issues.

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