About the Pretrial Services Division

Goals and Mission

The primary goals and mission of the Massachusetts Probation Service Pretrial Services Division (PSD) is the establishment of a system of broad-based collaborative partnerships that include the court, criminal justice agencies, and community service providers that enables a set of comprehensive policies, guidelines and practices to improve pretrial services throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and assist with the minimization of unnecessary pretrial detention through a wide-ranging system of pretrial services.

Pretrial Services operates under the premise, supported by federal and state constitutions, and through the Massachusetts Trial Court, Massachusetts Probation Service (MPS), and local office policies that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty and are entitled to reasonable bail. Defendants are also entitled to the least restrictive release terms possible, depending on whether they are likely to appear in court and whether they present a risk to public safety. Through existing and new Pretrial Supervision Standards and Practices, pretrial officers strive to perform an essential service in a fair and effective manner. Through a network of treatment and service options provided by the Office of Community Corrections (OCC) and collaborating providers and agencies, pretrial defendants will be afforded opportunities to engage in treatment, retain and/or pursue educational and employment opportunities, support their families, and function more effectively in their communities.

Electronic Notification

The Massachusetts Probation Service, in partnership with the Trial Court Judicial Information Services Department, worked to develop an eReminder system for all court departments. The goal of the eReminder is to minimize unnecessary pretrial detention and provide reminders to defendants of court appearance obligations to reduce the risk of accidental defaults.  

The Probation Intake and Indigency Verification has been revamped, which now allows for defendants and probationers to opt in/out of electronic notifications. The eReminder system has been successfully piloted in Worcester Superior, Greenfield and Wareham District Courts, and the Central Division of the Boston Municipal Court. 

The translation notification has been completed in the following ten languages, Arabic, Chinese, Cape Verdean Creole, English, French, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Please see the eReminder flyers for further reference. 

Pretrial Supervision Standards & Training

The Pretrial Services Division implemented the Pretrial Supervision Standards and Training, with the assistance of the Pretrial Standards Committee. The Pretrial Supervision Standards will be delivered by MPS and OCC Staff along with staff from the Massachusetts Training and Operations Center (MTOC). The training will be mandatory for all MPS and OCC Staff, throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The training will be delivered by MPS Staff who are expertly trained in the area of Pretrial Services. 

The Pretrial Services Division continues researching and incorporating training policies and practices to ensure the proper determination of risk factors are considered, which ultimately enhance supervision. The Pretrial Services Division is examining data pertaining to Failure to Appear (FTAs), FTA Warrants, and re-arrest rates. 

Pretrial Services & OCC

The Pretrial Services Unit, in collaboration with the Office of Community Corrections (OCC) is implementing the delivery of programming and services for pretrial defendants. These efforts include increasing referrals for pretrial defendants to OCC and expanding services and treatment capacity in underserved communities. To learn more about OCC, please see OCC Programs.

Contact the PSD Team

Name	Title	Email	Phone
Pamerson Ifill	Deputy Commissioner for Pretrial Services	[e-mail]	[phone]
Jameson Dorrine	Pretrial Services Operations Coordinator	[e-mail]	[phone]
Natalie Lorenti	Pretrial Services Administrator	[e-mail]	[phone]
Mahlet Kebede	Administrative Secretary	[e-mail]	[phone]
Donna Wilson	Pretrial Services Operations Coordinator	[e-mail]	[phone]
Shawnta Reid	Pretrial Services Operations Coordinator	[e-mail]	[phone]
Daniel Klein	Pretrial Services Operations Coordinator	[e-mail]	[phone]