Research/Document Library

Priorities and Public Safety II: Adopting Effective Probation Practices

Over the past six months, the Massachusetts criminal justice system has come under scrutiny due to the budget growth in its corrections agencies. This growth combined with the state’s budget crisis has compelled a closer examination of the oversight, decision-making and outcomes of one particular agency: the Probation Department. Originally identified in The Boston Foundation/Crime and Justice Institute at Community Resources for Justice report in December 2009, Priorities & Public Safety: Reentry and the Rising Costs of our Corrections System, the Probation Department’s budget was found to have increased 163%, adjusted for inflation, between 1998 and 2008. Recent reports have highlighted the Probation Department’s hiring practices, lack of oversight and reluctance to share important public safety data. This scrutiny has led to calls for significant change in the structure, management and oversight of the Department.

This report examines the current structure of corrections in Massachusetts, focusing on the vital role probation plays in protecting the public, and how other states carry out probation responsibilities. The report also incorporates the research showing the necessary elements of an effective and efficient probation system and what Massachusetts leaders should focus on as they work to restore the Probation Department as an effective and collaborative partner in the criminal justice system.

Available online

http://cjinstitute.org/

State

Massachusetts

Publisher

Crime and Justice Institute