News  Court and local leaders celebrate client achievement at Taunton Community Justice Support Center Recognition Ceremony

Mayor Shaunna O’Connell congratulated clients at the Taunton Community Justice Support Center (CJSC) on “getting to where you want to in life.”

“Today is a day of pride, victory, and new beginnings. It’s an intensive program for people who are working hard and you are succeeding. You are our inspiration," Mayor O’Donnell said. She also expressed gratitude about having the center in Taunton and acknowledged the “collaborative partnership” among community groups and organizations in providing access to local resources.

The May 29th Client Recognition Ceremony is one of a series of celebrations to recognize the milestones reached by individuals who attend and receive services at the centers.

Celebrations have taken place at many of the 18 statewide centers. Taunton clients were honored for reentry client engagement, “Client of the Month,” employment, earning a HiSET/GED, completion of CJSC programming, and successful transitions. Bristol Superior Probation Officers Seana Golden and Nathan Bancroft were also recognized with the Community Engagement Award for their work with clients at the center.

The Massachusetts Trial Court Honor Guard — Assistant Chief Court Officer Kathleen McGuirk and Court Officer Charles Bullard — opened the ceremony and Christine Lattouf, Specialty Court Program Coordinator, sang “The National Anthem.”

Filomena DaVeiga, Taunton OCC Program Manager, commended the clients for exhibiting their strength, “it takes strength to change and it takes a lot of work.”

Vincent Lorenti, Executive Director of the Office of Community Corrections, which oversees the centers, emphasized “finding one’s sense of purpose,” when addressing the honorees and spoke about the center and the programming as a form of community engagement.

“Community engagement is really at the core of what Probation is all about because it is our mission to make the community bigger and stronger by working with people and helping them,” he said.

Taunton District Court First Justice Michael Brennan told the clients, “We hope we don’t see you again. Now, I don’t want you to take that the wrong way. It would be great for you to come back just to say hey….great. We don’t want people coming back. We want people to be better, to do better, to be able to be the best versions of themselves if they can. One thing we notice at Taunton, at this place, those things start to happen.”

In addition to Presiding Justice Brennan, Wareham District First Justice Edward Sharkansky, Wareham District Judge Gloriann Moroney, Assistant Chief Craig O'Leary, and Diane Rich, District Director in State Senator Kelly Dooner’s office attended and provided remarks.

Attorney George Mesmar attended in support of his client, an honoree, whom he referred to the center.

“I see the value of sending people to this place,” Mr. Mesmar said.

The centers operate under the auspices of OCC, a division of the Massachusetts Probation Service, and ten of the 18 statewide centers are managed in the communities — throughout the Commonwealth by the Old Colony YMCA, including the Taunton CJSC. Charles R. Clifford, President and CEO of the Old Colony YMCA, also spoke to the clients.