Probation Officers In the Schools

When schools sounded the opening bell for the 2009-2010 academic year, students and teachers were not the only ones who returned to the classrooms, cafeterias, and corridors this fall.

Juvenile Court Probation Officers from across the state are among the staff, court-involved children encountered. In addition to visiting the children’s homes, Probation Officers may be found checking in with school administrators on a child’s behavior and progress in school. The Probation Officers also collaborate with the court liaison at the schools.

Of the 958,910 students enrolled in the 1,846 statewide public or charter schools (based on State Department of Education statistics) last academic year, 33,332 children were on probation or court-involved. Being court-involved may mean a student is classified as a Delinquent—a child between the ages of seven and 17 who has violated the law; Child In Need of Services (CHINS)—one who is truant, a runaway, stubborn child, and or habitual school offender—and or a Care and Protection case—a child who is the subject of a Care and Protection petition when abuse or neglect is alleged.

Probation Officers believe they can get a better understanding of the needs of the court-involved child in their school setting, provide them with important resources, and work with them to change the behavior that resulted in them becoming court-involved in the first place.

“We communicate with the schools on a daily basis during the school year and if they are having any issues with kids on CHINS or probation, we intervene with the child and family,” said Barnstable County Juvenile Court Chief Probation Officer John Millett.

Millett said all nine of his Probation Officers visit the 40 school districts in Barnstable and Plymouth counties as well as the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.

Suffolk County Juvenile Probation Officers check on students in the 143 Boston Public Schools and the school districts of Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop.

Steven Siciliano, Suffolk County Juvenile Court Chief Probation Officer, said visiting the schools puts Probation Officers in touch with the professionals who deal with troubled students on a daily basis.

“The children are committing offenses that are of a more violent nature,” Siciliano said. “Having Probation Officers in the school setting is essential to addressing behavioral and truancy issues.”

In Berkshire County, Probation Officers are in the schools daily, according to Berkshire County Juvenile Court Chief Probation Officer William Gale.

“It is extremely important to have Probation Officers in the schools. Many of our cases are CHINS and delinquency cases of which attending school daily is a standard condition or term of their probation,” Gale said. “When Probation Officers are in the schools, children understand that we are checking on them and their progress. Meeting with them in the schools is not only beneficial, it is a necessity.”

Gale said Probation Officers typically meet with six to eight court-involved children face-to-face each day in the 13 school districts.

Middlesex County Juvenile Chief Probation Officer Gilbert Sakakeeney said his Probation Officers are at the school campuses each morning to make sure court-involved children are attending school. The dedicated Probation Officers can be found in the cafeteria and after school to make sure that they go home or to after-school activities.

“My Probation Officers go to the school campuses in the morning to discourage the kids from hanging out in the local deli or coffee shop instead of going to classes. They (Probation Officers) do cafeteria duty and are in the school yard to make sure the kids go directly home and are not looking for trouble,” Sakakeeney said.

In Essex County, 24 Probation Officers visit the 36 school districts on a regular basis said Chief Probation Officer Daniel Passacantilli.

“Our mere presence in the schools sends a message to court-involved students and those who are not court-involved that probation means something. We hold them responsible for their actions,” Passacantilli said. “If they are on probation, they have to follow the rules and the terms of their probation.”

Norfolk County Juvenile Chief Probation Officer Thomas Mitchell said having Probation Officers in the schools is at the “top of the list” in the supervision of court-involved children. His eight Probation Officers visit schools in the 45-50 school districts in the court’s jurisdiction on a weekly basis.

“I think it is one of the most important things our court can do. Problems in school are the number one indicator of future crime and delinquency,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell added, “If we get to the children early, we have a better chance of straightening things out.”

Plymouth County Juvenile Court Probation Officers visit each of the 112 schools in the county regularly, according to Chief Probation Officer Joel West and Assistant Chief Probation Officer Michael Devlin.

“Most of the juveniles who are involved in our court are students. Having Probation Officers in the schools where these individuals are daily makes a lot of sense. The presence of a Probation Officer in the school setting has resulted in many situations being diverted from the Juvenile Court because of the work accomplished by our staff at the schools,” said West. “The familiarity of the school staff with the Probation staff has allowed for problems to be addressed by the school/probation partnership.”

Franklin/Hampshire County Juvenile Court Chief Probation Officer Peter Kotch said all of his Probation Officers and two Assistant Chief Probation Officers routinely visit the schools where there is dedicated office space for meetings between Probation Officers and court-involved children and their families.

“I think it is very advantageous to have that open rapport with the schools and the Probation Department and decorum with the schools,” Kotch said. “We visit on a regular basis and have dedicated office space where we can meet and discuss issues with clients.”

Hampden County Juvenile Court Probation Officers partner with the Springfield Police Department’s Support Officers or a detective from the Police Department’s Youth Aid Bureau on a weekly basis to visit the schools in the 29 cities and towns, according to Acting Chief Probation Officer Danny Baez and First Assistant Chief Probation Officer Joseph Liberti.

“It has been one of our roles for many years to provide a safety net to our children in school as well as to make them accountable for their behavior and education,” said Baez. “These visits to the schools provide valuable information to the PO’s which helps them to better address the children’s needs.”

All 19 of the Bristol County Juvenile Court Probation Officers visit the schools in the 21 cities and towns that comprise the county each week, according to Acting Chief Probation Officer Kevin Martin.

“We try to find out what is going on and why the child is having such a difficult time,” Martin said. “We attempt to address the situation before it rises to the level of the courts. Our attempts have been very successful.”

Martin said Probation Officers conduct a monthly evaluation of each of the court-involved youth to check on their progress. “Most of the time they are doing very well.”

In Worcester County, the 29 Worcester County Juvenile Probation Officers visit schools in the district which is comprised of 62 cities and towns.

“The Probation Officers verify that the kids are attending schools. Our court makes all attempts to keep the doors of communication open. Having Probation Officers in the schools is extremely helpful. We want to make sure that Probation Officers are part of the solution and are problem-solvers. It also helps the school administrators to understand the juvenile justice process,” said Chief Probation Officer Francyne Lefemine.