[ 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 1: Your First Day on Probation"
[Probation Officer Tom Lee sits behind a desk in an office. Probationer Brandon opens the office door and enters.]
Brandon: Hey. Good morning how are you? Brandon.
[Tom Lee stands and they both shake hands.]
Tom Lee: Good morning, hi Brandon. Tom Lee. How are you?
Brandon: I'm doing alright.
[Tom Lee and Brandon both are seated.]
Tom Lee: So, I'm a probation officer here. So, what's going on?
Brandon: I got out today and I don't know, I just, I knew I had to come here within 48 hours, so I just want to try to stay in compliance and now I'm here.
Tom Lee: Well, listen. The first thing is, you're out right?
Brandon: It feels good.
Tom Lee: And you're happy about that, right?
Brandon: It is. It's just a lot to take in a little bit, and I know I got things I gotta do, and I just want to get off on the right foot.
Tom Lee: Listen, we're going to work together on that, okay?
Brandon: Okay.
Tom Lee: Do you have any questions or any goals that we need to know before we go over all our materials?
Brandon: I mean I just got out, I don't have a dime. I'm living with my mother,
Tom Lee: Okay.
Brandon: and I just, those are my goals, I want to fix these things.
Tom Lee: Okay.
Brandon: Get employment, live on my own and kind of get back to where I was before.
Tom Lee: So, short-term goals are what?
Brandon: Get a job.
Tom Lee: Get a job?
Brandon: I need a job. I need money.
Tom Lee: And your long-term goals will be what?
Brandon: I don't know, man, get in a union maybe. I don't know. Get out of my mother's place.
Tom Lee: Hey. Look at, you have a lot of goals, right? So, while you're on probation we, me, I'm going to be your probation officer, we'll work together on that. Cause this is a collaboration. Ok? It's not just me enforcing the conditions of probation or letting you know that you need to follow this. This is a collaboration. I'm here to help you to reach your long-term goals and your short-term goals. Alright. So, any questions that you have for me before we go through this process?
Brandon: No. I just want to know what the court wants me to do. I want to make sure that's clear.
Tom Lee: Ok. So, before that, before we go what the court wants you to do, okay, obviously, we have to ask you a couple of questions. So, where are you going to be living, so, what will be your address?
Brandon: I'm going to be living at 72 Belmont Street.
Tom Lee: [Writes notes on a piece of paper] 72 Belmont Street.
Brandon: In Brockton.
Tom Lee: In Brockton. Okay, is this in a house, an apartment building?
Brandon: It's an apartment building.
Tom Lee: First floor, second floor?
Brandon: Second floor.
Tom Lee: Second floor. So, you're just going to be living with your mom?
Brandon: Yeah. Just the two of us.
Tom Lee: Is there any adults there?
Brandon: No, no, just me and her.
Tom Lee: Any pets?
Brandon: No. No pets.
Tom Lee: No pets. So, this is your conditions of probation that you signed the day that you were sentenced.
[Tom Lee hands Brandon the conditions.]
Tom Lee: So, as you know there is the general conditions of probation and then the special conditions of probation. On your next visit with me, we would go in depth on that. But I also want to tell you that our goals together, and as a probation officer, it's to protect public safety, reduce crime, and reduce recidivism, okay. Our goal is for you to meet all your conditions of probation, for you to meet all your long-term goals and be successful on probation, okay. I'm not here to judge you, I'm here to help you.
Brandon: Just, you hear the stories. This is my first time on. I don't really know what to expect and, I mean, I don't even know how often I'm going to be coming in here.
Tom Lee: So, when you come here next week, we're going to do what is called an assessment process. That assessment process will determine the level of supervision that you are going to be. So, there is three levels of supervision. There is high level of supervision, there is moderate level of supervision, and there's low level of supervision.
Brandon: Ok.
Tom Lee: So, the high level of supervision will be that you report one time every 2 weeks, the moderate level of supervision will be one time every month, and the low level of supervision will be one time every 3 months.
Brandon: Ok.
Tom Lee: So, the assessment process will determine which level of supervision you will be at.
Brandon: And you don't know that right now?
Tom Lee: We don't know that right now. However, every 6 months we review. So let's say that you score a high level of supervision, then every 6 months, in the next 6 months, we'll reevaluate, then you'd probably become a moderate level of supervision because of certain things you have accomplished. Like for example, employment. Maybe you moved and now you're on your own, your financial situation has changed. Every 6 months we review that, and chances are that your risk level will change.
Brandon: Ok.
Tom Lee: So, you signed your conditions of probation. You know that you are on probation for breaking and entering, nighttime. Right?
Brandon: Is that the, is that probation charge? Is that what I'm on for?
Tom Lee: So, that's what you're on probation for, for a period of 3 years.
Brandon: Ok.
Tom Lee: Ok. The other part of your sentence you already completed. Ok. So this is, this charge is the only one you're on probation for.
Brandon: The drug charges were the time.
Tom Lee: That was the time.
Brandon: Ok.
Tom Lee: You did the time for that.
Brandon: Ok.
Tom Lee: Ok. So, do you have any questions for me?
[Brandon reviews the conditions of probation document.]
Brandon: Well I see here, I know I have to do a mental health and a substance abuse evaluation. Where do I go to get these? When do I have to do them?
Tom Lee: Ok. So, this is what we're going to do, Brandon. So, when you come next week, we're going to start what is called the assessment process. So that assessment process is going to determine whether you need a mental health treatment, substance abuse treatment, in-patient treatment, out-patient treatment, and then we will refer you to those agencies. I will be making the referral. You do not need to worry about that cause we don't want to put a burden on you.
Brandon: Ok.
Tom Lee: So, I will do that. That will be my job to do so you could satisfy one of your conditions of probation.
Brandon: Just tell me where to go and I'll get there.
Tom Lee: We will do that. Do you have any other questions?
Brandon: I see here about drug testing. Is that something I do here?
Tom Lee: So, you're going to be do drug testing here.
Brandon: Ok.
Tom Lee: Ok. And as you see, it's the conditions say that they're random. So, it could be every time you come here or when I feel like I could call you to come in and do a drug test.
Brandon: Ok.
Tom Lee: Ok. Do you have any other questions?
Brandon: Not right now, no.
Tom Lee: Ok. So, I want to see you next week.
Brandon: Ok.
Tom Lee: Ok. Make sure that you come prepared to be here for at least an hour. This is my contact number and my information.
[Tom Lee hands Brandon a note with his contact information.]
Brandon: Ok.
Tom Lee: This is your conditions of probation.
[Indicates the paper in Brandon's hand.]
Tom Lee: Make sure you take them with you.
Brandon: Alright.
Tom Lee: And before you leave, as you know, we have to place you on GPS monitoring.
Brandon: Oh yeah.
Tom Lee: And that takes a little bit of a process. So, be patient with us and then we'll hook you up and then you're all set to go.
Brandon: Ok. I appreciate it.
Tom Lee: Alright. You take care, Brandon.
[Tom Lee and Brandon stand up and shake hands.]
Brandon: Good talking to you. Thank you.
[Brandon leaves the room. Tom Lee sits back down.]
Tom Lee: Bye bye.
[ 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]