[ Music ]
On screen text: "Introducing Massachusetts Probation Services"
[Massachusetts Probation Service seal]
On screen text: "Massachusetts Probation Services strives to increase community safety, reduce recidivism, contribute to the fair and impartial administration of justice, support victims and survivors and assist individuals and families in achieving long-term positive change."
On screen text: "The Commissioner of Probation, Edward J. Dolan, and his office oversee the Massachusetts Probation Service and the Office of the Community Corrections, which includes 105 probation departments and 18 community corrections centers, the Electronic Monitoring Center, and the Trial Court Community Service Program. Probation officers working in adult criminal courts (Superior Court, Boston Municipal Court, and District Court) supervise pre-trial and post-disposition cases."
On screen text: "Part 5: Incentives and Consequences"
[Johnny opens the door and walks into the Probation Officer's office, where the Probation Officer is seated at his desk.]
Probation Officer: Hey, Johnny.
[Probation Officer stands and shakes hands with Johnny.]
Johnny: How you doing, sir?
Probation Officer: How are you doing?
Johnny: Not bad.
Probation Officer: Good to see you. Thanks for coming in.
[Both are seated.]
Probation Officer: What's new?
Johnny: The same old, same old. Just work, family, yeah. So I get all of this around me.
Probation Officer: Yes, I hear you.
Johnny: It suits me well [inaudible].
Probation Officer: What's going on?
Johnny: No, just, you know, work has been stressful. Home is stressful, but then I got probation on top of it, but you know, it is what it is. Day to day and I do it.
Probation Officer: So, how's work going? You okay?
Johnny: Yeah, it's okay. Job, boss is really on my back, but it is what it is.
Probation Officer: And your coworkers man, they cool? What's up?
Johnny: Yes, no, my coworkers are good. Yes, we all get along.
Probation Officer: No drama, no issues?
Johnny: No. We don't have any problems.
Probation Officer: It's the last thing you need.
Johnny: Exactly. I don't want no problems with anybody. I'm all set.
Probation Officer: Alright, so, a couple of things. Massachusetts has one of the lowest rates in the country that resulted in committed time for violation of probation. So, at least that should show you how we're making an effort to work with the individual.
Johnny: Okay.
Probation Officer: We went over your contract last time. You know, all the conditions that were ordered. What I kind of want to go into today is with regards to earning compliance credits and potentially having an surrender hearing and a violation of probation, and hopefully it doesn't get to that.
Johnny: Okay. Compliance credits? [Inaudible].
Probation Officer: Right. So, those are automatically earned. So I started with that. As you know, my job is to make sure you successfully complete probation, okay. The only thing that I ask you to do is to be honest, be truthful, okay, and just be upfront. Alright? And I'm going to do the same thing. I want to earn your trust because I don't want you coming in here thinking that I can't trust this PO, I can't tell him how I'm really feeling. How am I going to help you if you can't trust me? Okay, so, that's what we're going to try and do. So, with regards to your compliance credits, like I said, those are automatically earned.
Johnny: So, is that something so I can get off early or something because I hate to --
Probation Officer: Absolutely.
Johnny: If there's a way that I can get off this probation early, that's what I need. I can't be on this so long.
Probation Officer: I understand that. I want you to get off probation, and I'm going to do everything that I can to make that happen with you. Alright, so, John, what I want to explain to you with regards to earning compliance credits. Now those are automatically earned. You could start earning them after one year, okay, because the crime that you're on probation for is not a sex offense, you would be eligible for that, okay. If you're not found in violation of your probation, your probation could end early, okay.
Johnny: Okay
Probation Officer: However, as you're earning compliance credits up until that point, okay. However, if you are found in violation of your probation, those compliance credits are off the table.
Johnny: So, if I get fined a violation, so that all my credits are gone at that point? Like I can't earn anymore or?
Probation Officer: So, if you're found in violation of your probation, any compliance credits, that you've previously earned are no longer available to you. They're off the table.
