News  Probation concept was first introduced 186 years ago this month

It was an August day in 1841 when John Augustus, known as the "Father of Probation," first introduced the concept of Probation. 

Mr. Augustus, a bootmaker, convinced a court judge to release a "public drunkard" into his custody. He took the man into his home, found him a job, and had him sign a pledge to stop drinking. 

According to history records, the judge was so impressed when the man returned to court clean and sober 30 days later that he waived the 30-day in jail penalty and instead fined the first probation client one cent plus court costs of $3.76. 

It was not until 1878, 37 years later, when Massachusetts enacted the nation's first probation law creating the Massachusetts Probation Service (MPS).

Here is an MPS little known fact: 

In 1978, the Massachusetts Probation Service became the first agency to create a national Restraining Order Registry to track domestic violence offenders with law enforcement and affiliate partners.