Johnny: So I have to get more.
Probation Officer: Once you're found in violation of your probation, going forward, you can begin to start earning compliance credits, okay? So with regards to violation hearing or a surrender, okay, there are two types of violations. You have a technical violation and you have new offenses.
Johnny: I'm not -- what's a technical violation?
Probation Officer: So, the examples of a technical violation would be not showing up for your drug or alcohol testing, okay, not showing up for an office visit, or failure to attend treatment.
Johnny: Okay, and that's a violation.
Probation Officer: Correct. So, what could happen would be a verbal reprimand would be given, an administrative hearing would be conducted with myself, you, and my supervisor, or you could be given a notice in hand and potentially appear in front of a judge. That could happen depending upon what the temporal violation is. So depending upon the severity of it, okay, so, that could happen. alright. So, with regards to having a new offense, I am obligated to issue a notice of violation.
Johnny: So, automatically?
Probation Officer: Correct, yes, and that has to happen, okay. You would be given an attorney if you qualify for a court-appointed attorney or you can provide your attorney, and then a hearing would be conducted to determine if you are found in violation of your probation or not. Some examples that could happen with the results of you being found in violation of your probation, your conditions could be modified, your probation could be revoked. You could be committed as a result of your sentence being revoked up until the maximum sentence that is allowed, or your probation could be extended to the original date with amended conditions. But certainly with regards to a technical violation, you have the right to a hearing in front of a judge to determine if you will be found in violation of probation or not.
Johnny: Okay.
Probation Officer: Okay? But that's not going to happen. We're not going to reach that point because you and I are going to work together on this. We're [inaudible] probation together, and I just want to be honest with you. I want you to be upfront and honest with me too. So, I appreciate that. I'll see you in two weeks on the next office appointment. Okay?
[Probation Officer and Johnny stand up and shake hands.]
Johnny: Sounds good
Probation Officer: Sounds good?
Johnny: Appreciate it.
[Johnny leaves the office and the Probation Officer sits back down.]
[ Music ]
On screen text: "Produced by: The Massachusetts Trial Court Public Outreach Committee, Massachusetts Probation Services & Suffolk University. Executive Producers: Hon. Mark D. Mason & Brian J. McDermott. Director: Chris Dwyer.
This production would not have been possible without the support of the Executive Office of the Trial Court, Paula M. Carey, Chief Justice, Massachusetts Probation Services, Edward J. Dolan, Commissioner of Probation, and Suffolk University.
Part 1: Probation Officer Luis Aviles, Worcester Superior Court; Probation Officer Justin G. Yawn, Plymouth Superior Court; Chief Probation Officer Brandon McClellan, Plymouth Superior Court; Coria Holland, MPS Communications Director
Part 2: Probation Officer Luis Aviles, Worcester Superior Court; Probation Officer Justin G. Yawn, Plymouth Superior Court; Assistant Chief Probation Officer Diane Barry, Plymouth County Superior Court; Coria Holland, MPS Communications Director
Part 3: Vincent Lorenti, Executive Director of the Office of Community Corrections; Jenna Jacobson, Office of Community Corrections; Coria Holland, MPS Communications Director
Part 4: Jeanelle Altiery, MPS Field Services Operations Coordinator; Sean Houghton, MPS Field Services Administrator; Fabiola White, MPS Administrative Attorney; Coria Holland, MPS Communications Director
Part 5: Probation Officer Justin Brennan, Cambridge District Court; Probation Officer Joshua Garcia, Lowell District Court; Chief Probation Officer Damon Banks, Cambridge District Court; Coria Holland, MPS Communications Director
For more information regarding Massachusetts Probation Services, call: 617-727-5300 or visit: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-probation-service.
The characters and events depicted in this video are entirely fictitious. Any similarity to actual events or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental."
[Image of the Massachusetts Probation Service seal]